[Match Day]
Students poured onto the bleachers—among them Sato, Inoue, and Yuzuki.
"Thanks for coming with us, Tokiyo," Sato said.
"No problem! I wanted to watch it too," Yuzuki replied, practically glowing.
"It's definitely better watching with someone who actually understands soccer," Inoue joked.
Sato glanced ahead. "Guys… aren't those the scouts from last time?"
Inoue and Yuzuki followed her gaze.
"Yeah. Same group."
"They are," Yuzuki confirmed.
Down in front, the observers organized their equipment under Hoshino's direction.
"Here are the key players to track."He handed a sheet to an assistant.
"We'll monitor them closely."
"Better not bother them while they're working," Sato murmured.
"Agreed."
A bit further up, Kagayama arrived with a classmate.
"This is my first time watching the boys' team," the classmate admitted.
"Same here…"
"But why are we even watching? Don't we hate Nishimura and Aliberti?" she asked, confused.
Kagayama hesitated. "Exactly. That's why we need to be here even when they fail, right?"
Her classmate blinked. "I… guess? But I heard they're supposed to be good this year."
"That's what people say. Doesn't mean it's true."
Everyone's attention shifted as the Akagi Seishin team entered the field, led by Coach Suzuki.
"Today's opponents," Hoshino commented. "A team that's never passed qualifiers, but they've been improving lately—thanks to new players their coach recruited."
Coach Okada chatted with Suzuki as his players warmed up.
"Coach Suzuki… where's your team? And your coach?"
"Well—"
"Shūdan-teki!"
The roar from inside the locker room froze everyone in place.
"WHO ARE WE!?" Noguchi shouted, wearing the captain's armband.
"SHŪDAN-TEKI!" the team answered back.
Coach Ishii pushed open the doors and led his players out. As they marched onto the field, a wave of pressure rolled off them—enough to make Akagi Seishin instinctively tense.
"Here come the hosts," Yuzuki whispered.
Shūdan-teki began their warm-up, each player following precise instructions. The opponents watched, unsettled.
"They're really organized…" Akagi's number 7 muttered.
Coach Okada stormed over. "Stop slacking! Move!"
"Yes, sir!"
He lowered his voice. "Don't let the name Shūdan-teki scare you. They've proved in recent years they're nothing special—barely the scraps of this prestigious school."
His players straightened, more confident after the jab.
[Kickoff Approaches]
After warm-ups, captains shook hands and chose sides. Noguchi pointed to the right field.
"This way!"
Shūdan-teki lined up. From the stands, Hoshino analyzed their shape.
"Same formation as against Maebashi Ikuei. An offensive 4-3-3 with a true attacking midfielder."
Shūdan-teki Starting XI
GK Andou (1) CB Noguchi (4)(C), Aoki (27) RB Ueno (2) LB Sugimoto (6) CM Ono (8), Tamura (5) AM Nishimura (10) RW Shimizu (11) LW Tanaka (7) ST Aliberti (24)
The whistle blew.
Akagi's number 9 played the ball back to their 10, who shifted it wide to the right. Tanaka sprinted in immediately, forcing the winger back to his right-back, number 21.
Nishimura crushed him with pressure next, giving him no time to think.
Damn, their pressing…
Out of options, number 21 passed to the nearest centre-back, number 3.
No one warned him.
Riccardo burst in from his blind spot, stole the ball clean, and spun toward goal.
Where did he come from!?
Number 3 panicked and stuck a leg across Riccardo's path, tripping him right at the edge of the box.
The referee blew the whistle and flashed yellow.
"Damn it!" the defender groaned.
Nishimura helped Riccardo up."Nice steal."
"You too—good pressure."
In the stands, the observers lit up.
"That pressing structure is beautiful," Hoshino said.
"They earned a yellow in under thirty seconds," another added.
Nishimura placed the ball. Shimizu and Ono stood nearby as alternative takers.
"Haruto! Be the crocodile!" Akagi's keeper ordered.Number 6 lay down behind the four–man wall.
Noguchi, Aoki, Tamura, and Riccardo took their positions in the box.
"Right-footed shot looks ideal," Yuzuki analyzed. "Even if it's a bit central."
"Still close enough to be dangerous," Inoue replied.
"Or they might use those giants in the box…"
The referee whistled. Ono drifted right. Shimizu slipped into the box from the left of the wall.
Akagi's number 6 noticed him. "Watch eleven!"
Too late.
Nishimura feinted the shot and chipped the ball gently over the wall.
Number 6 prepared to intercept.
Waiting for the touch—
It never came.
Shimizu volleyed first–time with his left, redirecting it toward the far post.
Riccardo rose higher than anyone and crushed the header into the net.
1:04 — Shūdan-teki 1 | 0 Akagi Seishin
Riccardo celebrated with Shimizu, then pointed at Nishimura for the clever pass.
The home fans erupted.
"What a set play!" Yuzuki shouted. "And the execution was perfect!"
Kagayama's classmate crossed her arms. "It was an easy goal. I could've scored that. Right, Yui?"
Kagayama froze. "…Yeah. Sure."
Her answer left the girl staring at her, confused.