Silent Resolve
As the final whistle blew, the field was filled with the sound of heavy breaths and the quiet disappointment of both teams. Team Z, who had entered the match with confidence and a commanding 4-goal lead, now stood motionless, their faces a mixture of disbelief and frustration. Their early dominance had promised a clear victory, yet in the final moments, they had watched as their advantage evaporated. The scoreline now read a draw, and the weight of it hung heavily over them.
Nishioka, his chest heaving with frustration, stared at the ground, fists clenched tightly. He couldn't believe it. They had been so close, yet had allowed it all to slip away. His mind replayed every moment where they could have sealed the game but didn't—every chance wasted, every defensive lapse that allowed Team V to claw back into the match. The other players of Team Z shared his pain, their faces a mirror of confusion and anger. Despite their impressive lead earlier, they couldn't shake the feeling that they had let victory slip right through their fingers.
For Team V, the draw was a bittersweet victory. They had been crushed by the early onslaught, but as the match wore on, something inside them shifted. Led by Shiro's determination and their growing cohesion, they had fought back with everything they had. Kurona, though exhausted, couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment, knowing they had pushed themselves beyond what they thought possible. Shiro, meanwhile, sat silently, his mind racing. He had felt the weight of the match, the responsibility to keep his team in the game, but even now, the draw didn't feel like enough.
The match had been their first for both teams, and it was clear: this was just the beginning. Team Z's disappointment was evident in their hunched shoulders and muttered words as they walked off the field, their spirits crushed by the draw. But for Team V, there was a quiet resolve. The comeback had sparked something in them—a belief that they could go even further. As they made their way to the locker rooms, there was no celebrating. Both teams knew this was only the first step, and the battles ahead would be even harder.
As the team stood in the locker room, still processing the outcome of the match, the screen flickered to life. Ego's face appeared, his cold eyes scanning the room as his voice cut through the silence.
"Team V," he began, his tone sharp, "You might have won if you didn't fall into the delusion that you had the skill to win by yourselves. If you had played the way Kurona told to show you, you might have had a better outcome. But instead, you let your egos get in the way."
The room was tense, and the players couldn't help but reflect on their mistakes.
"Remember," Ego continued, his voice unwavering, "We need strikers with ego. Not just any ego, but the kind that's backed up by skill. Don't fool yourselves into thinking that ego alone can carry you. Because having ego without the skill to back it up is useless. That's what happened here. You relied on yourselves too much and let your egos blind you to the bigger picture."
The players sat in silence, absorbing the weight of his words. Ego's gaze didn't soften, but instead, he turned the screen towards the latest results.
"And on the other hand, you have Team W. They are ranked lower than you, yet they managed to defeat Team X, in a crushing 10-0 victory."
The room grew heavier as the players exchanged looks, the message clear: They were capable of more, but they needed to stop relying on their individual egos and learn to play as a team.
"You've seen the difference. Now, let it fuel your next steps." Ego's voiced.
Before a table appeared at his side.
Team W M:1 G:10 W:1 D:0 L:0
Team V M:1 G:4 W:0 D:1 L:0
Team Z M:1 G:4 W:0 D:1 L:0
Team X M:1 G:0 W:0 D:0L:1
Team Y M:0 G:0 W:0 D:0 L:0
After showing the result of the crushing victory by Team W and the teams leaderboard, Ego's expression remained unchanged. He gave a slight pause before continuing.
"Now, let me show you something important," he said, as the screen switched to the goal-scoring rankings for Team V.
The players looked up at the screen, and their eyes quickly fell on the list of names and goals scored.
At the top, in the first position, was Shiro. His name was followed by a clear number: 4 goals. Kurona was right below him, in second place, with 1 goal.
Ego's voice cut through the silence once more.
"As you can see, Shiro is the only one who stepped up. He led the charge and carried the team forward. The rest of you need to realize that to succeed, you must find your own way to contribute like Shiro has. He's the one who has the necessary ego to back up his skill."
