What just happened?!
Silva was completely stunned by the scene before him.
The only thing he remembered was Ryan Hoshino seeming to vanish in an instant, and then his own body suddenly losing control, his lower half turning weak and limp.
Beside him, Blake was also struggling to stand up. No matter how much strength he put into his legs, they simply would not straighten.
In the end, he gave up entirely, letting himself remain in a single-knee kneeling position.
When Blake turned his head, he saw the same blank, confused expression on Silva's face.
Silva noticed Blake looking at him and immediately turned over, wanting an explanation.
"What just happened? Why did that kid suddenly disappear? And why am I kneeling? It's like my body isn't even mine anymore."
Blake stared at him in disbelief.
"Are you serious? Is your brain just full of fat? You already forgot what happened ten seconds ago? Forget it, I don't even feel like arguing with you right now."
Then Blake began explaining everything that had just occurred.
The moment Ryan finished speaking, he exploded forward.
First, he rushed straight at Silva at an absurd, almost incomprehensible speed.
Silva stood there like he had been frozen by a spell, completely motionless as Ryan charged toward him.
Then came a simple Ronaldo chop.
Ryan glided past him effortlessly.
And just like Loki earlier, Silva's body betrayed him.
He went down straight onto one knee.
Seeing Silva fall first, Blake, who was closest, immediately moved in to cover.
But the instant Blake entered the range of the Emperor's Eye, his next action was already laid bare to Ryan.
Facing Blake's interception, Ryan did nothing fancy.
A simple Marseille turn.
Another man beaten.
Ryan's gaze did not linger on Blake for even a second.
Behind him, the sound of knees hitting the turf rang out again.
With two men beaten in succession, the remaining three hurried to catch up.
Thanks to the two or three seconds bought by Silva and Blake, Loki once again appeared in front of Ryan.
Don't be fooled by Loki's calm expression.
Inside, he was completely unsettled.
The humiliation of his previous defeat was still vivid in his mind.
He did not dare act rashly. All he could do was hope his teammates would arrive quickly.
Out of the corner of his eye, Loki saw Luna and Cavasoz rapidly closing in from behind.
As long as they arrived, they could form a full encirclement.
All he needed to do now was stall Ryan for three or four seconds.
But Ryan had no intention of granting him that mercy.
Facing Loki, who dared challenge the Emperor's Eye once again, Ryan decided it was time to teach him a proper lesson.
Without hesitation, Ryan drove straight at him.
Loki did not retreat this time like before. Instead, he leaned forward and met him head-on.
The pride of a prodigy who had risen to fame young refused to let him suffer the same fate again.
He did not want to be looked down upon.
Stalling. Waiting for teammates.
I don't need any of that.
I'll stop Ryan myself.
From behind, Luna saw Loki charging directly at Ryan and shouted.
"Loki, don't press forward. Just hold him up."
But Loki, already overheated, could no longer hear anything.
"Forget it. He won't listen right now."
Cavasoz shook his head beside him.
Just as the two were about to collide, Ryan moved first.
Ryan dropped his shoulder to the right, faking a breakthrough in that direction.
This time, Loki was far more cautious and did not recklessly stretch out his foot.
Seeing this, Ryan did not rush.
The Emperor's Eye activated.
A ring of light appeared around Ryan's pupil.
In that instant, he saw Loki's movements over the next few seconds.
Then Ryan struck at the precise moment.
A quick flick.
The ball slipped cleanly through Loki's legs.
To the spectators, it looked as if Loki had deliberately opened his stance and let the ball pass.
Even Loki himself was confused.
How did he dare kick the ball there?
Wasn't he afraid I'd intercept it?
It was as if he knew exactly where I'd put my foot.
How is that possible?
Does he… read minds?
The thought made Loki laugh at himself.
No way. What am I thinking?
Mind reading? That's ridiculous.
He didn't dwell on it further and tried to turn and chase after Ryan.
Then, that familiar sensation struck again.
Damn it. This feeling again.
Faced with it, Loki had no strength left to pursue Ryan.
All he wanted now was to stay upright.
After several failed attempts, unwilling to kneel again, Loki forced his body backward.
With great effort, he barely avoided dropping to one knee, instead collapsing backward onto the grass.
Meanwhile, Ryan had already broken free and formed a one-on-one chance.
Behind him, Luna and Cavasoz watched the gap between themselves and Ryan grow wider and wider.
They gave up the chase, choosing to conserve their stamina instead.
One by one, they moved to help their teammates who were kneeling or sitting on the turf back to their feet.
Facing what was essentially an open goal, Ryan lifted his right leg.
He tightened his instep and struck the ball cleanly.
The ball skidded across the grass at blistering speed toward the goal.
The goalkeeper threw himself down desperately.
But he was just a fraction too late.
The ball brushed past his glove and rolled into the bottom-left corner of the net.
GOAL!! Again.
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