Chapter 53: The Genius and the Ordinary — An Uncrossable Gulf
Reo Mikage silently analyzed the flow of the match, acting as the orchestrator behind Team V's offense.
"Found it! Hey, stupid Zantetsu!"
With a sudden shift in his dribbling, Reo located his target.
A feint shook off Isagi and Bachira, opening ample space for himself.
Then—
A precise long pass flew straight to Zantetsu on the flank.
"Don't call me stupid."
Zantetsu received the ball and instantly burst forward.
Chigiri sprinted after him, but the distance between them widened in a single moment.
"What!?"
Chigiri's eyes flew wide.
He had known Zantetsu possessed absurd acceleration, but he never imagined this level—like a jet suddenly roaring to life.
Zantetsu shot toward Team Z's goal like a fired arrow, his explosive power feeding directly into a lethal shot.
"The first goal is mine…"
He'd already reached his shooting range.
Only the goalkeeper stood between him and the net.
This goal was practically guaranteed.
"Easy."
From afar, Reo wore a relaxed smile.
Team V taking the lead was all but certain.
Zantetsu raised his leg, gathering all his strength for the shot—
"I say… aren't you being a little too arrogant?"
A voice whispered beside him.
Zantetsu's eyes widened.
Using the corner of his vision, he saw a shadow closing in behind him.
Ryosuke Kira.
"No way…"
Zantetsu couldn't believe it.
With his speed, he should have left every defender far behind.
How did Kira catch up?
Was this guy's speed just as monstrous?
"…That guy…"
Reo's brows twitched.
It was the first time he'd ever seen Zantetsu lose to someone in speed.
Even Nagi, who had been spacing out with zero interest, lifted his head slightly.
Just before Zantetsu's shot, Kira's foot swept in.
A clean tackle.
A perfect turn.
And then—
He booted the ball downfield.
"Nice pass!"
Bachira received the ball and sprinted toward Team V's half at full speed.
Reo immediately rushed back with the defenders, forming a wall in front of Bachira.
But Bachira only grinned.
"Heh, took the bait!"
Seeing he had drawn the defenders in, Bachira passed sharply to the left—
Where Kunigami was already waiting.
"Crap!"
Reo instantly realized Bachira had only been a decoy.
Kunigami was the true finisher of this attack.
"Kira really saw through all our tactics!"
Kunigami inhaled deeply, swung his left leg—
He was well within shooting range, and barely anyone stood between him and the net.
A left-footed cannon!
Goal!
Team Z leads 1–0!
"Nice one, Kunigami!"
"We got the first strike!"
"Beautiful shot!"
Cheers erupted.
Even against their strongest opponent, Team Z scored first.
Kira, positioned near the back lines, also let a smile slip.
Their transition from defense to offense was seamless—
The result of countless hours of training.
But Kira understood well:
Despite scoring first, this wasn't a true advantage.
Team V simply hadn't started playing seriously.
Now the real match begins.
"Reo, they scored on us."
Nagi spoke lazily.
Despite trailing, his expression didn't change at all—
As if he could overturn the score anytime he wished.
"Annoying. Letting these guys score…"
Reo grumbled, though he was clearly amused.
"We can't let them break our half-year undefeated streak. Come on, Nagi. Time to get a little serious."
"So annoying… If I score three, can I slack off again?"
"Of course not. I want more. These guys are irritating—we'll crush their confidence completely."
"Okay."
Team V reorganized their offense.
Reo drove the ball up once more.
"This time… something's different."
Isagi could feel it.
Team V's aura had shifted.
They hadn't been serious before.
"Nagi, let's do that one!"
Reo raised a hand, signaling something.
"So annoying."
Nagi remained expressionless.
Suddenly—
Reo launched a massive long pass, soaring at an impossible angle and height toward the box.
"What?! That has to be a mistake!"
Raichi shouted, watching the wildly curving ball.
It was a pass no one could possibly receive.
But—
Nagi, until now motionless, suddenly moved.
"He's going to receive that?! Impossible!"
Gagamaru exclaimed.
But Nagi leaped—
So high that even Gagamaru, proud of his jumping ability, felt dwarfed.
His right foot bent like a clamp—
Catching and pinning the ball in mid-air.
Seishiro Nagi's signature skill—Super Stop, aka his exceptional Ball Control.
In football, first touch is everything.
Controlling a wild ball instantly can mean victory or defeat.
Nagi could trap any ball—
From any height, any speed, any angle—
And adjust for a follow-up play in a single motion.
"That guy… no way…!"
Almost everyone was stunned speechless.
It was a feat no normal human could replicate—
Not even imitate.
Still floating, Nagi shifted his body smoothly—
And fired.
The ball sliced into the net.
1–1.
Team V equalized in seconds.