Chapter 66 Football 66 Pursuing Self
"beep--"
The sharp whistle, like a blade, swiftly pierced the already tense air, exploding across the entire arena like a resounding war drum, solemnly announcing the official start of this highly anticipated match, a match brimming with tension.
Due to time constraints, the two briefly discussed the matter and decided to compromise by holding a five-on-five match.
Team Blue, consisting of Amano Minaka and four blue virtual players, and Team Green, consisting of Suoh Hyoki and four green virtual players.
The rules of the game are simple and clear: the team that scores the most goals within half an hour will be the final winner.
Suoh Hyo-hee frowned slightly, and faint blue veins appeared on his forehead.
His lips were pressed tightly together, almost turning white from being bitten so hard. Various emotions flashed rapidly in his deep eyes, including anticipation for the competition and worry about the outcome.
His neat black hair swayed gently in the breeze, a few unruly strands of hair damp with sweat and clung to his sharply defined cheeks.
Suoh Kōki's gaze was fixed on Amanomichi across from him.
My heart was like a pot of boiling water, with all sorts of emotions intertwined, almost boiling over.
Those emotions surged in his chest, making his breathing somewhat rapid. But when he met Tenno Minakata's slightly helpless yet weary eyes, his heart, which had been almost boiling with mixed emotions, miraculously calmed down.
yes!
That guy never wanted to play football in the first place.
But... his promise to me bound him to a football field that didn't belong to him.
...
Since it can't be changed, since you're already standing here...
Suoh Hyoki whispered to himself, as if speaking to himself, or perhaps expressing his innermost expectations to Amanomichu.
He slowly raised his head, his tightly pursed lips slightly parted as if he wanted to say something more, but then swallowed it back.
He took a deep breath, his chest heaving violently, and then slowly exhaled, as if expelling all his distracting thoughts and hesitations.
Then please continue like this for me.
The green eyes shone even brighter under the light, flashing with a sharp and determined light.
Stay here for me!
The green team's number 9 (virtual player) kicked off with a beautiful shot. The ball's trajectory was as precise as an arc drawn with a compass, shooting into the air and landing straight in the direction of Suoh Hyo-ki.
Standing not far away, Suoh Hyoki had already sprung into action the moment the ball was kicked, just like a keen python sensing the movement of its prey.
Suoh Hyoki's neat short hair flew backward as he ran quickly, and a few strands of hair on his forehead were soaked with sweat, but it did not affect his extremely focused expression in the slightest.
His deep green eyes were fixed on the small ball that shimmered with a black and white sheen under the light, his mind rapidly calculating its landing point and trajectory. As the distance closed, Suoh Hyoki consciously slowed his pace, adjusted his breathing, and prepared to receive this crucial blow.
"Peng—"
A crisp sound of impact rang in Suoh Hyoki's ears.
A muscular, powerful leg stretched out without hesitation, precisely intercepting the falling football and kicking it away without a moment's pause.
The speed was beyond imagination. The ball streaked through the air, leaving a blurry afterimage and creating a whistling gust of wind that sent grass clippings flying as it hurtled towards the green team's defense.
By the time Suoh Hyo-hee realized what was happening, only his blue jersey was fluttering in the wind.
Ten no Michū observed the ball's trajectory and saw it heading straight for the Blue Team's number 11 virtual player. He bent his knees and half-squatted, spreading his arms to firmly block Suoh Hyō-hee behind him.
The movements were fluid and graceful.
The ball was firmly received by the blue team players, who quickly launched a counter-attack. The ball was passed nimbly between their feet, gradually approaching the green team's goal. But the possession of the ball was unpredictable; soon, the green team's number 10 made a sliding tackle to steal the ball, only to have it snatched away by the blue team's number 11 a short while later.
The situation instantly became tense again.
The virtual players have fixed stats, making them evenly matched. In regular matches, it's impossible to determine a winner; they're like two sides of a scale, always maintaining a delicate balance.
Therefore, only Suoh Koki and Amanomichi can decide the outcome of this match.
— Just stopping him is enough.
Amano Minaka kept a close eye on Suoh Koki's actions, pondering to himself.
For him, a draw might not be a bad result, but rather a situation that both sides can accept.
After all, this match carries too much weight, so it's better to maintain the status quo.
Amano Minaka leaned slightly to the right, his knees slightly bent, ready to unleash his power at any moment. He displayed astonishing speed and precise judgment, blocking Suoh Koki's attack route at just the right moment, bringing Suoh Koki's advance to an abrupt halt.
Clearly, Suoh Hyo-ki did not think that way.
There must be a winner in this competition.
