The locker room felt different.
Not desperate survival energy. Confident, ready energy. Sato noticed it immediately when Takeshi walked in.
"You seem... different," Sato said.
"Good different?" Takeshi asked.
"Yeah. Like you're actually enjoying this."
Takeshi smiled. "Maybe I am."
Ryo stood, doing his captain speech: "We're 12th. They're 10th. Win today, we take their spot. We're not just surviving anymore. We're climbing."
The team responded louder than usual. Something had shifted—and Takeshi felt it too. Three days ago, he'd been sitting by a river getting kissed for the first time by someone who actually believed in him. Having Akari wasn't a distraction from football. It was fuel.
System notification:
SURVIVAL QUEST: MATCH 3/8
OPPONENT: SEISHO UNITED (10TH)
YOUR CONDITION: 89% (fully recovered + buffed)
NEW BUFF ACTIVE: Emotional Support
- Mental clarity: +15%
- Stamina efficiency: +10%
- Confidence: +20%
TIME RELAY: 75% capacity available
The tunnel walk came. And there she was—Akari in the front row, wearing a Tokyo FC scarf, waving at him.
He waved back.
Sato grinned: "Your girlfriend's here."
"Yeah. She is," Takeshi said. Not embarrassed anymore. Just happy.
That happiness translated to the field immediately.
From kickoff, Tokyo FC pressed high. Seisho caught off-guard by the aggression.
Takeshi orchestrated from midfield. Not reactive. Proactive. His passes sharp, weighted perfectly. Adult mind plus clear mental state equaled something dangerous.
At 18 minutes, Takeshi received the ball 30 yards out. Two defenders closing.
Now.
TIME RELAY activated.
One and a half seconds of enhanced perception. He saw Sato's run right side, the defender's weight distribution, the gap between center backs. Threading the through ball perfectly.
Sato one-on-one with the keeper.
GOAL. 1-0 TOKYO FC.
The celebration wasn't desperate relief. It was pure joy. Sato sliding, Takeshi jumping on him, the entire team piling on.
ASSIST REGISTERED
TIME RELAY: 70% remaining
TEAM MORALE: 86% (rising)
Seisho tried to hit back. Long balls, physical play. But Tokyo FC's defense was organized now. Ryo commanding, Kenji confident, Yuta winning duels. Not scrambling. Structured. Composed.
At 34 minutes, counter attack.
Kenji's long throw to midfield. Takeshi controlled, turned in one motion. Seisho midfielder lunging. Takeshi's body feint—no TIME RELAY needed, just pure skill. Driving forward. The defender backing off, respecting his speed.
Edge of the box.
Shooting. Trivela, curling away from the keeper.
Top corner.
GOAL. 2-0 TOKYO FC.
Takeshi ran to the sideline near Akari's section and pointed up at her. She jumped, screaming, so happy. Him grinning like an idiot. The team mobbing him.
Sato: "THAT'S MY BOY!"
This wasn't just football anymore. This was living.
The rest of the first half, Tokyo FC controlled possession. Seisho deflated, rattled. Playing with confidence bordering on swagger. The halftime whistle came with Tokyo FC up 2-0.
Walking off the field to applause. Small crowd but loud. Akari's voice cutting through everything: "GO TAKESHI!"
Locker room at halftime.
Everyone energized, smiling. Not exhausted desperate—just focused aggressive.
Coach: "Keep doing exactly this. Don't get comfortable. Close this out."
Ryo: "One more goal. Put this away completely."
Takeshi checked the system:
PERFORMANCE: Excellent
GOALS: 1
ASSISTS: 1
TIME RELAY: 70% remaining
Sato pulled him aside: "You're playing out of your mind today."
"Feels good, right? Having someone watching?"
Takeshi nodded: "Yeah. Really good."
"Yumi's here too. Let's give them a show."
Fist bump. Both grinning. Love making them stronger, not distracted.
Second half opening minutes were dangerous.
Seisho came out aggressive—nothing to lose. At 49 minutes, their striker one-on-one with Kenji. Kenji saved brilliantly, keeping the clean sheet alive.
At 52 minutes, corner scramble. Yuta clearing off the line. Dangerous but surviving.
Then at 58 minutes—the third goal.
Counter attack. Ryo's long clearance. Ball falling to Takeshi at the halfway line. Running into space. Seisho defender chasing but couldn't catch him. Another defender ahead, blocking the angle.
Need to beat him.
TIME RELAY activation (second use).
One and a half seconds. Seeing the defender's body shape, weight distribution. Knowing he'd commit to the tackle.
Fake shot.
Defender diving in.
Takeshi around him.
One-on-one with the keeper. Just him, goal, everything simple.
Low shot, far post.
GOAL. 3-0 TOKYO FC.
The pure joy: arms spread, face to sky, screaming in release. This is what football should feel like. The team surrounding him. Sato lifting him: "HAT-TRICK COMING?"
"Let's not get greedy!"
Both laughing, so happy.
⚡ BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE ⚡
GOALS: 2
ASSISTS: 1
TIME RELAY USAGE: Optimal
CURRENT FORM: Peak
THIS IS THE PLAYER YOU CAN BECOME
Seisho was broken after that. They'd given up. Making substitutions. Tokyo FC controlling completely. At 75 minutes, Coach subbed Takeshi off. Standing ovation from the crowd. Akari on her feet clapping.
Takeshi jogging off, high-fiving the substitute, sitting on the bench watching his team close it out professionally.
At 90+2 minutes, the final whistle.
FULL TIME: TOKYO FC 3-0 SEISHO UNITED.
The celebration on the pitch wasn't survival relief. It was actual victory celebration.
Team surrounding Takeshi. Man of the Match performance. Ryo lifting him: "THIS IS THE STANDARD!"
System updating:
🎯 SURVIVAL QUEST: MATCH 3/8 COMPLETE
RESULT: DOMINANT VICTORY (3-0)
STANDINGS UPDATE: 12TH → 10TH PLACE!
TEAM MORALE: 91% (all-time high)
MATCHES REMAINING: 5
TOP 9: ONE POSITION AWAY
YOUR STATS: 2 Goals, 1 Assist
EVALUATION: This is what second chances are for.
Walking off the field, Akari was waiting outside the tunnel. Running to hug him—sweaty, doesn't care.
"You were AMAZING!" she screamed.
"You saw the goals?" he asked.
"I saw everything. You were so happy out there."
He kissed her forehead, not caring who saw.
"I was. I am."
In the locker room, Coach's speech was different: "THIS is Tokyo FC! We just dominated 10th place! Five matches left. We're 10th now. ONE MORE SPOT. Just one more spot to safety."
Everyone believing now. Not hoping. Believing.
Later that night, Sato's group chat:
Sato: "WE'RE 10TH PLACE!!! 🎉"
Yuta: "one more spot!!"
Kenji: "Clean sheet baby!"
Ryo: "This is just the beginning"
Takeshi: "5 matches. We got this."
Akari texting him separately: "So proud of you ❤️ Dinner tomorrow?"
Him: "Definitely. My treat this time."
Her: "Boyfriend tax works both ways 😊"
Lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, smiling.
Two goals today. Team's incredible performance. Akari in the stands cheering. 10th place finally—above the danger line. Five matches remaining. Top 9 just one position away.
System message:
You're not just surviving anymore.
You're living.
Keep going.
First time in two lives: football and happiness existing together. Not mutually exclusive. This is what the 8-year-old would've wanted. This is what Elsa meant when she said "find the one who laughed."
Sleep finding him.
Tomorrow would be recovery. Then four more matches to secure safety. But tonight?
Just happiness.