Chapter 18 – Start of the Second Half

The second half began slowly, the tension palpable on the field as Team Y took possession. Okawa kicked the ball back to Niko, and they started their play cautiously, exchanging passes and probing Team Z's defense with occasional dribble runs and one-two combinations. The energy felt muted, as though Team Y had already resigned themselves to defeat. They appeared sluggish, their movement lacking urgency.

It wasn't long before one of their passes was intercepted by Naruhaya, who quickly sent the ball to Kira. "They're losing spirit! I told you guys this game is ours for the taking," Naruhaya shouted, a grin on his face.

Raichi, receiving the ball from Kira, chimed in with a smirk, "If you've already given up, just forfeit now! Save us some time." But before he could revel in the moment, a Team Y defender closed in on him, forcing Raichi to protect the ball with his back.

"Annoying pest," Raichi grumbled under his breath as the defender pressured him, trying to steal the ball. Raichi, realizing he couldn't hold his position for long, passed the ball to Isagi, who trapped it neatly and looked up to face his marker—Niko.

Niko, however, didn't engage immediately. He kept a measured distance, his eyes scanning the field. Isagi took this opportunity to assess the situation. To his surprise, he noticed that Team Y's players were converging en masse toward the center of the field, crowding the area near the box. Even Okawa, usually positioned further upfield as a striker, had joined the defensive overload.

'They're trying to suffocate our space,' Isagi realized. The defensive overload was designed to limit Team Z's ability to maneuver through their usual plays. Despite this, something about the scene struck him as odd.

All of Team Y's players seemed to be muttering under their breath, their expressions tense, with furrowed brows and tight lips. It wasn't just their defensive stance that was unsettling—it was their demeanor. There was a strange, almost desperate intensity to their actions. Their behavior rang alarm bells in Isagi's mind, a sense of foreboding creeping in.

'What are they planning?' Isagi thought, his instincts telling him something was off. He passed the ball back to Kira, resetting the play, all the while keeping a wary eye on Niko and his teammates.

Several minutes into the second half, Team Z relentlessly attacked, pressing forward with wave after wave of attempts to breach Team Y's goal. Yet, every time, their efforts were thwarted by Team Y's unwavering defense. Team Y defended with zeal, cutting off passing lanes, blocking shots, and waiting patiently for the perfect moment to counterattack.

Team Z launched another offensive, this time the ball ended up at Kunigami's feet. Without hesitation, he took the shot, but a sliding defender blocked it, altering the ball's trajectory as it soared high into the sky. Raichi, closest to where the ball would land, moved to secure it.

"Damn it, one more time!" Raichi muttered as he prepared to trap the ball.

Suddenly, Team Y players swarmed around him. Four players, including Niko, surrounded Raichi, trapping him in a tight defensive net. Startled by this sudden and unexpected play, Raichi couldn't react in time. One of the defenders bodied him aggressively, sending him off balance. In the chaos, they stole the ball with ease, signaling the start of Team Y's counterattack.

Like a pack of hungry wolves, Team Y surged forward. Strikers, midfielders, and even defenders charged toward Team Z's half. There was no clear structure in their attack—just raw aggression and desperation as they passed the ball rapidly, finding any open teammate or muscling their way past defenders to clear passing routes.

'Tch, they picked the perfect player to steal from,' Kira thought, quickly organizing the defense as he sprinted back. "Imamura, hold the line with me! Kuon, help Chigiri! Don't let them through!"

But Team Y wasn't holding back. Their attack was chaotic yet relentless. They passed forward without hesitation, sacrificing organization for pure speed and numbers. Team Z, now playing catch-up, struggled to keep pace with the sudden surge.

"Shit! Are they crazy?" Isagi exclaimed as he raced back to help the defense, his heart pounding with the sudden change in momentum.

"Hold on, guys! We're coming to help!" Kunigami shouted as he, too, rushed back to defend.

