[26] The Battle of Offense

"What's wrong? That pass just now was a bit slow, couldn't keep up with the rhythm?" Karasu teased with a mischievous grin.

Meanwhile, Otoya walked back expressionless. "You're the one who should adapt to my rhythm. What was that weird pass supposed to be?"

"Ah, my bad," Karasu shrugged with an apologetic tone. "That cross really messed up your run, forcing you to slow down to catch up. If it had been a direct forward pass, you wouldn't have been caught."

"But man, that guy's defensive pressure is insane. Even with you as an unexpected variable slipping through his calculations, almost all the standard passing lanes were completely shut down. There wasn't much I could do."

Karasu shrugged again, his expression resigned. "That's just what it's like going up against a main-character-level player. It's frustrating, but thankfully…"

"In every overpowered protagonist story, the side characters' brilliance always gets overshadowed. Hiori… on the football field, only victory matters."

"I'll keep targeting your weaknesses, driving them until they become fatal flaws. After all, I'm the cunning crow."

...

"Hiori, don't dwell on it," Shinichi said, shaking his head helplessly.

Even he had to admit defeat to this play.

The synergy between their opponents and the tailored tactics aimed at exploiting their strengths had created a challenge unlike anything Shinichi and Hiori had faced before.

Walking over, Shinichi patted Hiori on the shoulder. "That guy's height and reach are off the charts. Even if I went up for a high ball, there's no guarantee I'd win. Next time, just focus on locking down his lower body to limit his jump."

"Got it… I'm fine, don't worry." Hiori took a deep breath, his gaze firm as he nodded at Shinichi.

'I've always known I'd struggle to keep up with Shinichi. But now that I've made up my mind, I won't let uncertainty hold me back. The only thing I need to focus on is how to maximize my abilities to support him.'

Running parallel to Shinichi, Hiori sprinted forward, and the first obstacle in their way was none other than Jyubei Aryu.

"Here I come," Aryu announced dramatically, his long, jet-black hair flaring like a ghost's. Squatting slightly, he braced himself. "Let's see if I can stylishly stop you."

"Small fry shouldn't stand in my way," Shinichi muttered coldly, feinting with a quick flick of his leg and dropping his left shoulder slightly.

What's his move?

A direct speed-based cut?

Or could it be a feint?

Aryu wondered, his sharp gaze locked on Shinichi's movements.

The moment Shinichi lifted his leg, Aryu made his decision.

"There's no room for hesitation!"

Lowering his stance, Aryu preemptively stepped left to block the presumed direction of Shinichi's attack.

But Shinichi's move was pure deception.

With a subtle touch of his inner foot, he pushed the ball forward, feigning a straight-line sprint.

Just as Aryu committed to the block, Shinichi flicked the ball back with a sharp cut, smoothly transitioning into an inside lane.

"What?! An inside cut? He can do that too?" Karasu exclaimed in disbelief as the play unfolded before his eyes.

Their defensive setup was clear: Aryu was meant to be the first line of defense, cutting off one side entirely, while Karasu lay in wait just behind him to intercept any alternative route.

This wasn't a foolproof strategy, but it was designed to complicate Shinichi's advance, slowing him down and increasing the chance of Aryu recovering the ball with his long limbs.

But this unexpected inside cut threw everything into disarray.

It defied logic—given Shinichi's unparalleled speed, a simple directional shift at full pace would have maximized his advantage and posed the greatest threat.

Yet here he was, bypassing their setup entirely with a calculated and technical play.

But when dribbling the ball while moving laterally, even the fastest players would see their speed drop. Had Shinichi really just abandoned his greatest weapon?

"It seems you've been blinded by assumptions," Shinichi thought to himself. "No one ever said you have to rely on your strongest weapon to defeat your opponent."

Having fooled his opponents with a simple inside cut, Shinichi found himself completely unchallenged in open space.

With no defenders in sight, he even had the luxury of adjusting his posture. Then, with calculated precision, he lifted his left leg high, ready to strike.

Bang!

With a dull, thunderous collision, the ball rocketed off Shinichi's foot, slicing through the air with a deafening whoosh.

There was no need for tricks, no spins or deceptive curves to fool the goalkeeper—raw, blistering speed alone was enough to shatter any defense.

The ball crashed into the back of the net, unstoppable.

Gooooooal!

1:0 → 1:1

"Besides, an inside cut is a universally useful move," Shinichi thought as he jogged backward, his expression calm yet confident. "And my speed makes my inside cuts faster than anyone else's. Sure, it may not hit as hard as a straight sprint, but it works. That's all that matters."

Glancing over his shoulder at a stunned Karasu, who still stood frozen in place, Shinichi smirked. "If all you've got are these little tricks, don't bother embarrassing yourself. At least show me something exciting—something worth my time."

...

"Damn it, what is this monster…?" Karasu muttered, shaking his head in frustration. His face remained calm, but the beads of sweat forming on his forehead betrayed his inner turmoil.

"Elite defense, top-tier speed, decent vision—though within a certain radius, he dominates the game completely. His passing and playmaking are exceptional, and his physicality… maybe not as overwhelming as his speed, but still beyond anyone else on this field."

He let out a bitter chuckle. "Honestly, it's like inputting all the data on him was pointless. Just thinking about how to counter him makes me despair. How the hell do you even fight against that? There's not a single area where I feel confident."

"Ah~ such a chic goal, Kanzaki Shinichi! I acknowledge you," Aryu said, resting his cheek on his hand with an air of admiration. "But I will win with style. On this field, the trendiest one will still be me."

Karasu glanced at Aryu, still catching his breath, his hands on his hips. "Yeah, sure… But let's not forget, the score is only tied for now. At least our offense is working." He inhaled deeply and regained his composure. "Even if we don't have a solid plan, there's no room for fear before the fight."

"Aryu, stick to the original plan," Karasu instructed, his sharp gaze locking onto Aryu. "I've already processed Shinichi's inside cut. I'll handle him this time." Then, he turned to Otoya.

"If Shinichi's still the one controlling the ball, focus on defending against Hiori's off-the-ball moves. Your agility is perfect for dealing with him. As long as they don't connect, their threats drop significantly."

"I can defend against Shinichi too," Otoya suggested. "I should be able to react to his inside cuts."

"Your agility is better than mine, but you can't physically contest Shinichi. If he decides not to rely on fancy footwork and just charges through, you won't stop him. Aryu and I are the only ones who can delay him long enough for reinforcements."

"Tch… Fine, but the offense goes by my rhythm," Otoya grumbled, hands shoved deep in his pockets.

Karasu sighed, shrugging helplessly. "Alright, alright, just don't overdo it, or I might stop passing to you."

"I didn't ask for your passes," Otoya shot back as he jogged off.

Despite his words, he obediently positioned himself outside of Shinichi's defensive zone, following the game plan.

"This guy… Forget it," Karasu muttered under his breath. His mind raced as he analyzed the current situation.

"Right now, neither side can completely shut down the other's offense. As long as we get the ball to Aryu, Hiori's physicality makes it nearly impossible for him to win those aerial duels. Conversely, none of our forwards can realistically defend against Shinichi, who's playing at an entirely different level."

"This match… it's shaping up to be a scoring contest, a head-to-head offensive showdown," he thought, his heart pounding in his chest as he faced Shinichi, who was already in a perfect defensive stance.

"Then let's do it. As forwards, our job is to score goals. What could be a more fitting finale?"

With that, Karasu grinned, his determination boiling over. "Now… it's time to counterattack!"

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