"He's still trying to break through alone—cut him off!"
"Which means, stealing the ball now is our golden chance!"
Rin Itoshi stayed silent, his sharp gaze flicking toward Yoichi Isagi's position. Surrounded by three defenders, Meguru Bachira would almost certainly pass the ball to Isagi—at least, that's what Rin expected.
"Pass it, Mushroom Head!! You can't get through alone!"
Shōei Barō appeared on Bachira's opposite side, perfectly positioned to close the passing lane to Isagi. If Bachira passed now, the White Team's chance of scoring would be almost guaranteed.
But Bachira was no longer the same as before. Now, every voice around him just grated on his nerves.
(So damn noisy… jumping all around me nonstop—)
(So irritating!! Damn trash!!)
His eyes blazed with raw determination, shining with a blinding white light. His feet moved in a blur as he performed a dazzling freestyle maneuver.
Yoichi Isagi's eyes widened.
(Huh!? He's juggling the ball now—at a time like this!?)
Even Rin looked slightly surprised. He hadn't expected Bachira to seriously attempt a solo breakthrough.
Bachira's movements grew faster, his techniques more fluid, and the light in his pupils shifted to pure gold as thoughts flooded his mind.
(How long has it been since I last...) [Bachira's Awakening Theme plays]
(...fought on my own, without relying on the "Monster"?)
(That almost forgotten sense of freedom... my true beginning...)
[Young Bachira: "If everyone just becomes one with the ball, wouldn't everyone play better?"]
["There's nothing more fun than kicking a ball!"]
(That's right!)
(I don't need any "Monster." Just like that day!!)
(Like when I was alone yet completely happy—chasing the ball until sunset!!)
(Remember it!)
(Remember the voice I stopped hearing lately!)
("Becoming one with soccer is my everything." That alone is reason enough to play!!)
(There's nothing in this world more joyful than that!!)
[Spectator: "He's gone delusional from playing soccer."]
["This guy's nuts!"]
(Even if they call me weird, even if I'm alone, even without Isagi—)
(I'll fight!! With everything I've got!!)
And in that instant, Bachira's flurry of tricks broke through all three Red Team defenders.
"Hold it right there, you bastard!"
Seishiro Nagi, realizing he was beaten, reached out to foul Bachira. But Bachira ignored him completely, his gaze fixed on Isagi across the field.
He knew—if he passed the ball now, Isagi would almost certainly score.
But this time, he refused. Gritting his teeth, he screamed within himself:
(Not you...!)
With a burst of power, Bachira spun in midair, wrenching free from Nagi's grasp, completely leaving him behind.
(I'll become that "Monster" myself!!)
(Even if there's no one ahead of me—)
(Even if I'm alone—)
(From now on, I'll dance by myself!!)
Landing from his spin, Bachira slammed his left foot down, as if crushing the "Monster" inside his heart.
He faced the ball again, nose slightly scrunched, tears glinting in his eyes.
(Goodbye, "Monster.")
(Goodbye, Isagi... who always played soccer with me.)
Staring at Bachira's back, Nagi murmured blankly,
"There's no stopping him anymore."
The next moment, Bachira's golden eyes flared even brighter. Clenching his teeth, he swung his right leg back and fired a shot!
(Bring back my "soccer of solitude"!!)
(The one that sets me free—my true beginning!!)
[BOOM!!]
GOAL!! Red Team 4:4 White Team
Bachira stood motionless, stunned.
(Did I... fight on my own?)
(Ah... even without Isagi, I can stand on my own now.)
"Bachira! That was amazing!!"
Yoichi Isagi was the first to react, sprinting toward him.
Hearing Isagi's voice, Bachira slowly came to his senses. He grinned and high-fived him.
"From now on, I can fight on my own, Isagi."
"Huh?"
Isagi didn't quite understand what he meant, but before he could ask, Shōei Barō's loud roar cut through.
"Hey, Mushroom Head! Do you even realize how risky that solo run was!? That was the final play!!"
"Ha ha, who cares? Without Bachira's awakening, we wouldn't have even gotten that goal," Hyōma Chigiri said casually, sitting on the ground, breathing heavily.
Seeing him like that, Isagi frowned in concern.
"Chigiri, are you sure your leg's okay?"
"Yeah, it's fine. Just drained all my stamina."
"But—"
Barō interrupted immediately.
"Enough already. Just pass the damn ball to me next time."
"Hmph, I'll dribble and score myself."
"Ha! Keep dreaming, Shōei."
"You bastards!!!"
Watching the three banter, Isagi could tell—they were just trying to ease the tension in their own way.
(Sigh... Chigiri can't just unleash his full speed anymore. He has to save it for the crucial moment.)
(Barō still has stamina, but against Ryūma, he's already outmatched—and it's even worse now.)
(Bachira's dribbling awakened, but he only slipped past everyone because they'd never seen him like that before.)
(If it happens again, Nagi and Aryu might still get fooled, but Ryūma and Rin definitely won't.)
(Damn it!! There's only one way left to win.)
Isagi's lips curled upward, battle fire igniting in his eyes as he looked toward the player standing in the center circle.
(I won't just devour Rin... I'll devour you too, Ryūma Banjō!!)
At center field, Ryūma Banjō set the ball down, ready to kick off. Rin Itoshi stood to his left and spoke.
"Hey, Ryūma."
"Yeah. You don't have to say it—I know."
Ryūma understood exactly what Rin meant. They'd started on the same team and played side by side all the way to this point.
(Damn it!)
(I don't need you to remind me, Rin. I won't lose this match.)
Ryūma's smile faded. His eyes sharpened as he stared down the White Team.
"Let's finish this."
Red Team possession. Ryūma Banjō kicks off!
As soon as the ball moved, Ryūma passed to Rin and, in the same instant, exploded forward in a diving sprint toward the White Team's half.
Rin Itoshi received the ball and accelerated, driving it straight into White Team territory.
...
(35 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser