The stadium shook with energy
National broadcast
Two of the top youth academies facing off
Phoenix known for their precision
Vortex known for their madness
But no one knew what was about to unfold
---
Reiji sat on the bench
Fans were confused
Commentators were panicking
"Is this a joke? Vortex's number 67 isn't in the starting lineup?!?"
Coach Hiroshi stood calmly with folded arms
He whispered to his assistant
"Let the first ten minutes burn without him
Let them think we've lost our edge"
The whistle blew
And Phoenix took control instantly
Renji was everywhere
Dropping deep
Directing play
Dictating the tempo like a seasoned general
Within 4 minutes
Phoenix hit the post
Then came a clean shot
Saved by the keeper but barely
---
In the stands
Pundits and fans were losing it
"Vortex is cracked without their playmaker
Why isn't number 67 starting?!?"
---
On the bench
Reiji watched the chaos unfold
No panic
Just studying
Then he stood
Stretched once
Tied his laces tighter
Coach Hiroshi looked at him
"You ready?"
Reiji nodded
"Unleash the ghost"
---
In the 11th minute
Substitution sign went up
Phoenix fans laughed
"You're subbing in this early? Pathetic"
But Reiji walked in without looking at them
Only his teammates
They gave him a thumbs up
Except Leo
He grinned
"Bout damn time"
---
First touch
Reiji let the ball roll past him
Then flicked it with his heel
It skipped perfectly to the wing
The winger caught it
Drove forward
Shot
Blocked
But Phoenix had flinched
That one touch
That one flick
Looked like nonsense
But it opened space
And now
The ghost was haunting them
---
Renji narrowed his eyes
"So he's using randomness again?"
He ordered a man-to-man setup
But Reiji didn't stay in one position
One moment he was a false nine
Then a left back
Then a roaming eight
He dropped so deep
Then suddenly reappeared behind their defense
He played like a glitch
Like his mind didn't follow formations
Only possibilities
---
In the 23rd minute
Reiji turned with the ball
Nutmegged Phoenix's captain
Looked up
No one was in the box
Still
He crossed
The ball spun midair
Dipped
Bounced
And Leo arrived like a bullet
Diving header
GOAL
Stadium erupted
Commentator screamed
"How the hell did he see that?!?"
---
Renji clenched his fists
"You're still a monster
But I've prepared something new"
He signaled two Phoenix midfielders
Reiji noticed immediately
The trap was set
They were letting him have the ball
But only in one channel
The left wing
They wanted to bait him into overcommitting
So they could isolate and swarm
Reiji took the bait
On purpose
He dribbled into the tightest corner possible
Three defenders crashed into him
They thought they had him
But then
He flipped the ball with the back of his boot
A rainbow flick—
No
It was a fake
He backheeled it straight through the defender's legs
Spun around
Chipped the ball back across the pitch
His winger was already there
It was a set play
Executed in chaos form
Volley
Top corner
2–0
---
Phoenix's crowd went silent
Even Renji looked stunned
This wasn't just skill
This was art in improvisation
And worst of all
It wasn't predictable
Every move was wrong until it worked
Every decision looked like a mistake
Until it made sense two seconds later
---
Halftime
Vortex 2
Phoenix 0
In the tunnel
Renji approached Reiji
No smirk this time
"You're not playing football
You're bending it"
Reiji leaned close
"I'm just showing the world what it looks like when ghosts stop hiding"