Chapter 164: The Eve of Battle
[Jyubei Aryu. Overall: 87 (A-Rank)]
[Speed: 80 (A)]
[Defense: 93 (S)]
[Passing: 85 (A)]
[Dribbling: 77 (B)]
[Shooting: 80 (A)]
[Offense: 84 (A)]
...
[Niko Ikki. Overall: 88 (A-Rank)]
[Speed: 75 (B)]
[Defense: 94 (S)]
[Passing: 91 (A)]
[Dribbling: 79 (B)]
[Shooting: 80 (A)]
[Offense: 80 (A)]
'Not bad. My two main defenders are solid high-tier A-Rank assets,' Kira mused.
He had spent the last hour wandering the facility, finally tracking down Niko and Aryu. The two were currently locked in a focused game of chess in their room.
"Kira? I thought you were doing extra reps with Barou," Niko said, not taking his eyes off the board. "What brings you here?"
"Oh, uh... I ran out of face wash. Thought I'd come by and see if I could borrow some," Kira lied. It was the lamest excuse he'd ever come up with.
"I don't buy my own. I just use whatever Aryu has," Niko replied.
"So that's why my supply is disappearing so fast," Aryu interjected, his voice dripping with dramatic flair. "I knew a minimalist like you couldn't maintain such a stylish complexion on your own."
It turns out Niko wasn't as innocent as he looked.
"Well, I'll leave you guys to it. See ya," Kira said, pivoting toward the door.
"Wait, didn't you come here for the face wash?" Niko asked, finally looking up with a confused expression.
"Actually, I just remembered I have an extra bottle. My bad!" Kira called out over his shoulder as he made his escape.
'Scouting mission: ongoing,' Kira thought. He passed several Ubers academy players in the hall. Their stats were respectable, mostly hovering around the 80 mark. To be a pro in Europe, that was the baseline.
He eventually reached the film room.
"AAAGH!"
A blood-curdling scream erupted from behind the door. Kira crept closer and cracked the door open an inch. Inside, a group of players were huddled together in the dark, watching a horror movie.
Kira ghosted inside, snuck up behind Sendo, and gave his shoulder a sharp tap before ducking behind a row of seats.
"Holy shit! Aiku, did you just touch me?!" Sendo's voice was trembling.
"Why would I touch you? Watch the movie, man," Aiku replied, clearly annoyed.
The room was dimly lit, and the atmosphere was thick with tension. Lorenzo sat in the front row, his gold teeth barely glinting in the flickering light of the screen.
"Maybe there's a ghost in here with us," Lorenzo whispered, his voice raspy. "Something unnatural."
'Who are you calling unnatural, gold-tooth?' Kira thought.
Click.
Fukaku Gen couldn't take the tension anymore and flipped the light switch. The sudden brightness revealed Kira crouching in the corner, trying to stifle his laughter.
"You brat! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Sendo shouted, looking genuinely traumatized.
"Haha, sorry. Couldn't help myself," Kira said, stepping into the light. He immediately began scanning the room.
[Shuto Sendo. Overall: 79 (A-Rank)]
[Speed: 80 (A)]
[Defense: 75 (B)]
[Passing: 79 (B)]
[Dribbling: 85 (A)]
[Shooting: 74 (A)]
[Offense: 89 (A)]
'Wait, how was this guy ever considered the ace of the U-20 team?' Kira wondered.
'His offensive instincts are high, but everything else is mediocre. Maybe they just liked his hair.'
[Gen Fukaku. Overall: 80 (A-Rank)]
[Speed: 77 (B)]
[Defense: 92 (S)]
[Passing: 81 (A)]
[Dribbling: 79 (B)]
[Shooting: 75 (B)]
[Offense: 77 (B)]
'Solid keeper. His defense and passing are high enough to anchor a backline. He's a reliable backup.'
Then, Kira turned to Aiku.
[Oliver Aiku. Overall: 90 (S-Rank)]
[Speed: 80 (A)]
[Defense: 96 (S)]
[Passing: 88 (A)]
[Dribbling: 81 (A)]
[Shooting: 80 (A)]
[Offense: 85 (A)]
'A true S-Rank defender. You made the right call quitting the striker role, Aiku. Your shooting stats are as average as Sendo's.'
Finally, his eyes settled on Lorenzo, who was currently inhaling popcorn.
[Don Lorenzo. Overall: 94 (S-Rank)]
[Speed: 88 (A)]
[Defense: 98 (S)]
[Passing: 95 (S)]
[Dribbling: 92 (S)]
[Shooting: 80 (A)]
[Offense: 82 (A)]
'The Ace Eater. A defensive monster.' Even though he was still a few points behind Kira's overall score, Lorenzo's specialized stats were terrifying.
"Hey, Kira. Why are you staring at everyone like a creep?" Lorenzo asked. "You look like the monster in the movie."
"Sorry. Just lost in thought," Kira said, rubbing the back of his head.
"Gen, turn the lights back off," Lorenzo commanded. "We were just getting to the good part. Sit down, Kira. You're watching the rest with us."
Kira realized he had walked into a trap. He hated horror movies as much as Sendo did. For the next hour, the two of them were jumping at every shadow while Lorenzo laughed like a maniac. Even Aiku seemed amused by Kira's reaction.
***
At the same time, in the Manshine City film room in the England stratum.
While Ubers was goofing off, the atmosphere in England was electric with ambition.
"Look at this. Kira's valuation is already worth three Kunigamis," Nagi said, glancing at the rankings on his tablet. He was ranked second, but the gap between him and Kira felt like a canyon.
"We have three matches left to close that gap," Chigiri said, his voice sharp with determination. He wasn't just here to play; he was here to build a brand that the world couldn't ignore. "This is the only chance we get to skyrocket our value before the world cup."
"Ego really hit the jackpot with this livestream idea," Reo added, looking at the data from a business perspective. "The subscription revenue alone must be astronomical. No wonder they could afford to bring in these world stars. We're part of a billion-dollar show."
Reo turned to the man sitting in the corner—Okuhito Iemon. The former Team Z keeper had survived the Wild Card and come back as a completely different person. He was silent, intense, and ignored Reo's attempt at conversation entirely.
The door slid open, and a man stepped in wearing a suit covered in high-tech sensors and resistance bands. He struck a series of poses for the cameras embedded in the walls.
"Want a physique that screams 'Perfection'? Wear the Prince Series 2.0 and feel the burn of excellence!"
The man was Chris Prince, the Master of Manshine City.
"And he's doing a commercial again," Chigiri sighed.
"Pro athletes love a good paycheck," Nagi noted, unfazed.
"He's a genius at marketing himself. I can respect the hustle," Reo admitted.
Chris Prince finished his routine and turned to his players, his charismatic smile widening. "Alright, listen up. Our next targets are the Italian workhorses—the Ubers."
"Get your heads right. We're going to use our superior physiques to crush those 'office workers' into the dirt. Show the world what true power looks like!"
***
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