Chapter 7 - Scrimmage 3

The game restarted, with Naruhaya taking the ball to initiate the offense. 'They've only scored one, we're still in control,' Naruhaya thought confidently. 'Kuon dominates the air, and no one can stop him. We've got this in the bag!'

He dribbled the ball down the right side, aiming to link up with Chigiri and Gagamaru once again. However, Naruhaya still couldn't get past Bachira using his dribbling, so he quickly passed the ball to Gagamaru. Imamura, sensing an opportunity, began closing in to steal the ball.

"Stop! Don't get pulled out of position, Imamura!" Kira's voice rang out, sharp and commanding. "You're fine! Leave it to Bachira."

Imamura halted, following Kira's instructions, allowing Bachira to handle Gagamaru. Realizing that he couldn't exploit his defender, Gagamaru decided to pass the ball back to Naruhaya. With the ball back at his feet, Naruhaya attempted to link up with Chigiri again.

Isagi, determined not to let Naruhaya break through with a one-two pass, stayed in his position, giving Chigiri some space. As Naruhaya made his run, Isagi prepared to intercept the pass. But Chigiri didn't follow the expected script. Instead of passing, he chose to dribble in the opposite direction, leaving Naruhaya to continue his run.

Isagi was caught off guard by Chigiri's sudden decision but managed to recover quickly and chased him down. Cornered, Chigiri executed a slick back-heel chop, shaking off Isagi with ease.

"Damn it," Isagi muttered, frustration building inside him. He hadn't contributed anything significant to the game so far, only running around and letting his attacker slip by him. 'I'll stop him! I can't lag behind!' Isagi resolved, his determination renewed.

Chigiri, meanwhile, delivered a perfect cross into the box, aiming for Kuon. With no hesitation, Kuon leapt into the air, his body positioned perfectly for a header. Raichi, caught off guard by the unexpected direction of the cross, could only watch as Kuon made contact with the ball.

'Alright! Another goal!' Kuon thought, satisfied with his execution as the ball headed toward the net.

'They can't stop Kuon in the air! I knew it!' Naruhaya thought, feeling vindicated as the play unfolded.

But just as their feelings of accomplishment set in, Kira appeared out of nowhere. With flawless timing, he stepped into the ball's trajectory, trapping it cleanly with his chest, completely dismantling the attack.

"What?!"

"Where did he come from?!" Kuon and Naruhaya exclaimed, their disbelief evident.

Isagi, who had been watching the play unfold, felt a wave of relief wash over him. 'Kira! Thank god he's here!' he thought, grateful for Kira's intervention. But almost immediately, that relief turned into self-resentment. 'Why am I glad for my mistakes?' he wondered, frustrated with his own inaction.

'I need to contribute,' Isagi thought with renewed determination. The game was still on, and Isagi knew he had to step up if he wanted to make a difference.

Kira passed the ball to Bachira with a confident nod. "Bachira, go wild! I'll support you," he called out, setting the stage for their attack.

"Nya? You're testing me?" Bachira grinned mischievously, always eager for a challenge. "Alright, let's see if you can keep up!"

Bachira immediately began his dribble, moving with fluidity and flair. Naruhaya was the first to confront him, but Bachira flicked the ball skillfully, executing a fast flip-flap to bypass him with ease. Naruhaya was left in the dust as Bachira advanced. However, Gagamaru stood ready behind, anticipating the next move.

Bachira tried to break through using a series of scissors tricks, but Gagamaru's reflexes were sharp. He stretched his leg out and poked the ball, causing Bachira to lose control for a moment.

"Woah! Man, you've got some skills!" Bachira exclaimed, impressed but undeterred.

"Your dribble stops here, Bachira-kun," Gagamaru declared, his voice firm.

"Sadly for you, I've got support this time," Bachira replied with a grin, passing the ball swiftly to Kira, who had been shadowing his every move.

Kira and Bachira then executed a flawless one-two pass, their connection and coordination making it nearly impossible for the defenders to close in and steal the ball. Kira's pace was relentless as he made a run outside, pulling Kuon out of position. With a quick flick of his heel, Kira sent the ball back to Bachira, who was now cutting inside with perfect timing.

Bachira, now in a prime position, didn't shoot immediately. His eyes scanned the field, his grin widening. "You're waiting in the right spot, aren't you?" he murmured to himself, smirking. Instead of taking the shot, he kicked the ball across the box to the far side, delivering it perfectly to Isagi's feet.

"Show me your monster, Isagi!" Bachira called out, trusting Isagi to finish the play.

Isagi, who had been following the seamless one-two passes between Kira and Bachira, was left mesmerized by their connection. He sees them tearing apart the defense effortlessly. Anticipating the outcome, Isagi had positioned himself in the right spot, ready for the opportunity.

'Their technique, rhythm, and timing are incredible. I'm grateful we're teammates,' Isagi thought, admiration and a hint of jealousy swirling in his mind. But now it was his turn. 'I'm gonna make this goal!'

With determination burning in his eyes, Isagi struck the ball with precision, launching it into the upper right corner of the goal. The ball hit the net cleanly, sealing the play with a beautiful finish.

Team 1 celebrated as Isagi finally made his mark, pulling them closer in the score.

.

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In the next ten minutes, Kira's presence dominated the game. His dribbling tore through the defense with ease.

'It's like we're only there to make him look good,' the players thought, frustrated but impressed.

Kira's passing was equally masterful. At times, when it seemed like he had made a mistake, his passes would land in perfect scoring positions. What looked like miscalculations were, in fact, well-planned setups.

'His unexpected passing turns out to put the ball in an excellent position to score,' the defenders realized, as play after play unfolded with precision.

And his ball control? Unmatched. No matter what the defenders threw at him—whether physical pressure or attempts to rattle him—Kira remained unfazed, always in command. The other players had no answer for him.

'His football IQ must be off the chart,' Isagi thought as he observed Kira's complete mastery of the game. 'He seems to know everyone's position on the field, and he places himself exactly where our teammates can use him to break the defense. He uses everyone on the field as a threat to scoring goals.'

On defense, Kira was just as effective. He issued instructions, manipulating his teammates' movements to intercept passes and stop the other team's attacks. Time after time, Kira's strategic positioning and ability to read the game allowed him to set successful traps, stealing the ball and turning defense into attack with ease.

'What a player,' Isagi marveled, a mixture of admiration and determination rising inside him as he watched Kira make every player around him better.