"You'll now be facing the opposing team for the first selection. Do note, your matches will be live broadcast, and for the instructions...
The winning team will get to choose one player from the opposition. As for the remaining four in the losing team, you'll be locked out. In other words, you'll be leaving the All-Star facility."
After the words of the system, the holographic feminine head was replaced with the instructor, adjusting his lens like before.
"These people you see here will be your greatest ally and, of course, your threats. Right now, all hundred matches are currently broadcasting live. Only six hundred players will stay behind for the next selection, and four hundred will be kicked out...
Your match will last only forty-five minutes of play time. Matches ending in a draw will result in both teams being kicked out. When the whistle is blown, you begin."
The screen returned to the scoreboard. Then Team Z looked to the side, picking up the red ball and claiming kickoff was theirs.
Ovegal, while Zico's teammates were busy arguing about who to defend, strike, and act as a midfielder, the opposing team was relaxed.
They weren't all strikers. From the way they positioned themselves—two players acting as defenders, a midfield player, and two forwards—the 2-1-2 formation was clear.
They were pretty much ready to get the match started and couldn't wait for the whistle to be blown.
"Hey, injured knee guy, why don't you stay behind," said the captain.
"Uh? Injured knee? Someone has an injured knee on our team?" a random player asked.
"Of course, Zico Tsubasa. We wouldn't want all our passes to the frontline to go to waste."
Zico wordlessly kept looking at the captain of his school's football team. Whatever it was he wanted, it was working.
"Yea, maybe when we're leading, we could give you a chance to play forward."
Everyone was now looking down on Zico—actually looking at his knee. He didn't argue with them and just positioned himself in front of their box.
Captain already made himself the striker of Team KC. A 1-3-1 formation was what they agreed on.
With all teams ready, as seen by the instructor staring at the screen split into a hundred ways, he tapped on a red button and a whistle was blown.
Team Z's striker, Masura—he was the guy Captain saw earlier, the one with the eye patch—passed the ball to the nearest man, his co-striker.
"Hehehe," the striker grinned and attempted running forward, but that was a fake to draw in Captain. As it worked, he passed the ball back with his heel.
The midfielder gracefully received the pass and, in that moment, the two players acting as defenders simultaneously ran in, acting as wingers.
"What the hell, they deceived us! They ain't defenders!" Captain yelled.
Urging his teammates to mark the runs, what they failed to realize was Team Z needed to spread out their midfield, leaving just one man with Masura.
Tak'
"What?"
Team Z's midfielder did not pass the ball to any of the defenders pretending to be wingers. Instead, it was passed straight to Masura.
"Spread them out wide so I can get enough space to shoot," Masura grinned. "Nice pass, Kenji."
Boom'
With tremendous force, Masura connected his feet with the ball, so hard that it ripped a few grasses along with the air.
The speed was comparable to that of a bullet, cutting through the air like a knife through butter. Zico couldn't believe his eyes.
"Gooooooooaaallll!" Team Z began yelling, jumping on Masura, who just did the impossible.
While Team Z was screaming with excitement, Team KC stood looking at themselves. They didn't know when Team Z had planned that out.
On top of that, the goal was just scored from Team Z's half of the field. Not only was it impossible, but the ball also did not lose momentum.
It started with insane speed and found the net without slowing down.
"Didn't I tell you guys? The field is too small for me. As long as I have a good space between me and the goal, I can score anywhere in this half-baked field," Masura stood up.
"Nice shot. Let's crush them now."
With the eye he has, he could see the path leading to goal if he had enough space.
He believed they'd won this match the moment he stepped foot on the field—it was too small.
Normally, on a real field, his school teammates usually gave him passes when he crossed into the opposition's half of the field.
With enough space, Masura scored wild goals even from there, and this facility's mini field was like one half of a real field.
So with enough space, Masura could score anywhere on this field. It was completely his.
"We're just a goal down. We've still got time, come on," said Captain.
Team KC nodded. They still had more than forty minutes. That goal just now was scored after kickoff.
"You guys better have a good plan, else I'm leaving this spot," said Zico.
Team Z's strikers were now spread out, acting as wingers. It was a mistake Team KC was ready to take advantage of because now they could easily cut through the midfield.
After all, it was only Kenji they had as midfield. Captain quietly explained this to the striker beside him.
On top of that, it seemed they changed formation. Masura and a defender had switched positions. Maybe they were taking turns being striker.
And as he passed the ball to Captain, Kenji quickly closed the gap between them. Captain performed a fake pass to the right and easily got past Kenji.
With the striker cutting through the midfield as planned, Captain passed the ball. However, Team Z's defender saw this and rushed in with a perfect interception.
"All out!" Masura yelled, veins bulging on his neck and forehead.
Team Z members began running deep inside the other half of the field. At the sight of this, Team KC players formed a wall at the midfield.
But it wasn't enough for Kenji. That grin on his face scared them, and they were right to be scared.
"Don't let him get through!" Captain yelled, running from behind to get the ball from Kenji.
However, Kenji flicks the ball with his heel, passing it through the legs of Captain, who was stunned. "Wha-"
At the same breath, Kenji spun around and swiftly controlled the ball with a smooth double nutmeg.
Two more midfielders closed in on him, one in front and the other pressing from behind. "Don't you get it?" Kenji muttered.
He feints a kick as if wanting to pass the ball between the defender's legs.
However, the bait was given and the player lunged, at that same instant, Kenji's toe hooked it out and snake-flick the ball to the right.
"The hell!", the guy just froze.
Cutting through the front midfield, the one behind him was now running beside Kenji, but the ball was kicked far from their reach.
It was now a race for the ball—or at least that's what Team KC thought. Until the player who had switched positions with Masura ran with incredible speed from the side.
"It's mine," he growled. What he did shocked everyone. He could have been one v one with Zico, but he didn't do that. Instead—
"Ah yes, the path is clear." The voice sent chills through Captain. His heart was pounding fast as Masura just ran past him.
The defender who had stolen the ball with the run passed it back to where he ran from—the empty right wing.
The ball landed with finesse. Now Zico realized what was happening. The whole thing was set up to create a space for Masura.
Because right now, everyone was at one side of the field, while the right side was completely free.
The ball bounced on the ground as if time stood still. Captain nearly begged the monster not to score again.
"Nice pass, Noboru.", Masura said that with his tongue stuck out, and his feet creating an invisible shockwave ready to connect with the ball.
Ka-Boom'
The next thing Zico saw was the result of the shot. It was indeed as fast as a bullet because only 0.1 seconds after hearing it, the ball landed in the net.
"That... that guy, he's unreal. He has to be some kind of AI."
Team KC was already giving up, two goals down within five minutes. They watched Team Z walk back to their half of the field, applauding themselves.
"Dude, I don't see us winning against these guys."
Just behind his teammate, Zico was feeling impatient. The field was his throne, and someone else was having all that glory—his crown.
Clearly, Team Z was very organized and planned things through. Team KC, on the other hand, was just running wherever the ball went.
Most importantly, they should stop listening to Captain.