"One of the key requirements of a striker is having a weapon. Something you're good at. The greatest quality of a striker is his weapon and his mastery of it. Shiro has found his weapon. You all need to find yours and master it."
The players exchanged glances, feeling the weight of Ego's words. It was clear that Shiro's success was not just about raw skill, but about having a specific strength that he could rely on. Now, it was up to the rest of Team V to find their own weapons and sharpen them to the same level.
Ego continued, his voice becoming more serious.
"But now, let's address your weakness. It's something you all failed to grasp in time. It's the key to turning your potential into actual performance. How to turn 0 into 1"
Ego continued his explanation, his eyes scanning the room of players as he spoke. "There are two ways to win a match," he began, his voice cold and calculating.
But before Ego could continue, Shiro abruptly stood up, cutting him off mid-sentence. The rest of the team turned to look at him, confused by his sudden action.
"Where are you going?" a player from Team Z asked, unsure what was happening.
Shiro turned back to look at Ego, his gaze sharp and unyielding. "I already know the second way to win the match," Shiro said coolly. "And that's what we did at the end. But honestly, the match could've gone better if you weren't so shitty at the start. But hey, at least you weren't so shitty at the end but there room for improvement"
A smirk crept onto Shiro's face as he spoke, but his words were filled with a hint of frustration at the lost opportunity.
He turned to Kurona, who was still sitting, watching in surprise. "Come with me," Shiro said, his tone firm. "We're going to the training field of Team V. We're going to train. Now."
Kurona hesitated for a moment but nodded, standing up to follow Shiro as the two walked out of the locker room.
Ego, watching them leave, couldn't help but let out a quiet chuckle. His smirk widened into a grin. "He is truly a genius."
As Shiro and Kurona exited, the other players were left to contemplate their next steps. But in the end, it was clear: while the team may have failed to secure victory, the presence of a player like Shiro would only make them stronger moving forward.
Kurona Pov:
Kurona walked behind Shiro, his steps quick as they made their way down the narrow corridor of Team V's training facility. A knot tightened in his stomach. The silence between them felt heavier with each step, and he couldn't shake the unease that lingered in the air. Why did he feel so tense? Was it because he had spent countless hours training alongside teammates, but now, here he was, alone with Shiro?
He couldn't help but think back to the few times they'd communicated, both on the pitch and during training. It wasn't as if they were friends—no, that would be too simple. They didn't have a deep connection, not like some of the other players. But there was something about Shiro that demanded respect. His presence, his energy—it wasn't just skill on the pitch. There was something more, something he couldn't quite put his finger on.
The mutual respect between them had always been understated. Shiro had never been one for small talk or unnecessary words, and neither was Kurona. They both understood that actions spoke louder than anything else. In the midst of that strange, quiet camaraderie, Kurona had always felt like Shiro operated on a different level. A level that both intimidated and inspired him in equal measure.
Kurona stole a quick glance at Shiro as they continued walking, noting the focused look on his face. It was the same expression he had during the match, as if he already had his mind set on something beyond the current situation. Something Kurona couldn't quite grasp.
He cleared his throat, trying to break the silence. "You really think we can turn this around, huh?" His voice was quiet, but his words held an edge of uncertainty. He was asking a question, but part of him already knew the answer. Shiro didn't talk much, but when he did, it was never without purpose.
Shiro didn't immediately respond. He continued walking, his pace unwavering. Then, after a few seconds, he spoke, his tone steady and calm. "We have to. No one else will do it for us."
Kurona nodded, feeling the weight of those words settle in. There was no magic answer, no shortcut. They had to push themselves, work harder, and face the challenges head-on. It wasn't going to be easy, but Kurona could feel it in the air—the undeniable drive Shiro carried with him. It was contagious.
As they reached the training field, Kurona took a deep breath, preparing himself for whatever was to come. He wasn't sure how far this would take them, but one thing was clear: with Shiro's focus and determination, they would keep fighting.
