Chapter 29 – Thunder Strike

Kira stood in the midfield, the ball at his feet, his mind racing but his body struggling. Every one of Team Z's attacking options was tightly marked, and his legs felt heavy from running all game, trying to cover the gap Chigiri had left. He considered making another solo run, but fatigue tugged at him. His breaths were labored, and his legs screamed for rest.

'After this match, I need to create a training plan to improve my stamina. This is just embarrassing,' Kira thought, scanning the field for any weakness in Team W's defense.

Seeing Kira's exhaustion, another Team W defender charged in, sensing the perfect moment to steal the ball. But what they didn't realize was that Kira's sharp eyes had already spotted something—a red blur streaking down the left flank. Without changing his gaze, still focused straight ahead, Kira's peripheral vision tracked the movement. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he spun away from the pressing defender with a slick Marseille turn, suddenly pivoting to the left. With precision, he kicked a powerful through ball deep into the final third on the left side of the field.

Bachira saw the ball heading toward him and sprinted to chase it down, but it didn't land where he had expected. He blinked in confusion. 'Huh? Did Kira misplace the pass?'

"Get the ball! He finally made a mistake!" one of Team W's defenders yelled, charging toward the ball.

But Isagi, watching the play unfold, narrowed his eyes. 'No, that's no mistake,' he thought, his focus locking on the ball's true target.

Team W's defenders converged on the ball, grinning with anticipation of finally regaining possession. But their smiles quickly vanished when a red blur shot past them, overtaking everyone at a blinding speed.

"What the—?!" one of the defenders gasped, wide-eyed in disbelief. 'This guy came out of nowhere!'

"Fast!" Kunigami exclaimed, astonished by what he was witnessing.

Bachira smirked knowingly, already adjusting his position to support. 'So that's why,' he thought. The pass hadn't been for him.

Chigiri was running recklessly and he wasn't slowing down. His speed was otherworldly as he raced down the flank, overtaking the defenders like they were standing still. Two more defenders stepped into his path, blocking him from advancing any further. But Chigiri kicked the ball forward, separating himself from the defenders with a burst of acceleration that left them flat-footed. They couldn't react to the sheer speed, watching helplessly as Chigiri zipped past them to chase the ball.

"Go, Chigiri!" Isagi shouted, his voice filled with excitement.

"Damn it! Keeper, clear the ball! Foul him if you have to!" one of the defenders shouted in a panic.

The goalkeeper rushed forward, desperate to meet the ball before Chigiri could strike. But Chigiri was too fast. In one swift motion, he reached the ball first and flicked it upwards, delicately chipping it over the outstretched hands of the keeper. Time seemed to slow as the ball floated through the air, then gracefully dropped into the back of the net.

Team W : 2 – 3 : Team Z.

"YEEEAAHH!!" Chigiri roared, his voice filled with exhilaration, fists pumping in triumph.

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Raichi pumped his fist as Team Z celebrated their go-ahead goal. The sudden participation of Chigiri left him momentarily dazed. He hadn't expected Chigiri to not only rejoin the game but to explode with such speed and determination. The shock of seeing Chigiri play at full throttle, despite his earlier hesitations, lingered in Raichi's mind. But the reality remained—thanks to Chigiri's blazing run, they now had the lead.

On the other side of the pitch, Raito gritted his teeth, his jaw clenched in frustration. "Reset the match! We'll pay them back!" he barked at his teammates, his voice sharp as they hurried to restart the game.

Raichi glanced at the clock—only 15 minutes left. 'If we can just hold out, victory is ours,' he thought, hyping himself up for the final stretch.

As the game resumed, a sense of urgency gripped Team W. They pushed forward with aggressive one-on-ones, feeding the ball to Raito, hoping his skills would break through. But Raichi, still full of energy, disrupted every attempt. They tried to exploit the Wanima brothers' link-up play again, but this time Chigiri, newly focused and energized, was a wall in their way. Alongside Kuon, he shut down their combination plays, breaking their rhythm.

