The tunnel leading to the pitch was filled with tension.
Players from both Seikan High and Touin Academy lined up, shoulder to shoulder, waiting for the time and signal from referee and. Some were bouncing on their toes, others stretching.
"Yo, Takumi," Masaki Renjirou called casually, he approached Touin's midfielder with a confident grin.
Takumi Hoshina turned, lips curling upward slightly as he saw the familiar face. He extended a hand.
Masaki shook it firmly and leaned in just enough for the other players to hear, "It's been a while, Takumi. I hope you've improved. It'll be boring if you all give up early again."
Takumi's smile sharpened. "Yeah? Been a while since middle school. You're the one who needs to be ready now. I've been waiting for this. I'm getting my revenge."
Masaki smirked. "Don't break too early."
Before Takumi could clap back, a louder voice cut through the tunnel.
"Oi, Hayato! you sure can play till the end?" Genichiro Taira stepped forward, an amused glint in his eyes. "Well not that I care if you break to early"
Hayato Kaidou cocked his head, unfazed. "And you must be the comedian of Seikan. Is this how you distract your opponents? Weak."
"Ooooh," several players muttered, eyes wide, while others chuckled.
Taira clapped his hands mockingly. "Cute. Real cute. Let's see if your feet…no your back can keep up with that mouth today."
"You can try," Hayato replied, stepping closer, his eyes narrowing.
A few seniors stepped in, blocking them just before anything escalated further.
"Save it for the field," Matsuyama said firmly, grabbing Taira's shoulder. "Don't waste your trash talk budget here."
Hayato was dragged back by one of his own seniors, but his glare never left Taira.
The announcer's voice echoed. "And now, entering the pitch is Seikan High and Touin Academy!"
The tunnel doors opened to a stadium erupting in cheers, and both teams walked out to field under the sunlight.
⸻
Starting Lineups:
"Let's take a look at Seikan High's starting eleven!" the commentator's voice rang over the speakers.
"Forward duo: Hyuga kojiro and Masaki Renjirou! Midfield is stacked — Jun Misugi, the captain Misaki Taro, Genichiro Taira, and Hikaru Matsuyama. Defense: Urabe, Higuchi, Jito, and Ishizaki — that's a brick wall if I've ever seen one. And in goal, Morisaki, one of the best goalkeeper in high school."
He paused, his voice rising with excitement.
"Let's be real — the name on everyone's lips tonight is Masaki Renjirou. First year at Seikan and already got pro scouts breathing down his neck even Germany's and some team around europe shown interest. You know the kid's legit when people are still talking about that volley he smashed in the U-17 World Cup. Gave Germany nightmares that night! And just listen to the crowd — they didn't show up early just for the popcorn. They want to see what this boy's about."
⸻
Kickoff
The referee's whistle sliced through the air.
The match was underway.
From the very first touch, Seikan High made their intentions clear,its no hesitation. They were here to dominate.
Taira and Misugi clicked instantly, controlling the rhythm in midfield. Every pass was tight, every touch deliberate. Touin High was stuck on their back foot.
⸻
Flashback – Touin High talk about Seikan
Takumi Hoshina leaned back against the locker, eyes narrowed.
"Masaki Renjirou," Takumi said. "I'm sure all of you have heard about him, well even in middle school we also have play against him.So I hope you all can give your very best here and don't make the same mistake.As you all know how dangerous Masaki is that made a whole squad of top highchool defenders around the world look like cones. If we not doing something, we're finished."
He looked around the locker room, eyes sharp.
"An inch is all he needs to turn that into a stadium-wide nightmare."
Hayato Kaidou nodded, arms crossed. "His reads are terrifying. He's not just fast, he also calculates everything mid-sprint. You can't predict him, you can't trap him. Give him even half a look at goal, and it's over — you're already dead."
"He's every defender greatest nightmare, the kind of striker you pray doesn't get the ball. The kind every team wishes they had."
One of their seniors chimed in from the back, scoffing. "Then don't even let him breathe.We need four on him, make sure no gaps for him to do something.Cut off the angle if his teammate want to pass to him.Force him to give up."
"Yeah," Takumi said, tightening his laces. "Because if Masaki gets the ball near the box… it's over."
Then Takumi muttered "even if it outside the box something will really happen."
⸻
Back to the Present – 8th Minute
The moment finally arrived.
Misugi intercepted a weak pass and played a sharp one-two with Hyuga, slicing through Touin's midfield. A sudden switch from Taira, a lobbed pass finding someone and the ball was at Masaki's feet, right at the edge of the penalty box.
Four defenders swarmed in instantly.
"NOW!" someone from Touin shouted.
Masaki still calm.
First touch — a quick flick with his heel.
Second — a body feint that sent one defender going to the wrong way.
Third — a lightning-fast spin left the defender
He exploded forward.
Two defender stepped in together — but Masaki cut inside, brushing past them with a burst of speed.
One final touch, and he struck —
shoot.
The ball curled, slicing into the top-right corner like a guided missile. The net rippled.
The stadium erupted.
"GOOOOAAAAAL! MASAKI RENJIROU WITH AN ABSOLUTE THUNDERBOLT! Surrounded by four and added all its six player he shook off and he buries it like he's playing with a tree! That's crazy composure from Masaki!"
Masaki turned and raised a hand — fingers straight, posture proud — and saluted toward the stands, where Seikan's students waved flags also supporter screaming his name.
"REN-JI-ROU! REN-JI-ROU!"
Hyuga jogged up beside him, grinning.
"You Show-off brat."
Masaki smirked. "You're just mad I made it look easy."
In the Touin, Takumi Hoshina stared at the pitch in stunned silence.
"…Four people. We had four on him."
Hayato smile shook his head. "Doesn't matter. He's just built different." That smile betrayed his heart even he know that crazy thing Masaki make, it really shake him to the core.
⸻
15th Minute
Touin's defense was shaken. Misaki and Matsuyama kept slicing them open with short passes. It wasn't long before another opportunity came — this time, it was Hyuga.
He bulldozed through two defenders, shrugged off a tackle like it was nothing, and blasted it into the bottom right corner.
"HYUGA MAKES IT TWO! SEIKAN IS UNSTOPPABLE!"
Touin's keeper yelled in frustration while Takumi Hoshina clenched his fists.
He barked at his teammates, "We're not going down like this! Stay tight!"
He pushed forward, linking up with Hayato, but Seikan's defense wasn't letting anything past. Jito and Urabe kept Hayato boxed in, while Higuchi intercepted a clever through-ball from Takumi.
Takumi tried again and again, dribbling past Taira once only to be closed down by Matsuyama.
The frustration was building.
⸻
In the crowd, the Seikan bench couldn't stay still.
"Did you see Masaki's spin? Bro broke his ankles!" one of the bench players howled.
Meanwhile, the commentator laughed, "This match's got everything — drama, fireworks, and a little sprinkle of chaos. Just how we like it."
⸻
End of First Half
Touin Academy had one last chance before the whistle. Takumi danced past two midfielders and launched a shot from distance. It flew — but Morisaki punched it out with a flying save.
The whistle blew.
"Halftime! Seikan leads 2-0. Touin's got work to do and Masaki Renjirou is showing why he's the future of Japanese football!"
As the teams jogged off, the tension in the air didn't cool. Hayato bumped shoulders with Taira on the way back. Neither looked at the other but both knew the real fight wasn't over.
Not even close.
⸻