The whistle blew.
3 2.
But it didn't feel like a lead.
It felt like a warning.
"Reset!" Riku shouted.
No one celebrated now.
Not really.
They all knew.
It wasn't over.
Not with him there.
Yusuke walked back to his position.
Breathing steady.
Eyes forward.
Across the field
Kurogami stood over the ball.
Same expression.
Same stillness.
But now
There was something behind it.
"…Come on," Yusuke muttered.
Kickoff.
The ball rolled.
Shirogane received.
Instantly
Forward.
No hesitation.
No buildup.
Direct.
Mikael.
He smiled.
"Again?"
He flicked it past Hiroto.
Too easy.
Hiroto turned.
"…Not again."
Mikael pushed forward.
Then
Backheel.
Perfect.
Kurogami.
Already there.
Always there.
Daichi stepped.
Early.
Strong.
Kurogami didn't challenge.
He shifted.
Tiny movement.
Daichi missed.
"…shit."
Ren stepped in.
Kurogami pushed past him.
Gone.
Inside the box.
Shot
Tsubasa dove
Saved.
Again.
"GET IT OUT!" Tsubasa shouted.
Yuma cleared.
Hard.
Far.
The ball flew into midfield.
Riku chased.
Won it.
Turned.
"Go!"
Yusuke moved.
Full speed.
Riku drove forward.
Then
Passed.
Through.
Perfect.
Again.
Yusuke received.
Raiden stepped.
Yusuke slowed.
Then
Burst.
Left.
Right.
Raiden got caught.
"…not again "
Sora (bad) closed.
Yusuke pushed forward
Sora (bad) matched.
Perfect.
Still there.
"…Tch."
Yusuke tried to force it.
Sora (bad) poked it away.
Clean.
"Read you," he said calmly.
The ball rolled back.
Kiba took it.
Passed.
Reset.
"…He's adjusting," Yusuke muttered.
"Then adjust faster," Riku replied.
Play continued.
VANTA pressed again.
Relentless.
Aoi.
Takumi.
Battle.
Aoi slipped past.
Cross.
Guren.
Shot
Blocked.
Daichi.
The ball bounced.
Kurogami moved.
Shot
Saved.
Tsubasa again.
"…how many times?" Yuma muttered.
"Until we stop him," Ren said.
Yusuke exhaled.
"…or I outscore him."
Riku glanced at him.
"…there it is."
Next play.
Hiroto intercepted.
Again.
Clean.
Passed to Riku.
Riku turned.
Fast.
Yusuke moved.
Riku saw it.
Through ball.
Perfect.
Again.
Yusuke received.
Raiden.
Sora (bad).
Both closing.
Yusuke slowed.
Then
He didn't go forward.
He went sideways.
Dragging both defenders with him.
Creating space.
Behind.
Kaito ran into it.
"Now!"
Yusuke passed.
Kaito received.
Shot
Saved.
Leon.
Clean.
"…finally," Kaito smirked.
"Then score it," Takumi said.
Kaito clicked his tongue.
The game didn't slow.
Back and forth.
Constant pressure.
Minutes passing.
Energy dropping.
But intensity rising.
Yusuke wiped sweat from his face.
"…This is it."
Riku nodded.
"Final stretch."
Daniel's voice cut in from the sideline.
"End it!"
No more instructions.
Just that.
End it.
VANTA attacked again.
Shirogane.
Kiba.
Mikael.
Fast.
Sharp.
Kurogami.
Through.
Inside.
Shot
Goal.
3 3.
Silence.
Then
noise.
"…damn," Yuma said.
Riku clenched his jaw.
"Reset!"
Yusuke stood still.
Looking at Kurogami.
"…you're annoying."
Kurogami looked back.
"…same."
Kickoff.
Final minutes.
Everything on the line.
No room for error.
Riku tapped.
Play resumed.
Faster.
Sharper.
Every pass mattered.
Hiroto.
Takumi.
Riku.
Back to Hiroto.
Yusuke moved.
Demanding.
"Here."
Riku passed.
Yusuke received.
Turned.
Kiba stepped.
Yusuke shifted.
Passed.
Moved.
Again.
Flow.
Now
He was in it.
Fully.
The ball came back.
Again.
He pushed forward.
Raiden stepped.
Yusuke feinted.
Raiden didn't bite.
Yusuke passed.
Reset.
"…wait for it," Riku said.
"…No," Yusuke replied.
"I'll take it."
Riku smirked.
"…then do it."
Next play.
Takumi cut inside.
Passed.
Riku.
Looked up.
Saw it.
Yusuke.
Perfect position.
Through ball.
Again.
Perfect.
Yusuke received.
Sora (bad).
Last man.
Again.
Yusuke approached.
Slow.
Controlled.
Eyes locked.
Sora (bad) waited.
Yusuke stepped right
Sora followed.
Yusuke cut left
Sora matched.
Still there.
"…then move."
Yusuke pushed forward
Then stopped.
Dead.
Sora (bad) adjusted
Yusuke flicked it past him.
Behind.
Gone.
Clean.
Inside the box.
Leon stepped.
Final wall.
Kaito screamed.
"PASS!"
Wide open.
Again.
Same moment.
Same choice.
Yusuke smiled slightly.
"…nah."
Shot.
Low.
Fast.
Leon dove
Full stretch
Fingertips
Post.
Rebound.
Loose.
Yusuke moved.
Faster than everyone.
Second touch.
Shot.
Goal.
4 3.
Silence
Then explosion.
"GOOO!"
Riku shouted.
Yuma screamed.
Takumi nodded.
"…clutch."
Kaito stood still.
"…finally."
Yusuke turned.
No celebration.
Just calm.
But now
There was something else.
Something real.
Something sharp.
Across the field
Kurogami watched.
No expression.
But
Clear now.
Respect.
The whistle blew again.
Restart.
But time
Was running out.