"What the hell is up with you? Aren't you scared that your knee will give out again?!" Keisuke yelled at Chigiri, frustration and disbelief dripping from his words. They couldn't believe this "glass-knee" player was dominating their once-successful attacks.

Chigiri's eyes were sharp, his voice unwavering as he replied, "I've decided to run until I can't anymore. I'm going to be the best in the world."

"You…!" Keisuke's face twisted in anger, veins bulging from his forehead. He couldn't stand hearing that kind of arrogance. "Don't get ahead of yourself!" he roared, charging after Chigiri, determined to steal the ball back.

But every avenue Team W attempted was blocked, their plays broken down without gaining any ground. As the clock ticked down to 10 minutes, Raito decided to take matters into his own hands. He dropped deep into the midfield, barking orders to his teammates. "GIVE ME THE BALL!" he demanded, his palm raised, fingers curling upward, signaling for possession.

Raichi followed closely, suspicious of Raito's sudden shift in position. 'What's this bastard up to?' he wondered, keeping close.

As soon as the ball reached Raito, he spun sharply around Raichi, using his hand to create separation. Raichi had anticipated the move, blocking Raito's arm with his own as they ran side by side, shoulder to shoulder. But then, with a quick burst of acceleration, Raito kicked the ball forward, sending it rolling ahead of him. Without the ball to slow him down, he gained an edge, pulling ahead of Raichi in a contest of speed.

'Damn! He's turning this into a sprint!' Raichi thought, legs burning as he chased after Raito, trying to keep pace. Their strides were neck and neck, but Raichi could feel himself falling a step behind. He noticed Raito slowing slightly—an opportunity. 'This is it!' Raichi lunged forward, aiming to poke the ball away.

But Raito had other plans. With a sudden flick of his foot, he pulled off a sharp elastico, yanking the ball to the side and disrupting Raichi's momentum. It was a genius move, Raito's signature, and it threw Raichi completely off balance. Desperately, Raichi reached out with his left hand, trying to slow Raito down, but his stance was already compromised. A shove to his back from Raito sent Raichi sprawling face-first into the turf as Raito broke free.

'Damn it!' Raichi cursed, his face pressed into the ground. Humiliation burned through him as Raito left him in the dirt.

With Raichi beaten, Raito charged toward the box, ready to take his shot. Kuon rushed to block his path, reading Raito's movement. Sensing the pressure, Raito faked a shot, then deftly cut inside with a touch, continuing his advance. He lined up his right foot, poised to strike.

Gagamaru was prepared. The extra second Kuon had bought gave him enough time to position himself. 'He always goes for the top right corner,' Gagamaru remembered from his earlier observations of Raito's attempts. 'This time, I'll stop him!'

But Raito went completely off-script. Instead of aiming high, he drove the ball low and fast toward the bottom left corner. Gagamaru, caught off guard by the unexpected change, dove too late. His fingertips grazed the ball, but it slipped past him and into the back of the net.

Team W : 3 – 3 : Team Z.

Team W erupted in celebration, hugging Raito as they equalized the score. Their joy was palpable, a surge of energy filling them with hope. With Raito at the helm, they now believed they could win the game.

Amidst the celebration, Raito brushed off the cheery atmosphere and made his way back to Raichi, who was still lying on the ground. Towering over him, Raito knelt down, malice flickering in his eyes as he sneered at his fallen rival.

"You can never defeat me in football, Raichi," Raito said, his voice dripping with disdain. Their long-standing conflict, from past to present, flooded Raichi's mind. "Stay in the dirt where you belong!" Raito spat, his words piercing Raichi's pride like a dagger.

Raichi lay there, crushed. His determination, his resolve, his pride—all of it felt meaningless in the face of this monster from his past. He couldn't beat Raito back then, and now it seemed he never would. Perhaps Raito was right. Perhaps he did belong here, face down in the dirt. Maybe it was time to quit football, to give up on this foolish dream. The ground beneath him felt all too comfortable.