Kurona listened intently as Shiro spoke, his words sharp and direct.
"First, we'll start with some skill training," Shiro said, eyes focused. "You have some lack defensively."
Kurona nodded, acknowledging the truth behind Shiro's words, though it wasn't easy to hear. He was a striker, and defense wasn't his strength, but he understood the need to improve. Shiro continued.
"While the other players are willing to give me opportunities to score, it won't be enough if we keep falling down against players like Nishioka. If there are more than one on a team, we'll be finished."
Shiro paused for a moment, letting the weight of his words sink in before continuing.
"We both can defend, but we can't be everywhere. If there are two or more players like Nishioka, we'll be finished. So, you need to improve your defense. Now, go get the cones and balls. We start training."
His tone was commanding, showing no room for argument. Kurona, knowing the importance of what Shiro was saying, nodded and quickly moved to fetch the equipment. There was no time for hesitation. Shiro had set the tone, and it was clear that if they were going to stand a chance, they had to train hard—and train now.
Taking advantage of Kurona's absence,he quickly opened his system to see if he got any rewards for the match.
Sports Gatcha System
Name: Asura Shiro
Age:16
ABILITY
Roberto Carlos's left foot power[70%]
Quaresma's shooting ability[64%]
Zlatan Ibrahimović's acrobatic ability[75%]
Ambidextrous [70%]
Zidane dribbling ability [65%]
Inzaghi's Spacial awareness [65%]
FUSION WEAPON
Superior two guns volley[68%]
Empty slot
Empty slot
STATS
Speed - B-
Shooting- B-
Pass- D-
Dribbling-B-
Defending- E-
Physic- B+
Trait
Genius
Egoist
Empty slot
Points- 0
Luck Points- 0
Stats point- 0
Skill ticket
Store
Rewards
Looking forward to getting dome rewards,He quickly pressed on rewards.
Rewards
HIDDEN MISSION
For defeating Nishioka in duel
Reward
- Trait ticket
-200 Stats points
-100 Luck Points
-200 Stats points
For scoring 3 goals
Rewad
- Stricker ticket
For doing 2 consecutive hat-trick
Reward
-Additional ABILITY slot unlock ×2
-200 Stats points
Do you accept your rewards?
Y/N
He accepted the reward and closed the window .
He then opened his Trait ticket.
Trait[Superior Athleticism]
He clicked on it to get more info and was shock by what he saw,this Trait was op.
Superior Athleticism
Ability- Increase Physic and Speed Rank by 2 rank. Increase Physic and Speed related ABILITY by 10%.
Then he buy a legend ticket before opening it and the striker ticket.
Bergkamp's ball control[50%]
Henry's Acceleration[25%]
He then add all his stats point in dribbling and equipped his new Trait and abilities.
Sports Gatcha System
Name: Asura Shiro
Age:16
ABILITY
Roberto Carlos's left foot power[80%]
Quaresma's shooting ability[64%]
Zlatan Ibrahimović's acrobatic ability[85%]
Ambidextrous [80%]
Zidane dribbling ability [65%]
Inzaghi's Spacial awareness [65%]
Ronaldinho's Brazilian Flair [50%]
Bergkamp's ball control[65%]
FUSION WEAPON
Superior two guns volley[68%]
Empty slot
Empty slot
STATS
Speed - B+
Shooting- B-
Pass- D-
Dribbling-A
Defending- E-
Physic- A
Trait
Genius
Egoist
Superior Athleticism
Points- 0
Luck Points- 0
Stats point- 0
Skill ticket
Store
"System why didn't I get a mission for this?"Shiro asked.
"Mission are given only for the match and important matches,to give the host more freedom"the system answer.
He listened to the system's answer before closing the system's window,resuming the flow of time.
Suddenly a ball was thrown towards him. He controlled it flawlessly. It was Kurona who thrown it while carrying the other training equipment.
"Time for some improvement " he thought.