However, at this moment, Bachira's eyes held a hint of dullness. The earlier arrogance had completely dissipated, and he felt a stifling sensation in his chest. Looking at Hiori Yo, who was praising Ye Liangqiu, and Itoshi Rin, who had a disdainful expression… a voice seemed to constantly echo in his heart.
"My monster… it seems like he's no longer mine."
"He's leaving…"
.....
Time rewound to over a decade ago.
Under the setting sun, a group of children on the soccer field were bullying a small figure.
Bachira Meguru hugged his head, trying to minimize the damage he received. His eyes were filled with confusion, "Why… do they all think what I'm saying is wrong?"
"Isn't it fine as long as you become one with soccer?"
"Strange? I'm not strange… they are the strange ones."
Suddenly, he felt as if no one was hitting him anymore.
A cold voice came from beside his ear.
"Hey, you guys, how about I practice with you?"
Bachira cautiously raised his small head, only to see the three boys who had been hitting him all looking in one direction.
At the edge of the soccer field, a boy dressed in black clothes and black pants walked over. The crimson in his pupils was particularly striking.
It seemed someone had arrived.
The three little boys snorted, then immediately ran away.
Bachira clearly noticed a hint of disdain flash in the red-eyed boy's gaze as he walked over.
"Still lying on the ground? Do you like embracing the dirt?"
Bachira quickly got up, his face covered in marks from the debris on the ground, but he didn't pay much attention to it. Instead, he thanked the boy first, "Thank you!"
"Thank me?" The red-eyed boy was a little surprised and chuckled, "You don't have to thank me. I just can't stand seeing things like this happen in front of me."
"My name is Ye Liangqiu."
Bachira hesitated for two seconds before speaking, "My name is Bachira Meguru."
Ye Liangqiu nodded and kicked the soccer ball on the ground to Bachira, "Do you still have energy?"
"I happen to have some time, I'll play with you."
Bachira's eyes seemed to struggle as he looked at the soccer ball… Recalling how his teammates had called him strange, his eyes dimmed slightly.
It was also at this moment that Ye Liangqiu seemed to sense something. He shook his head, turned to leave, but before departing, he looked back and said, "Only the weak question the words of the strong. Just be yourself."
"Some people like soccer, and some don't."
"But if you like it, see it through to the end."
"Other people's idle chatter has nothing to do with you."
Bachira suddenly looked up, staring at the figure already walking out of the soccer field. He wanted to go forward… but ultimately stopped in place.
For the next few days, he played soccer absentmindedly by himself on that field, his eyes occasionally glancing in a certain direction.
Because after that incident, no one wanted to play soccer with him, the strange one.
During a water break, he seemed to sense something and looked in one direction. He saw a figure standing there, looking back at him. Their gazes met.
Bachira wasn't sure what came over him, but he instinctively stood up and kicked the ball to Ye Liangqiu, "Play soccer with me."
Ye Liangqiu didn't refuse, just smiled slightly, "Okay, buy me a cup of milk tea, and I'll play soccer with you."
"Milk tea?"
From that day on, Bachira felt as if his life had been changed by this person. The figure of the monster seemed to overlap with him. The two gradually became close, even frequently visiting each other's homes, and even attending the same middle and high school.
This was also the happiest time of his life.
[So there was something like this. I thought… Qiu Bao and he had only just met, after all, during the previous tag game, they both wanted to eliminate each other…]
[I didn't expect… Bachira's past to be like this.]
[Forget the past, aren't you curious? If Qiu Bao wins this match, will he really choose to take Bachira?]
[What if he doesn't?]
Time returned to the present.
The black in Bachira's pupils seemed to deepen, and his smile gradually faded.
But now someone wanted to take his monster away…
"Am I strange?"
"I'm afraid no one will understand me, and even more afraid of playing soccer alone. But Qiu… you pulled me out of the abyss, and now you're going to send me back?"
The whistle blew again.
Everyone returned to their positions.
Ye Liangqiu immediately noticed that Bachira, who held the ball, had an unusual look in his eyes, or rather, his gaze was completely different from what he usually saw. He seemed to have guessed something and let out a light sigh.
At this moment, Bachira moved.
This time, his expression was completely devoid of any emotion.
Itoshi Rin, who was running forward, seemed to feel an extremely strong sense of danger.
Bachira, like a phantom, had already appeared before him, his expression devoid of emotion. His legs moved rapidly, more fluidly than before.
Itoshi Rin tried to anticipate Bachira's next move, extending his right foot forward to directly intercept the ball.
However, Bachira's foot seemed to be glued to the ball. He used his left foot to step on the ball and push it back, then executed a Marseille turn, easily dribbling past Itoshi Rin.
His gaze then shifted to Nagi Seishiro, who was running into position, his expression neither happy nor sad, as he continued to advance.
Not far away, Kurona Ranze was calling for the ball. His position was excellent, undefended, and now was the best time to pass.
But Bachira ignored him, the black in his pupils growing denser.
There seemed to be only one thought in his mind: to kill everyone who tried to take his monster away in this match.
Nagi Seishiro extended his hand to Bachira's left shoulder, attempting to control the distance, then directly extended his right foot, wanting to intercept the ball.
But Bachira seemed to have predicted it. He dribbled back a step, then flicked the ball high with the top of his foot, sending it in an arc that perfectly cleared Nagi Seishiro, who had just tried to steal the ball.
And Bachira continued to advance towards the goal.
Seeing this, even Kurona Ranze exclaimed, "Brilliant… no wonder Shidou Ryusei would take this guy."
"But, it's time to pass now, isn't it?"
Bachira dribbled past two players in a row, completely disrupting Ye Liangqiu's team. Now, if he passed, the opposing formation would be almost unable to stop a goal.
After all, there were only eight players on the field.
With four players as the core of a team, there was essentially only one objective: "scoring a goal."
Shidou Ryusei had already entered the penalty area, an exaggerated expression on his face. Although he didn't speak, his meaning was clear.
Little monster, aren't you going to pass the ball?