Suoh Kōki attempted to shift to the right. He first feigned a breakthrough to the left, swaying his body slightly to the left and making corresponding feints with his feet, trying to confuse Amanomichi.
Taking advantage of the moment when Tenno Minaka was slightly distracted, he suddenly shifted his weight to the right and quickly changed his footwork, trying to find an opportunity to break through from the right.
However, Amanomichi appeared precisely in front of Suoh Koki as if he could read his mind, hindering his actions.
The green eyes, gleaming with an eerie light, were now darting rapidly from side to side like two restless beads.
His eyes gradually turned black, and countless thoughts were frantically intertwining and colliding in his mind. He desperately wanted to find even the slightest way to break out of his current predicament.
An impeccable defense, with absolutely no weaknesses to be found.
Even the emotions are flawless.
Looking at Tenno Minaka's calm, almost indifferent face, Suoh Kōki felt a surge of irritation.
His lips twitched unconsciously.
The feeling of irritability spread like wildfire, rampaging through his body and causing his heart to beat faster involuntarily.
Clang, clang, as if it were about to burst through his chest.
Then it all rushed into his brain, instantly throwing his originally clear thoughts into chaos.
The once clear and logical ideas are now like jigsaw puzzle pieces that have been scattered and cannot be pieced together.
Suoh Hyo-hee already had a very poor sense of space, and this was compounded by her bad mood.
He was completely unable to calm down, and his thinking became sluggish and chaotic. He felt like a puppet being manipulated, and no matter how much he struggled, he could not break free from the shackles of Amano Minaka and could not take a step forward.
In front of the goal, eight virtual players, each wearing their team's distinctive jerseys, battled fiercely on the green field. The football seemed to come alive under their feet, nimbly weaving through every corner, yet it never managed to decisively land in either team's goal.
Not far away, Kira Ryosuke stood with his arms crossed, watching the match with a serious and focused expression. His gaze would sometimes fall on Suoh Koki of the green team, and sometimes turn to Amano Minaka of the blue team, as if silently judging the performance of the two main characters.
"Clatter."
A crisp, short sound of muscles colliding broke the noisy atmosphere around them. The sound exploded in the air like a stone being thrown into a calm lake.
Suoh Kōki and Amanomichi accidentally collide while vying for a position.
At this moment, their strength and determination converged silently, and the air seemed to be filled with the smell of gunpowder.
Suoh Kōki knew that conventional methods would be ineffective against a flawless pentagon like Amanomichi.
Since we can't find any flaws, we'll create gaps.
Countless tactics and strategies flashed through his mind. Suoh Koki ultimately decided to abandon those complex techniques and adopt the most direct and savage method—to break through Tennomino's defenses with his own physical strength.
Suoh Hyo-ki was like a wild horse, charging headlong towards the goal without regard for anything else.
His eyes were only on the goal, only on victory.
Only by winning this match can Zhong stay here (at the stadium).
Suoh Hyoki gritted his teeth, exerted force with both legs, and his whole body slammed into Amanomichi like a cannonball.
With a desperate determination, he forcefully smashed open Amanomichi.
? !
A black shadow fell down, and Tenno Minaka froze.
The moment Suoh Kōki shoved his opponent aside, he didn't stop for a moment. Taking advantage of this hard-won opening, he sped towards the goal, leaving Amanomichi standing there in a daze.
At the same time, the green team's number 10 virtual player snatched the ball from the blue team's encirclement. He raised his leg and passed the ball in a perfect arc to Suoh Hyoki, who was sprinting forward at full speed.
But he was still a step too slow.
At that critical moment, like an eagle spreading its wings, Tenno Minaka leaped gracefully into the air, catching the incoming football firmly in his chest and bringing it to a stop. Out of the corner of his eye, he quickly observed the positions of the blue and green team players around him, rapidly calculating the best passing route and the most opportune moment.
Every possible scenario flashed through his mind, and he weighed the pros and cons in an instant.
Just as Suoh Hyoki had adjusted his form and was preparing to launch a new round of fierce attacks, Tenno Minaka had already made his decision. With a light flick of his foot, he swiftly flew towards the better-positioned blue team player beside him.
The movements were fluid and natural, as if they were innate instincts, requiring no conscious thought.
These actions were already deeply ingrained in Amanominaka's instincts.
but
As expected!
"You're going to lose, okay!"
All of this was exactly what Suoh Hyoki had anticipated!
Suoh Hyo-hee's lips curled up slightly, and a look of determination flashed in his eyes.
He leaped into the air like lightning, his speed leaving only a blur, arriving in front of the Blue Team's virtual player even before the speeding ball.
"This is the Blue Prison where you pursue your own self."
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