The crowd in the stadium pulsed with anticipation.Fans filled every seat, shouting and waving flags. The final of the Aomori Prefecture Interhigh Qualifier had arrived, and Seikan High stood on one side of the pitch, ready for war. On the other, Aomori North High less talked about, but undeniably dangerous.
The danger wore jersey number 5, Tachibana Keiji an Aomori North's captain and central defender. Built like a wall and composed like a general, Keiji wasn't just known for his strength he also was feared for his ability to read the game like an open book. Under his command, Aomori's defend had been masked by near-flawless defensive structure.
The whistle blew. The final had begun.
⸻
1st Minute
Seikan started strong, playing fast. The ball moved swiftly between Masaki and Taira before Hyuga made his signature diagonal run from the left. Taira chipped the ball over the midfield line.
Hyuga met it in stride and pushed forward. One-on-one with Keiji.
"Here we go," Hyuga muttered. He dropped his shoulder and tried to muscle past keiji.
Boom.
Keiji stood firm, body turned just enough to absorb the contact without fouling. He jabbed his foot in at the perfect moment and took the ball cleanly before immediately launching a counter-pass to midfield.
"Damn," Hyuga hissed, catching himself before tumbling.
Keiji didn't say a word. He didn't need to.
⸻
6th Minute
Taira intercepted a loose ball and flicked it wide to Masaki. With open field ahead, Masaki surged forward like a bullet. Keiji was the last line. Masaki didn't slow down.
He run forward. Then a sharp fake to the right.
Masaki slipped past Keiji cleanly—but it seems to have been fixed, a covering center-back go in immediately, cutting off Masaki's shooting lane.
Keiji was already recovering. He hustled behind and, just as Masaki adjusted for a pass, snatched the ball away with a surgical tackle.
Masaki fell down to a halt, stunned. "You baited me…"
Keiji gave the chuckled. "You're not the first."
⸻
12th Minute
Seikan kept pressing. Hyuga came again. This time with Misugi behind him to support. Aomori's fullbacks were too slow on the turn, and Keiji knew it.
"Compress to the left side!. Hey shun, delay them!"
The fullback didn't need to win the ball, he just need to delay it. By the time Hyuga got past that fullback then infront of him stood Keiji that was already there, blocking his lane and then Keiji try body angled perfectly to push Hyuga away from goal.
Hyuga growled and tried to muscle through. No success.
Masaki took another shot from distance. Blocked.
Even Captain Taro tried a long-range through ball.
Intercepted.
⸻
20th Minute
Masaki stopped a bit then he dropped deeper and started roaming into midfield. Keiji followed cautiously.The marking of Keiji is really flawless like he know what will happen but Masaki wanted to draw him out of the box.
"Something's off," Keiji muttered. "It is like he is baiting me…"
Still, Masaki waited. Then—
Boom. Taira fired a pass into his feet.
Masaki let the ball roll, then instantly cut inside on his right.
Keiji shifted.
Too late.
Masaki do the whiplash and with just two touch of his The space opened for a brief second.
Keiji body him to close down but Masaki had already adjusted his angle.
Knuckle shot.
The ball exploded off Masaki's foot with minimal spin, floating and go wildly in the air like it was alive. The goalkeeper try to save.
Too late.
GOAL!
The net rippled. Silence shattered. The crowd erupted.
Masaki didn't smile. He didn't jump. He didn't even lift his hands.
He turned slowly and walking toward the sideline while his gaze sharp.
Then, halfway through, he stopped.
He turned his head.
And stared directly at Keiji.
Not with arrogance. Not with hate. Just cold, unwavering intensity. Like a king reminding a someone who truly ruled the field.
The message was clear:
"I warned you."
"You're not enough.To test me"
Keiji met his eyes across the field.
A flicker of something passed over his face but not defeat, it is a shift.
Recognize now how hard this match will be also the respect he feel toward his junior Masaki And the weight of the battle ahead.
Masaki finally turned away.
Behind him, Hyuga approached fast, slowing as he realized Masaki wasn't celebrating.
"You cold bastard," Hyuga muttered with a smirk.
Taira jogged up, eyes lit. "That stare… brutal."
Masaki glanced to the side, voice low.
"He thought he figured me out."
Hyuga chuckled darkly. "He's figuring it out now."
Back in the defensive half, Keiji picked the ball out of the net. He still calm and compose also he think what to do next.
The battle had truly begun.
And there were still 50 minutes left on the clock.