Chapter 33: Rebirth
A Few Years Ago, Rōkō Jitsugyō High
The air buzzed with the energy of new beginnings as the soccer club's freshmen gathered. Two figures stood tall, commanding attention.
"Yo, newbies! Meet the twin aces of Rōkō Jitsugyō High, regulars in the National High School Tournament—the Wanima Brothers!" Keisuke, the younger twin, grinned wide, his voice dripping with swagger. "My bro says, show some respect to your elite seniors!"
Beside him, Junichi nodded vigorously, his thick eyebrows bobbing in agreement.
A voice cut through the crowd, sharp and fearless. "Uh, I came to Rōkō to make a name for myself. Can we skip this whole 'seniority hierarchy' nonsense?"
It was a younger Hyoma Chigiri, his hand raised, his tone brimming with youthful defiance.
Keisuke's eyes narrowed. "Nani? You little punk, you challenging us? That's what my bro says!"
"I'm not a punk. I'm Hyoma Chigiri," he shot back, unfazed. "Let's settle this on the pitch. If I win, you shut up."
The challenge was on, and what followed left everyone speechless. Chigiri's speed was unreal—a blur of red hair tearing across the field. The Wanima brothers, for all their synergy, couldn't touch him. They were outclassed, humiliated by this prodigy without breaking a sweat.
Post-match, the Rōkō head coach didn't hesitate. "From now on, our team revolves around Chigiri as our core striker."
The Wanima twins seethed. Keisuke, unable to hold back, jabbed a finger at Chigiri. "Don't get cocky just 'cause the coach's got a crush on you. That's what my bro says!"
Chigiri's response was ice-cold, his eyes glinting with confidence. "It's not cockiness. It's just talent. You either have it or you don't."
The twins burned with envy, itching to wipe that smug look off his face. But deep down, they knew the truth: talent like Chigiri's cast a long shadow, and they were stuck chasing his back.
The media went wild. "Rōkō's Genius Boy, Hyoma Chigiri!" headlines screamed. Under his leadership, Rōkō surged through tournaments, unstoppable.
Until *that* day.
A match. A misstep. A devastating injury.
Chigiri's dominance vanished. His speed, his spark—gone. The Wanima brothers, once overshadowed, stepped into the spotlight. Keisuke didn't hold back, his taunts cutting deep. "Your talent's trashed, Chigiri. Can't run anymore? What good are you now? Isn't this just about talent? That's what my bro says."
…
Present Day, Building 5, Central Pitch
The Wanima brothers thought they'd never see Chigiri sprint again. Yet here he was, a red blur stealing the ball from between them with surgical precision. Their jaws dropped, memories of that untouchable prodigy flooding back. The same powerlessness gripped them.
"Hey, Bro…" Keisuke stammered, his voice shaky. "He's… running again. Isn't he scared of getting hurt?"
Junichi stared at Chigiri's retreating figure, eyes wide with disbelief. 'He's actually back.'
'Accelerate! Accelerate!' The words pounded in Chigiri's mind, his feet a blur beneath him. For years, fear had chained him—fear of reinjury, of losing himself. He'd been searching for an excuse to quit, to walk away from the game he loved.
But Kira's words from that night in the video room had struck a chord. 'You only live once.' What was the difference between another injury sidelining him and dragging himself through matches like a shadow of his former self? Why not fight?
Chigiri surged forward, his number 4 jersey snapping in the wind, his resolve blazing. He was done running from himself.
Kira, watching from a distance, felt his jaw drop. He'd known Chigiri was fast, but this? 'This is insane. Visually, he's gotta be hitting 30 km/h. That's pro-level speed.'
"Chigiri, go, go, go!" Kira shouted, unable to contain his excitement. "No sprinter's catching you at that pace!"
"You're blowing past everyone!" Isagi chimed in, eyes wide. "Why'd you hide this for so long?!"
"Oi, Princess, don't steal my spotlight!" Raichi barked, half-joking, half-annoyed.
Team Z erupted, their cheers fueling Chigiri's fire. The wind roared past his ears, and for the first time in years, he felt alive. 'This is me. The real me.'
"Stop him!" Team W's defenders screamed, scrambling to converge on Chigiri. "Don't let him near the goal!"
Genius or not, injury or not—none of it mattered. Chigiri realized what drove him: surpassing others. That was his football. And right now, one name burned in his mind: Kira Ryousuke. 'I'll outshine you.'
"Foul him, handball, anything!" Keisuke yelled, sprinting back in a panic. "Don't let him through!"
But Team W's defenders were no match for Chigiri's speed. In a few strides, he left them eating dust.
'Watch me,' Chigiri thought. 'If I don't score this… if my leg gives out again… I'll walk away from football for good. But if I score, I'm chasing this dream to the end.'
Gritting his teeth, Chigiri broke into a one-on-one with the goalkeeper. The keeper, no fool, rushed out, aiming to smother the ball before Chigiri could settle it. A smart move—high-speed players struggle to find a shooting angle mid-sprint.
But this was Hyoma Chigiri!
With a delicate flick, he chipped the ball. It sailed over the diving keeper's head, arcing perfectly.
The ball kissed the net.
Goal!
Score: 4-0.
"Back to being the world's number one striker!" Chigiri roared, clenching his fist. "That's my answer, Kira Ryousuke!"
"Woooo!" Team Z exploded, their cheers shaking the stands.
"Another banger! We're unstoppable today!" Raichi hollered.
"Team Z's invincible!" Bachira added, practically bouncing.
Kira jogged over, a grin spreading across his face. "Hey, Princess, not bad. So you can still run, huh?"
Chigiri smirked, his eyes blazing with newfound fire. "All thanks to what you said that night. I had to prove myself today, no matter what."
"How's it feel, running again?"
"Like I'm reborn," Chigiri said, his voice steady. "I'm not that scared kid anymore, afraid of losing it all. This is who I am now."
Kira laughed, extending his hand. "Then let's tear it up together!"
"Together?" Chigiri raised an eyebrow, gripping Kira's hand. "Don't get it twisted. The world's number one striker? That's gonna be me."
Before Kira could retort, Isagi popped up out of nowhere, slapping his hand on top of theirs. "No, you won't! The world's number one striker is going to be me!"
Kira and Chigiri exchanged a look, half-amused, half-exasperated. 'This guy… he's everywhere.'
"Princess, you're unreal!" Kunigami shouted, joining the huddle.
"You're carrying us against Team V next!" Bachira added, grinning.
"Guess you're not just a pretty princess after all," Raichi teased, smirking.
Team Z swarmed Chigiri, their respect and excitement palpable. With his outburst, the match lost all suspense. Team W's offense, once deciphered, was toothless. Their defense couldn't handle Team Z's relentless attacks.
Later, Kira capitalized on Chigiri's blazing breakthrough. As defenders swarmed Chigiri, Kira slipped into open space. Chigiri, with a flick of his foot, sent a perfect pass. Kira buried it.
Final Score: 5-0.
Team Z was dining on five steaks tonight.
…
Post-Match, Team Z Baths
The air was steamy, the mood light as Team Z scrubbed down after their rout.
"Just saw the match report," Igaguri said, lathering up. "Team V crushed Barou's Team X, 5-2."
"Barou lost again?" Isagi frowned, rinsing off. "They haven't won a single match. But how'd they lose to Team W's level?"
Kira, leaning back under a showerhead, was unfazed. "Maybe it's not them slipping. Maybe we've gotten stronger. Everyone in Team Z's been leveling up fast."
He shifted gears, his tone serious. "But next up's Team V—the other undefeated squad in Building 5. We need to be ready."
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