Before we begin today's chapter, I would like to share some important announcements with you.
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I know that at the beginning of the first part of this story I ended up making some mistakes, especially in pacing and structure, but I want you to know that I am truly committed to delivering something worthy of what you deserve. The Tensura arc, in particular, is being treated as a true turning point, both in quality and in narrative impact.
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Now, enjoy the reading — and thank you very much, from the bottom of my heart.
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There was a time in his life when football was not his absolute focus. He did enjoy playing it, yes—that innocent joy that was born the day he went to the stadium with his parents and felt, for the first time, the vibration of the stands, the smell of the grass, the collective roar exploding all around him. It was there that his love for the sport awakened.
But there was no ambition yet.
There was no destiny yet.
There was no Noel Noah yet.
In that phase, football was simply fun... not the reason his heart beat. He had not yet seen Noel Noah, had not yet met the player who would change everything, who would ignite within him the burning desire to become the best.
Then, on an ordinary afternoon, when there was no one to play football with...
"Games, huh..."
Isagi remembered his classmates talking about games at school. Elementary school kids seemed really excited about video games. He, on the other hand, had never played video games before, since he was more interested in football.
But on that day, along with a sudden urge to rebel and do something different, Isagi slowly entered the building of the game center. Then, he started playing a zombie shooter game that caught his eye. At first, he died immediately because he didn't know how to play, but after playing four times, Isagi got the hang of it and managed to defeat the final boss on his seventh attempt. Then, the score was displayed on the screen with a B ranking.
"Ohh, the less damage I take and the more conservative I am with my bullets, the higher my score will be..."
When Isagi thought he could finish it easily, it seemed the game was only just beginning. The only thing on his mind now was how to solve all the challenges. How many more mistakes could he reduce, and how much higher could his score get from now on? From here, the real battle begins.
"Well, I guess I'll aim for a perfect score."
After that, Isagi took advantage of the fact that no one was behind him and kept playing until he was satisfied. Then, when he finally achieved a perfect score, all the rankings on the leaderboard were filled with his name.
"Well, I guess that's it."
As soon as he lost interest, Isagi moved on to the crane game. However, after mastering the game following several attempts, the rest was just a process of reaping rewards. Not wanting the prizes, Isagi took all he could and gave them to the onlookers around him. After doing this for several days, Isagi was finally banned from entering any nearby game centers.
"Well, it seems the rumors have spread, so there's nothing to be done..."
He tried to convince himself of that, but the uncomfortable feeling in his chest wouldn't go away. Even in a place like that, people who were too good ended up being shunned. Isagi couldn't stop the feeling of helplessness from growing in his heart.
"Ahh, what should I do about this?"
Isagi sighed as he looked at the huge stuffed bear he was holding with both hands. This was a prize from a crane game that he won when a game center employee gently escorted him out. It was too complicated to return it, so he brought it home... but anyway, it was something for girls.
"Maybe I can give it to Mom."
While struggling with this dilemma, Isagi found himself standing in front of a park with lots of playground equipment. When he casually looked in a certain direction, Isagi saw a group of five girls who seemed to be around his age. At the same time, his gaze naturally gravitated toward one of them.
"Eh, an angel...?"
A moment of admiration. At the same time, that impression naturally arose in his mind. She was an extremely beautiful girl who seemed otherworldly. Her white skin glowed and reflected the light. Her long blonde hair looked soft as the wind blew through it. Her bright blue eyes were like sapphires. Her entire appearance was so enchanting and adorable. Right now, however, her beautiful face was clouded with confusion and sadness, as if she were pleading for something.
"Nai, suu, re...su, ka?"
"Wait, I don't understand what you're saying, you know〜?"
"Please speak Japanese properly〜 Maria-chan〜."
The girls around her laughed maliciously as she tried to speak Japanese fluently. In response, the girl grew even more nervous, stammering her words, but even though the four probably already knew what she meant, they continued to tease her, saying things like "I don't know what you're saying" or "Your Japanese is so bad." Seeing this, Isagi's face twisted with a sense of déjà vu.
The horrible expressions on the four girls' faces as they laughed at her. Faces full of malice and the desire to hurt someone superior and different from them. They had the same expressions as the boys who had bullied Isagi and been violently driven away by him.
"Я больше не могу.... Мои слова никак не были поняты..."
(I can't take it anymore.... My words weren't understood at all...)
In the end, the girl muttered in Russian, and the other four girls seized the opportunity to raise their voices.
"Eh〜, eh〜, wait a minute〜! I really don't know what you're saying, you know〜?"
"Don't you know the saying 'The ground you step on supports the sky'? I guess foreigners don't know that, huh〜."
"Ahh〜, even after I went through the effort of inviting you. Whatever, let's leave Maria-chan alone and play by ourselves〜?"
"Yeah, let's do that〜."
The four girls left after leaving malicious words hanging in the air, abandoning the girl all alone. For a brief moment, the girl stood there, her hands clutching her skirt as she tried to follow them.
The scene was so disturbing that Isagi considered kicking the four girls in the back as they fled. He quickly suppressed that violent impulse and turned his attention to the girl who had been left alone.
Her pink lips were tightly pressed together, as if she were trying hard not to cry. When Isagi saw that scene, his heart filled with compassion. Then, he found himself approaching the girl and speaking to her in Russian—a language Isagi wasn't fluent in, but one he had learned.
"Ты в порядке?"
(Are you okay?)
The girl lifted her head in response to the question. Then, she opened her downcast, teary eyes and looked at Isagi, confused.
"Э, прямо сейчас...?"
(Eh, just now...?)
"Я могу говорить по-русски... Ну, совсем немного, понимаешь?"
(I can speak Russian.... Well, just a little, you know?)
The most basic Russian, which was simply a string of words. However, the girl's face immediately brightened. She expressed her joy and admiration with her whole body.
