The corridor leading to the central pitch echoed with the sound of cleats hitting the floor. But within the ranks of Team V, silence was a concept that simply did not exist.
The atmosphere was less like a football team preparing for war and more like a circus.
"Nagi, move your legs," Reo Mikage sighed, practically dragging the white-haired boy by the back of his jersey. "We are walking ten meters. It's not a marathon."
"But Reo..." Nagi whined, his body going boneless, turning into dead weight. "Gravity is heavy today. Can't you just carry me? Or maybe put me on a cart?"
"I am not putting you on a cart. Stand up straight. You're the top scorer of Team V, act like it."
"That's Renzo...."
Behind them, Zantetsu Tsurugi was adjusting his glasses, muttering to himself with intense seriousness. He was staring at his hand as if it held the secrets of the universe.
"To win, one must be swift," Zantetsu whispered. "Speed is the essence of... waiting. No, that's not it. Speed is the mother of success. Yes. If I run faster than light, I will arrive before I leave. That is logical."
"That is literally impossible," Sota Nemoto whispered to Shuhei Ebina.
"Does he know how physics works?"
"Just let him be," Ebina replied, looking nervous. "He's scary when he thinks he's smart."
And then, at the back of the pack, there was Renzo Takamine.
The so-called "Demon" of Team V, the man who had physically dominated the gym sessions and mentally shattered Team W, was currently focused on his smartphone.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Renzo: "About to play against a guy who calls himself a King. How should I deal with this piece of work? Decisions, decisions."
He hit send, a soft, affectionate smile forming on his lips.
Koyuki: "You know what to do. And don't get hurt. Also, bring me back a souvenir. Maybe his crown."
Renzo chuckled aloud. "She's ruthless. I love it."
The rest of Team V — the "normal" players like Nemoto, Ebina, and Hohai — watched this with confusion.
Are all geniuses this weird? They thought collectively.
One was a sloth who treated walking like a punishment. One was an idiot savant who tried to outrun time itself. And the scariest one was treating a high-stakes survival match like a date update.
"Alright, phones away," Reo commanded, snatching the device from Nagi's hand (who had snuck it out again) and glaring at Renzo until he pocketed his. "We're here."
The automatic doors hissed open.
The blinding light of the stadium flooded in. The artificial turf stretched out, looking pristine and green.
And standing on the other side, waiting for them, was Team X.
They looked different from the broken Team W or the panicked Team Y.
They looked ready.
And at the front of the formation stood a giant.
Shoei Barou.
He was imposing, with a muscular build that seemed too developed for a high schooler. His hair was styled in a distinct X-shape, and his eyes were sharp and filled with arrogance.
Behind him stood the rest of the team X: Yuzu Dokomo, Burai Daido, Rian Sanga, Kosei Otsuka, Ruto Kora, Daiya Morinaga, Chihiro Ezaki, Tsukotery Eiyu, Haato Meiji, and Yawara Banku.
The two teams lined up. Ready to go at each other.
Barou stepped forward. He didn't look at Reo. He didn't look at Nagi. His eyes locked directly onto Renzo.
"So," Barou started. "You're the one making all the noise? The 'Demon' or whatever lame nickname they gave you."
Renzo looked up, his expression bored. "And you are?"
Barou scowled. He pointed a thumb at his own chest.
"I am the King of the field," Barou declared. "On this pitch, I am the rule. Everyone else is just a supporting actor in my movie. You... you're just an extra I haven't crushed yet."
He leaned in, his face inches from Renzo's.
"Try surviving. Don't get in my way, or I'll kill you."
The field went silent.
Team V froze. They stopped breathing. Their eyes widened, not in fear of Barou, but in sheer terror of what Barou had just done.
Is this guy crazy? The thought screamed through Reo's mind. Did he just threaten Renzo? Directly?
Nagi, who was usually half-asleep, actually opened his eyes fully. "Oh... GGs, that's a death flag."
Renzo didn't move. He didn't blink. He just stared at Barou.
Inside Renzo's mind, something clicked. A gear that had been spinning slowly suddenly locked into place.
King? Renzo thought. He thinks he's a King?
Renzo thought back to his recent matches. Against Team Y, he had left after scoring 5 goals. Against Team W, he had played playfully, focusing on assists and setting up Nagi. He had been... nice. He had been holding back. He had been treating this like a game to earn points.
Was I going too easy on them? Renzo wondered. Did I look soft? Is that why this bug thinks he can talk to me like this?
A loud laugh escaped Renzo's throat.
It started as a huff of air, then grew into a crazy laugh that echoed through the quiet stadium.
"Heh... Hahaha..!!!!!"
Barou frowned, confused by the reaction. "What's so funny?"
Renzo stopped laughing abruptly. He lifted his head.
"King, you say?" Renzo repeated softly.
He took a step forward, invading Barou's personal space.
"I see. You've been a big fish in a small pond your whole life, haven't you? You think because you have a strong kick and a loud voice, you own the world."
Renzo's lips curled into a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"I will show you what a King is, you bug. I will show you the peak. Try to keep up."
Barou's eye twitched. "Bug?!"
"Yes," Renzo turned his back, walking toward the center circle. "An insect that buzzes too loudly before it gets squashed."
***
KICKOFF.
The buzzer sounded. BEEP!
Reo touched the ball, passing it back to Renzo.
The game had begun.
