Their final opponents, Kashima Angolmois Youth, was an offensive soccer team. Their forwards are of high quality. Their offense is polished, and they connect one chance after another. Rin's team, Kamakura United Youth were on the defensive. Rin, who has a good grasp of the entire field, was able to read the opponent's attack and just barely hold them off.
"Damn it."
Thud!
He stops the opponent's shot with his body. He keeps the loose ball quickly, and makes a long pass to his teammate.
We'll counter from here!
Rin makes a pass to the perfect position, but just one step away, it was cleared by the opponent.
Shit!...Run more!
In the attack right after that, Rin made a decisive pass, but the ball was stolen by the opposing team.
... We can't win this!
No matter how much Rin manipulates the team and passes the ball to the best point, the opponent's ability level is still higher than theirs to begin with. Bringing out the best performances from his teammates doesn't lead to goals.
We can't..... keep going like this.
Their back-and-forth battle continues, and their stamina is steadily running out. It's still 0-0, with 3 minutes remaining in the second half.
These guys can't score...with my pass. If it's me and Nii-chan, we could have won... Dammit!
His memories reel back.
Combining with Sae to cut through the enemies, the heat at the moment of scoring a goal from Sae's last pass. The most feel-good and hottest soccer. It brings back that impulse to pursue only the goal. An aura of ego dwells in Rin's eyes. His Nii-chan scored a goal for Real Madrid. He just wants to score a goal too. The impulse, which he had been suppressing for a long time, pushed Rin forward.
I can't afford to lose in a place like this!
With a snap, the strings controlling his teammates break, and at the same time, Rin's striker switch is flipped.
"Take this!"
With a fierce tackle, he steals the ball from the enemy.
"Nice! Rin, counter! Counter!"his teammates shout, but Rin dribbles and tries to force his way through. However, there are enemies blocking his direction.
"Rin! Don't keep it to yourself!"
The coach instructs. But he ignores it. The enemy is coming closer and closer.
"Hey! What are you doing, Rin! Pass it!"
The coach's angry voice went out.
...Shut up..... don't fetter on the caliber you can see!
Rin isn't doing anything reckless. Even though he was driven by his ego, in his mind he was watching the match more calmly than anyone else. The players' stamina was running out as the game unfolded in a deadly struggle. With their concentration declining, sloppy play and petty mistakes are born. Soon, the performance of both teams will hit bottom. Rin has it all figured out. And then...
At this timing, I can see the route I should destroy!
Rin dribbles, slipping through the enemy line. Beating one, then two in a row, he rushes toward the goal.
"Huh, That No. 10 can actually play like that?"
A roar arises from the audience. It was the kind of play that was supposed to be sealed, a play that was only meant to get you a goal.
I can score a goal..... all by myself!
He runs up the field.
"Shit! Stop him!"
"Rin! Pass here! I'm free!"
His unexpected movements, completely different from anything they had ever seen before, are both messing with his teammates and opponents.
"Crush that No.10!"
The players of the opposing team attacked at once.
Too slow.
At the timing when the enemy rushed into Rin, he made a trifling pass. As if taunting them, the ball goes through a small gap in the enemy team and connects with his teammate.
"Huh?"
"You're passing now!"
Slide!
Enemies who gather around the ball fall over at once. Rin runs forward to the goal as fast as he can. The teammate who gets the pass looks at Rin.
"Eek!"
Rin's eyes were filled with bloodlust that he has never seen before. He was overwhelmed by the heat that burned him, which he could not imagine from the usually cool Rin. If he doesn't pass now, he'll get beaten up. No, he would get killed for real! With such a feeling similar to fear, he made a pass as if he was being pressured. At the moment the ball came to him, Rin put his tonque out. Concentration. Impulse. Rin's foot catches the ball.
Twack!
A superb shot flashed past the goal.
"It's in!"
"That No. 10 is awesome!"
The crowd cheered wildly. It was the first time in a long time that he felt like he was on his own route to the goal, and it was a great feeling to have scored a goal by himself.
"Whoaaaaa!"
Rin's teammates gathered around him as they screamed. 1-0, and it was the final goal.
Piii! Time's up!
Four years of holding himself back, and three minutes of releasing his ego.
I did it...! I did it, Nii-chan...!
With Rin's goal, their team became the best in Japan