The ball hadn't slowed.
Neither had the pressure.
1 2.
Still.
But now
it felt like something was about to break.
Yusuke didn't walk back into position this time.
He stayed higher.
Closer to the last line.
Closer to Daizen Mori.
Closer to the goal.
"…You changed," Daizen said quietly.
Yusuke didn't look at him.
"…Yeah."
The whistle blew.
Play resumed.
Shin received immediately.
Of course he did.
He always did.
First touch.
Clean.
Second touch
forward.
Kazuo Ryjin moved.
Explosive.
Again.
Daichi stepped early this time.
Shoulder in.
Contact.
Kazuo didn't break through cleanly.
For once.
He stumbled slightly
Enough.
Ren stepped in.
Cleared.
"GOOD!" Yuma shouted.
The ball rolled to Hiroto.
He didn't hesitate.
Passed.
Riku.
Riku turned.
Shin stepped.
Cutting the lane.
But Riku didn't fight it.
He played wide.
Takumi.
Kenta closed.
Takumi flicked it forward.
Sora ran onto it.
"KEEP IT!" Yuma shouted.
Sora controlled.
Renji closed him.
Fast.
Sora didn't hold.
He cut inside.
Then slipped it back.
Hiroto.
Hiroto turned.
Looked up
Yusuke was already moving.
Not waiting.
Not asking.
Moving.
"Go," Hiroto muttered.
He passed.
Through.
Clean.
Yusuke reached it.
Daizen turned.
Late.
Again.
"…!"
Yusuke pushed forward.
Inside the box.
Ryo shifted across.
Kaito screamed.
"PASS!"
Yusuke didn't.
Shot
Saved.
Eiji.
Again.
The ball bounced.
Loose.
Kaito rushed in.
Shot
Blocked.
Ryo.
The rebound popped up.
Sora jumped.
Header
Off target.
"…DAMN IT!" Sora shouted.
The chance was gone.
Again.
Yusuke stood still.
Breathing.
"…Why won't it go in?"
Eiji stood in goal.
Calm.
No reaction.
Like nothing mattered.
"…He's reading us," Takumi said.
"No," Hiroto replied.
"He's just… not panicking."
"Same thing," Kaito muttered.
The ball came back again.
Shin.
Of course.
He passed.
Toma.
Back to Shin.
Then
forward.
Kazuo ran.
Again.
Daichi stepped.
Better.
Ren covered.
Kazuo tried to push through
But this time
Ren got there.
Clean.
"…Got him," Ren said.
The ball rolled to Yuma.
He didn't hesitate.
Cleared it wide.
"Push!" Riku shouted.
They moved.
All of them.
Together.
This time
it wasn't rushed.
It wasn't chaotic.
It was controlled.
Hiroto received.
Passed.
Riku.
Riku turned.
Shin stepped.
Same pressure.
Same control.
But Riku didn't slow.
He drove forward anyway.
Forced it.
Shin shifted
Late.
"…Now!"
Riku pushed through.
Takumi moved.
Sora ran wide.
Kaito sprinted.
Yusuke
didn't follow the same line.
He cut inside.
Different angle.
Different timing.
Riku saw it.
Passed.
Yusuke received.
Inside space.
Daizen stepped.
Again.
Same wall.
But this time
Yusuke didn't try to beat him.
He stopped.
Dead.
Daizen paused.
Just for a second.
That was enough.
Yusuke shifted.
Quick.
Past him.
"…!"
Inside.
Ryo moved.
Kaito screamed again.
"PASS!"
Yusuke didn't.
Shot
Saved.
Eiji.
Again.
"…ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"
The rebound bounced.
Kaito reached it.
Shot
Saved.
Again.
"…BRO!"
Silence.
Heavy.
Frustrating.
Yusuke clenched his teeth.
"…What am I missing?"
Kaito walked past him.
"…You're not beating him like that."
"…Then how?"
Kaito didn't answer.
Because he didn't know either.
Play resumed.
Shin controlled it again.
Slowed the tempo.
Passed.
Toma.
Back to Shin.
Then wide.
Renji.
Yuma stepped.
"Not happening!"
Renji tried to cut inside.
Yuma stayed.
Forced him wide.
Cross
Blocked.
Out.
"…Good," Daichi said.
"…We're holding," Hiroto added.
Yusuke exhaled.
"…But we're not scoring."
Next sequence.
Throw in.
Hiroto received.
Turned.
Shin stepped.
Same pressure.
Same read.
Yusuke moved.
Closer.
"Here."
Hiroto passed.
Yusuke received.
Daizen stepped.
Yusuke didn't push forward.
Didn't try to beat him.
He passed.
Back.
Reset.
"…You're hesitating again," Kaito said.
"…No."
Yusuke looked forward.
"…I'm changing it."
The next play started.
Hiroto intercepted.
Again.
Riku took it.
Instantly.
Kaito ran.
Yusuke ran.
Both open.
Again.
Same moment.
Same choice.
Riku slowed.
Just slightly.
The defenders shifted.
Daizen toward Yusuke.
Ryo toward Kaito.
Shin tracking back.
Everything tightening.
"…Now," Riku muttered.
He passed.
To
Kaito.
Kaito received.
Shot
Saved.
Eiji.
Again.
"…THIS GUY!"
The rebound bounced out.
Yusuke moved.
Didn't think.
Didn't hesitate.
He struck it.
First time.
Clean.
The ball flew
Eiji moved
But this time
it wasn't straight.
It wasn't predictable.
It curved.
Slightly.
Late.
Just enough.
Eiji's hand reached
Missed.
The ball hit the net.
2 2.
Silence
Then
"GOOOOAL!" Yuma shouted.
"FINALLY!" Sora yelled.
Riku exhaled hard.
"…There it is."
Kaito stood still for a second.
"…About time."
Yusuke didn't celebrate.
Didn't shout.
He just stood there.
Looking at the net.
"…That's it."
Kazuo watched him.
Then smirked slightly.
"…Now you're playing."
Yusuke looked back.
"…Yeah."
The game reset.
2 2.
But now
everything had changed.
Yusuke stepped back into position.
Breathing steady.
Eyes sharp.
No hesitation.
No doubt.
"…I've got it now."