Chapter 100 Football 100: Fake Shot, Real Pass
[Perfect teamwork! The Blue Prison's Kiyokabe used Reiou Mikage as bait to draw the U20's attention, then feigned a true pass to the unguarded Rin Itoshi. This smooth teamwork must have been practiced extensively in private.]
However, there are rumors that the training philosophy of Blue Prison is based on selfishness, and that they promote the insane slogan of becoming the world's best striker by stepping over the corpses of 299 people. These are likely just rumors, and after this incident, the rumors of their madness and selfishness will probably dissipate.
Amano Minaka fell silent, looking at Kira Ryosuke with mixed feelings. Kira Ryosuke also silently looked back at Amano Minaka.
On the other side.
"You bastard!" Shido Ryusei strode aggressively toward Kiyoro Ren. He was clearly unhappy with Ren's actions of stealing the ball from him during his shot, even though he himself had also stolen the ball from his teammate.
"I simply made the best judgment," Qing Luoren said calmly to Shi Daolong Sheng. "Although it's fine to pass it on to you, I feel that if it's passed on to Ling Wang, I can get more attention."
"This match will either end in a draw or we'll lose. If we get more attention, we might have a chance to be selected for the national team."
"We won't lose this match! Don't dampen our own spirits and boost the enemy's morale." Bing Zhiyang spoke coldly, her blue eyes, the same color as her hair, blazing with burning ambition.
"This is just the beginning; we need to keep scoring goals from here on out."
His gaze quietly swept over Suoh Hyo-hee.
One moment she was being told that someone who only imitates others can never surpass them, and the next moment Rin Itoshi successfully scored a goal by replicating Sae Itoshi's move.
This goal greatly boosted the morale of the Blue Prison.
The match restarted, and Itoshi Rin pounced on Tenno Minaka like a beast locking onto its prey. He slightly stuck out his tongue, his green pupils contracted, the whites of his eyes almost swallowed by the thick black shadows, and a hint of almost ravenous madness hung at the corner of his mouth.
My heart was pounding violently in my chest, but my mind was unusually clear at that moment. It was as if only by completely crushing the person in front of me could I quell the restlessness that was about to burst my blood vessels.
"I'm going to smash you to pieces."
This thought spread like venom.
It's like when you were a child and saw a toy you loved, you wanted to destroy it.
It must be destroyed.
We must destroy him too.
Destroy this eyesore, destroy his effortless composure.
Rin Itoshi suddenly sprang into action, cutting through the U20 team's tight net like lightning, severing Amano Minaka's path to receive the ball. He rammed Amano Minaka's shoulder fiercely, his footwork remaining perfectly steady.
Thud—
The sound of plastic toys colliding echoed in Itoshi Rin's mind.
"Thud—"
The sound of muscles colliding rang out.
His emerald green eyes were almost bursting with extreme anger.
In her memory, her monster was intact; in reality, it was Rin Itoshi who forcefully took possession of the ball during a fierce physical confrontation.
Amano Minaka attempted to counter-attack, but Itoshi Rin managed to lose her balance.
One more time!
One more time and I can knock him to the ground and crush him!
Just as Itoshi Rin's killing intent reached its peak, a gaze as cold as snow swept past from the side.
Sae Itoshi was looking at him.
Rin Itoshi's breath hitched, his rapidly rising momentum abruptly cut short. He froze slightly, nearly losing the ball.
My brother is looking at me.
He said... no.
You must exercise restraint.
"Completely crushing you is more important than winning this game. You can't beat me before, and you can't now. I will end your football here."
Amano Minaka attempted to pry open Rin's defenses once more. This cunning manipulator, skilled at manipulating people, used a single sentence like venom to re-seep into the madness Rin had just suppressed.
Rin Itoshi slammed her shoulder into the other man again, roaring, "If it's not important, then why are you standing here blocking my way?! If it's not important, then who were you talking nonsense to?! A lukewarm and self-important guy like you shouldn't think you can be so smug in front of me just because you've scored a few more goals!"
Sae Itoshi is no longer on my side; he's on the other side! He's my opponent!
Rin Itoshi suddenly swung her leg as if to shoot, her imposing momentum prompting Minaka Tenno to instinctively step forward to block. But just before the ball touched her, Rin's ankle twisted sharply, freezing the shot in mid-air. The ball traced a cunning arc, abruptly changing direction.
The football was played as a low, through-the-ground pass, penetrating the defense and heading straight for the unmarked Jie Shiyi.
A feint, a true masterstroke.
In the heat of her rage, Rin Itoshi made the most composed decision.
"Jie Shiyi!"
A hoarse roar pierced the air.
The ball seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, precisely delivered to the feet of Jie Shiyi, who had quietly made his run.
“YES SIR.” Jie Shiyi stepped forward and stopped the ball.
What? !
Ten no Michū's brain almost crashed. A strong sense of astonishment and confusion overwhelmed his thoughts, and his pupils contracted due to extreme shock.
This completely contradicted his understanding of Itoshi Rin, the one who was obsessed with scoring goals and destroying opponents to the extreme, actually started to consider the overall situation and chose to pass the ball when provoked?!
This scene also caught the eye of Sae Itoshi on the sidelines. A rare crack appeared on his usually indifferent face, and his shock was obvious.
cold?
