The stadium fell into a deathly silence.
A moment later, a thunderous roar of cheers erupted. The members of Team X, their faces flushed with excitement, swarmed toward Barou with primal bellows.
"RAAAGH!"
Barou clenched his fists against his chest, letting out a guttural howl to celebrate his equalizer. In contrast, the members of Team Z watched the celebration with a growing sense of irritation and unease.
"Sorry. That goal was on me," Raichi muttered, his face beet-red as he approached Kira. "I won't let him blow past me that easily again."
Kira was caught off guard. He hadn't expected the abrasive Raichi to actually take accountability. He patted Raichi's shoulder in a gesture of reassurance. "Don't beat yourself up. Barou was hiding his cards too deep."
Barou hadn't shown a glimpse of his high-level dribbling in the first half. Kira, caught up in the flow of the match, had forgotten to warn Raichi about that specific trait, leading to the lapse in defense. He felt partially responsible himself.
However, Kira's gaze shifted toward his two defenders who had just been bypassed. Igarashi looked frustrated, which was understandable given his limited skill set. But the other one—Chigiri Hyoma—sat dejectedly on the turf, his fighting spirit completely extinguished.
Tch. Looks like the "Princess" is still in her unawakened state, just like the original story, Kira thought. Fine. I'll have to rely on the others for the heavy lifting.
Kira gestured to Kunigami, who jogged over immediately.
"Kunigami, Barou's physical shielding is elite. You're the only one here who can go toe-to-toe with him in terms of raw power. For the rest of the game, if he breaks past Raichi, I need you to slide over and cover."
Kunigami nodded firmly, though a hint of worry lingered in his eyes.
"Leave the scoring to me," Kira said, flashing a reassuring smile that eased Kunigami's tension. "Just focus on holding the line."
Kira was beginning to gauge Barou's true level. If he were still in his original body, this might be a toss-up. But he had an edge the "King" couldn't dream of: the System.
The celebration ended, and both teams took their positions.
"You were hiding some serious heat, King," Kira called out with a casual grin.
"Hmph. You can still smile?" Barou shot back, his eyes predatory. "It seems you insects still harbor some pathetic hope of winning. I love nothing more than crushing hope into the dirt."
"Oh? I'd like to see you try."
Beep! Match continues.
The game resumed with the ball at Team Z's feet. Team X immediately initiated a high-press. Their midfielders swarmed forward, and the sudden intensity made Team Z's passing sluggish and erratic.
As the primary playmaker, Isagi felt the walls closing in. Under the suffocating pressure, he didn't dare hold the ball for more than a second. Every touch was a hurried backpass, leaving Kira—who was constantly making runs—without any service.
Isagi felt a wave of powerlessness. It's the gap in skill. I'm too ordinary. He couldn't time his passes to Kira's runs, and his ball retention was failing him. His pride—his spatial awareness—felt useless in the face of such chaos.
"Isagi, watch out!"
Amidst his spiraling thoughts, Bachira sent a pass back to him. Before Isagi could react, a shadow lunged from his periphery like a starving beast, intercepting the ball.
"Intercepted!"
Isagi's heart hammered against his ribs. When? I lost focus for one second and gave it away! On the pitch, God only smiles on those who seize the moment.
Barou tore forward with the ball. Raichi stood in his path again, but this time he didn't dare lunge. He knew Barou could pull off a miracle at any moment; a reckless move would mean getting burned. Raichi was forced to backpedal, ceding ground.
As they reached the edge of the penalty area, another towering figure crashed in from the side, slamming into Barou with a violent thud. It was Kunigami, sliding over to cover.
"Yo, where'd this 'knight' come from?"
Barou's frame buckled slightly from the impact, but he didn't stop. He bared his teeth in a snarl. "Get out of my way, or I'll kill you!"
Kunigami's gaze was iron. "Go ahead and try."
"Raichi! Leave him to me!" Kunigami roared, sticking to Barou like glue, using his massive frame to crowd the King's space.
To Kunigami's shock, Barou maintained his balance despite the interference, though his pace slowed. Barou, in turn, retracted his contempt for the "blonde oaf." This guy's strength was nearly equal to his own.
Thwack!
Kunigami seized an opening and hacked at the ball. Barou refused to yield. Both players' feet collided with the ball simultaneously in a violent contest of strength. The ball squeezed out of the impact zone, but neither man stopped. They ignored the loose ball and lunged again, their shins clashing in another brutal "foot-to-foot" battle.
CRACK!
The sound of bone hitting bone made the nearby players wince in phantom pain. Raichi, watching from behind, marveled at the sheer savagery of the exchange.
The ball flew wide again. Both Barou and Kunigami were limping, but neither would admit defeat, both hobbling toward the loose ball. However, this time, the ball rolled toward the Team Z defender, Igarashi.
"Nammu! The monk accepts your gift!" Igarashi trapped the ball but hesitated, looking around frantically for an outlet.
"Chestnut-head! Over here!" Isagi waved his arms from the midfield.
Kira knew the moment for the counter-attack had arrived. He ignited his engines and mentally commanded: Activate Barou Shoei Trial Card.
[Barou Shoei Trial Card Activated!]
[Dribbling +15 (Decaying)]
[Power +15 (Decaying)]
[Speed +15 (Decaying)]
[Shooting +15 (Decaying)]
[Duration: 10 Minutes]
"Here, Isagi!"
Igarashi launched a long ball, but as soon as it left his foot, he clutched his head. "Dammit! I messed up!" The trajectory was all wrong; it was soaring far wide of Isagi and heading straight for a Team X player.
Isagi's face fell. I can't reach that in time. And that guy is too tall—I can't win a header against him.
Just as Isagi prepared for the turnover, a blue blur flashed in front of the Team X player. The figure soared into the air.
It was Kira!
He's so high! Everyone gasped at his vertical leap. It was the kind of height you'd expect from a professional high jumper. Hovering in the air like a hunting hawk, Kira snapped his head to the side.
The ball was redirected perfectly back to Isagi's feet.
"Go, Isagi!" Kira bellowed as he hit the ground.
"Go!" Isagi roared, driving the ball toward the opposing backline, hoping to catch them off guard.
But Team X was alert. Their defenders swarmed him instantly, and after several failed attempts to dribble through, Isagi realized he was stuck. He lacked the technical skill to break through on his own.
"Backpass, Isagi!"
Kira's voice arrived like a lifeline. He had followed Isagi's run and was now positioned to his back left. Isagi didn't hesitate; he slotted the ball back immediately.
Kira collected the ball and accelerated.
"So fast!"
The crowd watched in awe as Kira showcased a level of explosive speed he hadn't revealed before. The defender assigned to him was left eating dust in an instant. A savage, predatory aura—identical to Barou's—now radiated from Kira.
"Go, Kira!"
"Crush them!"
From across the pitch, Kunigami and Igarashi pumped their fists, their voices joining the roar of the stadium.