"Mmmm, Ух ты, ты говоришь по-русски?!!!! Вау, как круто!"
(.....Wow, you speak Russian?!!!! Wow, that's so cool!)
To be honest, Isagi didn't fully understand what she said. On the other hand, he could tell he was being praised based on the words he managed to catch. Above all, the girl's gaze shone with pure admiration... and it had a powerful impact on his heart.
"Меня зовут Маша!"
(My name is Masha!)
"Uh, ah...?"
"Маша!"
(Masha!)
While Isagi was bewildered by the unexpected feelings shaking his heart, the girl smiled and spoke. Isagi initially mistook it for a Russian word he didn't recognize, but after she repeated it, he understood what it meant.
"как вас зовут?"
(What's your name?)
"Mmm? Ah yes, you said name! Hmm... Maa?"
"Маша!" (Masha!)
"Maa?"
"Маша!"
(Masha!)
"Ohh, you mean Masha?"
Masha nodded happily several times after the confirmation. She then pointed her palm toward Isagi and said again:
"как вас зовут?"
(What's your name?)
"Ahh, my name is... Isagi. Isagi Yoichi."
"Isagi Yoichi?"
"Isagi. I-sa-gi."
"Ahh! Isagi!"
"Eh, ehhh? Well... That's fine."
Isagi nodded awkwardly, bowing his head slightly as he heard his name pronounced with a Russian accent. Masha then smiled and tilted her head slightly as she spoke.
"А это чучело животного?"
(And that stuffed animal?)
"Huh?"
"Как зовут животное?"
(What's the animal's name?)
"Mmm? Oh!"
Isagi blushed when he realized she was asking the name of the stuffed animal he was holding, after a brief pause. He was embarrassed because this angelic girl had mistaken him for a "boy who likes carrying stuffed animals around."
"No... Hmm... I won it at the arcade...?"
Seeing Masha's reaction, Isagi decided she hadn't understood him and once again pushed the Russian words out of his mind.
"Игровые призы, подарки. Я не хочу. Я дам это тебе."
(Game prizes, gifts. I don't want it. I'll give it to you.)
"Хм? Да, для меня?"
(Hmmm? Eh, for me?)
"Да, для тебя."
(Yes, for you.)
After Isagi said that and handed her the stuffed animal, Masha looked confused for a moment, but then smiled radiantly.
"Уваш, серьезно, спасибо, как мило ♡!"
(Uwaah, seriously, thank you, that's so cute ♡!)
When he saw Masha happily hugging the stuffed animal, Isagi felt as if he were being hugged too. Masha asked Isagi again, whose face had turned away in embarrassment and indescribable happiness.
"И как его зовут?"
(And what's his name?)
"Это не так. У него нет имени."
(No, he doesn't have one.)
"И даже? Хм~. Итак, отныне твое имя будет Самуил III!"
(Really? Hmm〜. Then, from now on, your name will be Samuel III!)
Though he didn't hear it clearly, for some reason Isagi felt the stuffed animal had been given a unique name and could only smile faintly.
After grabbing the hand of Isagi, who had that expression, Masha pointed to a dome-shaped playground equipment.
"Isagi, поиграем?"
(Isagi, shall we play?)
"Huh?"
"давай побежим!"
(Let's run!)
"W-What? Ah..."
Isagi started running as his hand was pulled. The girl he had initially mistaken for an angel wasn't actually an angel—she was just an innocent girl. However, her smile was so pure... It truly surprised Isagi, who had always suffered from isolation and malice.
When he and Masha exchanged words and played together, Isagi began to feel that his dry, cracked heart was slowly healing. Isagi wanted to talk with her more. Isagi wanted to show Masha more of his cool side.
From then on, Isagi started frequently watching the Russian movies he found, which had never interested him before. He started taking lessons again, even though he had tried to quit once. Or perhaps he was just treating Masha as a substitute for his mother. Maybe Isagi only desired the approval and admiration that his mother had never given him again.
Still... The feeling he felt at that moment was indeed the feeling of love.
"Что это было Isagi?" (What is it, Isagi?)
"Хм〜〜 ...Насчет этого прозвища, не мог бы ты перестать называть меня «Isagi», потому что оно звучит так, будто это русское имя?"
(Hmm〜〜 ...About that nickname, could you stop calling me "Isagi" because it sounds like a Russian name?)
"Серьезный? Хм~~. Так как мне тебя называть?"
(Seriously? Hmm~~. Then what should I call you?)
"По крайней мере, мне кажется, если в конце добавить «кун», это будет выглядеть более по-японски..."
(At least, I think it would sound more Japanese if you add "kun" at the end...)
"Правильно... В таком случае я буду называть тебя «Sa-kun», ладно?"
(I see... In that case, I'll call you "Sa-kun," okay?)
"Нет, вы все равно хотите использовать это «Sаа»."
(No, you're still using that "Saa.")
If that's the case, it still gives off a similar impression to a Russian name. Masha smiled and brought her face closer to Isagi, who was smiling wryly and thinking that.
"А я?"
(And me?)
"Huh?"
"Как ты меня назовешь?"
(What will you call me?)
No matter what changed, the name "Masha" became her nickname. Isagi had no intention of changing her nickname... but when he saw Masha's expectant look, he couldn't resist saying it.
"Hmm〜〜..."
The first thing that came to Isagi's mind was adding the suffix "chan" to her name. But that form of address was quite embarrassing, even for a child.
"Ни〜Ни〜, как бы ты меня ни называл."
(Nee〜Nee〜, no matter what you call me.)
"Hmm..."
However, if he were pressed like this, that option would immediately disappear from his mind. Isagi opened his mouth hesitantly while averting his gaze.
"В таком случае..."
(In that case...)