As Ouji tore down the field, legs pumping like pistons, the roar of the crowd thundering in his ears, a sudden shout shattered the moment.
"Not on my watch!" Asakura's voice echoed through the air, filled with raw determination.
Eyes wide with shock, Ouji risked a glance over his shoulder just in time to see Asakura, who had been lagging behind, make a desperate move. His body pitched forward, stumbling and tripping over his own feet, but that didn't stop him. Like a madman, Asakura threw himself into a wild roll, his body tumbling uncontrollably toward Ouji like a boulder gaining momentum downhill.
Ouji pushed harder, the end zone tantalizingly close now, was just within reach. His fingers tightened around the ball, eyes locked on the goal, when—out of nowhere—Asakura's outstretched hand caught the edge of his flag.