บท 27: [27] Betting Your Life
"Why so eager?" Karasu slowed his advance as he faced Shinichi standing firmly ahead. "Pushing up this far without covering the backline? If you're so careless, I might just pass the ball. After all, Hiori doesn't stand a chance against Aryu in an aerial duel."
"Then go ahead and pass," Shinichi said flatly, unmoved. He maintained his position, roughly five meters ahead of Karasu. "Even if it's a disadvantageous match-up, I trust Hiori won't lose immediately. As long as he can stall for a moment, I'll make it back in time."
"And right now, I'm the only one on this field fast enough to chase down the ball's trajectory. I'll follow your long pass and be there for the defense. That's something neither you nor the so-called ninja can accomplish. In the end, Aryu will be isolated and unsupported, facing both Hiori and my return. So, want to take the gamble?"
Shinichi's piercing gaze locked onto Karasu's eyes. "Let's bet on Aryu and Hiori. Will Aryu overpower Hiori before I return, or will Hiori hold his ground long enough for me to reinforce him?"
"Never thought someone like you would leave the game's outcome to someone else," Karasu sneered.
"Don't get the premise wrong, little crow," Shinichi interrupted coldly. "This isn't a gamble on them; it's a gamble on my speed. If I fail, it's because I didn't get back quickly enough—simple as that."
"Besides, I always have a fallback option to tie the game with my own goals. In other words, this is a gamble where I can't lose."
"How infuriatingly confident," Karasu muttered, irritation evident in his tone. Without warning, he adjusted his positioning and burst forward in an attempt to break past Shinichi.
"I told you already," Shinichi said with a hint of annoyance, his voice steady as ever. "These amateurish tricks don't work on me."
Despite the suddenness of Karasu's attack, Shinichi anticipated it perfectly, planting himself squarely in Karasu's path. His foot came down precisely on the ball mid-dribble, halting Karasu's momentum instantly.
"Low-level tricks like this... they're just exhausting to deal with."
'What? How is this possible? He adapted to my dribbling so quickly?' Karasu's mind raced, panic gripping his thoughts.
Lowering his center of gravity even further, he raised a hand to press against Shinichi's chest.
Using the force from the contact, Karasu barely managed to spin around, his toes hooking the ball trapped under Shinichi's foot and dragging it in the direction of his pivot.
A series of seamless movements seemed to free the ball and extricate himself from the precarious situation... or so he thought.
'Something's wrong... The sensation in my hand... Shinichi... this guy!' Karasu's eyes widened in disbelief as he turned to see the towering shadow still looming over him.
Even after such an exaggerated turn, Shinichi stood right where he started, blocking Karasu's path as if nothing had happened. It was as though Karasu's entire effort had been a pointless display.
'He retreated the moment I reached for support, completely ignoring my feint. He just stood there, calmly watching me like I was performing a circus act!' Gritting his teeth, Karasu faked another move, but once again, Shinichi effortlessly read his intentions, pinning the ball under his foot with unnerving precision.
"Your feints are even weaker than the last guy's," Shinichi said coldly, his tone devoid of empathy. "If that's all you've got, then your game ends here."
"What gives you the right to criticize us?"
Out of nowhere, Otoya burst into the scene, sliding in with a fierce tackle aimed at the ball trapped between the two players.
But Shinichi suddenly pushed the ball aside with decisive force, disrupting the balance of the standoff.
Caught off guard, Karasu was pulled forward by the momentum, while the ball slipped away cleanly under Shinichi's control.
Otoya's desperate slide only succeeded in toppling Karasu to the ground, leaving the ball untouched.
Shinichi stood firm, one foot firmly planted on the ball.
His piercing gaze bore down on the two players sprawled on the turf, as if he were a god surveying mortals struggling in vain against his will.
'"When I criticize others, it's naturally because I have the qualifications to do so. But you, ninja, you're too impatient. How could you lose your composure after capturing just one prisoner?"
'This guy... He created the illusion of a stalemate with me, but in reality, he just wanted to lure Eita into losing his patience and coming back to defend! The moment Eita steps into his territory, he'll have nothing left to worry about!.'
Karasu quickly understood Shinichi's strategy but found himself powerless to counter it.
Shinichi's strategy was actually quite simple, but often, the simplest strategies are the hardest to defend against.
The core of it was this: Shinichi's strength far exceeded anyone else's on the field, which meant someone had to fall back to defend.
It was an open and unavoidable tactic.
Shinichi dodged Eita as he scrambled back to his feet and lunged at him again.
With a quick turn, he sent the off-balance Eita tumbling to the ground once more before taking off with the ball in a burst of speed.
His agile movements were like a whirlwind, instantly throwing the entire field into chaos.
The V team's defensive line was torn apart in an instant, and with a powerful, slicing sound that cut through the air, the outcome was, naturally, beyond doubt.
Gooooooooal!
1:1 → 1:2
"Damn it, sorry, I lost the ball," Karasu said, panting heavily, addressing Eita and Aryu.
"There's no need to apologize. I got caught in his trap too," Eita interrupted Karasu bluntly. "Say something useful. I don't want to keep being mocked by that guy while feeling so frustrated."
"Exactly. Your fighting spirits are so beautiful out there. Ah… compared to you, waiting up front for a pass makes me feel so uncool," Aryu said, twirling his long hair. "This is the perfect moment for someone as stylish as me to step in, don't you think?"
"…No, changing tactics on the fly is way too risky," Karasu said after a long pause, ultimately rejecting Aryu's proposal. "Eita, cover me on the next play. Aryu, start running as soon as the game resumes and shake off your marker. I'll pass the ball to you directly."
"We'll bet on whether you score before Shinichi can get back on defense."
"Well, well, I didn't expect you to come up with such a daring plan," Aryu exclaimed theatrically, pointing both hands at Karasu. "You're looking a bit more stylish now, you know."
"Tch. Not following my rhythm again. This is the last time," Eita muttered resentfully, shaking his head as he walked away.
Beep… Beep—
The whistle blew.
Karasu kicked off with a lateral pass, and Eita charged into the crowd after receiving the ball.
His movements were uncanny yet agile, weaving left and right within the cluster of players, pulling defenders back and forth until, astonishingly, he broke through the line.
"You're dribbling now? Are you trying to switch things up for me?" Shinichi's defense arrived right on cue. "You should know by now, while it may seem like Karasu was easily crushed by me, it wasn't because he's weak. It's because I'm too strong."
"And Karasu's off-ball movement is far inferior to yours. Why abandon the original plan?"
"Shut it, you arrogant bastard," Eita retorted, his eyes narrowing sharply.
Suddenly, he lifted his heel and flicked the ball up from behind.
Rainbow flick?
No… the height's too low.
Ah… so that's it.
Shinichi's body swayed, and just as Eita used his heel to tap the airborne ball into a horizontal pass, Shinichi darted out, seemingly poised to block Karasu.
"Too obvious. If that's all your new trick has to offer, you're going to disappoint me."
Watching Shinichi rush toward him, Karasu shook his head, but then a crazed grin spread across his face. "Is that so? I feel the same way, but… this time, it doesn't matter if you saw through it."
"After all, it was your tactic to begin with."
Without hesitation, Karasu leapt into the air and volleyed the ball before Shinichi could reach him.
"Come on, let's bet it all!"
"Little Crow, I might have to reevaluate you," Shinichi said calmly.
"You really believe whatever people say, don't you? So naive."
Under Karasu and Eita's shocked gaze, Shinichi casually stopped in place.
He… didn't chase the ball!
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