Ryūma wasn't surprised when his shot was blocked—he already knew someone would follow it up.
Sure enough, Rin Itoshi—his entire body glowing faintly with a green light—appeared right in front of the ball.
Rin took a small hop forward, swung his right leg, and fired without hesitation!
[BOOM!!]
He could have gone for a cleaner, more precise angle, but Leonardo Luna was pressing him relentlessly from the side. Rin knew that if he took even a moment too long to aim for perfection, Luna would almost certainly steal the ball.
The angle wasn't perfect, but it was sharp enough. Unfortunately, just as it neared the goal, Adam Blake stepped in and deflected it away.
"Back-to-back shots?" Adam remarked coolly.
Before his words had even faded, Ryūma—his body blazing with violet flames—appeared before the rebounding ball.
"That's right! Time for you world-class players to witness our Blitz Shot!!"
Despite his bold tone, Ryūma's mind was racing with anxiety.
(Dada and Cavasoz are already retreating. Once they're back, can I really get to the ball before them?)
(If Dada sticks to me, I won't even be able to move freely, let alone control the ball. I've already tried brute-forcing past him once—he'll be ready now.)
(And that freckled kid—he may look cute, but his tackling is ruthless. With that terrifying accuracy of his...)
(If he gets possession, we won't just lose the ball—we won't even get the chance to intercept his passes.)
(Rin's in danger too. I can't read Luna's anticipation at all...)
(Good thing he always acts so laid-back. If that guy actually got serious...)
(No... damn it! None of them have even gone all out yet!)
(At most, we've got two more chances. Give it your all, Rin!!)
Still in motion, Ryūma gathered every ounce of tension into his right leg and dove toward the ball, unleashing a full-power strike.
[BOOM!!]
The shot tore through the air like a bullet, screaming toward the White Team's goal. Ryūma deliberately aimed for the far-left corner—the spot farthest from Adam Blake's reach.
But strangely, Adam didn't even move left.
Just as confusion hit, Julian Loki's figure flashed into view.
(That fast?!)
(No way—he's even faster?!)
Before Ryūma could react, Loki launched into a flawless bicycle kick, clearing the ball just before it could cross the goal line!
But Rin's perfect anticipation erased Ryūma's shock in an instant.
Before the deflected ball could even hit the ground, Rin was already at its landing point. He stepped in and struck it hard with his right foot.
[BOOM!!]
Using sheer skill, Rin adjusted the shot's angle mid-strike. The ball curved beautifully, arcing over Loki's attempt to intercept and flying straight toward the White Team's goal.
But once again, it missed by mere centimeters—Adam Blake blocked it with his chest.
He'd intended to trap it, but underestimated the shot's force.
The ball ricocheted violently. Ryūma's first shot had carried monstrous power, amplified by Loki's bicycle kick, then Rin's follow-up strike on top of it. There was no way it wouldn't rebound like a cannon blast.
Out of the corner of his eye, Ryūma saw Dada Silva and Pablo Cavasoz closing in behind him.
Yoichi Isagi and Seishirō Nagi were sprinting toward him too, but passing wasn't an option.
If he passed, their high-pressure assault would break—and the chance they'd fought for would vanish completely.
(Damn it!!)
(Adam's jump power... that's insane. If he hadn't misjudged the rebound, he might've actually trapped it!)
(Cavasoz and Dada are only two steps behind me. No time left—this is the last shot.)
(Come on... please go in!!)
He suddenly felt Dada Silva's arm lock across his chest, while Pablo Cavasoz ran up alongside him. Their plan was clear—Dada would pin him down while Cavasoz accelerated to intercept and turn the play into a counterattack.
(Damn it, he's got me!)
(Should I pass? No! I can't throw away everything we've built up!!)
(If he sticks to me, I'm done for. Fine... I'll bet it all!!)
Gritting his teeth, Ryūma's eyes flared with purple light. Spreading his arms wide, he slammed against both Dada and Cavasoz, using their weight as leverage.
Every muscle in his body tensed. Channeling all his strength into his legs, he broke free in a single explosive motion and launched himself toward the falling ball.
He'd escaped—but there was no time to adjust for a clean strike.
Even a moment's hesitation would let Dada and Cavasoz catch him again.
(It's not like I've never shot like this before. What's there to be afraid of?)
(Should I aim for that corner? Ah, screw it!)
(In this kind of situation, who needs precision? As long as it's close enough...)
(Let's go—power makes miracles!!)
Without slowing down, Ryūma aimed for a direct shot before the defenders could recover.
His entire body blazed with deep violet flames as he leapt into the air at superhuman speed. Midair, he twisted and swung his leg horizontally into the descending ball.
[BOOM!!!]
The impact sent him tumbling roughly a meter across the turf.
(Nice... perfect!!)
The shot had felt flawless—the strike, the power, the release—everything.
But the sound of the goal he'd expected never came.
Instead, a voice reached his ears—smooth, confident, magnetic. It wasn't the English that caught his attention, but the rich, resonant tone.
"How interesting—your attack with Rin Itoshi. But its flaws are just as obvious."
"If someone reads it—or intercepts it precisely—it's over."
"Like right now."
Ryūma's eyes widened as he looked up.
"Leonardo... Luna!?"