章 171: Eighteen Yards

Ryuji caught the ball with a firm grip, and in that instant, everything else faded away. The roar of the crowd became a distant hum, the players closing in seemed like mere shadows. All that mattered was the end zone twenty yards away, and Ryuji surged into motion, adrenaline coursing through his veins like wildfire. His cleats dug into the turf, propelling him forward as the defenders from Midoriyama High quickly converged, their eyes zeroing in on him with a hunger to bring him down.