Chapter 95 Football 95 The Red Lightning

Rin Itoshi blows the whistle to start the game.

His precise diagonal pass found Yukimiya Kenyu, who was making a run down the flank.

Suoh Hyo-ki, who was closest, reacted with lightning speed, lunging forward with a low, low tackle. His shoe almost hooked the rolling ball, but he missed it by a hair's breadth. The ball seemed to come alive, deftly bypassing his interception and rolling precisely towards a bright yellow figure that was darting out from the right rear.

That's Bee Joy Return.

"hey-hey!"

Excitement shone in Bee Joy's golden eyes.

Facing Niou and Kazuma charging at him like hungry tigers, he seemed to have invisible springs installed under his feet, and with lightning speed, he lightly flicked the inside of his left and right feet, causing Saboru's center of gravity to be thrown off balance as he moved.

Before Niou and Shin could adjust their stances, Bee Raku performed a nimble, almost dazzling, Marseille turn, making Wakatsuki Itsuki, who was coming to defend, dodge around him with ease, like a wooden stake being toyed with.

Beehive transforms into the most agile fish, freely weaving through the seemingly impenetrable gaps in the U-20 midfield defense.

His smooth dribbling and unpredictable changes of direction instantly turned the U20 team's carefully constructed defensive formation upside down.

The cheers that had just erupted in the Blue Prison stands hadn't even had time to fully spread.

As Feng Le caught a glimpse of Yukimiya Kensuke making a high-speed run down the wing, he tensed his left foot, intending to deliver a through ball that would tear through the defense, when a figure as steady as a mountain suddenly appeared in his path.

It was O'Frey Aikong of the U-20.

"How naive, you petty thieves."

Ofry Akong's deep, commanding voice, combined with his top-notch spatial awareness and explosive speed, allowed him to shut down Beele's passing angle with a precise, quick step.

His long legs acted like precise interceptors, cleanly cutting the ball off between Hiroki and Yukimiya Kenyu just as it was about to leave his foot.

Beehive's excitement intensified.

That's right, that's right.

That's how you should play football!

The balance of power was completely reversed in the blink of an eye.

The U-20's counterattack was sounded by Ofri Aikong's interception.

His sharp, heterochromatic eyes swept across the entire field like a hawk's, instantly spotting Snake Maitreya poised to strike on the right flank.

A long pass with perfect power and arc, like a precision-guided missile, instantly tore through the Blue Prison's defenses that had not yet retreated, and accurately delivered it to the path in front of Snake Maitreya's all-out sprint.

U-20's attack accelerated instantly, as if a fast-forward button had been pressed, and in the blink of an eye, they were once again at the edge of the Blue Prison penalty area.

With ghostly movements, Otoya Eita used ninja-like footwork to create space and deliver a pass. Hirano received the ball, but his obvious passing attempt was instantly anticipated and blocked by the experienced Niou Kazuma. Possession changed hands again, and Yukimiya Kenyu controlled the ball, hastily taking a shot, but it was blocked once more.

The football rolled to Feng Lehui's feet once again.

Two attacks were ruthlessly thwarted in less than a minute, and the shadow of defeat weighed heavily on his heart, not only because of the physical exhaustion, but also because of the invisible mental blow.

what to do?

For once, Beehive didn't rely on that "monster" that acted like a wild instinct. His brain raced, analyzing the current situation on the field—Rin Itoshi, Seiichi Kiyoshi, and Seishiro Nagi, all capable of scoring, were tightly marked in the back, and Kenyu Yukimiya was currently being sandwiched between Kazuma Niou and Ryosuke Kira.

……wrong!

Someone cut in from the left.

A sharp aura swept in from the left.

Beehive suddenly turned his head to the right, his gaze precisely catching the determined look in Yukimiya Kenyu's eyes.

In that instant, both of them knew what they would do next.

Yukimiya Kenyu had already started like a cheetah, lightning-fast inserting himself into the narrow gap between Ofri Aisou and Kira Ryosuke. Without the slightest hesitation, before the two defenders could react, the ball was already drawn to the grass and accurately delivered to Yukimiya Kenyu's feet.

Upon receiving the ball, he immediately took a step to the right, glancing around to confirm that the defenders' focus had been completely drawn to him. He feigned a powerful shot, but at the moment of contact, he deftly flicked his ankle, sending the ball arcing in a deadly arc, soaring over all the outstretched legs and astonished gazes, heading straight for the unmarked left flank of the field.

There, a red-haired lightning bolt was already poised to strike.

Qianqie Baoma charged forward to meet the ball, making no adjustments, his taut instep unleashing all his power.

"Bang!"

The football transformed into a streak of white light, tearing through the air and landing squarely in the net.

2:1

[Blue Prison scores! The arrival of the BeePlay player seems to have breathed new life into this team!]

[The goal scorer, Hyoma Chikiri, single-handedly led his team to the prefectural tournament during his high school years, and his stunning hat-trick at the Kanto Tournament two years ago remains unforgettable. Meanwhile, Kenichi Yukimiya, who provided the decisive pass, is already a renowned player with a stellar soccer career.]

The three men exchanged glances, clapped their hands vigorously, and in that brief moment of celebration, their eyes burned with fighting spirit and a rekindled flame.

"Well done, Chikiri." Yukimiya Kenyu's voice was slightly out of breath, but his elegant smile was pure admiration. "Your shot was as fast as lightning."

"Haha!" Chikiri Hyoma tossed his dazzling red hair, a slightly arrogant smile playing on his lips, but his eyes were sharply fixed on the U-20 goal. "Your pass was too perfect, Yukimiya. The timing and angle of the pass were perfect." He paused, then added, "Next time it'll be my turn to assist you."