Usually, this was where Team V set up their formation. Renzo would distribute to the wings, Zantetsu would sprint, or Nagi would move into space. It was a system.
But Renzo didn't look at his teammates.
He stopped the ball with the sole of his boot. He stood perfectly still in the center circle.
Barou was charging. The "King" was furious, sprinting straight down the middle. He wanted to crush Renzo immediately.
"Come here!" Barou roared.
The rest of Team X followed, pressing high.
Renzo watched Barou approach. 10 meters. 5 meters.
Then, Renzo did the unthinkable.
He wound up his leg... and passed the ball.
Forward.
Straight to Barou.
The ball rolled across the turf, perfectly weighted, and stopped right at Barou's feet.
The entire stadium froze.
"Huh?" Reo gasped. "Renzo?"
"What is he doing?" Zantetsu adjusted his glasses, confused.
Barou stopped running. He looked down at the ball at his feet, then up at Renzo. He looked genuinely baffled.
"What is this?" Barou growled. "Did you miss?"
Renzo stood with his hands hanging loosely by his sides. His posture was relaxed, yet terrifyingly alert.
"No," Renzo said, his voice cutting through the air. "I'm giving you a head start."
Renzo gestured with his chin toward the goal behind him.
"You said you're the King, right? You said I'm an extra? Fine. Show me. Show me your 'absolute' reign. If you can get past me, I'll acknowledge you."
Barou's face darkened. His veins bulged in his neck. This wasn't just an insult; it was a rejection of his entire existence. Renzo wasn't playing football; he was testing a specimen.
"Don't... mock me!" Barou screamed.
He took the ball and charged.
Barou Shoei was a tank. His dribbling style wasn't elegant like Reo's or efficient like Renzo's. It was violent. He used "Chop Dribbles" — sharp, high-speed cuts that utilized his massive frame to barge through defenders.
He charged at Renzo.
I'll crush you! Barou thought. I'll blow you away with speed and power!
He feinted right, then chopped the ball violently to the left. It was a move that had broken ankles in every match he'd played.
ZOOM.
Barou surged left.
But Renzo was there.
Renzo hadn't bitten on the feint. He had mirrored Barou's movement instantly. He didn't dive in for a tackle. He simply placed his body in the path, blocking the route.
"Tch!" Barou gritted his teeth. He chopped again. Right.
Renzo was there.
Barou spun, using his back to shield the ball, trying to use his superior weight to push Renzo off.
"Move!" Barou grunted, slamming his shoulder back.
It felt like hitting a wall.
Renzo had dropped his center of gravity. He absorbed the impact, his feet rooted to the ground, and used the recoil to unbalance Barou.
"Is that it?" Renzo whispered in Barou's ear.
"Shut up!"
Barou accelerated. He sprinted toward the sideline, trying to outrun Renzo.
Renzo matched him stride for stride. He was like a shadow, a ghost clinging to Barou's shoulder.
For five minutes, the game ceased to be a match between Team V and Team X. It became a gladiator pit in the middle of the field.
Barou tried everything. He tried the Lightning Chop. Renzo read it. He tried a roulette. Renzo poked the ball, forcing Barou to reset. He tried to brute force his way through. Renzo used leverage to redirect him.
The other players just watched. They couldn't interfere. The intensity radiating from the two of them was a force field.
"He's... playing with him," Reo realized, his eyes wide. "It's like watching an owner playing with his dog."
Barou was panting. Sweat poured down his face. His lungs burned.
Why? Barou's mind raced. Why can't I shake him? I'm the King! I'm the top dog! I devour everyone! Why is he still here?!
Every time Barou looked up, Renzo was there. Those teal eyes were calm. Unbothered.
"Five minutes," Renzo noted, checking an imaginary watch. "You've had the ball for five minutes, Your Highness. And you haven't advanced a single yard."
"SHUT UUUUP!"
Barou, desperate and enraged, wound up for a shot from thirty yards out. It was irrational. It was selfish. It was a panic move.
He planted his left foot to shoot with his right.
But his legs were gone. The constant chopping, the constant physical struggle against Renzo's immovable defense had drained him.
As Barou planted his foot, his ankle wobbled.
He didn't shoot.
He crumbled.
The ball rolled harmlessly away as Barou Shoei, the self-proclaimed King, tripped over his own exhaustion and fell face-first onto the turf.
Thud.
Silence.
Barou lay there, gasping for air, his face pressed against the plastic grass. The humiliation was physical. It burned hotter than his muscles.
A shadow fell over him.
Barou looked up.
Renzo stood over him. The overhead lights cast Renzo in silhouette, making him look enormous.
Renzo placed one foot on the ball, claiming it.
He looked down at Barou with a smile that wasn't happy, or angry, or even mocking. It was the smile of a predator looking at a meal that had spoiled.
"Look at you," Renzo said softly, his voice echoing in Barou's ears.
Renzo leaned down, his eyes glowing with a terrifying intensity.
"You stumbled on your own feet. You panicked because you couldn't do shit? Honestly, the twins were better than you."
Renzo turned his back, dragging the ball with him.
"A fine King you will be... ruling over the dirt."
Renzo flicked the ball up to Nagi, who was waiting nearby.
"Nagi," Renzo called out, his voice returning to normal. "The bug is squashed. Let's play football."
Barou watched him go, his hands clawing into the turf, his soul screaming in agony.