The ball, still spinning in the air, vanished with that sound. Yoichi Isagi could only see a figure flash past him and hear a deafening roar in his ears.
This speed... it's exactly like when he played against Shindo Loki!
No wonder Shindo Loki and those professional players said that, apart from the first team, the subsequent teams didn't seem to be up to much... So that's what it was!
Not only had he grown stronger, but these monsters were constantly improving too!
The rapidly sprinting figure charged towards the penalty area like a bullet.
Hiori Yo and Nanase Nijiro had already fallen back into position within the penalty area. Their reactions were quick; knowing that defending alone would be a disadvantage, they both moved to intercept simultaneously.
They wanted to stop Ye Liangqiu right there and force him to pass the ball.
Facing the two-person trap, Ye Liangqiu appeared calm and unhurried. His speed continued to increase, and the moment he reached them, he suddenly lifted his back heel.
The ball flew straight over their heads.
Rainbow Flick!
But Hiori Yo reacted even faster. He had already calculated in his mind that Ye Liangqiu wouldn't retreat and would even engage in a direct confrontation. All possible moves—the 'roulette', the 'nutmeg', or even the 'Rainbow Flick'—he had considered them all.
So, the moment the ball disappeared, he knew exactly which technique Ye Liangqiu had used and immediately counter-attacked.
However, the instant he turned, he saw the smile on Ye Liangqiu's lips.
At the same time, he also heard his contemptuous voice.
"Do you think your reaction speed is fast?"
"But can it be faster than my shot?"
While the ball was still flying over their heads, seizing the moment Hiori Yo was focused on the ball, Ye Liangqiu, like a wild beast, directly broke through their formation. His vision was extremely wide at this moment.
His body seemed to sense the ball flying overhead, and he leaped high into the air.
The next second, a booming sound echoed.
Ye Liangqiu's body was like a poised bow, and his left leg unleashed a powerful shot.
The still-spinning ball arced towards the goal.
Its speed was so great that even Itoshi Rin, who knew Ye Liangqiu would 100% shoot, could only run, drenched in sweat, to the edge of the penalty area in an attempt to save the ball.
The score became 0:1.
Everyone looked at Ye Liangqiu. A high-risk goal... this guy really dared to do it.
Nanase Nijiro wiped away his sweat, also somewhat shocked, "A spinning ball, plus a no-look shot. How did this guy determine the ball's landing point?"
"And how did he precisely control the shot's trajectory?"
"Is this the monster ranked number one?"
Hiori Yo wasn't surprised, or perhaps he was already used to it... but he always felt that Ye Liangqiu seemed to have changed a little.
But he couldn't quite pinpoint what kind of change it was...
At this moment, Ye Liangqiu, having scored, felt completely at ease. His use of shooting techniques was now masterful. To be precise, during that month-long confrontation with White-haired Qiu, he had used every possible scoring method. Facing that kind of monster's interception, he barely had any shooting opportunities.
Because White-haired Qiu could see the future; one could even say that the moment he leaped, he had already leaped.
So every shot was torture for Ye Liangqiu, as if a tall wall was always blocking him.
But now it was different... None of the players here had the same oppressive feeling that White-haired Qiu gave, nor anyone who could see through his shooting trajectory.
This way... he could play as he pleased!
Ye Liangqiu curved his lips into a faint smile, "A month of torment, I'll use you little wastes to let you feel what despair is."
However, the others currently had no mood to watch the goal.
Yoichi Isagi gritted his teeth, wondering what he was thinking. He had been directly slaughtered in a head-on confrontation like a lamb. He hadn't played any role in the previous match.
No... if this continues... he's destined to be eliminated!
He had to adapt, he had to adapt to these monsters.
He had to try to integrate with either Itoshi Rin or Shidou Ryusei first; only then could he demonstrate his worth in this match!
Just then, a voice rang out.
Yoichi Isagi turned his head and saw Hiori Yo walking towards him, saying, "Killer Otoya Eita, that's the one who passed the ball to Ye Liangqiu just now."
"That guy is probably targeting you."
"Be prepared... or rather, bring out your strongest weapon and confront him head-on!"
Yoichi Isagi raised an eyebrow, somewhat puzzled.
Seemingly noticing Yoichi Isagi's confusion.
Hiori Yo then explained, "Otoya Eita's pass just now wasn't just to understand Ye Liangqiu's strength; it was also to observe your strength. But clearly, your performance has made him discover the weakness of our team."
"Otoya Eita's keenness allows him to easily spot a team's weakness."
"In the next match, he might target you and crush you."
"That way, our team will be put on the defensive."
Yoichi Isagi was speechless, never expecting a simple pass to have such a profound meaning... but he kept it in mind. Treating him as prey... then let's see who the real prey is.
Not far away, Itoshi Rin and Shidou Ryusei started arguing again.
The two were grabbing each other's collars, almost coming to blows. Clearly, Shidou Ryusei was annoyed that he had held back two opponents, yet the ball was still stolen by the other side.
"Couldn't you have passed the ball faster just now?"
"Pink-haired pervert, couldn't you have passed the ball more accurately?"
As the two bickered, Ye Liangqiu shrugged. The three-way stalemate had been broken, and their hostile relationship could naturally explode at any time.
This was a result he had long anticipated.
But now he wasn't their teammate, so he naturally had no right to interfere. He just watched the drama unfold.
As the whistle blew.
The two returned to their positions.
It was still Rin's turn to kick off. To repay Shidou Ryusei for his excellent pass in the previous match, Itoshi Rin, expressionless, passed the ball directly to Shidou Ryusei.
You like confrontation, don't you?
Then I'll give you this opportunity now: take the ball and go confront them!
Shidou Ryusei received the ball, his expression somewhat dark, and immediately passed the ball away again.
Yoichi Isagi, who received the ball, hadn't even reacted when he heard Shidou Ryusei grumbling, "I'm giving you one chance!"
"Take the ball into the penalty area!"
In an instant, Shidou Ryusei charged into the penalty area, not giving Yoichi Isagi any room to react.
At the same time, a figure exuding pressure had already appeared before him.
It was Otoya Eita. His eyes were incredibly sharp, looking at Yoichi Isagi as if he had found his prey.
"Mortal, I'm taking that ball at your feet."