The whistle blew.
Kickoff.
Riku tapped the ball back, and Hiroto took over instantly, shifting it across his body and sending it toward Takumi on the right.
"Move!" Riku called.
Takumi received
But before he could turn, Aoi Jin was already there.
Deep blue hair, calm eyes, no wasted movement.
He didn't dive in.
He just stepped into the lane.
Takumi was forced backward.
"…Tch."
He passed inside.
Riku collected it and tried to turn
But Tetsu Kiba stepped up.
Dark grey hair. Heavy build.
He didn't tackle.
He just stood there.
Blocking.
Pressuring.
Forcing Riku to pass again.
"Annoying," Riku muttered.
The ball shifted left.
Sora received it and instantly tried to explode forward.
"Let's go."
He pushed the ball ahead
But Zen Itou matched him.
Bright green hair flashing as he moved.
Step for step.
Sora tried to cut inside.
Zen's foot snapped out.
Clean.
Ball gone.
"Oi !"
Zen didn't even react.
He just passed it forward.
The ball reached Shirogane Luka.
White hair. Calm smile.
He didn't rush.
Didn't even look pressured.
One touch.
Head up.
Then
A perfect ground pass split the midfield.
Straight into Kurogami Rei's path.
Jet black hair.
Violet eyes.
Still expressionless.
Daichi stepped up.
Strong. Direct.
Kurogami didn't challenge.
He let the ball roll across his body
Then flicked it sideways.
Simple.
Too simple.
The ball reached Mikael Dray.
Silver hair shifting as he moved.
Relaxed smile still there.
He didn't hesitate.
Touch.
Shot.
Ren threw himself in.
Block.
The ball ricocheted out.
"Wake up!" Daniel shouted.
Yusuke watched it all.
Every movement.
Every decision.
"…Tch."
The game reset.
Throw in.
Zen took it quickly, tossing it back to Shirogane.
Again
Calm.
Control.
He played it wide to Guren Akashi.
Red hair. Sharp eyes.
The moment the ball hit his feet
He exploded.
Straight down the left.
Yuma sprinted to meet him.
"Not happening!"
Guren knocked it forward.
Yuma lunged
Missed.
Guren was already past him.
"Shit!"
He drove toward the box and whipped in a cross.
Fast.
Dangerous.
Tsubasa stepped forward.
Silver white hair catching the light
And punched it away.
Clear.
"Focus," Tsubasa said calmly.
The ball dropped near midfield.
Hiroto moved first.
He intercepted and sent it forward.
To Yusuke.
The pass came in low.
Yusuke didn't look at it.
Didn't need to.
He let it roll across his body
Then turned.
A defender was already there.
Sora Hoshin.
Light blue hair.
Calm eyes.
Reading him.
Yusuke shifted left.
Sora didn't bite.
Yusuke pulled it back.
Sora stayed.
"…Smart."
Yusuke slipped the ball backward instead.
Riku collected it.
Play reset.
"Not taking him on?" Sora (his teammate) called out.
"…Didn't feel like it."
The match continued.
Kaito started getting louder.
"Give it!"
"Here!"
"Now!"
Riku fed him.
Kaito received, back to goal.
He tried to turn
But Sora Hoshin stepped in again.
Clean.
No foul.
Ball taken.
"…Seriously?" Kaito snapped.
"Control it first," Takumi said.
"Shut up."
VANTA attacked again.
This time through the right.
Aoi received and cut inside slightly.
Then played a sharp pass into Mikael.
Mikael flicked it instantly.
Back to Kurogami.
Now inside the box.
One touch.
Set.
Shot.
Low.
Fast.
Tsubasa reacted instantly.
Palm down.
Save.
"Again," Tsubasa said.
Kurogami didn't react.
Didn't show frustration.
Just turned.
Walking back.
Like it meant nothing.
Yusuke watched him.
"…He's not normal."
Minutes passed.
The game stayed tight.
Every time Sora (teammate) tried something flashy
Zen shut him down.
Every time Takumi tried to cross
Aoi was there.
Every time Riku tried to break lines
Kiba blocked him.
It was suffocating.
But slowly
things started changing.
Hiroto began stepping in earlier.
Winning small duels.
Riku dropped deeper.
Getting more touches.
Takumi started cutting inside instead of staying wide.
And Yusuke
Started moving higher.
Not thinking.
Just drifting.
Finding space.
Watching.
Another attack.
Takumi broke free for a second.
Cross.
Low.
Kaito lunged
Missed.
"Damn it!"
Sora (teammate) arrived late.
Side net.
"Closer!" Riku shouted.
"Then pass better!" Sora fired back.
"Enough!" Daniel barked.
Silence.
VANTA restarted.
Again calm.
Again controlled.
Shirogane got the ball.
He scanned.
Then slipped it into Guren.
Guren tried to drive again
But this time Yuma recovered.
Strong tackle.
Ball out.
"Got you," Yuma said.
The ball bounced loose.
Hiroto stepped in.
Won it.
And passed forward.
Riku turned instantly.
"Go!"
Yusuke moved.
Now it was open.
Not fully.
But enough.
Riku carried it.
Then
A perfect through pass.
Right into Yusuke.
Clean.
Yusuke received on the half turn.
Now facing the defense.
Raiden stepped up.
Long black hair tied back.
Crimson eyes locked on him.
Yusuke pushed the ball left.
Raiden matched.
Yusuke snapped it back right
And slipped past.
"Oi "
Raiden turned.
Too late.
Next defender.
Sora Hoshin again.
Yusuke approached slower this time.
Reading.
Waiting.
Then
A sudden burst.
He touched the ball forward and used his body to shield it.
Sora collided
But Yusuke stayed up.
Now inside the box.
Leon stood in front of him.
Blond hair.
Sharp eyes.
No smile this time.
Serious.
Kaito was open.
Wide open.
"PASS!"
Sora (teammate) was free too.
Even Riku was arriving.
Three options.
Safe.
Easy.
Smart.
Yusuke's foot hovered over the ball.
That same moment.
That same feeling.
The one from before.
"…Tch."
Why?
Why pass?
His eyes narrowed.
He shifted his body.
And swung.
The shot came fast.
Low.
Across goal.
Leon reacted.
Hand out
Fingertips.
Not enough.
The ball slammed into the net.
Goal.
Silence
Then noise exploded.
"YES!"
"LET'S GO!"
Riku grabbed Yusuke's shoulder.
"That's it!"
Sora rushed in.
"Finally!"
Yuma shouted from the back.
"About time!"
Takumi nodded once.
"Good."
Kaito stood still.
Watching.
Annoyed.
But quiet.
The scoreboard changed.
1 0.
Yusuke stood there.
Looking at the net.
Breathing steady.
No smile.
No celebration.
Just… calm.
Then
He looked up.
Kurogami stood at midfield.
Ball at his feet.
Violet eyes locked onto Yusuke.
No emotion.
But something was there now.
Acknowledgment.
The referee pointed.
Restart.
Game on.
And now
it had truly begun.