Chapter 31: An Immeasurable Presence

"Kira, this decision feels a bit sudden, doesn't it?"

On the field, Chigiri walked up to Kira with a slightly worried expression on his face.

"This is a good opportunity for you, isn't it?"

Kira smiled and replied,

"The opponents' defense in the first half will surely be very tight, and we need you to help us break through their defensive line. Besides, they will probably mark me tightly in the first half, so your appearance will definitely catch them off guard."

"But..."

"Don't forget, you've been practicing with me every day these past few days, so only you know your physical condition."

Kira patted Chigiri's shoulder. Although Chigiri had previously mentioned that he had almost given up on football, he still continued to engage in extra training sessions with Kira after team practice.

"The first half is where you guys have room to shine. I'll make sure the backline is secure."

Kira Ryosuke said, turning his head to the other side of the field.

"Look, those guys from Team Y are already eyeing us like tigers."

At this moment, on the other half of the field, almost all the members of Team Y were staring intently at Kira.

Having watched the vdo, they all knew that Kira Ryosuke almost completely dominated the match between Team Z and Team X.

The tactics devised by Niko were straightforward and clear, placing the utmost emphasis on defense, especially targeting Kira.

Niko believed that as long as they could completely shut down Kira, who served as the main attacking point for Team Z, they would have a great chance of winning this match.

A few minutes later, all the players from both teams had arrived at their respective halves of the field and assumed their tactical formations.

But the attention of Team Y was collectively focused on Kira.

"What's going on?"

"Is Kira Ryosuke playing in the defense?"

"Is he a defender in this match?"

The people from Team Y were discussing among themselves, completely surprised that Kira Ryosuke would appear as a defender.

"Does this guy look down on us? I'm going to completely crush their defense!"

Okawa furrowed his brow with a hint of anger in his gaze. Kira Ryosuke's positioning as a defender clearly showed disrespect towards their team.

On the other side, Niko had a serious expression as he carefully studied the opponent's lineup.

From the overall demeanor of Team Z, they didn't seem to have a sense of superiority.

What caught Niko's attention was Chigiri, who played as a winger in this match.

However, Niko had almost no impression of this person. He had made no impact in the previous matches, almost like he didn't exist.

Why did Team Z assign this person as a forward?

"While their tactics have exceeded our expectations, we must not let our emotions affect us and keep our tactics intact. Everyone else is responsible for defense, and only Okawa will handle the offense. Regardless of the outcome, we must win this match!"

"Got it."

"The match is about to begin. Both teams, get ready!"

The sound of the broadcast echoed inside the enclosed stadium, and almost all the players entered a highly focused state.

"Team Z will kick off first. The match begins!"

Bachira quickly dribbled the ball from the middle towards the opponent's goal. He possessed exceptional dribbling skills, making him well-suited for breakthroughs.

However, Team Y had already noticed this and anticipated that, apart from Kira Ryosuke, Bachira might have a significant share of possession. They had prepared countermeasures in advance.

Just as Bachira had taken only a few steps with the ball, he quickly found himself double-teamed by two players. And from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of another player.

Okawa Hibiki.

The double-teaming was just a feint. In reality, it was a trap prepared by Okawa for Bachira, with the aim of luring him into Okawa's defensive area and facilitating a better chance of interception.

However, Bachira reacted swiftly. Moreover, Kira Ryosuke had already mentioned to him the tactics that Team Y might employ before the match.

"It's a double-team, just like Kira said!"

Before Okawa could reach him, Bachira immediately passed the ball back to Isagi, who once again organized the attack.

After a period of passing and organizing, Team Z had several opportunities for shots, but Team Y managed to defend against them all.

Finally, possession of the ball came to Kunigami.

"GREAT!"

Kunigami lifted his left foot and unleashed a fierce shot towards the goal!

However, as soon as the ball was kicked, two defenders forcefully intercepted the trajectory, blocking the shot and clearing the ball.

Team Y had already conducted research on Team Z. In the previous match, Kunigami had demonstrated his powerful long-range shooting abilities, so naturally, he was a player they were prepared to defend against.

"Attack again!"

Isagi, who was nearby, happened to gain possession of the ball and prepared to take a shot. However, just as he had the opportunity to shoot, it was disrupted. Okawa seized the moment and directly stole the ball from under Isagi's feet.

"We finally found a vulnerability!"

A smile appeared on Okawa's face. This was their team's tactic: focusing on defense, seeking the opponent's weaknesses, and then launching a counterattack.

Due to Team Y's tight defense, Team Z had to send more players to invade their half of the field, which meant that the defense in their own half became weak.

Next was the moment for Okawa, who had the strongest attacking firepower within the team, to finish the job!

...

"Okawa, although his physical qualities are average, his sharp overall view and excellent spatial judgment compensate for his shortcomings, making him the most moldable talent in Team Y."

Ego murmured to himself as he sat in front of the screen.

"Team Y's defense is solid. Team Z doesn't have any room for offense. But I'm a bit puzzled. Kira Ryosuke should be the star player of Team Z, right? Why is he playing as a defender?"

Teieri Anri, who was beside him, also watched the live broadcast attentively, asking with confusion.

"I'm not sure about that either."

Ego shrugged his shoulders, unable to help but recall what Kira Ryosuke had once told him that everything was for the sake of victory.

What kind of performance would he show playing as a defender?

Ego had a high level of intelligence, and in his eyes, every player's performance was part of the script he had arranged. However, Kira was the only one he couldn't figure out.