As Rin Itoshi sprinted toward the ball, the sound of rapid footsteps closing in from behind made his heart jolt.
(This guy… got even faster?)
(No choice—I have to shoot now...)
Before Rin could finish the thought, Ryūma Banjō suddenly leapt straight up from his spot, soaring toward the descending ball.
When it was still about three meters above the ground, he swung his arms back and drove his right leg upward with explosive force—striking the ball dead center!
[BOOM!!]
"Nagi!"
The impact sent Ryūma crashing backward, but he quickly forced himself upright, shouting as he dashed toward the Red Team's half.
He didn't even need to call out—Seishiro Nagi had already understood the moment he saw that bicycle kick.
Nagi didn't give Jyubei Aryu a chance to intercept. He launched himself into the air as well.
As he reached the ball, Nagi deftly caught it on his right foot midair before landing lightly. Then, he swung his leg up as if to finish the game with a direct shot!
But Aryu, his long-time rival, wasn't about to let that happen. He charged straight into Nagi's shooting line.
(A shot?)
(No… it's a trap!)
Just as Nagi expected, his footwork changed instantly. He feinted a shot and killed the ball in midair again, leaving Aryu lunging at nothing but air.
Nagi then lifted his right foot once more—but Aryu, reacting fast, threw his body sideways, half-blocking Nagi's shooting path with his sheer size.
(That physique is so unfair.)
(Then I'll just do it again!)
Nagi's descending foot slid across the ball once more, keeping it suspended before he struck again without hesitation.
Just as he thought he had it, Aryu yelled out with reckless intensity:
"I'm gonna shine bright!"
He hurled himself across Nagi's line of fire.
Caught off guard, Nagi didn't have time to adjust—he had to commit to the shot.
He hadn't expected Aryu to recover quickly enough to leap sideways again.
But just then, a golden figure burst into his peripheral vision, saving him. Seeing that familiar form wrapped in golden flames, Nagi shouted with excitement,
"Score it, striker!"
[THUD!]
Aryu froze, confused as to why Nagi had suddenly fired in a different direction—
Until he saw it: a blazing fast figure tearing through the air toward the ball.
[BOOM!!]
The two impacts sounded almost simultaneously. Ryūma was moving at inhuman speed—
the ball barely reached him before he rocketed it forward. After pushing beyond his physical limits, he'd used nearly half the field as a run-up to unleash this one devastating shot.
Aryu had no way to stop it. Still recovering from his failed block on Nagi, he was just getting back to his feet.
Rin had only made it back to midfield by then, but the ball was already screaming toward the Red Team's goal.
And with that perfect link-up, Nagi and Ryūma ended the match together!
GOAL!! Red Team 4 – 5 White Team
The training match was over. The White Team won, 5–4!
"Ryūma!!"
"Haha! Our combo's unstoppable, Nagi!"
Then Ryūma suddenly turned toward Rin with a teasing grin.
"Oops—guess we won by accident. Sorry, Rin~"
"The kickoff for the next match's ours, though! I hate taking kickoffs, but hey—we won, so what can you do~"
With an arm over Nagi's shoulder, Ryūma kept running his mouth, throwing out trash talk nonstop.
Rin, clearly used to it, ignored him completely and walked off the field without a word.
"Phew~ I'm gonna hit the showers first. See you at the cafeteria later."
"Yeah, I'll head back to the dorm and lie down for a bit."
"Huh? Nope, you're coming with me, Nagi. No complaining!"
"Ugh… fine~"
...
Cafeteria...
Ryūma was eating like a starving ghost reborn, leaving Nagi staring at him in disbelief.
"Uh… Ryūma, your appetite's crazy."
"Huh? Yeah, I guess. After that match, I just felt super hungry—and tired, too."
As he ate, Ryūma already had a theory.
(Hmm… must be a side effect of entering the 'FLOW' state. But why was it different this time?)
Just then, Jyubei Aryu came strutting out of the showers, flipping his hair dramatically.
"Fresh outta the bath—'I' am the most trendy!"
Ryūma ignored him completely and kept talking to Nagi.
"Where's Rin? He bail on us?"
"No clue. He'll probably be back soon."
Right on cue, Rin's irritated voice came from behind them.
"Shut up and get lost."
Ryūma turned, grinning.
"Where'd you go, Rin? Already scouting our next opponents?"
Rin just shook his head and sat down in silence, eating without another word.
Ryūma stretched lazily, wondering what to do next—then decided to just head back and relax.
When he asked Nagi, the white-haired prodigy immediately raised both hands in agreement. "Doing nothing" sounded perfect.
...
Dorms...
Ryūma lay sprawled on his bed, completely bored out of his mind.
Glancing over, he saw Nagi still watching World Soccer Highlights.
Chuckling, Ryūma got up, sat down on Nagi's bed, and ruffled his white hair out of habit.
"How long've you been watching those, Nagi? Learn any new moves yet?"
"Hmm… pretty much got them all down. I think I can use them in a match."
"You're unbelievable. Just lying in bed and somehow leveling up your game."
Ryūma watched him focus again, sighed, and went back to his own bed—embracing his inner slacker.
...
Next day, at the training ground...
"Oh no—Nagi!"
"Ah, I'll stop him!"
But against Rin at full throttle, Nagi couldn't hold his own. He was easily outplayed.
Just as Rin prepared to shoot, Ryūma appeared in his path in an instant.
"Heh. Still the same brainless idiot."
[THUD!]
Watching the ball's trajectory, Ryūma knew immediately—he'd been tricked again.
GOAL!! Red Team 5 – 4 White Team
That's right—this time, it was Rin who had suggested another two-on-two training match.
...
(35 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser