There were barely ten minutes left on the clock.
A subtle shift rippled across the pitch. Ohkawa Hibiki, who had spent most of the match lurking in Team Z's half, suddenly retreated. The atmosphere grew heavy, filled with the unsettling quiet that precedes a violent storm.
The ball continued to circulate among the Team Y players, but their passing rhythm had found a new anchor: Ohkawa. His fundamental skills were elite for Team Y, and his retreat instantly smoothed out their transitions.
Kira noticed the change immediately. Not only can this guy score, but his distribution is solid too!
"Activate [Niko Ikki Attribute Trial Card]."
[Niko Ikki Trial Card Activated!]
[Vision +20 (Decaying)]
[Passing +20 (Decaying)]
[Duration: 10 Minutes]
As the notification echoed in his mind, Kira felt his perception shift. The entire pitch became crystal clear. It was an even more profound sensation than when he had used Isagi's attributes. If it weren't for his poor physical stats, Niko would be a true monster, Kira thought in awe.
Suddenly, the play exploded.
Ohkawa stopped playing safe. He turned and drove the ball forward with a burst of speed.
"All-out attack!" Niko signaled.
Like a collective fever, every member of Team Y abandoned their defensive posts and surged forward in a desperate wave. The sheer audacity of the move stunned Team Z.
This is bad! Isagi's internal alarm blared. They're throwing everyone into the box! As Isagi turned to sprint back and defend, he saw Kira in the distance. Kira looked at him and slowly shook his head.
What? Isagi froze. He doesn't want me to retreat? Kira, what are you planning?
Isagi chose to trust him. He halted his retreat and stayed planted in Team Y's half, a lone blue figure amidst the retreating chaos.
"Isagi, what are you doing?! They're all pressing!"
"Get back and defend!"
The Team Z defenders screamed in confusion, but Isagi ignored them. In his mind, pieces of a puzzle were beginning to click. If he could see the danger, there was no way the superior Kira hadn't seen it too.
Raichi lunged toward Ohkawa. As the first line of the midfield defense, Raichi knew he had to stop the momentum here. But Ohkawa was prepared. With a simple, fluid turn, he exploited Raichi's over-committed center of gravity and ghosted past him.
Naruhaya and Imamura swarmed in next, but Ohkawa didn't even glance at them. He flicked the ball laterally.
The pass found Niko in stride.
Damn it! We missed a man! Gagamaru tried to intercept, but he was too late. Niko had anticipated the lane and was already accelerating.
A clean breakaway.
Team Z's backline had been punctured by the sheer violence of Team Y's counter-offensive. It was Niko vs. the keeper. Iemon stood his ground, his heart hammering. He had never successfully stopped a one-on-one in his life.
Left? Right? A chip?
Niko reached the edge of the six-yard box. He wound up his left leg, then suddenly tapped the ball to his right.
A pass?!
Iemon felt like a fool. He had focused every ounce of his concentration on the shooter, only for the "King" of the counter to pass the ball while clean through. Does this kid even know how to finish?
But on the right, a shadow appeared. Ohkawa Hibiki.
"He beat us! Ohkawa caught up!"
"When did he get behind me?!"
The Team Z defenders clutched their heads in despair. Ohkawa smiled. The goal was wide open, and he could already see the ball rippling the net...
Suddenly, a blur of motion cut through the air.
Ohkawa's smile vanished. A boot appeared, snuffing out Team Y's hope like a guttering candle.
Kira Ryosuke had arrived.
With a clinical touch, Kira intercepted the pass with his right foot and executed a smooth turn, killing the ball's momentum instantly. The sheer elegance of the interception left the stadium in stunned silence.
No way... Ohkawa's mind reeled. Instead of marking the man with the ball, he gambled on me? How did he know Niko would pass? If Niko had shot directly, Kira would have been hopelessly out of position. It was a gamble of insane proportions.
But Kira didn't give him time to question it. Having secured the ball, he didn't hesitate. He looked up and unleashed a thunderous long-ball.
"Impossible!" Niko's pupils dilated.
The ball soared toward Team Y's half. It was a massive distance. Did they even have anyone left back there? Is he just clearing it out of bounds?
Then, Niko realized the truth. The trajectory of this long-ball was a mirror image of the one he had used to assist Ohkawa earlier.
A second later, the ball carved through the sky and dropped with pinpoint precision directly into the path of Isagi Yoichi.
Team Y looked like they had seen a ghost. Isagi was completely unmarked, save for one lone defender in his periphery who was still trying to process how the ball had traveled the length of the pitch in an instant.
Isagi didn't wait for him to figure it out. He ignited.
The defender was left in the dust as Isagi drove into the box. Another breakaway.
Isagi's heart was a furnace of resolve. He wouldn't be like Niko. He wouldn't pass. A striker face-to-face with the goal has only one job.
He faced the keeper and fired without hesitation, aiming for the top right corner.
"RAAAAAAGH!"
The Team Y keeper, as if possessed by a sudden buff, leaped with everything he had. He managed to get a hand to it, parrying the ball away.
In the distance, Kira covered his eyes. Seriously, Isagi? Even with that perfect setup, you can't finish?
But the play wasn't over.
The rebound bounced right back to Isagi. The keeper was sprawled on the ground, helpless. Isagi didn't miss twice. He hammered the ball into the empty net.
Goal! The score was 3-1.
"YESSSSSS!"
Isagi fell to his knees in the box, roaring at the sky. The Team Z players sprinted the length of the field to bury him in a celebratory huddle. On a football pitch, nothing tastes better than a clinching goal.
"We lost... we really lost..."
Niko's legs gave out. He collapsed onto the turf, tears streaming down his face. He had given everything—defense, organization, the final pass. Every step of Team Y relied on his brain, yet it wasn't enough.
He had lost to talent once. Now, he had lost to Team Z, and the person with the same "eyes" as him was the one standing in the winner's circle. It's not fair... it's just not fair...
Suddenly, he felt a presence. He looked up to see Kira Ryosuke standing over him, wearing a gentle smile.
"Are you... here to mock me?" Niko sobbed, looking every bit the young boy he actually was.
Kira shook his head. "You were an honorable opponent. You played brilliantly today. Keep going—I hope we get to face each other again later in this tournament."
Niko froze. A player of that caliber... was praising him?
The warmth of the compliment cut through the coldness of defeat. There is no better balm for a loser than the genuine respect of the victor.
"Thank you..." Niko whispered.
"Don't mention it." Kira turned and waved as he walked back toward his celebrating teammates.
"Kira... your name is Kira, right?" Niko called out, his voice shaking. "I want to know... how can I become as strong as you? How can I perform like that?"
Kira paused. He didn't turn around, but his voice was clear.
"Why would you want to be like me? Everyone has their own unique strengths. You played an incredible game today; why not focus on pushing your own limits to the absolute maximum?"
"In football, as in life... the best thing you can be is yourself."
With a final wave, Kira walked away.
Niko watched his silhouette disappear into the huddle of blue jerseys, whispering the words to himself like a mantra.
"Be myself... be myself."