Yesterday's buzz still hadn't died.
Jin versus Takeshi. Seven to three. That trivela everyone kept rewatching.
But by Day 5 morning, the camp had moved on.
"Starters against combined squad today."
"Haruki says he's shutting Daichi down."
"About time someone tested him."
Room 304 found seats together on the sideline bench. Takeshi noticed players nodding at him differently now. Eye contact held longer. A few quick "nice game yesterday" comments.
Sato grinned. "You're famous now."
"For losing seven to three."
"For scoring three on Jin," Ren said. "Big difference."
On the field, Haruki was warming up loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Today I show everyone. Daichi's not untouchable."
He was rank four. Built strong. Confident.
"I studied his movement for two weeks. He drops his shoulder left before cutting right. Every time."
He pointed at himself. "Today I shut him down."
His teammates laughed nervously. Some nodded along.
Across the pitch, the starters warmed up quieter.
Jin flicked passes around. "Good luck with that, Haruki."
Kaito just tied his laces.
Daichi was alone like always.
Same routine. Juggling, touches, finishing drills. Precise. Methodical. Like he didn't hear Haruki at all.
Maybe he didn't.
"What do you see?" Yuto asked Takeshi.
Takeshi watched closely.
"His first touch controls the ball's energy, not just position. And his head never stops moving. Scanning constantly. Even in warmup."
Yuto wrote something down.
"Is he really that different?" Sato asked.
"Watch," Ren said.
The whistle blew.
First ten minutes were competitive.
Haruki pressed Daichi hard every time. Physical. Fast. Using his body.
Daichi just released the ball quickly. One touch. Never held it long enough for Haruki to engage.
But Haruki's team was holding up. Midfield stayed organized. Defense compact.
Zero to zero at minute ten.
"This is closer than I thought," someone muttered nearby.
At minute twelve, Daichi got his first real chance.
Long ball over the top. Perfect run timing. One touch control while turning.
Shot.
The keeper dove and tipped it wide.
Huge save.
The combined squad celebrated like they'd scored. Haruki screamed, "SEE? He's stoppable!"
Ren whistled. "Okay, that was good."
Sato relaxed a bit. "Maybe Haruki was right."
Takeshi stayed quiet.
Something about that shot felt wrong. Not a miss.
More like Daichi was testing the keeper.
Minute eighteen, Haruki scored.
Header from a corner. Powered it in.
One to zero.
He went crazy. Sprinting, screaming, pointing at Daichi.
The sideline erupted. Underdog energy everywhere.
Daichi jogged back to halfway. No expression.
But Takeshi saw his eyes.
Not angry. Not frustrated.
Just recalibrating.
Yuto leaned over. "You see that?"
"Yeah."
Halftime. Still one to zero.
Haruki's team was celebrating. His teammates hyped him up.
Coach Saito spoke quietly to the starters.
Daichi listened. Nodded once.
That was it.
Second half started.
Everything changed in thirty seconds.
Daichi's movement was different. Not waiting anymore. Dropping deeper. Demanding the ball earlier.
First half he'd been reactive.
Now he was hunting.
Minute forty seven.
Daichi got the ball thirty yards out, back to goal. Haruki right on him, physical as always.
One touch. Spun off Haruki's shoulder.
Shouldn't have worked. Haruki was stronger.
But timing beat strength.
Quick combination. Three passes in four seconds.
Simple finish.
One to one.
Haruki froze. "How..."
The crowd went quieter.
Takeshi pulled out his notebook and started writing.
Minute fifty one.
Daichi ran between the center back and fullback. Haruki tracked him perfectly.
Early pass.
Daichi changed his angle mid run, exactly when Haruki committed.
One wrong step from Haruki.
That's all it took.
First touch. Shot. Goal.
Two to one.
"He did everything right," Sato said. "Haruki did everything right."
"Didn't matter," Ren replied.
"Run geometry," Yuto said. "Changed angle after Haruki committed. Not faster. Smarter."
Takeshi wrote faster.
Minute fifty six.
Daichi got the ball with his back to goal. Three defenders closed on him. Haruki included.
Nowhere to go.
Should've lost it.
He rolled the ball through a gap that barely existed. Followed it through.
Came out the other side alone.
Chip.
Three to one.
Haruki just stared at where the gap had been.
Trying to understand how someone fit through that space.
Takeshi stopped writing.
Just watched.
Two more goals. Minutes sixty one and sixty eight.
Outside foot curl. Simple header. Both looked easy.
By minute sixty, Haruki stopped talking completely.
Still running. Still trying.
Eyes somewhere else.
Final whistle.
Five to one.
Haruki didn't move.
Just stood there in his defensive position. Staring.
Teammates walked past. Nobody knew what to say.
Daichi passed right by him.
"How?" Haruki asked.
One word. Raw.
Daichi stopped. Actually looked at him.
"You were watching where I was. You should watch where I'm going."
Walked away.
Haruki stood there processing.
Then sat down. Right there on the pitch.
Not crying. Not yelling.
Just sitting.
Kaito walked past and squeezed his shoulder once.
No words needed.
"Should we talk to him?" Sato asked.
"Give him space," Ren said.
Takeshi understood. He'd sat like that before. Tokyo FC locker room after losing to Daichi the first time.
That hollow feeling when your best isn't enough.
"He'll be fine," Yuto said. "He'll be training at midnight. Watch."
Lunch was quiet.
Sato finally spoke. "So that's rank one."
Nobody disagreed.
"Haruki's rank four," Ren said. "Strong. Prepared for two weeks. Had a plan."
Pause.
"Didn't matter once Daichi decided to actually play."
Yuto set down his fork.
"Three things. First, scanning. He checks surroundings every two seconds. Most players every four or five. Double the information."
"Second, timing. He waits for defenders to commit. Then changes direction."
"Third, he held back first half. Haruki's plan worked on sixty percent Daichi. Full intensity made it worthless."
"That's terrifying," Sato said.
"Useful though," Yuto replied.
Takeshi opened his notebook.
"Watch where he's going, not where he is. Daichi's words."
"First touch controls energy, not just position."
"Scans before receiving. Knows his next move before the ball arrives."
"Tested the keeper first shot. Chose finishes after that based on data."
Flip.
"Patient until patience becomes weakness. Doesn't respond emotionally. Responds tactically."
Silence.
"Can we reach that level?" Sato asked.
"Maybe not," Ren said. "But we don't need to be Daichi. We need to be good enough to help a team that has him."
"Correct," Yuto said. "He's the ceiling. We compete for spots around the ceiling."
Takeshi closed the notebook.
"He made me want to be better today. Not by talking. Just by showing us the gap."
Looked at them.
"That's a gift if we use it right."
"How?" Sato asked.
"Train tonight with this in mind. Scanning. Timing. First touch. Everything Yuto said."
Tapped the notebook.
"We can't become him. But we can learn his language."
Ren smiled slightly. "Learning the demon's language."
The weight shifted.
Became purpose.
That evening, Takeshi glanced outside.
Someone was training alone under the lights.
Haruki.
Running patterns. Over and over.
"Called it," Sato said.
"Anger's his fuel," Yuto replied. "Different from ours. Same goal."
Takeshi turned from the window.
"Midnight training. Eleven tonight. Bring the notes."
"Ready," Yuto said.
Ren groaned but smiled. "Of course."
Sato stood immediately.
Four outsiders with one notebook about a demon.
Back into the darkness.
Learning the standard's language one night at a time.