6 5.
The lead was back.
But it didn't feel safe.
Not even close.
Yusuke stood near midfield, breathing steady, eyes locked forward. The noise of movement, footsteps, and quick passes filled the field again as both sides reset.
Kaito walked past him, cracking his neck.
"…Don't slow down now," he said.
Yusuke didn't look at him.
"…I won't."
Riku stood over the ball again, scanning everything. He didn't rush it. He didn't panic.
"…We're still ahead," he said quietly.
Hiroto nodded.
"…Then we keep it that way."
The whistle blew.
Kickoff.
Kazuo tapped the ball back.
Shin received.
And just like before
he didn't rush.
He held the ball, watching Southside step forward slightly. Not enough to fully press, but enough to test.
Then
he passed.
Short.
Controlled.
Toma.
Back to Shin.
Then wide.
Renji.
The ball moved cleanly, calmly.
No forcing.
No panic.
"…They're setting something up," Takumi muttered.
Yusuke watched.
"…Same pattern."
But this time, it felt sharper.
More deliberate.
Shin moved again.
A sudden forward pass.
Kazuo reacted instantly.
Explosive.
Daichi stepped.
This time
he matched him.
Shoulder in.
Contact.
Kazuo didn't break through.
Not cleanly.
He smirked slightly.
"…Better."
He passed wide instead.
Renji ran onto it.
Yuma stepped.
"Not getting through!"
Renji cut inside
Yuma stayed.
Didn't bite.
Renji crossed anyway.
Low.
Fast.
Ren stepped in.
Cleared.
Clean.
The ball bounced out toward Hiroto.
"Go!"
Hiroto passed immediately.
Riku.
Riku turned
Shin stepped.
Again.
Closer.
Faster.
Riku pushed forward
Shin matched.
Contact.
No space.
"…Tch."
Riku passed wide.
Takumi.
Kenta closed.
Takumi flicked it back.
Reset.
Again.
The pace slowed slightly.
Not dead
just controlled.
Yusuke moved.
Constantly.
Left.
Right.
Dropping deeper.
Then pushing forward again.
Daizen followed.
But not tightly.
Not fully.
He was watching.
Waiting.
"…You're changing again," Yusuke muttered.
No response.
The ball came back to Hiroto.
He turned.
Looked up.
Saw Yusuke drop.
Passed.
Yusuke received.
Back to goal.
Daizen stepped.
Yusuke didn't turn.
Didn't force it.
He held it
then tapped it back.
Riku.
"…Keep it moving," Yusuke said.
Riku didn't question it.
One touch.
Takumi.
Takumi shifted.
Kenta followed.
Sora ran wide.
Pulling Renji.
The shape stretched.
Just slightly.
But it was enough.
Yusuke saw it.
He didn't call for it.
He didn't signal.
He just moved.
Sharp.
Early.
Riku saw it.
Passed.
Through.
Yusuke ran onto it.
Daizen turned
Late.
For once
late.
Yusuke pushed forward.
Ryo shifted across.
Kaito sprinted.
"PASS!"
Yusuke looked
just for a second
then kept going.
He slowed.
Just slightly.
Ryo committed.
Yusuke shifted past him.
Inside.
Eiji stepped forward.
Closing the angle.
Yusuke shot
Saved.
Again.
"…DAMN IT!"
The ball bounced.
Kaito rushed in.
Shot
Blocked.
Masaru.
Cleared by Jin.
The chance was gone.
Again.
Yusuke exhaled slowly.
"…Still not enough."
"Then make it enough," Kaito snapped.
The game didn't slow.
Shin already had the ball again.
Passed.
Toma.
Back to Shin.
Then
forward.
Kazuo ran.
Again.
Relentless.
Daichi stepped.
Ren covered.
Kazuo pushed through
Shot
Saved.
Tsubasa.
The ball bounced loose.
Dangerous.
Hayate ran onto it
Shot
Blocked.
Yuma.
Cleared.
"…Too close," Yuma muttered.
Way too close.
The pressure didn't drop.
IRONCLAD pushed again.
And again.
Shin controlled everything.
Every pass.
Every movement.
Every shift.
"…He's taking it back," Hiroto said.
"…Not completely," Riku replied.
The ball came loose again.
Takumi reached it.
Passed to Sora.
Sora controlled.
Renji closed.
Sora cut inside
then slipped it back.
Hiroto.
Hiroto turned.
Looked up.
Yusuke moved.
Again.
But this time
not forward.
Across.
Dragging Daizen with him.
Then
he stopped.
Dead.
Daizen paused.
Half a second.
Hiroto saw it.
Passed.
Into the gap.
Kaito.
Kaito received.
Inside the box.
Shot
Saved.
Eiji.
Again.
"…BRO!"
The rebound bounced out.
Takumi rushed in
Shot
Blocked.
Jin.
Cleared.
Again.
"…We can't finish," Sora said.
"We can," Yusuke replied quietly.
They reset again.
But this time
it felt different.
The game wasn't one sided.
It wasn't controlled.
It was unstable.
Either side could break it.
At any moment.
Yusuke stepped forward again.
Breathing steady.
Eyes locked ahead.
"…Next one."