Chapter 46: The Show Begins
The match continued with Team V in possession.
"Don't slack off, everyone! The match isn't over yet!" Kira directed his team to quickly get into position.
The members of Team Z also sensed it – that last goal hadn't crushed Team V's spirit. The players of Team V still had fierce determination written all over their faces.
Kira noticed something different about Team V: Nagi had started making runs.
He immediately thought to himself: 'Use the Nagi Trial Card.'
[Nagi Seishiro Trial Card activated successfully!]
[Trapping +30 (Continuous decay)]
[Shooting +20 (Continuous decay)]
[Duration: 10 minutes]
'In these last ten-plus minutes, I'll send Team V to their defeat.'
"Reo, pass the ball!!" Nagi ran back from the front line to provide an outlet for Reo, who was being tightly marked by Raichi.
"What's this? This guy is actually making a run to receive the ball?" Igaguri looked shocked, hesitating whether to follow and defend or hold his position.
In that moment of hesitation, Nagi had already received Reo's pass. He immediately accelerated, leaving Isagi frozen in place.
"What's going on? This guy's dribbling isn't bad either?" Isagi couldn't believe it.
"Stop him!" Igaguri immediately rushed forward.
Nagi made a motion as if to chip the ball. Igaguri instantly became wary of a ball over his head, but he was fooled. Nagi nutmegged him.
"Argh! Another nutmeg!" Igaguri let out a pained cry; he had lost count of how many times he'd been nutmegged. 'Why did my legs have to be so wide open?'
There was no time for regrets. Nagi was already driving the ball deeper into Team Z's half.
"Imamura, stop him!"
"OK, leave it to me!" Imamura immediately moved to cover.
But Nagi, at this moment, showed no intention of continuing his dribble. He played a pass. Zantetsu, following up on the right wing, received it.
"Zantetsu, I want one of those high-difficulty passes!" Nagi made his request and cut towards Team Z's penalty area.
Zantetsu controlled the ball. "This is the first time you've ever made a request of me?" After speaking, he raised his left foot, preparing to cross into the box.
A figure appeared.
It was Chigiri.
Chigiri slid in, aiming to intercept Zantetsu's cross.
Just as everyone thought Chigiri would succeed, Zantetsu pulled the ball back with his left foot. Chigiri was fooled.
'A feint?'
Chigiri looked back in disbelief. He saw Zantetsu actually use his right foot to deliver the crucial cross. Zantetsu was also breaking through his own limits.
"Great ball, Zantetsu!" Reo shouted excitedly.
"A tricky trajectory... is it a shot?" Gagamaru stared intently at the incoming ball.
No!
"It's a pass!" Gagamaru yelled, "Stop Nagi!"
Near the front post, Nagi, with his 190cm frame, constantly jostled Imamura. Imamura simply couldn't handle the big guy. Igaguri sprinted desperately.
'It's over. Too late.'
In his heart, Igaguri seemed to see the scene of their goal being breached.
Nagi leaped high. In mid-air, he turned and volleyed sideways. The ball flew on a tricky path, past the defenders near the post, past Gagamaru's outstretched hand.
Boom!
A loud sound.
A foot appeared right in the ball's path.
It was Kira!
He, like Nagi, hung in the air and used a bicycle kick to block the shot! The ball didn't go in!
"Second ball!" Kira roared!
Only then did Team Z react, scrambling to clear the loose ball. But they were all a step too late.
A purple-haired boy was already waiting there. His eyes glimmered with fierce resolve. It was Reo! He laughed maniacally and unleashed a volley without the slightest hesitation!
Boom.
This time, no one could stop the shot. The goal was breached.
Team V equalized! 4-4!
"Reo?" Nagi looked at the maniacally laughing Reo.
"Haha! How could I let you fight alone? We promised to win everything together!"
That's right! Reo had evolved too. He had thought Nagi's shot was a sure goal, but Kira blocked it. His body instinctively moved, running to that spot. He couldn't let the serious Nagi down! If Nagi couldn't score, he would score for him! That was Reo's inner monologue at that moment!
"Okay, I'll score the rest of the goals. How many more do we need?" Nagi walked up to Reo and Reo patted his head.
"Four more!!" Reo laughed hysterically.
Nagi Seishiro's life had been full of boredom, but at this moment, for the first time, he felt excitement.
"Oooooooh! We equalized!"
"We're number one!"
Team V's players also began celebrating the goal.
"Seems like we're the ones who awakened the monster inside that guy, huh, Kira?" Bachira walked up to Kira, his face full of excitement.
"Ah... oh." Kira seemed a bit dazed.
Bachira looked surprised. "Kira, what's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"
"No, it's just... I feel a bit bored?"
"Huh? But all of Bachira's cells are excited..."
"Kunigami, from now on, there's no telling how that guy will play. You should drop back from the offensive line to defend..." Chigiri made the most sensible judgment based on the situation on the field.
"Yeah, that's fine. As long as we don't let Nagi get the ball, we'll win this match!"
"But, our offensive power will weaken too, right?" Isagi offered a different opinion. Strengthening defense now meant handing the initiative to the opponent.
"But..."
"Attack! Attack! Attack!" Raichi's roar cut through.
"You idiots, what are you thinking? Attack! Leave the defense to me and Isagi..."
Isagi thought, 'Huh? You're including me in the defense?'
"At this point, why strengthen defense? If we don't score in the remaining time, it's a draw! Are you all satisfied with ending this match in a draw? The reason we scored four goals is because I've been playing defense, which I hate... If you let my efforts go to waste and we don't win, I'll kill you all! Go attack! Aren't you all forwards?!" Raichi screamed hoarsely.
At that moment, Team Z realized: The one who desired victory the most wasn't anyone else; it was this guy who had been desperately defending on the backline. He was the one who least wanted to lose!
"Listen to Raichi. Attack!" Kira also spoke up. He then looked at everyone. "Give me those high-difficulty passes too—I'll try playing like Nagi."
What? For a moment, everyone was doubtful, but then they remembered it was Kira. The doubt vanished. He's the all-powerful Kira Ryousuke!
Beep.
The match continued.
'High-difficulty passes?' Isagi recalled Kira's words.
He controlled the ball, constantly observing the situation on the field. He was thinking about how to give Kira a high-difficulty pass. Instantly, everyone's positions appeared in his mind. An idea then surfaced.
He passed to Chigiri on the wing. As soon as Chigiri received the ball, Zantetsu immediately appeared.
'The same trick again!'
Chigiri immediately kicked the ball forward, planning to repeat his previous method of beating his man. But the moment he kicked it, he regretted it. Because Nagi had, at some point, positioned himself in front of him.
'It's over. We're going to lose possession. This guy knew I would try to outspeed Zantetsu again, so he waited here for me? Was Nagi Seishiro's football IQ always this high?' Chigiri inwardly groaned.
But, in front of Nagi, another white-haired player appeared. It was Kira.
"Genius, is this where you intended to intercept the ball?" Kira sneered and intercepted the ball first.
For the first time, a trace of irritation appeared on Nagi's face.
Out of the corner of his eye, Kira also saw Isagi's run. 'This guy, Isagi... he even factored in me intercepting this ball? He's starting to use me too.' But Kira wasn't displeased; instead, he was happy about Isagi's growth. 'Then I'll play along and be your actor this time?'
"Receive the ball, Bachira!"
The show begins. Director: Isagi Yoichi
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