Chapter 21: If You Are King, Then I Am God
Kira narrowed his eyes slightly, like a wild beast selecting its prey.
Soon, Team Z launched another offensive. Their coordination and rhythm had noticeably improved. Just as Team X centered everything around Barou, Team Z now funneled their attack through Kira.
After a few passes, the ball once again found its way to Kira's feet.
With that same terrifying speed, he tore through the defensive line with ease, breaking straight toward the goal without the slightest obstruction.
But this time, a familiar figure stepped into his path—
Shoei Barou!
Barou possessed physical power and speed that far surpassed his teammates. His instincts were sharp enough to predict Kira's movement before it even began.
But this, too, was within Ryosuke's expectations.
What he wanted—was precisely this moment.
A 1v1 confrontation against Barou Shouei.
And then—he would destroy him completely, in front of everyone.
---
"A direct duel between Barou and Kira?"
In the monitoring room, Ego pushed up his glasses, eyes locked on the screen.
While Kira had the edge in speed, their builds were quite different—a crucial factor in one-on-one battles.
Earlier, Kira had relied on physical strength to overpower Raichi and Kunigami, but Barou's physique was far superior to either of them. In terms of technical skill, Barou was also leagues ahead.
Even for Ryousuke Kira, getting past Barou Shouei wouldn't be easy.
But both of them were the absolute ace of their respective teams—and the result of their clash will greatly affect the team's morale.
Whoever lost here… would drag his whole team down with him.
"This one duel," Ego murmured, "might decide the entire flow of the match."
---
Facing him, Barou lowered his stance, eyes burning like blades.
"Oi, you're Ryoysuke Kira, right?"
"I told you—I am the king of this field. You have no right to stand in front of me."
"Let's see if you can get past me."
A crushing aura rolled off him, invisible flames burning behind his eyes, ready to swallow everything in their path.
For some reason, just looking at Kira filled Barou with irritation he couldn't explain.
Meanwhile, Kira's face remained perfectly calm, not a hint of emotion breaking through.
"At first, I didn't think much of your talk," he said softly. "But the more I listen, the more embarrassing it sounds."
He narrowed his gaze, eyes glinting coldly.
"But fine—I'll play along with your little fantasy."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Barou snapped, his brow twitching.
"You call yourself the king of the field righr?" Ryosuke's voice dropped, razor-sharp. "Then I'll be the god of it. And before a god, a king… means nothing."
"You bastard— I'll kill you!"
Barou roared, rage flaring like wildfire.
"Pathetic," Ryosuke said quietly. "Then I'll let everyone here witness how the king meets his end."
As soon as he finished speaking, Kira steadied his breathing, entering Total Concentration Breathing once more.
Even at level 2, it only lasted a little over ten seconds—
but those ten seconds could overturn the entire match.
The breathing technique sharply heightened his explosiveness, giving him the edge he needed in this duel.
Barou sensed something shift in the air around Kira, though he couldn't understand what had changed.
Sweat had already gathered on his forehead.
Without any fancy dribbling, Kira charged straight toward Barou's left side.
Barou's eyes widened—he reacted instantly, but by the time he moved, Ryosuke's body had already brushed past him.
"Die!" Barou roared, twisting around, using his build to force body contact and disrupt Kira's motion.
But the instant their bodies collided—
it felt as if Barou had slammed into a mountain.
His balance faltered; his body wavered.
He was stunned. Ryosuke's frame looked slimmer, even shorter by half a head, yet somehow he was the one being overpowered.
What kind of monster was this guy?
Unlike Raichi, who had gone flying on contact with Kira previously, Barou managed to recover his stance, pushing off to pursue from behind.
But even that half-second he'd spent regaining balance—
was enough.
Kira had already opened up just enough distance.
Not far—but enough to shoot.
He lifted his left leg this time.
Power surged—gathered—then detonated.
A thunderclap shook the field.
BOOM!
In the next heartbeat, the ball tore into the net like a meteor, the net trembling violently as if it would rip apart.
The goalkeeper didn't move.
He hadn't even processed the shot.
2–1.
"Hell yeah, Kira!"
"We've got the lead again!"
"So much for your king!"
Team Z erupted in cheers.
The duel of the aces—
and Kira had emerged victorious.
Their morale soared sky-high.
Kira turned, glancing back over his shoulder with a faint smile.
"So this is the king huh? Doesn't seem like much to me."
"You bastard! I'll kill you!" Barou's voice cracked, his eyes bloodshot, his body trembling with fury.
"Pass me the damn ball! You hear me?!" he shouted at his teammates, his voice almost hysterical.
Kira's lips curved slightly upward.
Everything was going exactly as he'd planned.
Barou Shouei had walked right into his trap.
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〔TL〕
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