"I won't let you!" shouted Hyuga as we clashed for the ball.
"Tch." I grunted as the ball slipped away, popping into the air from our duel.
"The ball's not lost!" yelled Soda, who had sprinted all the way up from defense, launching himself in the air for a header. But Wakashimazu leapt higher, his reach outmatching everyone.
"I'll have it." he said and caught the ball mid-air with a flawless grab.
Hyuga immediately dashed forward again, and eventually the ball made its way back to him.
Using his raw power, he bulldozed through our defense, shoving Sasaki and Yamada aside like they were paper. He lined up for a powerful shot—
But I had caught up. I threw myself in, planting my foot right in the path of his strike, blocking it clean.
Just then, the whistle blew for halftime.
"Damn it!" Hyuga hissed before stomping off to rejoin his team.
Inside Meiwa's locker room.
"Damn it! Why can't I break through?!" yelled Hyuga, frustration boiling over.
"We just need to keep pushing, Captain." said Takeshi. "Their goalkeeper isn't anywhere near Wakashimazu's level. Stop insisting on long shots, that's not our football."
Hyuga grabbed Takeshi by the collar, then paused, breathing heavily. "Takeshi… you're right."
"He is." said Coach Kozo, stepping in. "You need to keep your cool, Hyuga. And that goes for you too, Wakashimazu, don't let one goal shake you."
"You're right, all of you." Hyuga said, sitting down on the bench. "The truth is... I have to win this match. If I don't make it to the final, I might lose my shot at getting into Toho Academy."
"Wait, Toho? The Toho Academy?!" one of the teammates gasped.
"That's right." Hyuga replied. "Some recruiters approached me after our first match. They promised to cover all my education costs through university. My family could finally escape the financial mess we've been in since my father died."
He looked down, clenching his fists.
"I was thrilled at first. But then they told me they were also scouting Tsubasa Ozora. And if that wasn't enough, they recently mentioned they're watching another player, Shin Orochi."
He looked around the room.
"In other words, whoever wins the national tournament final will be chosen. But I let it get to my head. Takeshi, your words snapped me back to reality."
"Hyuga…" Takeshi said quietly.
Hyuga stood, fire in his eyes once again.
"I will score. I'll play our football, and we're winning this match!"
"Yeah, Captain!" the whole team responded, their voices united.
"Halftime is over, and the teams are back on the pitch." announced the commentator.
We had the kickoff. As soon as I received the ball, Meiwa's players closed in on me fast.
"You all seem more fired up." I commented while dribbling through them."Don't let him keep slipping away!" Hyuga shouted, urging them on.
"Tch, this is getting annoying." I muttered to myself, pushing forward despite the pressure. With no real options, I leapt into the air with the ball and launched a pass toward Ide up front, but Hyuga jumped in and intercepted it.
"Now it's our turn!" he shouted.
"Looks like Meiwa's come out a different team after halftime." said the commentator.
Hyuga passed the ball to Takeshi. Soda rushed to stop him, but Takeshi managed to send in a low cross into the penalty box. The ball took a sharp bounce, and landed right at Hyuga's feet.
"Argh…" grunted Soda, realizing he'd been a step too slow.
Hyuga drew his leg back, and struck with full force.
"It's a goal! Meiwa takes the lead again!" the commentator shouted with excitement, as Hyuga raised his fist triumphantly.
We got back into position. I decided to take matters into my own hands, before they could completely take control of the game.
As soon as the whistle blew, I sprinted forward in a straight line at full speed, chaining together skill moves and dribbling past defenders.
I closed in on the goal.
"Damn, how does he do that?" muttered a defender, helpless.
I faked a shot, then, with lightning-fast execution, struck the ball with a rabona using the other foot.
Wakashimazu reached it—barely. But even with his fingertips on it, the ball still crossed the line and hit the back of the net.
"Goal! Goal! Goal! Orochi with the equalizer! This match just keeps getting more intense, and there are only a few minutes left to play!" screamed the commentator, followed by applause and shouts from the audience.
It was the final minutes of the match. Takeshi had the ball at his feet.In the distance, he spotted Hyuga and sent him a perfectly measured pass.
But I was already on it, rushing toward the ball. Hyuga reached it just before me, but I was already standing in front of him.
"This time, you're not taking it from me, Shin!" Hyuga growled.
"We'll see about that." I replied, tightening my pressure. I completely focused on that moment.
We shoved against each other, he trying to shield the ball, me trying to steal it. The struggle was fierce, but eventually, I saw an opening, a split-second gap, and I lunged in, managing to take possession.
"No!" cried Takeshi from behind.
I took off, charging toward their goal. Hyuga was right behind me, never letting up, constantly trying to win the ball back with his physical strength. I had to keep switching the foot I used to dribble, making sure my body stayed between him and the ball at all times.
We reached the edge of the box.
Wakashimazu was already set, focused, crouched, ready to do whatever it took to stop my shot.
I pretended to backheel the ball to a teammate behind me, a fake. Hyuga took the bait, lunging in to intercept.
But instead, I flicked the ball up, a sombrero right over him.
"No way..." Hyuga muttered as the ball dropped perfectly back down in front of me.
Right at my feet. Exactly where I wanted it.