33. Challengers (Part 2)

Rin was frustrated.

He was the best. Nobody even came close to his level. So how the hell had he let Team White score a goal? How the hell had that pathetic Y/N gone for the same ball he had?

On the other side of the field, that strange kid Isagi was also quite annoying. He'd been trying to beat Rin the entire game, and last game. It was clear he'd improved... but then again, he didn't even come close to Rin's level.

On the surface though, he looked completely calm. Emotionless as normal. No emotions meant no flaws, no wasted movements, and nothing but efficiency.

Chigiri began working up the wing. It was the same opening they'd seen from Team White before. Isagi was always trying to look for a pass from him, and Barou was always in the general vicinity, marked as he was by Y/N.

Y/N wasn't taking it seriously at all, giving Barou plenty of room to run around while he slowly jogged after.

The white-haired kid, Nagi. He was waiting in the back, squared up against Rin. Suddenly, he took off.

Sprinting up the field, Rin forced himself to accommodate. Filter out the different possibilities. Find the optimal play that they would try to make... then crush it.

As he expected. They passed back from Chigiri to Isagi, then Isagi sent a perfect pass far down the pitch towards Rin and Nagi. Once Rin properly squared off against Nagi, though...

He's a coward. Nagi passed the ball back to Isagi in a single touch, and as Rin's eyes moved to track the ball, he dashed to the other side of Rin, outside his field of vision.

Rin heard the scuffle of boots and instantly understood what was happening. Nagi thought he was past, but he was nowhere close to it.

Block the shot. Rin flung himself into Nagi's shooting line, perfectly stopping the shot.

Well, he would've. But somehow the white-haired boy had kicked the bottom of the ball, scraping it and making it spin backwards as it hovered midair. Rin went flying past, a jolt of panic running through him. Fake volley?!

The ball dropped to Nagi's feet, and with Rin struggling to turn around, there was nothing stopping him from slamming the ball into the back of the net.

"They got you good, Rin!" That little weasel Bachira grinned at him. "Still think this is half-baked?"

I know it is. Rin brought a hand to his face, digging his nails into his forehead and resting his palm on his nose. He hissed. "Shut up. I also get fired up when I'm frustrated."

Y/N laughed. "So edgy."

"And you." Rin spun on Y/N, eyes furious. "You'll never become the best striker in the world acting like that. You immature, lazy child."

Y/N wasn't fazed in the slightest. "Aren't you sixteen? I'm older than you."

Rin retrieved the ball, placing it on the floor as he gritted his teeth. "And I'm better than you."

"Oh yeah?" Y/N laughed. "Show me."

"Fine." Rin sucked in a deep breath. "Let's go."

Y/N returned to his normal position as the match restarted in spectacular fashion. Rin passed the ball past Bachira, all the way out to the wing where he was pitted against Barou.

It was a clear challenge. The ball was spinning in a way that would throw it directly into Barou's path, and away from Y/N. Y/N grinned with excitement, speeding up as he and Barou both ran for the ball.

The taller boy's red eyes were narrowed, and he made an imposing figure as he charged forwards. The charge did mean it would be difficult for him to turn, so instead of meeting Barou at the ball, Y/N aimed for beyond where the ball would land.

As anticipated, the ball bounced into Barou's path, away from Y/N. He was prepared, and before Barou could steal it away, Y/N had leapt to the side, extending a foot to toe-poke the ball back into the centre. He blinked innocently up at Barou, who was fuming.

Meanwhile, Rin had received the ball, and immediately passed it onwards. Chigiri and Aryu were both running towards Team White's goal, the former ready to take a shot and the latter trying to stop it.

It was a high pass, shoving a challenge directly into Aryu's head. Even for Aryu, it was quite high. He would need to push his limits to receive it, and that he did.

Aryu crouched, powering up into the air and using his chest to take the ball down. Y/N moved forwards with Bachira, watching as Rin sped down the middle of the field with eyes laser focused on the goal.

He took in the field as he was running. Bachira was all the way on the right flank. Y/N and Barou were both on the left side of the field. Chigiri and Aryu were also near the left.

That meant in the centre, it was just Rin, against both Nagi and Isagi.

Rin received the ball from Aryu, moving forwards as Nagi moved to try and stop him. The white-haired boy hung back, clearly wary of Rin's plan. In the end, he attempted to stick out a foot.

In a smooth, fluid motion, Rin pulled the ball back. He switched it to his other foot with a quick hop, spinning and using Nagi's own centre of balance against him to get past him.

