"Damn, bro, these guys are getting kicked out."
"Such a lame team, honestly."
"Hey, what match is that? I don't think there's anything to see in room 134 anymore, the guys are losing 8–nil."
"Oh, this one's live stream 129. No difference, but Masura's goals will keep you wanting more."
Just as they said, All-Star Facility was streaming every match live on billboards and the internet. There were a total of a hundred matches listed.
Even scouts were watching the live stream, but right now, a few had their eyes glued to Team Z's match, all because of Masura and Kenji.
Team KC was completely disgraced. Some of the team members were on their knees, looking at the scoreboard with tears.
A three-goal lead, with only twenty-five minutes left on the clock. Zico weaved out a sigh.
The captain, on the other hand, couldn't say a word. Since the beginning of the match, Team KC had barely gotten a shot on target.
As a matter of fact, any shot at all. Team Z was completely dominating with passes and deep-line defending.
While Team KC would leave the defense for poor Zico, the moment the opposition got past the midfield—whether it was because of Kenji's humiliating dribbles—they would be stunned and just freeze.
As if watching them to see what would happen. Like spectators.
"We're gonna lose," said the captain, breathing tirelessly. "We're all gonna get sent home."
"Not all of us." The striker beside him tried catching his breath as well. Because right now, Team Z was just passing the ball around to kill time.
"The rules say they get to choose one person from the losing team... if one of us could play well."
"Hahaha, how about this—whichever one of you scores the most goals joins us," Masura announced.
Team KC looked at each other. Even together, they couldn't manage a shot on or off target—now scoring?
To hell with teamwork. Every one of them was now determined to score a goal for themselves, from the looks of things.
Masura wouldn't let the goals be more than theirs, so it was likely anyone who could score one goal would win it.
Before the heart could beat, every Team KC member was running towards the ball like wounded lions.
Except Zico, who stood at the defense on their half of the field, waiting patiently.
"They fell for it," Masura said with a wide grin. In that same moment the players were storming towards them, he passed the ball to Kenji, who was at midfield.
And Kenji instantly did a no-look pass with his heel backward. The ball was given to their defender, already knowing what the gameplay was.
"They tricked us!" the captain yelled. He only realized what was happening, but he was far from catching up.
"But that's not fair!" a player from Team KC cried out.
Before any of them could chase, Noboru, with his finesse pass, played the ball to the second striker acting as a wingman.
The moment the ball reached his feet, he didn't even enjoy the moment and immediately passed the ball across the field.
A lofted through pass to the demon on the pitch—Masura was delighted to welcome the ball with more than enough space.
However, TAK—"Eh?" Masura was confused.
Zico, who had been standing there the whole time, finally moved, jumping high enough to intercept the ball with his chest. The moment was instantly killed.
And as he landed in a pose Spider-Man usually does on trains, the ball was in front of him. And boom—
Zico cut through the air like a rocket, sending grass flying high enough for Masura to see.
"He intercepted the ball!"
"Heeeey, pass the ball!"
"Over here, I'm free!"
But Zico wasn't reacting to any of them. He cut through his own teammates and kept running deep inside, drawing Kenji out.
'With that type of speed, he would have to slow down for anything,' were the thoughts of Kenji. 'No... where's the—'
But the moment he was arm's length from Zico, he didn't see the ball anymore. Zico had passed the ball with a soft heel touch to the player behind him.
And the moment he passed that ball, the stare he gave the player scared the life out of him.
So immediately after Zico cut past Kenji, it was as if Zico commanded the captain's body, because in no lifetime would the captain pass the ball to an injured-knee player.
However, his body did it on its own. He gave a perfect lofted pass, spinning above Kenji's head.
'How... how did I pass that ball?'
"We've got this!" yelled Noboru, because he saw the pass from the air was going to miss its target.
The pass meant to land in front of Zico was going to land behind him, precisely in front of Noboru. "He—"
Before Noboru could talk, Zico gently flicked the pass with his heel again, sending it above Noboru's head. 'Wha—That control? He killed the momentum?'
"Don't worry, Noboru, I've got this!" yelled the last defender. He didn't know if Noboru even heard him, because his friend was somewhat frozen.
The last defender was one hundred percent certain he would intercept the ball. He could see where the ball would land, already marked the drop spot.
And when the ball dropped, he expected Zico to shoot it immediately, so he slide-tackled, yelling, "I've got this!!!!" Swollen veins appeared on his neck and face.
However, Tak'—he saw the wide grin on Zico's face as if he had fallen deep into the trap. When he slide-tackled, Zico gently flicked the ball up.
"What?!!!!" Masura yelled. That unbelievable control. He saw the defender just slide away.
As the ball dropped again, boom—an explosion was heard. It was Zico's feet slapping the ball so hard that steam was coming off it.
"Uh?"
'They've had this player the whole time?' Kenji and Masura were both thinking the same thing. Everyone was stunned, especially Team KC.
The whistle was blown, bringing everyone back from their stunned state.
"Come on, Masura, let's... let's—I mean, it's just twenty minutes left, there's no possible way a comeback can happen, right?"
On the other hand, Masura was now scared of the way Zico began staring at their goal. But still, he agreed with Kenji.
A comeback couldn't be possible. They just had to stall the remaining time.