Chapter 113: The Link-up
Rin watched the ball leave Kira's foot, his eyes widening in pure disbelief. That pass made no sense. It was a completely irrational delivery that defied standard tactical logic.
The only person on the pitch who could possibly read a ball like that was the man currently sprinting at full throttle Ryusei Shidou.
Shidou reached the goal mouth just as the ball descended. He launched himself into the air, soaring like a predator to meet the cross with a powerful diving header.
BOOM!
The ball slammed into the back of the net with zero hesitation.
GOAL!
3-1.
Just moments after Kira's own strike, Shidou had transformed into a master of the box. It was a goal that looked like a work of high-stakes art.
"Hell yeah!"
Bachira cheered, vibrating with excitement. He didn't quite understand the mechanics of what he just saw, but the chemistry between Kira and Shidou was absolutely explosive.
"Unbelievable... is this what it looks like when two of the Top 6 truly resonate?" Kurona muttered, his eyes full of awe.
Shidou landed and looked back at Kira, his tongue darting out as he caught Kira's gaze. Kira felt the urge to stick his tongue out in return, caught up in the heat of the moment, but he managed to reel himself back in.
Rin felt a dull throb in his temples. What was he even looking at? Was this the ultimate link-up between two total freaks?
He replayed the goal in his mind. Kira's pass hadn't been a pre-planned play; it was pure improvisation. Shidou's run was the same. These two were operating on a wavelength where their pursuit of individual 'extremes' had somehow synced up.
It was absolute resonance.
Rin couldn't wrap his head around it. When did Kira learn to speak the same language as a maniac like Shidou? Then again, looking at Kira's ever-evolving style, maybe nothing should be surprising anymore.
***
Audiovisual Room.
Igaguri's jaw was on the floor for the hundredth time.
"Shidou is a total freak. That diving header was mental..."
Niko stayed silent for a long time. Shidou's finish was dominant, sure, but the real magic was Kira's orchestration. The way Kira threaded that needle and the way Shidou charged into the spot without a second of doubt... if you didn't know better, you'd think they had been playing together for years.
It required a terrifying level of mutual understanding—an ego to ego connection that surpassed words.
***
"Hahaha! Kira-chan, that was the most messed up pass I've ever received!" Shidou laughed like a delighted child.
"And that was the most messed up run I've ever seen," Kira replied, his voice a bit shaky from the adrenaline.
"Then it's official! We're both freaks!" Shidou's eyes were glowing.
"Uh... wait, I didn't mean..."
"Just embrace it! Being a freak is where the magic happens!" Shidou threw a heavy arm around Kira's shoulder. Kira sighed, unable to find a way to argue with that kind of logic.
The match resumed. Rin's expression was grim. The situation was spiraling out of control. The resonance between Kira and Shidou was only getting stronger. If they didn't find a way to shut one of them down, this game was over.
"I'll take Shidou!"
Raichi's gravelly voice cut through the air. He looked at Rin with fierce determination. "Leave the pink-haired freak to me. You just focus on the offense."
Raichi wasn't entirely sure he could do it, but he knew if someone didn't step up right now, it was game over.
"Everyone else, get up the field. Attack! I'll hold down the fort back here," Raichi growled, his teeth bared.
'Can I actually trust him?' Rin wondered, his mind calculating the risks.
Karasu shook his head. Sending the entire team forward and leaving Raichi alone on the defense was tactical suicide.
Raichi glared at Rin. "Trust me, Iceberg!"
Rin didn't say a word. He just waited for Karasu to restart, then immediately sprinted forward. Raichi's mouth opened to say something, then closed.
This Team B wasn't Team Z. There was no bond here, and they didn't have a leader like Kira to pull them together. For a split second, Raichi felt a pang of nostalgia for the old days. If Kira were here, he would have just grinned and said, "He's all yours, Raichi."
Team B's attack ignited.
Team A, buoyed by their lead and Kira's newfound defensive aggression, stood their ground. Karasu couldn't find a single opening against Kira's press and was forced to dump the ball to Rin.
Rin exploded into a sprint. He bypassed Bachira and Kurona with two surgical touches, reminding everyone that he was still Itoshi Rin. He was a master of speed, technique, and anticipation.
Rin tore through the final line, coming face-to-face with the keeper. He wound up to fire, but Shidou came flying back on a defensive recovery.
"Not on my watch..." Shidou lunged, trying to block the lane.
"I knew you'd come, you freak," Rin said. He'd predicted the recovery. With a calm, clinical move, he dragged the ball back and spun away, leaving Shidou sliding into empty space.
Rin squared up again and hammered the ball into the corner.
Boom!
GOAL.
Team B pulls one back. 3-2.
"Whew..." Rin let out a breath, finally feeling some of the pressure lift. He'd found a way through. If they could keep this pace, they still had a chance.
The morale of Team B surged. The comeback was on.
"Nice. That's the Rin I know," Karasu noted. They had to keep the game in their rhythm, or Kira would devour them.
Raichi remained tense. The score was closer, but the threat hadn't changed. He locked his eyes on Shidou, ready for the next war.
***
Match restart. Team A kickoff.
Kira, Bachira, and Kurona advanced in a synchronized triangle. The ball moved between them with lightning speed, carving a path toward Team B's half.
Kira took the ball.
"Don't let him find the lane!" Rin shouted, a rare moment of vocal urgency.
Karasu didn't need the warning. He stepped up immediately, trying to suffocate Kira's options. Kira just gave a sly, knowing grin.
He let fly with a high ball.
"Oho! Here it comes, Kira-chan!"
Shidou didn't even look at the ball; he just dove into the box, waiting for the impact.
"Don't you dare ignore me!" Raichi screamed, slamming his body into Shidou's to ruin his balance.
"Huh? Who the hell are you again? Get out of the way, extra," Shidou muttered. He didn't even acknowledge Raichi as a threat.
Raichi's rage boiled over. He poured every ounce of strength into shoving Shidou, trying to win the physical duel.
"You've actually got some kick in you..." Shidou felt the pressure.
But his eyes never left his target. Just as the ball arrived, Shidou didn't go for the shot. He adjusted his header, flicking the ball laterally across the face of the goal.
'What?'
Raichi was stunned. The goal-obsessed Shidou had actually looked for a pass.
Kira was already there. Following his instincts, he had ghosted into the exact spot where the header landed. He met the ball first-time, slamming a volley into the roof of the net.
Boom!
Rin and Karasu arrived a second too late.
GOAL!
The second link-up. 4-2.
Rin stood there, sweat dripping from his chin. It was getting harder to breathe. Having one monster in the box was a nightmare. Having two who were starting to speak the same language?
That was an apocalypse.
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A/n: Hello, guys! I've just published a brand new multiverse and villain themed fanfic. I'm confident it is going to be a very interesting and entertaining read for you all.
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Have a great day!