Chapter 42: Everyone Fights
"Dance partner?"
Kira hadn't expected Bachira to answer like that. Was this Bachira's recognition of him?
"Rabona!"
"So cool!"
Team Z began to cheer.
"Kira and Bachira are so cool! They broke this adverse situation…"
Isagi stood dazedly in place. He couldn't keep up; they left him behind
Everyone in Team Z was shocked by this spectacular goal.
From Kira's initial speed burst.
To Bachira's dribbling after receiving the ball.
To Kira's final Rabona finish.
It was all so smooth and fluid.
Isagi muttered to himself: "Is this Bachira and Kira when their backs are against the wall?"
The two of them had just danced on the pitch.
"Another goal!"
"Defeat them…"
"Let them taste the might of our Team Z…"
This goal directly sent Team Z's morale to its peak.
"Damn it…"
Reo glared angrily at Kira. This guy had just shown up their entire Team V.
"Huh? It feels like Team Z is dispirited…" Zantetsu made his own mind-boggling remark.
"Their morale is high… you idiot Zantetsu…" Reo's expression was grave.
"It seems… ending this won't be so easy anymore…"
Reo had no energy to correct Zantetsu's logic anymore, just staring ferociously at Kira and Bachira.
"So troublesome, eh…" Nagi still looked listless.
…
On the Pitch
Beeep.
The match continues.
"So annoying… Team Z, who were half-dead just moments ago, are making noise again…" Reo was displeased.
"Oh? Reo, are you angry?" Zantetsu noticed Reo's face was dark.
"No. I just don't want the undefeated football career Nagi and I have built over half a year to be tarnished…"
"No way… half a year…" Igaguri's ears were unusually sharp.
He fell into a daze. 'They've only been playing for half a year and they're this strong already?'
"Kira, did you hear that? They've only played for half a year. They really are Monsters…" Bachira said excitedly to Kira.
Kira sneered. "I heard. And what I love most is taking down Monsters…"
Team V began organizing their attack.
'No good, Team V is attacking again.'
'If we can't stop this play, the goal from Bachira and Kira will be wasted again.'
'What to do, what to do?'
Isagi, in the defensive midfield position, kept thinking. 'Kira and Bachira have done so much, and I'm still not helping. Just standing here waiting for the match to end?'
Isagi Yoichi wouldn't accept that.
Suddenly, scenes of Team V's attacks surfaced in his mind one by one. Transforming into puzzle piece after puzzle piece.
A flash of insight struck Isagi's brain.
Wrong! Wrong!
'We've got it all wrong.'
The opponent's core isn't Nagi.
It's Reo Mikage.
This guy is the core of their offensive trident. We need to stop him!
Otherwise, Team V's offense will still flow smoothly.
"Raichi!"
"Ah? Why are you shouting so loud…"
"Ah, sorry, Raichi! Go mark Reo tightly… Chigiri and Igaguri will cover the space you leave!"
"What? Why are you changing my task without permission?" Raichi didn't fully trust Isagi yet, because Kira had assigned him to mark Nagi.
"Trust me! You're physically strong. The two of us can double-team him…"
"Ah?" Raichi was still hesitant.
"Listen to Isagi… Let's do it. We'll switch to a five-defender formation after this…" Kira, hearing Isagi's plan from afar, shouted.
"Oh, oh, oh. If Kira says so, then I guess I have to… When will my Sexy Football ever shine? Always stuck doing defense…" Raichi complained loudly, but his body honestly moved towards Reo, all while cursing under his breath.
"Fine, I'll do it! Who's afraid! If Kira bosses me around, fine, but now this Isagi guy too… Damn it, if we lose, I'm turning both of them into mincemeat…"
Reo dribbled the ball up to Raichi.
"Girls don't like guys who hold grudges, you know? Jagged-tooth…"
Raichi flew into a rage. "None of your business!"
He immediately used Raichi's signature move—the Death Clamp.
Reo changed direction.
Raichi's footwork followed.
Reo turned.
Raichi stuck close, not letting go.
"Are you some kind of annoying adhesive plaster? Why can't I shake you off…" Reo was also getting annoyed. 'This guy was too clingy.'
'No wonder you can only play defense.'
'Putting so much effort into defending.'
'Where's the energy for offense then?'
Raichi's eyes were now red. He didn't care about anything else; he just wanted to stop Reo.
'How dare he hit Raichi's sore spot.'
Since birth, Raichi's fierce looks had never been liked by girls.
'Uncovering someone's scar deserves death.'
"I absolutely won't let you get past me…"
"Damn it… Zantetsu… receive the pass!" Reo conceded, passing the ball to Zantetsu on the side.
"Leave it to me! I'll break open their defense…" Zantetsu, upon receiving the ball, prepared to drive forward.
"Don't even think about it! This time I'll stop you…"
The Princess has arrived!
Everyone, make way!
Hyoma Chigiri had been wanting revenge for being beaten earlier and quickly closed in. "The Speed King is me, you idiot four-eyes…"
"I am not acquainted with you. Do not call me an idiot… you snail!"
With that, Zantetsu instantly accelerated, shooting out like a cannonball. Leaving afterimages in front of Chigiri.
'Explosive acceleration?' Chigiri seemed to have a realization.
Thinking he had beaten Chigiri, Zantetsu prepared to cross.
Thump!
To his surprise!
Chigiri had caught up. His foot managed to reach Zantetsu's pass.
"Snail… I caught you!" Chigiri responded domineeringly.
"What?" Zantetsu couldn't believe it, watching helplessly as his pass was deflected due to Chigiri's touch.
'This trajectory… it might be hard for Nagi to handle…' Zantetsu was inwardly worried.
However, Nagi was no ordinary person.
He turned his back to the goal, using his right foot to cushion the ball's momentum in mid-air.
A turn, preparing to shoot directly with a left-footed volley!
"Naruhaya!"
"Igaguri!"
The Team Z players shouted, as only these two were in front of him now.
"Absolutely, absolutely cannot let you score! If we lose to someone who's only played for half a year, then the football I've played my whole life would be a joke, wouldn't it?"
"Yes, I'm ordinary. I don't have any special abilities!"
"But I also want… I also want to win!"
"I also want to become Super Special like Kira and Bachira…"
In that instant, these monologues flashed through Igaguri's mind.
He placed his hands behind his back, his eyes resolute as he jumped to meet Nagi's shot.
Boom.
"Urgh—ah!"
The football just so happened to hit Igaguri in the head. Igaguri fell backwards, even spraying a nosebleed towards the sky.
Fortunately, thanks to Igaguri's desperate block, the shot was deflected away.
"Igaguri!" Naruhaya shouted anxiously.
'This guy is going all out… using his face to block a flying ball…'
However, after falling, Igaguri did a kip-up and stood up.
"Namu-san! This monk stopped him… Ahhhhh, I'm useful too…"
Igaguri clenched his fists and roared at the sky.
"Nice! Igaguri!"
Bachira, in midfield, controlled the ball that Igaguri had deflected.
He began advancing.
"Your dribbling earlier was just a fluke, right? Don't think you can break through alone again…" Reo Mikage appeared before Bachira.
Bachira nodded. "Mhm, I know. But what's different this time is… everyone in Team Z is fighting."
'What?' Reo felt a sudden alertness.
Bachira passed the ball towards the wing.
And there, the figure who had been waiting for a long time was none other than Kira.
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