FFD 29

Sobu seemed to have taken a heavy blow with that opening goal. The cheers from the audience instantly dropped, creating a momentary silence. In the northern stands, spectators exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of what had just transpired.

"How is this even possible? Wasn't Sobu's towering ape supposed to be the most reliable?" one person wondered.

"Kakeru Tobe is as useless as ever. My grandma could defend better than him!" another exclaimed.

"What's happening? Wasn't that guy named Hayama Kazuto offside? The referee must be biased!" a frustrated fan questioned.

"They had a clear one-on-one attack. There's no way it was offside!" someone countered.

"Hayato, don't worry. Mom still loves you!" a comforting voice chimed in.

In the heart of the northern stands, Yukinoshita Yukino, Yukinoshita Haruno, and Meguri sat together, radiating an undeniable presence that made others willingly surrender the seats on either side of them.

Yukino sat upright, her face void of any visible emotions, as she calmly observed the field. Meguri, however, had a subtly defiant expression. As the student council president of Sobu High School, she always held the school's honor in high regard. Haruno, on the other hand, despite donning Sobu's former school uniform, seemed carefree and full of lightheartedness.

"Yukino, it's Kazuto who scored the goal!"

"The broadcast is loud enough. I don't need you to repeat it, sis," Yukino responded with a flat tone. She hadn't wanted to attend this match in the first place, but Haruno had dragged her out early in the morning.

"Yukino, you still remember Kazuto, right? Can you share the excitement of a long-awaited reunion with your dear sister? Is your heart racing with excitement?" Haruno leaned in closer to Yukino, playfully winking her left eye.

"My memory is impeccable. Even if he's just a lowly prokaryote, I can still remember him," Yukino averted her gaze. Ever since she had read Kazuto's evaluation of her, a grudge had taken root in her heart.

"So even prokaryotes are remembered by Yukino. It seems Kazuto is quite important to her deep down!" Haruno teased.

Just a few steps away from the three of them, a girl with short, flaxen hair slightly narrowed her eyes.

"Isn't that Hayama-senpai? What's he doing here in Tokyo? No wonder I couldn't find him when I visited Sobu. Hayama-senpai always had top-notch grades. If he came to Tokyo, shouldn't he have enrolled in Shuchiin Academy? Why Toyogasaki...?"

...

It's become a bit of a tradition for the Sobu team to concede an early goal. Years of success have made them a tad arrogant, and they always seem to start off slow. However, this time was different. In less than a minute, they found themselves letting in a one-on-one goal, a first in their history.

The expressions on the faces of Sobu's players were far from pleasant. They clenched their teeth, as if they were itching to sink them into Hayama Kazuto. But Kazuto, on the other hand, remained completely composed. Scoring goals had become second nature to him, to the point where he skipped the usual celebration and calmly jogged back to his position.

"No. 20 from Toyogasaki is closing in, and Hayato makes a decisive pass. The ball swiftly reaches Tobe Kakeru's feet! No. 17 from Toyogasaki tries to intercept, but Tobe Kakeru displays impressive ball control. Nice move! His footwork is skillful and precise!"

"It appears that Sobu's team has become smarter and more focused on defense. Three players are closely marking Hayama Kazuto, treating him like a football king! It looks like Hayama might have a tough time for a while!"

"The game is incredibly intense. Possession of the ball has changed hands multiple times, but it remains trapped around the midfield. Sobu's Silverback executes a precise through pass, and the ball returns to Tobe Kakeru's feet! However, Tobe Kakeru's touch on the ball is a bit heavy, and both No. 17 and No. 20 from Toyogasaki are closing in rapidly!"

"Double-teaming! Tobe Kakeru brilliantly fakes out No. 17 from Toyogasaki, leaving him behind, and skillfully passes the ball to Sobu's Howler Monkey. Howler Monkey is renowned as the fastest player on the Sobu team, and his wing attacks always exert tremendous pressure on the opponent's defense. It appears that Sobu is aiming to launch a relentless assault on the sidelines this time!"

"Howler Monkey swiftly breaks through on the right side. None of the Toyogasaki players can match his pace! Toyogasaki finds themselves in serious jeopardy now!"

"A cross! Just near the sideline, instead of persisting with his risky breakthrough, Howler Monkey decides to deliver a direct cross! The penalty area descends into chaos as more than ten players jostle for position. Let's see who manages to reach the ball first."

"Sobu's Silverback, the towering two-meter-tall force, makes his presence felt at a crucial moment! He leaps high and heads the ball towards the goal! Regrettably, it's blocked by the Toyogasaki goalkeeper, resulting in a missed opportunity!"

"Although the ball has exited the penalty area, Sobu retains possession. Their passing and receiving display remarkable precision, making it challenging for Toyogasaki to wrest the ball from their feet."

"Tobe Kakeru! Without a moment's hesitation, Hayato! Sobu's Baboon! Howler Monkey once again bursts through! No. 14 from Toyogasaki attempts to tackle but commits a foul! The referee promptly shows a yellow card! Penalty kick!"

"Hayato steps up to take the penalty kick. He begins his run-up! A powerful shot! The Toyogasaki goalkeeper dives in the wrong direction! The score is now 1-1, a well-deserved draw!"

"We've reached the forty-minute mark in the first half. Apart from the lightning-fast opening goal, Toyogasaki has been facing relentless pressure. Even their superstar, Hayama Kazuto, finds himself tightly marked, a clear sign that Sobu's well-executed tactics are taking effect."

"Tobe Kakeru sends a high ball, perfectly finding Sobu's Howler Monkey! Sobu's offensive strategy becomes evident as they rely on the dynamic impact of Howler Monkey, who possesses the ability to attack from both the left and right, continuously stretching Toyogasaki's defense!"

"Oh no! Hayama Kazuto suddenly emerges in the same position as Howler Monkey and intercepts the ball cleanly! Wasn't Hayama Kazuto supposed to be marked by the three defenders?"

"Howler Monkey attempts a counter-press but falls short. It's incredibly challenging, nearly impossible, to steal the ball from the feet of a superstar like Hayama Kazuto. Hayato approaches, and to everyone's surprise, Hayama Kazuto, with his back turned and without any defensive pressure, skillfully dribbles past him! He lifts the ball with a back-heel flick, showcasing his creativity and sheer brilliance!"

"Rather than holding onto the ball, Hayama Kazuto swiftly plays it with a single touch, finding Toyogasaki's No. 11, who is also a rapid player. In terms of speed, he's on par with Howler Monkey. He rapidly breaks through on the left side!"

"A cross! The cross may have been a tad too forceful, leaving no players to receive it. This opportunity goes to waste... Wait! It's as if divine intervention has happened! Hayama Kazuto emerges in the perfect position to receive the cross, descending like a god from the heavens! The defenders assigned to mark him are once again left trailing behind!"

"A volley! Oh, it's unbelievable! The previous move was actually a clever pass! Sobu's towering ape was completely deceived, already diving in an attempt to make the save!"

"A shot! No. 17 from Toyogasaki delicately toe-pokes the ball, sending it into the back of the net! Sobu's towering ape is left helpless, already on the ground and unable to make the save!"

"In the 42nd minute of the first half, Hayama Kazuto's brilliant assist to No. 17 from Toyogasaki changes the score to 2-1! It's a magnificent assist! Toyogasaki once again takes the lead!"