"Oi… no way.
That brat actually caught up to Loki?"
Silva's eyes widened as he watched Ryan close the gap.
Shock rippled across his face.
"Yeah…
Looks like the match just got interesting."
Even Cavasoz, usually carefree, was shaken.
The Loki renowned for his blistering speed
was actually being pressured in a direct sprint.
Of course, Loki was dribbling while Ryan was off-ball.
If both were sprinting freely, the outcome might differ.
But still
Ryan's speed was undeniably world-class.
Judging by what Ryan had shown already,
even among elite clubs in Europe's top 5 leagues, he could walk straight into a first team.
Behind them, Blake stayed silent.
He simply watched Ryan with an unusually serious gaze.
He might be a nightlife addict,
but when it came to football and his club he cared deeply.
His team had fallen out of top form.
Veterans declined with age.
Younger players lacked the ability to carry the team.
A perfect storm of instability.
Their coach begged the stingy club owner for transfer funds,
but money was tight.
Top talents cost tens of millions, even hundreds of millions.
It wasn't like Tottenham could compete with
Man United, Man City, Liverpool, or Arsenal.
So the coach spent nights stressing, pulling at his thinning hair…
But this trip to Japan
this "easy money" exhibition match
unexpectedly provided a miracle.
Ryan Hoshino.
Any normal person could see it.
His potential was terrifying.
He was only seventeen.
Give him a few years to grow
he could surpass Noa and become the world's number one striker.
From the physical clash with Silva
to matching Loki step for step
the proof was undeniable.
His talent was too big for Japan to contain.
He was destined for Europe.
And if nurtured properly, he'd rock the world.
Blake clenched his fists internally.
I need to grab him first.
Before the others.
Before anyone notices.
Even if Ryan dominated the Premier League afterward
and was poached by bigger clubs
the investment would pay off a thousandfold.
But Blake knew he wasn't the only one with this thought.
He glanced at Luna.
Luna also saw the monstrous potential.
And Luna's club…
was one of the world's true giants.
If Ryan had to choose between their two teams?
He'd choose RE.AL without hesitation.
Who didn't dream of wearing the white of Madrid?
Blake's guess was right.
Luna's heart had stirred as well.
"I didn't expect Japan to have someone like this…
Looks like coming here was worth it."
Luna had seen many geniuses in his star-studded team,
but someone who reached this level at seventeen
was exceedingly rare.
Such players always became world-class legends
some even carved their names into football history forever.
Still, Luna didn't rush to recruit Ryan.
Talent alone wasn't enough.
A footballer needed discipline, mentality, and character.
Countless young prodigies had burned bright early
only to fade into nightlife and fame.
He would observe more.
RE.AL could afford to wait.
They weren't Tottenham they were the club of ten-plus Champions League trophies.
That was the difference between kingdoms.
Back to the match
Ryan and Loki slammed into each other
with all the force they could muster.
Loki didn't understand something:
Why was he being so riled up
by a player no one had heard of before today?
Was it when Ryan caught up to him?
Or when Ryan dared to collide with him head-on?
Whatever it was
Loki felt a flicker of competitiveness ignite.
He refused to lose.
To anyone.
Not even to Noa.
Because Loki's dream
was not to follow Noa
but to surpass Noa
and become the world's strongest player.
Ryan could feel it too
The thrill.
Facing an opponent this powerful
his blood boiled
like a dormant volcano erupting.
His heart pounded with the same thrill
as the day he first touched a football.
No
this feeling was even stronger.
Was it because the opponent was world-class?
Or a superstar of Loki's tier?
He didn't know.
He didn't care.
All Ryan knew was
"Right now…
I just want to crush him beneath my feet."
The mere thought sent electricity surging through his veins.
His lips curled into a wild grin.
This duel was only just beginning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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