"Yay!" Feng Le jumped up happily, his face beaming with a bright smile, all the gloom from before gone. "I knew Qian Qie would be able to reach the opponent's restricted area during that gap."

Just then, Jie Shiyi rushed over, patted Feng Lehui on the shoulder, and nodded to Xue Gongjianyou and Qianqie Baoma.

"Well done!" Jie Shiyi's eyes burned with an even fiercer flame as he stared intently at the scoreboard, which read 2-1. "That's it! Tear them apart with our 'weapons.' The game isn't over yet; the next goal will be decided by us."

Rin Itoshi gave a cold "humph," but a barely perceptible smile played on her tightly pursed lips as her sharp gaze swept over the U-20 defense. Seishiro Nagi strolled over leisurely, his massive frame exuding a lazy, oppressive aura, his eyes drifting towards the opponent's half, seemingly searching for the next easy scoring opportunity.

The afterglow of the celebration had barely faded when the oppressive atmosphere of the U20 returned, feeling as real as if it were a physical presence. The members of Blue Prison quickly retreated, their smiles replaced by focus, their bodies tense once more.

The call to counterattack has just been sounded, and their offensive frenzy is about to begin.

Akito Sendou lightly tapped the ball to Sae Itoshi behind him. Upon receiving the ball, Sae immediately accelerated to the left. Ryosuke Kira and Itsuki Wakatsuki quickly spread out, their off-the-ball movement skillfully cutting through Blue Prison's defensive formation, creating a path for him.

Sae Itoshi dribbled the ball at breakneck speed, her sharp eyes scanning the entire field, instantly catching sight of the figure sweeping in from the flank like a black hurricane.

It was his younger brother, Rin Itoshi.

"Ha, it's been more than half a year, and you won't even say hello?"

Rin Itoshi's voice was icy cold, her eyes burning with pure destructive desire. She precisely blocked Sae Itoshi's path, lowering her center of gravity like a beast eyeing its prey, poised to pounce.

The air seemed to freeze between the brothers, as old grudges and newly ignited flames of war collided violently.

The sparks of brotherhood ignited on the green field.

Sae Itoshi's face was ashen, her footwork so fast it was dazzling. With a sudden stop and change of direction, she tried to shake off Rin Itoshi with her rhythm, but Rin Itoshi's anticipation was equally top-notch, sticking to her like a persistent, unyielding wound.

The two engaged in a fierce battle in a small space, the football seemingly about to be shredded at any moment as it was rapidly maneuvered.

In the midst of this suffocating pressure, Sae Itoshi caught a glimpse of a figure making a high-speed forward run down the middle lane out of the corner of her eye. Under the fierce pressure from Rin Itoshi, Sae Itoshi used her toe to subtly poke the ball past Rin Itoshi's outstretched foot, rolling precisely into the path of Akito Sendou's run.

"It seems..." Sae Itoshi's icy voice, filled with undisguised contempt, was like a poisoned ice spike, piercing Rin Itoshi with perfect precision, "What you learned in Japan is ultimately just worthless garbage."

Sae Itoshi's words were like the fuse that ignited an explosive, and the memories that had been deliberately ignored resurfaced in Rin Itoshi's mind.

...the past when I couldn't keep up and was abandoned.

A surge of violent rage mixed with tearing pain rushed to Itoshi Rin's head, and the string of reason snapped abruptly.

Rin Itoshi's eyes turned bloodshot, and a beast-like growl burst from his throat as he recklessly and fiercely charged at the person in front of him.

But Itoshi Sae's figure, as if anticipating his move, gracefully retreated the instant he exerted his strength, leaving only a patch of cold air. Itoshi Rin's collision, imbued with all his resentment and bitterness, missed its mark.

The immense inertia caused him to stumble and stagger forward, leaving behind only the silent mockery of his brother looking down at him.

Akito Sendou caught the ball and turned, only to run into Seishiro Nagi, who was coming to cover. Seishiro Nagi was expressionless, his tall frame radiating an invisible pressure.

"Hey, polar bear," Akito Shandou said with a provocative smile, "get out of my way!"

Before he finished speaking, a sudden thud occurred beneath his feet. He feinted to the left with a highly deceptive shoulder drop, then swiftly flicked the ball forward and to the right with his right foot.

It's on the right.

Nagi's body center of gravity was instinctively shifted by the feint.

The delay was less than a second.

That's enough.

Like a light yet swift breeze, Akito Shando seized the fleeting moment and nimbly brushed past Nagi Seishiro.

Breakthrough achieved.

Shan Tang Qiuren glanced around and instantly grasped the situation.

Ryosuke Kira made a high-speed overlapping run down the flank, successfully drawing the attention of the Blue Prison's full-back. Meanwhile, Koki Suoh in the center had already stealthily reached the edge of the penalty area, in an excellent position.

Without the slightest hesitation, Shan Tang Qiuren delivered a precise diagonal pass directly to Su Wang Xiaoxi.

Just as the ball was about to arrive, Suoh Hyo-ki, who was adjusting his pace after a high-speed sprint, showed a slight, almost imperceptible stiffness in his body posture, and his connection to receive the ball seemed to be half a beat slower.

This minute flaw did not escape the notice of Ofri Aikong's heterochromatic eyes. His pupils suddenly contracted, and his keen defensive instincts sounded an alarm.

His muscles tensed instantly, and his powerful explosive force was about to propel him to intercept the ball.

A figure tore through the air faster than he anticipated, charging headlong into the deadly passing lane.

Nagi Seishiro has arrived.