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Chapter 66 - nowhere left to hide

The halftime whistle hadn't blown yet but it felt like the match was already in overtime.Kei stood alone in the midfield his breath even but his mind in overdrive

The opponent's adaptation wasn't slowing down anymore.It was accelerating

Their passes were sharper.Not smarter but more efficient.As if every failed attempt taught them exactly what not to do

By the time Ren broke through the left side again he was met with a block that mimicked Kei's own earlier strategy

They were learning everything

But not just tactically

Emotionally too

The opposing captain started to speak in patterns.Kei noticed it mid-play.The pauses the phrases the way he said relax before a throw-in or the way he muttered numbers as if they were time stamps

Kei's heart pounded louder than the crowd now

"They're mapping us psychologically" he whispered to Amano when the ball went out again

"You're kidding right" Amano muttered back wiping sweat from his temple

Kei didn't answer

He didn't have time

Because suddenly the opposing team dropped all pretenses

They rushed

Not with power but with precision

Not to score but to expose

The next sequence saw Dazai intercepted perfectly after only his second touch

Then Ren forced wide with three men closing him into a corner they never used before

It was like someone had taken their match data and ran simulations overnight

But this was live

Kei looked toward the bench

No substitute was coming

This was the test

And there was nowhere left to hide

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