As soon as he'd made it past Nagi, Isagi came directly out of Rin's blind spot, diving in for a two-footed slide tackle. "I did it! I saw through you, genius."

Rin's eyes widened with mock surprise, and he whispered under his breath. "You're two steps too slow." He'd already passed on the ball to Bachira, leaping over Isagi's prone figure as he continued moving forwards.

Bachira was completely unguarded. Team White had left him open, allowed the pass, and he grinned madly as he fired the ball into the back of the goal.

Rin looked down at Isagi, who was panting on the floor from the slide tackle. "Did you really think you could read me, NPC?"

Skreeet! The whistle blew again. 3-2, to Team Red. It was a close, competitive game, but with Rin in serious mode, it was bound to be over soon.

As both teams recovered their breath, Rin walking back into their own half, Bachira held out a hand. "High five!"

He got completely blanked as Rin walked past. "Don't touch me, NPC number two."

"Whaaat?" Bachira sighed jokingly. "No high five?"

Like he'd been flung from a catapult, Y/N flew past Bachira, high-fiving him so hard it caused both boys' hands to turn red. "Woooo!"

"Man, Rin is amazing." Bachira laughed. "I'm glad he's on our team."

"He's pretty good." Y/N admitted. "At least, that last play was." Rin wasn't a physical type of player, he'd realised. That tall stature and lean physique were just so he could use his brain more effectively, giving him more options.

Rin's playstyle of 'puppet master', using everyone on the field and forcing his own teammates to try harder... that was an ability most effectively used on weaker opponents. But against a stronger opponent, how well would it work?

Besides, at the highest level of soccer, simply having good eyes and strategies wasn't enough. Both the brain and body had to be at the top level, and your unique weapons and skills had to be beyond that.

🥕🥕🥕

Across the field, as Isagi restarted the game yet again, Barou was watching.

The kid across from him was terrifyingly good at the game. His small appearance and innocent looks made him look like a puppy, but the relaxed manner of his play just showed off how little he was trying.

It pissed him off. He didn't work hard. He didn't deserve any of the natural talent he had. Y/N L/N had never gone through any hardships, never trained hard in Bluelock, and even now wasn't taking it seriously. Didn't he know that becoming the greatest striker in the world required work?

He failed to understand that Y/N's skills weren't just natural. That they'd been built up over years of hardship.

Y/N glanced across at him, giving him a small smile before focusing on the ball. It was so frustrating. Nobody seemed to bother him. Not Rin. Not Isagi. Not Barou. Nobody seemed to be able to get him fired up, to get him to try.

Barou exhaled slowly under his breath, preparing himself as Isagi passed out to Chigiri. They'd done the exact same thing every single time, and never passed to him.

Well. If they wouldn't pass, he'd get it in a different way.

As usual, Chigiri was paired against Aryu on the right wing. Isagi was being pressed by Rin, and Bachira hung back to defend.

As Team White pushed up, Chigiri cut inside, leaving Aryu out on the wing as everyone shifted towards the middle of the pitch. Barou moved up the left side, Y/N a few steps in front of him.

"Nagi!" Chigiri sent a low cross in front of Isagi to Nagi, spinning along the floor. Y/N went in for the tackle, leaving Barou alone on the wing.

Isagi ducked to one side of Bachira. As soon as Bachira turned slightly, the short boy dipped his shoulder, using his momentum to change direction fast and zip past him on the other side. Nagi passed it on.

Isagi was through, with the ball as Y/N let himself stop running. Barou followed directly behind, running straight past Y/N, Bachira, and Nagi.

But Rin was there, blocking off Isagi's route to the goal. By the way Isagi's eyes widened, Barou knew that he hadn't anticipated Rin being there at all.

Isagi turned, putting his back to Rin to attempt to keep hold of the ball for longer. Perfect. Now just... Rin tried to slip around Isagi, both of their feet touching the ball and pushing it just out of their reach.

Barou immediately went for it. In the moment where neither Isagi or Rin had control of the ball, he pounced.

Under his breath, he spat out at Isagi as he scraped the ball away with his foot. "I win this one, Isagi." A rush of satisfaction ran through his body as he watched Rin's eyes stare in disbelief. "It's mine!"

Everyone sort of froze in surprise as Barou had a free path to goal. He didn't hesitate to take it, running forwards and blasting it into the back of the net while Rin was shaking off the shock.

Y/N blinked. "That's new."