"If every team finishes with two wins and two losses, that's six points... which means to guarantee advancement, we need at least seven. And that's just the bare minimum."
"If Yoru Ryoshu hogs every single goal..."
"Then the game is over for the rest of us."
"No... I came here to get stronger. I can't leave like this!"
"I refuse to leave my fate in the hands of a demon!"
"We have to stop him!"
The members of Team Z stood behind Yoru Ryoshu, their gazes heavy with the scent of gunpowder. An invisible, oppressive aura began to shroud the group.
Isagi Yoichi's eyes, in particular, had sharpened into something predatory.
Bachira let out a low, melodic chuckle. "Aki... it looks like your little provocation worked. But are you really going to be 'pleased' now that you've woken up your teammates and your enemies at the same time?"
Whistle!
Barou didn't waste a second. He exploded forward with the ball, his face still etched with that trademark look of regal disdain.
Just as he prepared to cut through the defense like he had in the first half, a wall of muscle slammed into his path.
"I'm not letting you through again!" Kunigami's voice was a low growl. His powerful frame completely obstructed Barou's line of sight.
"Tch." Barou snorted. Just as he attempted a flip-flap to bypass the powerhouse...
A shadow darted through. Asahi Naruhaya, using his low center of gravity and agility, slipped into the gap and snatched the ball right off Barou's toes.
"Hahaha! King of the Pitch, your focus is slipping!" Naruhaya laughed, immediately spinning and releasing the ball.
The pass found Bachira's feet. He looked at the surrounding defenders and grinned. In an instant, he was a blur of motion, driving the ball up the wing.
In a blind spot of the defense, Isagi Yoichi was already ghosting into the penalty area, his eyes scanning the pitch for the ball's arrival.
Team X was reeling. They couldn't understand the sudden shift. How did a team that was literally brawling in the locker room minutes ago suddenly look like a synchronized unit? It was nonsensical. But as they watched the fluid passing, they had to drop their confusion and sprint to intercept.
"Hahaha... interesting!"
"So that's your play?" Aki's lips curled into a jagged smirk. He had already deciphered their intent.
On a pitch of eleven, only one person can hold the ball. Team Z's current strategy was simple: they were working together to move the ball around Aki. They were treating him like an unstable element—a "tyrant" to be bypassed.
To put it bluntly, they were attempting to "abandon" the Demon King and score through their own collective effort.
It was a beautiful act of rebellion.
Barou's eyes flashed with murderous intent as he glared at Bachira. "Heh... you brats. Do you really think 'teamwork' is going to save you?"
As the words left his mouth, three Team X defenders converged on Bachira. Having seen his dribbling in the first half, they weren't taking chances. They boxed him in, cutting off every standard exit.
Bachira's eyes darted around, his mind a whirlpool of creative solutions. He spotted a gap.
Whack!
He sent the ball toward the nearest outlet: Chigiri Hyoma.
Chigiri was fast—shockingly so—but his movements were hesitant. He ran with a strange, restrained gait, as if he were afraid to push his legs to their limit.
"You bastard! Move your ass!" Raichi roared, sprinting toward Chigiri's position. "If you don't want to score, give the ball to me!"
Chigiri bit his lip, his gaze flickering down to his right knee joint for a fraction of a second. "You want it? Fine. Take it..."
Boom!
He fired the ball toward Raichi.
"That's more like it!" Raichi laughed, reaching for the ball.
But just as he was about to make contact, a head intercepted it. Kuon Wataru used a diving header to bring the ball down under his own control.
Kuon squinted, a sly smile on his face. "This is a gift for the Demon King. It's not for the likes of you, Raichi."
"You... you snake!! Get back here!" Raichi stood frozen for a second before exploding in a string of curses at Kuon's retreating back.
Team X was utterly bewildered. Weren't they just working together? Why are they stealing from each other again?
In that moment of confusion, Yoru Ryoshu, who had been standing idle in the center circle, finally moved. He accelerated toward the goal like a predator scenting blood.
Because he had been stationary for so long, Team X had assumed he was "protesting" his team's lack of cooperation. They hadn't assigned enough markers to him. But they knew—deep down—that this man was a monster on par with Barou.
The moment he kicked into high gear, the hearts of the defenders skipped a beat. Damn it... if he gets the ball, it's over!
Seeing the defenders closing in, Kuon Wataru let out a sharp laugh. "Clear the way for our King! Get out of the way!"
He slammed on the brakes, his thigh muscles bulging.
The ball took flight, arching toward the exact spot Aki was sprinting toward—a pocket of space that was virtually undefended.
Suddenly, a voice rang out, laced with the thrill of a successful gamble. "I've been waiting for this!"
Even Aki's stride faltered for a micro-second. He watched as the ball meant for him was intercepted by a frantic, sweat-drenched Isagi Yoichi.
Isagi didn't fully understand his own ability yet, but he had been watching the "information" of the pitch. While everyone else thought he was just waiting for a cross, he had been calculating. He had envisioned exactly how Kuon would pass if he managed to break through.
By calculating Aki's speed and Kuon's habits, Isagi had arrived at the "point of intersection" first. He had stolen the King's dinner.
[As expected of the MC! That mental calculation is insane!] [Everyone on this pitch has 800 schemes running at once... but Isagi and Aki have 1600!] [...]
The audience was stunned. Isagi's foresight was beginning to bloom.
Aki watched Isagi drive the ball toward the goal, and a look of genuine admiration flickered in his crimson eyes. He recognized the "Spatial Awareness"—it was raw, unrefined, but it had been enough to outmaneuver him.
"Interesting!"
"Hahaha... this is far too interesting!" Aki began to laugh, a wild, echoing sound. "I was right to come here... only this kind of defiance can truly give me pleasure!"