After a brief pause while the players reset, the game resumed with twelve minutes left on the clock. The opposing side, though unwilling to say it out loud, had grown wary of Ryo, deliberately steering the ball away from him. His own teammates, still bitter about his presence, weren't exactly eager to involve him—though unlike before, they didn't go out of their way to shut him out.
Even so, it hardly mattered. Ryo found his way into the action more often, intercepting passes and tackling strikers who tried to dribble past him. Compared to Ren, these players were nothing. They were slower, weaker, and more predictable.
Their attempts at speed or fancy footwork were barely a challenge for Ryo. But every time he recovered possession, it was lost again almost instantly, his teammates losing the ball before an attack could even form. For several minutes, the match devolved into a tug-of-war, both teams trading possession back and forth like children exchanging unwanted gifts.
Ryo scanned the field carefully. The ball's in their half, and we've got it… But our attack isn't strong enough. If I push forward, we'll be vulnerable to a counter-attack, which is bound to happen soon.
Not wanting his team to crumble because of a quick break, Ryo hovered cautiously around the left midfield, waiting for the moment when the opponents would try to break through.
And he didn't have to wait long. On the right wing, one of his strikers tried to force a cross, only to be smothered by two defenders. With no midfield support, he was stripped of the ball, and in one motion, the defender sent a long pass, landing in an open space in the midfield. The momentum was reversed instantly, and Ryo's teammates scrambled to get back on the defensive.
"Get back!!"
"Stop Them!"
The opposing striker, who was the recipient of the pass, chased the ball as it fell. Having broken free from the pack, he was the only one on the offensive, but only one defender stood in his way.
This is it. Ryo thought, If I pressure him now, he'll have a hard time keeping the ball. Best case, I win the ball outright. Worst case, he passes back and kills their momentum.
Having weighed his options, Ryo ran to intercept the pass. As it spun through the air and fell to the ground, the striker impatiently brought his foot out in an attempt to control it.
Ryo knew that even the smallest flaw in a run, such as a mistimed step or a poorly angled foot, could ruin a first touch, especially when receiving a pass from behind.
The striker reached the ball without a problem, but as his foot swung out, the ball clipped the outside of his shoe and rolled away from him.
Ryo didn't hesitate. He instantly dashed forward, capitalizing on the loose ball, and dribbling past the striker before he could recover. With most of his teammates still stranded near the opposition's penalty box from the counterattack, some of whom had given up, there was no one in a position to receive a pass. This meant he had no choice but to bring it up himself, sprinting along the left wing with the ball glued to his feet.
With Ryo on a dangerous run on the side and having acknowledged his skill, the opponents started getting desperate to stop him. And when players become desperate, their actions become reckless as they lose their reasoning and judgment and play on instinct. All that mattered to them now was shutting Ryo down, no matter how.
I'm about twenty-five meters out. Too far for a shot, and all of my teammates are still marked. Two defenders are closing in fast, and I don't have a clear path forward. If I stay wide, I'll trap myself, so I need to cut inside and look for a chance.
In a split second, Ryo switched directions, but doing so had revealed a new threat. A midfielder he had run past earlier had caught up, charging straight towards him. Damn, I didn't see him until I turned my body.
Having spotted a teammate who was loosely marked, and with a lack of other options, Ryo quickly made up his mind to pass. He planted his right foot, preparing to pass, but the midfielder, who hadn't slowed down, slid into a desperate tackle, his boot crashing into Ryo's planted foot instead of the ball. With his only support ripped away. The collision sent Ryo crashing hard into the ground before his foot could connect with the ball.
Fweeet
The referee blew the whistle and instantly showed a yellow card to the midfielder and motioned for a free kick. Even though this was only a tryout scrimmage, the rules of football still applied—free kicks, penalties, and all.
"Take it easy out here. We don't want anyone getting injured on the first day," the referee said firmly.
Ryo rubbed his foot as he sat up. Damn, that hurt pretty bad. I'm lucky that I didn't end up with an injury.
From behind, the midfielder protested. "C'mon, he only went flying because he is much smaller than me! That was a fair tackle!"
"You clearly clipped his legs, and not the ball. That's a foul," the referee responded tersely. "And it is precisely because he is smaller that you need to be careful when tackling him. Remember, this is a tryout—arguing with me isn't the impression you want to make."
With a reminder that he was being closely watched, the player backed off and accepted his mistake. Following that, he joined his teammates who had quickly circled together, murmuring about how to defend the free kick.
The referee crouched slightly next to Ryo. "Are you alright?"
Ryo nodded.
"I know you are excited to show what you can do, but please be careful not to put yourself in a dangerous situation."
"Yes, sir, I understand. I'm sorry."
The referee gave him a quick thumbs-up. "You've got this. Keep fighting," he said before pacing back to mark the free kick spot.
Pulling himself to his feet, Ryo scanned the pitch for his teammates. I need to convince them that I should be the one taking this free kick.
Most of his teammates had gathered in the midfield to strategize, so Ryo jogged over, ready to convince them.
{New Quest!}
(Situational Quest – First Team? No Problem.)
[Take The Free Kick And Show Everyone Why You Deserve To Be
On The First Team.]
[Time Limit – 5 Minutes]
[Rewards: Long Distance Shooting +5]
[Penalty: Long Distance Shooting -5]
The sudden notification flashing in front of his face made Ryo recoil. God, that nearly gave me a heart attack. Would it kill The System to be a little less in-my-face? Still, he couldn't complain too much. Free stat points are always welcome—especially when they come to me without needing to lift a finger.