The next morning, the players gathered beside the main field. Jin Ford appeared holding a small dark wooden box and a notebook.
— Attention — he said. — We're about to set the matchups for the next round.
He removed the lid of the box, revealing numbered balls inside. Ford drew two at a time.
— dorm 212… versus dorm 174. — dorm 59… versus dorm 127. — dorm 21… versus dorm 28. — dorm 77… versus dorm 1.
Each name was followed by reactions — murmurs, exchanged glances, quiet sighs. The groups looked at each other like opponents about to enter a war.
Ford closed the box firmly.
— Now, there are four players without dorms. One of them will be the joker. The other three will be drawn to reinforce the teams that have fewer players.
A new silence fell. The four players stepped forward: Daichi Watanabe, Ren Shibasaki, Takumi Hayase, and a boy with a firm posture, dark hair, and serious eyes: Hiroto Kazama.
Ford raised a small bag with papers.
— I will draw three names. The one left out… will be the joker. Good luck.
He plunged his hand into the bag and pulled out the first paper.
— dorm 77… Takumi Hayase.
Takumi breathed a sigh of relief and stepped aside, briefly looking at Hiroto.
Second paper.
— dorm 127… Daichi Watanabe.
Ford picked the third paper while the remaining two — Hiroto and Ren — kept their eyes fixed on his fingers.
— dorm 174… Ren Shibasaki.
Ford looked directly at Hiroto, now alone.
— Hiroto Kazama. You will be the joker.
The boy showed no emotion. He just nodded.
— The joker will play one match with each team. A forward, changing style each match. You won't have fixed teammates. Only your own talent. Remember: this is not a punishment. It's a chance.
Yuta, beside Kira, frowned.
— A forward... this will mess up the games.
Kira watched Hiroto closely. He didn't look scared. Nor anxious. Just ready.
— He's not ordinary — Kira murmured.
Ford put away the bag of papers and closed the notebook.
— Now, about the joker… — he said. — Hiroto Kazama will play one match at a time, always with a different team. Today, he will start with Dormitory 174.
Murmurs spread.
— That means... — Min-jun frowned. — We're going to play against five?
— Exactly — Ford confirmed with a slight smile. — Dormitory 212 will face Dormitory 174 with Hiroto. Four against five. Start preparing.
The silence turned into tension. Kira, Yuta, Min-jun, and Tanaka exchanged looks.
— This changes everything... — Yuta said, swallowing hard.
— It changes nothing — Kira replied, eyes fixed on Hiroto, who was calmly walking to the opposing team's side. — It's just another name.
But deep down, no one believed that.
---
First Minutes
The referee blew the whistle. The ball rolled.
Tanaka controlled the midfield and advanced confidently, escaping the first marking. He quickly looked to the side and passed to Kira, who was already spinning the ball with a first touch. Kira saw Yuta getting free and sent a clean, low pass.
Yuta received, looked up, and crossed into the box.
No one was there.
The goalkeeper prepared to catch, but — in the blink of an eye — Min-jun appeared like lightning.
— This is going to work... — Kira muttered.
But it didn't.
A figure in a red uniform anticipated. It was Ren, newly joined to Dormitory 174. Even with the ball almost behind him, he managed to reach with the tip of his foot and deflect it for a corner, saving a sure goal.
— Incredible... — Yuta said, wide-eyed.
Kira was also shocked. Min-jun's speed was terrifying, but that defender… reacted as if he had eyes in the back of his head.
Corner kick for room 212.
Kira took the kick. He took a deep breath and looked toward the box.
Yuta signaled, positioning himself at the edge of the penalty area.
As the cross came in, Hiroto Kazama — the joker — simply sprinted toward Kira's goal. He didn't draw defenders or worry about strategy. He just ran.
Yuta controlled the cross and, even under pressure, shot hard from outside the area.
But Ren appeared like a wall. He threw his body, chest forward, and the sharp sound of impact echoed.
— Haaah! — Ren exclaimed on the collision.
The ball fell to his feet.
Ren calmly controlled it, turned, and saw Hiroto running free into the box.
A ground pass would have worked. But no. Ren lofted a precise cross.
Hiroto didn't stop. He timed it perfectly, twisted his body mid-air, and struck a first-touch volley.
The ball exploded into the right corner of the net.
Goal.
— A monster... — Min-jun whispered, breathless.
— Was that... rehearsed? — Yuta murmured, stunned.
Kira clenched his fists. The game had just started, but Ren and Hiroto were on a whole different level.
Dormitory 212 was off to a disadvantage. Oque achas