Chapter 40: Seeing Through

(Alright then—I'll take the shot myself!)

Yo Hiori’s eyes shifted from hesitation to determination. But before the ball could reach him, a figure soared high and intercepted it mid-air!

(It’s him! How did Y’s attacking midfielder get here? Did he already see through Ryūma’s pass to me?)
(No… something’s not right…)

Hiori spun to chase, and out of the corner of his eye he caught Ryūma cutting horizontally across Y’s right midfield.

In that instant, lightning struck through his mind.

(So that’s it! When Ryūma was breaking past defenders—or maybe even earlier, the moment he entered Y’s half—they had already set the trap!)
(First, four players up front gradually forced Ryūma wide to the right. Then six more closed in, surrounding him until he was forced to pass.)
(And why did he pass? Because my position looked like the perfect spot to shoot.)
(But would a team capable of setting that trap really just overlook me?)
(No… they left me free on purpose. They wanted Ryūma, cornered, to choose the pass instead of breaking through.)
(So that’s why no one marked me. I was inside their trap from the very start!)

With that realization, Hiori confirmed one thing in his heart—
The opponents had a genius on their side.

...

Y’s attacking midfielder carried the ball forward down the left from their own half, while Ryūma sprinted laterally across midfield to cut him off.

Just as they were about to meet at the left midfield, Y’s playmaker suddenly stopped dribbling.

He seemed to know that Ryūma’s speed would beat him to the spot. So instead of risking a one-on-one, he prepared to pass.

But Ryūma exploded forward, leaping to cut the passing lane.

The playmaker’s expression didn’t change—as if he’d foreseen it all.

At the last moment, his right foot shifted, brushing the ball with the inside toward his left. His left heel then flicked it diagonally to the right midfielder trailing behind him!

The right midfielder wasted no time—one touch to accelerate the play, sending it straight into central midfield.

There, Hisakawa Mii arrived right on cue, striking it once more toward the right flank.

“This one’s ours—the triplets’ ball!”

But before the brothers could say more, a figure darted in and struck the ball!

【Thud!】

Y’s right attacking midfielder, sprinting into place, didn’t even need to adjust—he swung clean through as if he knew exactly where the ball would drop.

The pass landed perfectly at Matsutani Kageaki’s feet in Y’s attacking third. He drove forward toward Team V.

...

For Team V, the situation was dire. Half their players were still trapped upfield. Their back four held near the box, but in midfield only Rin Itoshi remained—calmly observing Y’s formation shift.

Meanwhile, the six players who had surrounded Ryūma earlier were already sprinting toward V’s half.

Matsutani, now in V’s midfield, knew he couldn’t take Rin one-on-one.

So before he reached him, he swung the ball wide to the left midfielder.

The left midfielder advanced a step, then—just as Rin closed in—sent a long pass across to V’s right backfield.

Kobayashi Shima reached it first, with Ryūma chasing just two strides behind.

Those two strides made all the difference—Shima rose first, heading it cleanly.

“Tch.” Ryūma clicked his tongue, halting abruptly and cutting to Shima’s left flank.

(If I can’t win the aerial, I’ll just cut off the next pass.)

But to his surprise, Shima headed the ball rightward instead of toward the box.

(Huh? Not into the area? Where’s he sending it—was that a mistake?)

Before Ryūma could finish the thought, Y’s left attacking midfielder appeared exactly where the ball landed!

He quickly relayed it back to the right midfielder behind him.

That midfielder, without hesitation, zipped it into the center of V’s backfield. The passes had traced a sharp “V” shape.

Watching the ball fly past, Ryūma gritted his teeth.

(Cowards! A whole bunch of cowards!
You’re forwards, but instead of beating defenders you just keep passing?!)
(Damn it! Feels filthy… like I can’t even play against this!)

Even as he cursed, his body reacted on instinct—charging back to cover.

...

At the center of V’s defense, Matsutani Kageaki wound up to shoot. But three V defenders stood firm in his path.

This time, Putian Daiwa had learned.

(No way he’s actually shooting—he’ll pass again.)

So instead of lunging, he held his ground, ready to intercept the ball and launch the counter.

(Even if I’m wrong, the others are still blocking his shot. No openings here!)

As Daiwa braced, Matsutani struck.

And just as Daiwa predicted—it wasn’t a shot but a pass.

Only, to his surprise, it was a back-pass!

From just behind Matsutani, Y’s right attacking midfielder stepped up quickly and redirected it leftward—into V’s backfield left side.

...

There, Rin Itoshi and Hisakawa Mii arrived simultaneously.

Before Rin could react, Mii turned his back toward him.

Then, in a flash, two more Y players crashed in from the sides, boxing Rin in.

Though Rin adjusted instantly, the brief delay cost him forward momentum.

Mii seized that fraction of a second—flicking the ball with his heel straight into V’s penalty area!

Inside the box, Y’s left midfielder took control, ready to fire.

He lifted his head, searching for an angle—only to see someone blocking his lane.

Not the goalkeeper.

It was Ryūma Banjō.

(What?! How’s he here already?)
(Wasn’t he still outside the box? Do I pass back?)
(A shot from here is impossible… Wait—no. I see it now.)