Chapter 34: The Goal Formula
Team V Room
The door swung open, and a tall figure with glasses strode in with purpose.
Zantetsu Tsurugi, his expression stern, marched straight to a bunk and yanked the blanket off, revealing a white-haired youth sprawled out, engrossed in his phone.
"I knew it!" Zantetsu barked, pointing an accusing finger. "You skipped training again, Nagi! Such negligence is truly… uh, fixing the fence after the sheep run away!"
His dramatic delivery faltered; the idiom fell flat.
Despite his sharp looks, Zantetsu's delivery lacked finesse.
Nagi Seishiro didn't even glance up, his voice dripping with irritation. "Zantetsu, you idiot. If you're gonna butcher idioms, just don't use 'em, okay?"
Ignoring Zantetsu completely, Nagi kept tapping away at his game, his expression bored.
Zantetsu's face flushed, a vein pulsing on his forehead. "Don't go too far, Nagi! I'm not an idiot! My intelligence is just… not immediately obvious!"
"Whatever," Nagi muttered, eyes glued to his screen.
A new voice cut in, smooth and confident. "Alright, alright, let's cool it. Nagi doesn't need to train—he's a genius, after all."
Reo Mikage, his signature purple ponytail tied neatly behind him, strolled into the room, his tone effortlessly diplomatic.
Zantetsu spun on him, indignant. "Reo! You're uh… 'adding wind to someone else's sails and pouring water on your own fire!" His attempt at another idiom crashed spectacularly, earning an eye-roll from Nagi.
Reo ignored Zantetsu's mangled metaphor, leaning closer to Nagi. "Our next opponent's Team Z. They're undefeated, just like us. Wanna check out their footage?"
Nagi yawned, barely looking up. "What's the point? When the match comes, I'll put in a little effort, and we'll crush 'em. I'd rather play my game."
Reo exchanged a glance with Zantetsu, who shrugged as if to say, 'See? This guy's impossible.' Nagi's apathy was legendary, and arguing was like yelling at a brick wall.
"Fine, Nagi, keep playing," Reo said with a shrug. "Zantetsu and I will check the footage with the others. If you get bored, you know where to find us."
Reo didn't mind Nagi's attitude. In his eyes, as long as he and Nagi teamed up, no team in Building 5 could touch them—not even an undefeated squad like Team Z.
…
Team Z Video Room
Team Z was already gathered, the room buzzing with anticipation.
Kira stood at the front, remote in hand, exuding his usual confidence as he addressed the group.
"I just saw the match notification," Kira announced. "Team Y's Niko pulled off a draw against Team W thanks to his goal." He paused, his gaze sharpening. "But that doesn't change our focus. We're locked in to advance, but just advancing isn't enough. We're taking down Team V—the toughest nut in Building 5—and finishing first. Any questions?"
Kunigami's hand shot up, his voice firm. "Hell no. I've been itching to face Team V."
Isagi grinned, his competitive fire blazing. "Yeah, their record spooked us at first, but we're undefeated too. Who's scared of who?"
"Let's crush 'em!" Raichi roared, echoed by a chorus of agreement from the team.
Their winning streak had ignited Team Z's confidence. Right now, they felt like they could take on the U-20 national team and make them sweat.
Chigiri tilted his head, his focus elsewhere. "Speaking of, is Niko the type to score his own goals?"
Bachira stuck out his tongue, shooting a playful glance at Kira. "Maybe he got inspired by someone's big speech, like a certain someone we know…"
Chigiri's eyes narrowed. "Who're you calling 'someone,' huh?"
"Don't get mad, Princess!" Bachira teased. "I didn't say it was you!"
"I didn't say it was me either!" Chigiri snapped, his cheeks flushing.
"Ahem!" Kira cleared his throat, cutting through the bickering. "Alright, settle down before you two start a cage match."
He clicked the remote, and three figures appeared on the screen. The room fell silent.
"Team V's core," Kira said, pointing. "Zantetsu Tsurugi, Reo Mikage, and Seishiro Nagi. In three matches, they've racked up 18 goals—Zantetsu with 5, Reo with 6, and Nagi, their top scorer, with 7. Stopping these three is the key to beating them."
The team erupted into murmurs.
"Seven goals?" Raichi gaped. "Is that dude a monster? Kira, you've only got six!"
"Team V's trio is insane," Iemon muttered, shaking his head.
Isagi, ever the strategist, leaned forward. "Kira, you've got a plan for them, right?"
Kira's lips curled into a sly grin. "Every striker has their own style, their own Goal Formula. Great strikers don't score by accident—they recreate those moments deliberately. It's about knowing their weapons, the conditions they need, and when they strike."
Igaguri scratched his head, raising a hand. "Uh, Kira-sensei, how's that connected to Team V?"
Kira chuckled. "Great question, Student Igaguri. A player's Goal Formula is their habit, their go-to method for scoring. It's hard to change. If we crack their formulas, we can disrupt the conditions they need to score and shut them down."
The team nodded, the concept clicking into place. Isagi's mind, however, wandered. 'What's my Goal Formula? And Kira's?' He pictured Kira's off-the-ball runs and deadly shots, but lately, Kira had shown dribbling, long-range screamers, and pinpoint passes. 'Does he have multiple formulas?'
Oblivious to Isagi's overanalysis, Kira pressed on. "Let's break down Team V's core based on the footage."
"First, Zantetsu Tsurugi. His weapon is speed, but it's all about his explosive first step. His Goal Formula is using that burst to blow past defenders one-on-one and score. Chigiri, your speed matches his. If you can outpace him and disrupt his dribbling, he's nothing to fear."
Chigiri nodded, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Got it."
"Next, Reo Mikage, their playmaker," Kira continued. "He's a jack-of-all-trades—great dribbling, solid skills, and deadly shots. His Goal Formula is using his all-around game to slip past defenders and fire. But he's not a master of any one move. Bachira, your agility can throw him off. Harass him."
"Yay!" Bachira pumped his fist, grinning. "Kira's orders? I'm on it!"
Kira trusted Bachira's flair but wasn't done. "Reo's got freakish vision and passing skills too. Isagi, you're on defensive support. Watch his passing lanes, cut off his options."
Isagi gave a firm nod. "Understood."
This was a big ask. Isagi was used to running the offense, only dipping into defense when needed. Now, he'd be pulling double duty. Kira took a sip of water, his throat dry from strategizing. "And finally, their ace…"
"Seishiro Nagi."
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