Sae Itoshi watched as Rin Itoshi restrained her almost overwhelming destructive urges and made the most rational and calm choice. She was no longer a wild beast that would only charge recklessly and be swayed by emotions, but was now searching for the true path to victory.
They actually learned to control themselves.
In Sae Itoshi's emerald green eyes, which were identical to her younger brother's, a sharp light flickered slightly, and an imperceptible sense of relief and emotion quietly passed by.
Japanese football does have its merits.
After passing the ball on the field, Itoshi Rin quickly dodged and blocked Amano Minaka's route to return to defense and cover, creating space for Kiyoshi with her actions.
"Football is not a one-man sport."
"Ha!" Amano Minaka recovered from his shock and responded with a cold sneer, "It's unbelievable to hear that from your mouth."
Jie Shiyi calmly stopped the ball passed by Shi Shilin. Deep in his azure eyes burned a dark blue ambition to score, and the air around him seemed to swirl faster due to his highly concentrated will.
He saw it.
He took a step forward with his left foot, just barely dodging a fierce tackle from behind by Zabo, and faced Itoshi Sae directly.
Sae Itoshi's positioning was impeccable; her calm blue eyes were like the most sophisticated radar, locking down Kiyoshi's breakthrough angle and shooting route.
Kiyoshi's shoulder suddenly slumped, as if preparing to make a strong breakthrough from the right flank. Itoshi Sae's center of gravity instinctively shifted slightly in response. Seeing Itoshi Sae move, Kiyoshi's right foot swiftly pulled the ball back, followed by a rapid taco (a type of savory dunk), attempting to slip past Itoshi Sae's left side. But Itoshi Sae's reaction was faster than expected; her shifted center of gravity was forcibly pulled back with astonishing core strength.
"It seems Japan has cultivated many excellent centers," Sae Itoshi said to Kiyoichi. His statement was not unfounded. First there was the dribbling expert, Hiragaki; then there was the astute Mikage Reio; and now there was Kiyoichi, with his exceptional vision.
In his view, all three of them have the ability to become excellent centers.
But Jie Shiyi didn't want to be a center.
"Are you kidding me? I'm standing here to become the world's best striker."
"You think you can take it?"
The two bodies collided violently, their muscles clashing and sparking intensely.
"Of course, I've already seen through you, the world's number one center!"
With his superior explosiveness, Jie Shiyi squeezed half a body length ahead, shielding the ball in front of him and successfully breaking through Itoshi Sae's defense.
But before the joy of victory could even surface, U20 defenders Ofri Aikong and Renwang Kazuma had already positioned themselves to cover, compressing Jie Shiyi's space and blocking his path and shooting angle.
[Is there no way out? No… he's going to shoot! In this situation, facing the legendary super-strong defensive duo of Ofri Aisou and Niou Kazuma, Kiyoshi from Blue Prison has actually chosen to shoot. Will this ball go in? Can this ball even go in?]
We can get in!
Jie Shiyi gave a definite answer in her heart.
The defensive formation formed by Ofri Aikong and Niou Kazuma was not flawless; within that seemingly impenetrable encirclement lay a fleeting gap. Without hesitation, without even time to adjust his stance, and with his body almost out of balance, relying on the instincts of a top-tier shooter and all the energy he had accumulated, he twisted his body and swung his leg, forcefully slicing an extreme arc with the outside of his left foot.
Shoot!
The football, like a precisely calculated laser beam, skimmed along the grass and pierced through the narrow, suffocating gap with astonishing speed.
4:4
[It's a draw! Unbelievable! Incredible! Jie Shiyi created something possible from the seemingly impossible, seizing that one-in-a-million chance. This is a priceless goal, a goal from a true egoist, a goal of all-knowing insight!]
This is so annoying.
Tenno Minaka irritably loosened his collar, a suppressed rage burning in his golden eyes. He never expected that Eishin Juhachi would break the rules he had set, releasing Shido Ryusei, this completely uncontrollable vicious dog, into the arena.
He originally thought that Senki Hyoma or Yukimiya Kenyu would be the ones to take the stage. If it were either of them, he could immediately use "Destroy the Five Senses" instead of being dragged into a quagmire of attrition warfare like he is now.
The quick-attack tactic was originally intended to suppress the Blue Prison's momentum, but after Rin Itoshi and Kiyoshi scored together, the opponent's momentum only increased. Even though the U20 team kept applying high-intensity shooting pressure, they failed to break their will and instead became more and more courageous.
The U20 team, unable to break through after a prolonged attack, began to show signs of fatigue. Their fruitless offensives were eroding their confidence, and the team's morale was visibly slipping away.
A replacement is necessary.
Shortening the time can also change the atmosphere within the team.
Amano Michū's gaze swept over the U20 lineup. The defense couldn't be changed; they were the cornerstone of Japan's Diamond Age defense. Itoshi Sae was even more crucial; he wasn't just the tactical core, but also the focus of everyone's attention. So, the only one who could be substituted was…
On the other side, Suoh Takao stared at the glaring score on the big screen, only one thought lingering in his mind:
Why am I still on the field?
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Author's Note: [Damn] This chapter took me so long to finish, but it's finally done! Also, this book has reached 100 chapters! [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers] Here's a small giveaway.
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