Team Y continued their relentless push until the ball reached Okawa's feet. Without hesitation, Okawa launched a low shot toward the left corner of the goal. The ball flew with speed, but Kira arrived just in time, blocking the shot and sending it upward.

Team Y, refusing to let any opportunity slip, fought for the rebound. Kuon, unable to jump as he was being clung to by two Team Y players, could only watch as one of them headed the ball toward the goal. But Gagamaru, showing incredible reflexes, caught the ball, leaving Team Z momentarily stunned by Team Y's aggressive shift in attitude.

'Is this what they were aiming for?' Isagi thought as he caught his breath, analyzing the situation. 'Their attack had no structure, no strategy—just a burst of chaotic energy, all concentrated into finding a way to score.'

The realization hit him. 'That sluggish start was just them conserving their energy, focusing their concentration for this one explosive counterattack!'

Niko's voice broke his thoughts. "There's no way we're giving up," Niko declared, his eyes fierce with determination. Isagi turned to face him. "We're going to pay you guys back for that first half. Prepare yourselves, Team Z!"

Isagi, shaken by this sudden shift, felt a cold weight settle in his gut. His instincts had been right. 'This isn't going to be as easy as Naruhaya thought.' The game had changed.

.

.

As the game resumed, Team Z became more cautious in their play. They carefully passed the ball, aware of Team Y's newfound aggression and eagerness to intercept. Despite Team Y's relentless efforts to cut off their routes, Team Z avoided passing to Raichi, knowing it would trigger a risky counterattack. Raichi, frustrated, found himself isolated and running between the midfield lines without the ball.

Isagi received the ball and quickly analyzed the situation. 'We'll have to manage without Raichi,' he thought, watching Kira move upfield to link with Bachira. 'We'll break through using Kira and Bachira's dribbling.'

But Isagi's plan didn't come to fruition. Just as he made his move, Team Y surrounded him—mirroring the way they had trapped Raichi earlier. Before he could react, they roughed him up, stole the ball, and launched their counterattack. Isagi cursed under his breath as he sprinted back to help defend.

Team Y's attack was even rougher and more chaotic than before. Niko directed his team, shouting instructions as they advanced with an aggressive, almost rugby-like physicality.

"The right side is weak, go that way!" Niko commanded, and Team Y quickly swarmed the right flank, overwhelming Chigiri and Kuon. Kira signaled Raichi and Bachira to join him in defense, trying to regain control of the situation.

Team Y's physical play caught Team Z off guard. They shoved, elbowed, and used their bodies to create space for their key players to push forward. The dirty tactics rattled Team Z's composure—they hadn't expected Team Y to resort to such roughness.

Kira finally managed to block his opponent's path, smirking as he confronted him. "If you're not playing dirty, then you're not playing to win, right?"

The Team Y player, not wanting to deal with Kira's intensity, muttered, "Ugh, a crazy opponent shows up." He turned away and passed the ball back to Niko, using his body to shield the ball from Kira.

Niko, receiving the ball, wasted no time. "Make it count this time, Okawa!" he shouted as he crossed the ball into the center of the box.

Okawa made a run, closely followed by Imamura. With a slick body feint, Okawa threw Imamura off balance, freeing himself to receive Niko's cross. "Win! We must win!" Okawa whispered to himself, determination blazing in his eyes.

Isagi, sprinting back just in time, intercepted Okawa's path. "I'll stop you!" Isagi declared, blocking the forward's approach. But Okawa, unfazed by the pressure, relied on his experience as Kumamoto's top scorer. He accelerated to Isagi's right, dragging him along as he prepared his shot.

In a stroke of bad luck for Team Z, Okawa's movement placed Isagi directly in front of Gagamaru, blocking the keeper's view. Timing his shot perfectly, Okawa used his left foot to send the ball through Isagi's legs, nutmegging him and catching Gagamaru off guard. Despite Gagamaru's desperate attempt to block with his hands, the ball slipped past him and into the net.

The scoreboard changed: Team Y: 1 – 3: Team Z.

Team Y had finally broken through.