"Jeez… he's still as dangerous as ever, huh?" Hiroshi Jito muttered, running a hand through his sweat-drenched hair. The sheer intensity of Masaki's play was enough to keep even a top-tier defender on edge.
Taro Misaki, standing near him, chuckled. "Well, that's Masaki for you." He casually picked up the ball, getting ready to restart the match.
Kojiro Hyuga, the senior team's forward, cracked his knuckles. His sharp eyes locked onto Masaki for a moment before he smirked. "Still… we can't let the kid steal the spotlight. We'd lose our faces as seniors, wouldn't we?"
Jito grinned. "Damn right. Time to show these freshmen why we run this field."
The intensity on the field shifted. The senior team was done playing safe. Now, they were about to show their true power.
————-
The referee's whistle echoed across the field.
The senior team immediately switched gears—their pace was now aggressive.
Hyuga wasted no time, sending a high, powerful pass to Jito before the freshmen could close in. Jito, using his overwhelming physical strength, bulldozed through an opponent and controlled the ball with ease. His sheer presence alone forced the freshmen to hesitate.
"Damn… he just powered through like it was nothing," Taira muttered, eyes narrowing.
Without missing a beat, Jito launched a rocket-like pass to Taro Misaki in midfield. The pass had immense speed and precision, making it difficult to intercept.
Taro waited in position, anticipating the ball's arrival. The moment it reached him, he sprinted forward.
Murasakibara rushed in to stop him.
But Taro was already one step ahead.
With a quick drag of the ball using the sole of his foot, he faked a directional change. Murasakibara reacted, expecting him to move in one direction—
But Taro wasn't done.
With a sudden stop, he shifted the ball to his other foot before flicking it through Murasakibara's legs—nutmegging him cleanly.
"Damn it!" Murasakibara cursed as Taro slipped past him.
Midorima came in for backup, attempting to cut him off.
But—
Another feint.
With a smooth turn and step-over, Taro danced past Midorima before threading a perfect through-pass past the freshmen's defensive line.
The ball found Hyuga.
Hyuga, now in a prime attacking position, charged forward with sheer force, heading straight for Taiga, one of the freshman defenders.
Taiga braced himself, attempting to hold his ground.
But—
BOOM!
Hyuga body-checked him out of the way.
"Shit—he's too strong!" Taiga gritted his teeth as he stumbled back.
Now, only Higuchi stood between Hyuga and the goal.
Hyuga smirked. He raised his leg over the ball, making it look like he was about to shift left.
Higuchi prepared to block—
But Hyuga never moved the ball.
Instead, he launched a sudden right-footed shot—an absolute cannon of a strike.
The ball exploded off his foot, a shot packed with insane speed and raw power.
The goalkeeper barely reacted.
GOAL!
The ball blasted into the net before anyone could even process what had happened.
The entire field fell into stunned silence
Then—
The crowd erupted
"WOAHHH!!!"
"THAT WAS INSANE!"
"What the hell was that shot?! I barely saw the ball!"
Even Taira, usually calm, widened his eyes. "That… that was crazy."
Masaki, watching from midfield, raised an eyebrow. But instead of being shocked—
His lips curled into a vicious smile.
"Heh… so they've improved too, huh?" he muttered under his breath, his gaze sharpening.
————-
Kojiro Hyuga – "The Fierce Tiger of Japan"
One of the most dominant forwards in Japanese high school football, Hyuga is feared for his unparalleled raw power and deadly shooting. Having won both National and Interhigh Championships, he is a key player for Seikan High and a Japan U-17 representative.
Though rough, cold-hearted, and reckless on the field, Hyuga has a deep sense of loyalty toward his teammates and loved ones. Among those close to him, he is known to be caring and empathetic.
More importantly—he is one of Masaki's closest rivals and friends.
Hiroshi Jito – "Japan's Heavy Tank"
One of the most physically dominant defenders in Japanese high school football. Jito's sheer body strength allows him to bulldoze opponents and block shots that others wouldn't dare to stand in front of.
His defensive technique isn't flashy, but it is extremely effective—he uses his brute strength to shut down any attacking play before it even starts.
A key player for Japan U-17, and like Masaki, a powerhouse in his own right.
Misaki Taro – "The Architect of Play"
Considered the best attacking midfielder in Japanese high school football, Taro is an artist with the ball. His speed, dribbling, and elite passing ability allow him to dictate the pace of the game with ease.
Not only does he create scoring chances, but he also knows exactly when to strike.
He has been Masaki's teammate and friend since their days in Japan's U-17 squad.
—————
Back to the Match
With the score now 1-1, the momentum of the game shifted.
Masaki, still smiling, stared directly at Hyuga from across the field.
Hyuga met his gaze and smirked. "What's wrong, Masaki? Getting nervous?"
Masaki tilted his head slightly, eyes gleaming with an undeniable hunger for competition.
"Nervous? Me?" he chuckled darkly. "Nah… I'm just excited."
A sudden wave of pressure erupted from Masaki, sending chills down the spines of everyone nearby. Even Hyuga felt it—the sheer presence Masaki radiated was on a completely different level.
Taira let out a small chuckle as he watched Masaki's expression shift. The usual calm and composed look was gone—replaced by something far more dangerous.
"That look again…" Taira muttered, shaking his head with a smirk. "He's not just playing football anymore… he's hunting."
He glanced at the seniors and sighed. "They have no idea what they've just awakened."
The referee's whistle blew—signaling the start of the second half.
The match was about to reach a new level.