Chapter 36: Chapter 36 – Team V vs Team Z
The day of the final match arrived, the tension between both teams palpable as they stepped onto the pitch. Team Z donned their familiar blue jerseys, while Team V appeared in sleek black kits. The formations were as expected; Team V hadn't changed a thing from the footage. Why mess with a strategy that's been dismantling their opponents?
The referee's whistle pierced the air, signaling the start of the game. Team V kicked off, immediately sending the ball to Reo Mikage, who confidently dribbled it toward the center. Isagi and Bachira quickly pressed forward to block his path. 'Reo's passes always turn into goals,' Isagi recalled from the video analysis, 'We can't let him control the midfield!'
As the pressure closed in, Reo coolly pulled the ball back and passed it to Zantetsu, who had been shadowing him for support. Zantetsu received it with ease and surged down the right wing, but his advance was soon met by Chigiri and Raichi, effectively cutting off his route forward. With no options ahead, Zantetsu launched a cross to the left, aiming for Nagi, who was roaming the field in a seemingly disinterested manner.
The ball soared through the air toward Nagi, whose face remained indifferent as he prepared to trap it. Just as the ball descended, Kira sprang into action, intercepting it with a sharp, calculated move. Without hesitation, Team Z countered, Kira quickly passing to Bachira on the wing. Bachira expertly dribbled past his marker, carving out space in the center of the box. With perfect timing, he sent a well-placed cross toward Iemon, who was muscling his defender aside with ease.
Iemon, rooted like a tower, rose and nodded the ball toward the goal. The cross was flawless, leaving Iemon with only a soft touch to direct it. But the goalkeeper reacted swiftly, snatching the ball mid-air. Iemon let out a frustrated grunt, disappointed at the missed opportunity.
"Nice one," Kunigami said, walking over to pat Iemon on the back.
"I'll get the next one," Iemon replied with determination.
Reo, watching from a distance, couldn't help but admire the play. "Wow! That was amazing!" he exclaimed, genuinely impressed. The smooth transitions, sharp passing, and near-perfect finish left him in awe. 'If their header had been a bit better, that would've been a goal,' he mused.
Brimming with excitement, Reo turned to Nagi. "Hey, Nagi! Let's try that!" he said, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Nagi lazily scratched his neck, clearly uninterested but resigned to Reo's enthusiasm. "Alright…" he muttered, emitting an aura of indifference.
'What are they planning?' Isagi thought, eyes narrowing as he observed the duo. 'Are they trying to mimic our counterattack?'
Before Isagi could fully process it, Team V resumed their offense. Reo, instead of dribbling forward, pulled up from deep in his half and unleashed a long pass toward Nagi. The ball traveled with a top spin, low and fast, hurtling toward Nagi, who was making a run into space.
'That pass is insane!' Isagi thought, his eyes widening. 'There's no way he can control that...'
But Nagi defied expectations. He leapt into the air, extending his right leg with perfect timing, cushioning the ball with a delicate touch that made it stop dead at his feet. A clean, effortless trap.
'WHAT!?' Team Z collectively gasped in disbelief.
As Nagi landed, the ball hung in the air, perfectly poised for a volley. Before he could strike, however, Kira intercepted once again, extending his leg to snatch the ball away. Nagi, caught off guard, made a feeble attempt to reclaim it, but Kira used his body to shield the ball and passed it smoothly to Isagi.
'That's right,' Isagi thought, shaking off the shock of Nagi's trap, 'We've got Kira on our side.'
Nagi slumped, clearly unbothered by losing possession. "Don't worry about it, Nagi!" Reo shouted from the back. "We'll do it again next time."
Nagi sighed, his disinterest evident. "What a pain…"
Kira, having observed every little detail, from Nagi's bored expression to his lethargic body language, called out, "Hey, Nagi."
Nagi looked up lazily.
"How long have you been playing football?" Kira asked, his tone curious, yet calculating. The precision of Nagi's ball control had impressed him, but something about the player's attitude gnawed at him.
Nagi took a moment to think. "About six months, I guess," he said nonchalantly.
Kira stood still, processing the revelation. 'Six months? He's only been playing for that long, and he already has this level of instinct and control?' Kira thought, grudgingly admitting Nagi's raw talent. 'What a player...'
But the admiration was fleeting. A malicious grin crept across Kira's face. 'Quite a shame. I'm going to crush this talent.'
Despite Nagi's perfect ball trapping, his predictability after receiving the ball was glaring. Kira saw through it, and the knowledge only fueled his desire. 'I'm going to enjoy breaking this little egg,' Kira thought darkly.
The match ground into a deadlock, neither team able to break through the other's defenses. Team Z created better chances, but failed to capitalize, while Team V's attacks stalled, largely due to Kira repeatedly cutting off Reo's passes to Nagi. Zantetsu's solo runs were also nullified by the combined efforts of Chigiri and Raichi. The midfield was a constant battle, with Reo struggling to wrest control from Isagi and Bachira.
As the first half dragged to a close, both teams prepared themselves for the war that would be the second half.
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"Are you familiar with the concept of 'Awakening,' Anri?" Ego asked, his eyes glued to the screen as he analyzed the intense match between Team V and Team Z.
Anri stood beside him, her arms crossed, trying to match his focus. "Hmm... is it when an ordinary person suddenly transforms into someone extraordinary?" she ventured, her voice curious but uncertain.
"That's just naive fantasy," Ego snapped, his response cutting through the air with sharp precision. Anri flinched slightly at the harshness of his tone, her composed expression faltering for a moment.
"Awakening isn't some miraculous transformation," Ego continued, his gaze still fixed on the match. "It only happens after someone has accumulated experience and deep consideration." His voice became more measured, almost as if he were lecturing her. "Through repeated failures, trial and error, or by pushing oneself beyond all known limits in the relentless pursuit of victory. It's in those moments, when the fragmented pieces of one's successes and failures begin to coalesce, that the ego finally blossoms."
As Ego spoke, the camera zoomed in on the field where Team Z had just intercepted another of Team V's attacks. Reo's growing frustration was palpable as his attempts to orchestrate the offense were repeatedly thwarted.
"In other words, 'Awakening' is the precise moment when you discover your true self," Ego concluded, his voice low but firm. "But it only reveals itself under the most extreme pressure."
Just as he finished, the sound of the referee's whistle echoed from the monitor, signaling the end of the first half. Team Z had held their own, but both teams knew the real battle would come after the break.
Ego leaned back in his chair, his fingers intertwining as he rested them in front of his face, his expression thoughtful yet calculating. "Now then," he said softly, almost to himself, "let's see who among them has the strength to dominate this blue frenzy."
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