Chapter 43 Football 43 The Match Begins
"Koki, good afternoon."
Kira Ryosuke's voice carried a hint of long-lost excitement and anticipation. His signature cheerful smile graced his face, and his eyes gleamed with a challenging light. He strode towards Suoh Koki, who was standing at the forward position of Team Z.
"It's been so long since we played football together."
Kira Ryosuke gently raised his clenched fist, his muscles subtly outlined with a resilient shape beneath his sleeve. "This time, I'll show you my strength."
The matching jacket casually draped over Amanomichi's shoulders swayed gently in the wind. He first glanced at Kira Ryosuke and Suoh Koki with an almost scrutinizing look.
Then, without hesitation, he turned and walked towards W team's backcourt.
Suoh Koki quietly watched Amano Minaka's departing figure, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. He then gave Kira Ryosuke an "Ah," indicating that he understood.
Kira Ryosuke's signature cheerful smile began to stiffen without him noticing, and the curve of his mouth gradually lost its former ease and comfort.
It was only at this moment that Kira Ryosuke realized that what was happening before him was far more than a simple argument, but rather the prelude to a complete break.
He gently patted Suoh Koki on the shoulder, his tone gentle yet firm: "Koki, I can feel that Chu-chan has put a lot of effort into this match, and we should respond with our full enthusiasm and all our strength, shouldn't we?"
Kira Ryosuke's attempt did not receive the expected response.
Suoh Koki remained silent, his emotions becoming even more complex and difficult to decipher. In order not to make Kira Ryosuke continue to worry, he could only manage to squeeze out a sentence: "I understand."
Kira Ryosuke tried to ask the two, but Suoh Koki refused to speak, and Amanomichi ignored everyone.
The friendship between the three was on the verge of collapse, leaving only a mess and Kira Ryosuke standing alone in the center, at a loss.
"All players, please return to your positions. The match is about to begin."
As the referee's sharp and clear whistle shattered the silence on the field, the match officially began.
Suoh Hyo-hee, as the striker for Team Z, stood at the kickoff point. He lightly touched the ball with his toes, seemingly feeling its weight and elasticity. Suddenly, he exerted force, his right foot springing up as if propelled by a spring, kicking the ball with unparalleled power and precision towards Team W's half.
His decision was decisive and resolute.
Suoh Hyo-hee chose the most direct and aggressive offensive approach, leaving no room for his opponents and teammates to catch their breath.
The football traced a smooth and elegant trajectory in the air, like the brightest shooting star in the night sky, carrying dazzling light and unstoppable momentum, heading straight for W team's winger.
? !
At that moment, the players on both sides of the field were shocked.
Kunishin Rensuke, who was standing on the wing, stared wide-eyed.
He's passing the ball to the opposing team?!
Kunishin Rensuke had no time to react. The speed of the football far exceeded his expectations, and like a bolt of lightning, it instantly arrived in front of W team's winger.
One of the rules of football is that the player kicking off the game must touch the ball after another player has touched it.
In order to gain possession of the ball, Suga Hyo-hee used this method: passing the ball directly to the opponent and then quickly intercepting it.
This tactic can only be used when the opponent's speed and reaction time are inferior to one's own.
As he expected, the wingers on Team W were no match for him.
Just as the ball was about to touch the toes of the W team winger's foot, a tall shadow buried him.
Suoh Hyo-ki seemed to emerge from the shadows like a ghost, gaining control of the ball with lightning speed.
That's fast!
The W team's winger was stunned by his speed and momentum, and could only watch helplessly as Suoh Hyoki swept past him like lightning, leaving behind a strong gust of wind.
Suoh Hyo-ki's gaze, sharp as a hawk's, swept across the field and finally locked onto Kiyoshi. He frowned slightly, a sense of urgency rising within him.
He could never forget Jie Shiyi's eyes, eyes that seemed to devour everything, especially since his opponent in this match was Ten no Mika. A single misstep, and Jie Shiyi would take his place.
You will absolutely not have a chance to shine!
Suoh Hyo-hee silently recited this in his heart, clenching his fist as if to imprint this determination deep into his bones.
Like a cheetah poised to pounce, he charged at full speed toward W team's backcourt.
Facing the center of heaven.
Suoh Hyoki made a nimble change of direction, attempting to use his superb ball skills to shake off Tenno Minaka, who was defending him.
But it was all in vain.
Amano Minaka reacted swiftly, immediately adjusting his position to intercept. As he moved at high speed, his green coat billowed in the wind like a green wave, not only obscuring Suoh Koki's vision but also seemingly silently declaring his absolute dominion over the area.
The W team players were perfectly in sync, like a precisely operating machine, keeping the Z team players completely out of the core area of the game, leaving only Tenno Minaka and Suoh Koki to stage a one-on-one showdown in this narrow space.
Suoh Hyoki's eyes flickered as he attempted to deceive Tenno Minaka with a brilliant passing feint.
He lightly touched the ball with his toe, and the football drew a dazzling arc in the air.
Amano Minaka accurately predicted the ball's landing point and made a clean and decisive steal, firmly seizing possession of the ball.
Because it's too familiar.
All of Suoh Kōki's movements were within Amanomichi's expectations.
At that moment, their eyes met, and the air was thick with tension.
Of course, the tension is one-sided. Only Tenno Minaka remains persistent.
"Where's your [Synchronization]? Why don't you take it out?" Ten no Michū's provocative words carried a hint of amusement.
“No need.” Suoh Hyo-hee’s reply was brief and forceful.
Suoh Koki rejected all options that would allow Kiyoshi to shine, and refused to use [Synchro]. But to Amano Minaka, this meant that even without using Synchro, Suoh Kiyoshi could defeat him.
Ten no Minaka's face instantly darkened, and the veins on his forehead trembled slightly with anger.
His gaze passed over Suoh Hyo-hee and landed on Kiyoshi, who had been shielding him from view. The corners of his mouth turned down involuntarily, and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes.
I will absolutely take care of you, I swear.
A resolute glint flashed in Ten no Michu's golden eyes. Suoh Koki, noticing Ten no Michu's gaze, became sharp and his movements became more brutal as he closely guarded Ten no Michu, attempting to regain possession of the ball.
Raishi Jingo quietly appeared behind Tenno Minaka, intending to assist Suoh Koki in making a steal.
However, the green coat that was billowing in the wind in Amano Minaka became a barrier in his vision, making Raishi Jingo hesitate.
"Why can we wear jackets while playing a match?" Raishi Jingo muttered indignantly, clearly unhappy about the jacket's inconvenience.
On the court, a boy wearing a green jacket, his dark blue hair fluttering in the wind, smiled with a hint of disdain in his tone.
"You can't wear a jacket to a football match? I didn't know there was such a rule."
"If you don't like it, you can knock it down with a ball." A glint of light flashed in his golden pupils, and his beautiful face appeared ghostly at this moment.
"I'm looking forward to it."
Amano Minaka spoke ambiguously, foreshadowing an even fiercer contest about to begin. Completely disregarding Raichi Jingo's condition, he used his precise vision and excellent passing ability to deliver a long pass directly towards Kira Ryosuke.
Kira Ryosuke sprinted towards the ball's landing point like a cheetah, just as he was about to touch the ball.
A faster figure suddenly darted out from the side, flashing past Kira Ryosuke's line of sight like a ghost, and intercepted the crucial pass with even greater speed.
At that moment, time seemed to freeze, and everyone's eyes were focused on this unexpected figure, anticipating what would happen next.
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