“Ha ha, Rin, see? I told you—our teamwork is unbeatable!”
“And didn’t you say you wouldn’t team up with ? So what’s this then~”
Ryūma ran up to Rin Itoshi with a wide grin.
“Tsk. Stay away from , you brainless idiot. I was just finding the best shooting angle. Who said I was teaming up with you?”
“Sure, sure. But your Off-the-Ball Movents just now looked like it got read by their defense.”
“Hmm. But I’ve already figured out a few things.”
“Huh? What, you cracked it already?”
“Stop wasting ti. Just keep running.”
Hearing that arrogant response, Ryūma muttered inwardly:
(Great, so Rin’s not only a tsundere but also a damn riddler, huh?)
(I ask what’s going on with the opponents, and instead of answering, he snaps at ?)
“Ryūma, I’ve noticed sothing—their attacking formation hasn’t changed at all.”
“Even during their passing, their lineup stays perfectly tight!”
Ryūma nodded. What Yo Hiori said made sense, but what he really wanted was a way to counter it.
“So, Hiori, any ideas on how to deal with this formation?”
“Huh? I... well, actually, their strength isn’t really the formation—it’s their passing coordination. That part is...”
“Alright, Hiori, relax. I’m just asking if you have a plan. If not, forget it.”
“Why are you stamring? I’m not forcing you to co up with sothing.”
“Take it easy, Hiori. Let’s go, they’re about to kick off.”
Ryūma patted Hiori’s shoulder and strolled back to his position. Hiori nodded behind him, moving into place as his mind spun with ways to break the deadlock.
(The opponents’ formation hasn’t changed: a front three—one left, one right, one central.)
(On the wings, two players push up alongside the trio, shielding the ball while blocking defenders.)
(In the center, two players stay close, moving in sync.)
(Damn it... even knowing their attacking pattern, I still don’t know how to stop it. Their passing coordination is just too strong!)
As Hiori thought, Team Y lined up for the kick-off.
Team Y’s ball! Kobayashi Shima starts from the center circle!
As expected, Kobayashi Shima carried the ball forward, with Team Y’s attacking midfielder surging up behind him. On the flanks, Hisakawa Mii and Matsutani Kageaki each led two players forward, while two others stayed back in the box.
The mont Kobayashi Shima advanced into Team V’s half, Ryūma intercepted. Without hesitation, Kobayashi Shima sent the ball diagonally back to the right.
The right midfielder took it in stride without stopping the ball, imdiately flicking it forward.
Up ahead, Hisakawa Mii’s grin said it all: I’ve been waiting for this pass.
Just as he turned to drive into Team V’s midfield—Hiori cut in and stole the ball!
(Wh...what? That guy, Hiori? Can he read us like Rin does?)
(No... if he had that kind of anticipation, he wouldn’t have been losing the ball so easily before. Did he just keep his eyes locked on , waiting for the mont to strike?)
Stunned, Hisakawa hesitated too long. By the ti he reacted, Hiori had already passed the ball off. With two Team Y players charging at him, he didn’t have ti to think and shoved a quick pass toward Ryūma’s general area.
But Rin darted in first, intercepting the ball before it could reach Ryūma.
Ryūma froze for a mont, caught off guard by Rin’s sudden appearance.
“Hey, you—”
Before he could finish, Rin was already storming toward Team Y on his own.
Two Y midfielders slid in for a double challenge, but Rin had anticipated it. With a small hop forward, he slipped past both and broke into Team Y’s final third.
Expressionless, Rin suddenly passed backward to Hiori, who was trailing behind him on the left.
The Y defenders, stunned by Rin’s decision, scrambled to redirect and chase Hiori instead.
Receiving the ball, Hiori quickly adjusted his angle, thoughts flashing through his mind.
(I don’t know why Rin passed to ... but sorry, Rin! No matter what, I only ever want to pass to Ryūma!)
(This is my selfishness—Yo Hiori’s selfishness!)
“Go! Ball—fly to the spot Ryūma needs most!”
Hiori’s eyes shone brilliantly. Once again, his passing beca like remote-controlled football.
Ryūma’s heart swelled as the ball landed perfectly in the spot he wanted.
(Hiori... you really are my best partner!)
Even though two Y players were racing for the drop, there was no way they’d beat Ryūma.
As the ball descended, Ryūma powered forward with explosive force, leaping up to claim it mid-air.
Landing cleanly, he accelerated toward Y’s midfield.
Kobayashi Shima and Hisakawa Mii had just made it back, and both rushed to intercept.
But Ryūma, entering Y’s half, had no intention of wasting ti. He pushed the ball farther ahead, choosing to blow past them with raw speed.
“Damn it, don’t think you can beat us like that!”
Since Ryūma chose to attack on Hisakawa’s side, Hisakawa turned and went shoulder-to-shoulder in a physical clash.
Ryūma smirked, throwing his weight into the challenge.
“You should probably lie down and cool off a bit. You think you can match physically?”
The impact barely shook Ryūma, who quickly regained balance and drove forward. Hisakawa, however, was sent crashing to the ground, his mind echoing with Ryūma’s taunt.
Still, Ryūma’s situation wasn’t ideal. Entering Y’s backfield, he was instantly sward by four defenders.
Two had closed in on either side the mont he entered, while two more waited ahead to cut him off.
(Damn! Even if I break past these two, there’ll be four waiting up front. And the rest of Team Y is retreating fast.)
(No ti... wait—Hiori’s there? Did he anticipate this and move into position?)
(So reliable, Hiori. If we pull this off, steak’s on !)
Ryūma chuckled to himself, slamd on the brakes to shake off the flankers, and fired a quick pass to Hiori on his right!
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