The ball rolled back into play.
4 2.
Southside United in control.
But no one relaxed.
Not even for a second.
Kazuo stood at the center again, shoulders loose, eyes sharp.
"…Two goals," he muttered.
Then he smirked.
"…Easy."
The whistle blew.
Kickoff.
He tapped it back.
Shin received.
And immediately
he changed everything.
No slow build.
No reset.
One touch.
Forward.
Fast.
"WATCH HIM!" Riku shouted.
Kazuo was already moving.
Explosive.
Again.
Daichi stepped.
Early.
Body in the way.
Kazuo shifted.
Left
Right
Then burst forward.
"…Damn it!"
Ren moved across.
Kazuo didn't shoot.
He slipped it wide.
Renji.
Renji ran onto it.
Yuma stepped up.
"Try it!"
Renji cut inside
Yuma stayed.
Blocked the lane.
Renji crossed anyway.
High.
Dangerous.
Kazuo jumped.
Daichi jumped with him.
Contact.
Heavy.
Kazuo got a touch
Header
Saved.
Tsubasa.
"…Got it."
The ball dropped.
Tsubasa held it tight.
"Reset!"
He threw it out.
Hiroto received.
Turned.
Shin stepped.
Cutting the angle.
Hiroto didn't force it.
Passed wide.
Takumi.
Kenta closed.
Takumi flicked it forward
Sora ran onto it.
"KEEP IT!" Yuma shouted.
Sora controlled.
Renji chased.
Sora didn't hold.
He cut inside
then passed back.
Reset.
"…They're pushing harder," Takumi said.
"They have to," Hiroto replied.
"They're losing."
The ball moved again.
Riku received.
Turned.
Shin stepped.
Closer than before.
More aggressive.
"…You're not slowing down," Riku muttered.
He passed quickly.
Yusuke.
Yusuke received.
Daizen stepped.
Same pressure.
Same calm.
But Yusuke didn't hesitate.
He pushed forward instantly.
Daizen reacted
half a step late.
Yusuke slipped past him.
"…!"
Inside space.
Ryo shifted.
Kaito shouted.
"PASS!"
Yusuke didn't even look.
Shot
Saved.
Eiji.
Again.
"…BRO!"
The rebound bounced.
Kaito rushed in.
Shot
Blocked.
Masaru.
Cleared by Jin.
"…Still not enough," Kaito muttered.
Yusuke exhaled.
"…I'm getting through."
"Yeah," Hiroto said.
"But he's still there."
Eiji stood in goal.
Calm.
Unshaken.
Like nothing mattered.
The game didn't slow.
Shin had the ball again.
Passed.
Toma.
Back to Shin.
Then
forward.
Kazuo ran.
Again.
Daichi stepped.
Ren covered.
Kazuo pushed through
but this time
Ren got there.
Clean.
Won it.
"GOOD!" Yuma shouted.
Ren passed immediately.
Hiroto.
Hiroto turned.
Riku moved.
Sora wide.
Takumi inside.
Kaito forward.
Yusuke
already running.
Early.
Sharp.
Riku saw it.
Passed.
Yusuke received.
Inside the box.
Daizen stepped.
Again.
Same wall.
But Yusuke didn't slow.
Didn't hesitate.
He drove forward.
Through contact.
Forcing it.
Daizen shifted
late.
Yusuke broke through.
"…!"
Ryo moved across.
Kaito shouted.
"PASS!"
Yusuke delayed
just slightly.
Ryo committed.
Yusuke shot.
Low.
Far corner.
Eiji moved
Saved.
Again.
"…WHAT?!"
The ball bounced.
Loose.
Kaito got there.
Shot
Saved.
Again.
"…THIS GUY!"
Sora arrived.
Shot
Blocked.
Jin cleared.
Again.
"…We can't beat him," Sora said.
"Not like this," Takumi replied.
Yusuke stood still.
Breathing.
"…Then I change it."
The game continued.
Back and forth.
No control.
Just pressure.
Then
mistake.
Kenta overstepped.
Just slightly.
Takumi saw it.
Passed.
Sora.
Sora ran onto it.
Unmarked.
For once.
He looked up.
Yusuke.
Kaito.
Both in position.
Sora crossed.
Low.
Driven.
Yusuke moved.
First touch
clean.
Shot
Saved.
Eiji.
Again.
"…HOW MANY TIMES?!"
The ball bounced away.
Shin picked it up.
Instantly.
Counter.
Kazuo ran.
Again.
Explosive.
Daichi chased.
Ren covered.
Kazuo pushed forward.
Shot
Saved.
Tsubasa.
The ball bounced wide.
Corner.
"…Back and forth," Hiroto muttered.
"…Yeah," Riku replied.
"No control."
Corner came in.
Hayate crossed.
Jin jumped
Header
Off target.
Play reset.
Yusuke stepped back.
Breathing steady.
"…He's not reading the shot."
Hiroto looked at him.
"…What?"
"He's reacting to it."
A pause.
"…So I don't let him react."
Hiroto smirked slightly.
"…There you go."
Next play.
Hiroto intercepted.
Again.
Riku took it.
Instantly.
Kaito ran.
Yusuke ran.
Both open.
Again.
Same moment.
Same choice.
Riku slowed.
Shin closing.
Daizen shifting.
Ryo covering.
Everything tightening.
"…Now."
Riku passed.
To
Yusuke.
Yusuke received.
Inside space.
Daizen stepped.
Yusuke didn't push forward.
Didn't shoot.
Didn't hesitate.
He chipped it.
Soft.
Over the defense.
Kaito reacted late.
"…Huh?!"
Sora reacted.
Too late.
But
Takumi.
He was already there.
Ran onto it.
Volley
GOAL.
5 2.
Silence
Then
"WHAT A GOAL!" Yuma shouted.
"NO WAY!" Sora yelled.
Takumi stood still.
"…That worked."
Yusuke smirked.
"…Yeah."
Kaito stared at him.
"…You didn't even look."
"…Didn't need to."
Riku exhaled.
"…We broke them."
Kazuo stood at midfield.
Looking at the scoreboard.
5 2.
Then he laughed.
"…Good."
Yusuke looked at him.
"…Still not done."
Kazuo nodded.
"…Of course."
The game reset.
But now
Southside United wasn't just holding.
They were dominating.
Yusuke stepped forward.
Eyes sharp.
Breathing steady.
This wasn't over.
But it was close.
"…Let's end it."