"Welcome back, everyone, to our third game on this beautiful day."
"That's right. Whether you're tuning in on TV or joining us in the YouTube livestream, we are happy to have you all for the 7th game in the U-12 regional tournament in Nagano Prefecture."
"Today's matchup features Ryusei Elementary and Lida Alto FC U-12—and this one has been circled on many people's calendars."
"No exaggeration there, Inoue-san, this game will definitely not disappoint. Ryusei Elementary secured the top spot in their group with a commanding lead, dominating over other teams throughout Nagano and its neighboring cities. Last year, they made it to the finals, falling just short of heading to Nationals. On the other hand, Lida Alto's U-12 team is known for matching the standards of their senior teams, consistently placing at the top of their group at the end of each season. Alto has history on their side, too. Last year, they were eliminated in the semifinals by the eventual champions. Still, over the last fifteen years, they made it to the finals eleven times, winning the regional tournaments in 2016, 2017, 2020, and 2024."
"Both teams have a lot of promise, but unfortunately, only one of them will survive today. By the way, Sakamoto-san… the warm-up area for Ryusei looks a little empty. Are we missing players?"
"Unfortunately, yes. We've confirmed that a major traffic jam on the Ueda route has delayed several of their kids. As it turns out, there was quite a severe accident that brought traffic to a standstill."
"Oh… let's hope everyone involved is alright. Does this put Ryusei at risk of a forfeit?"
"Probably not. They already have ten players present, and it sounds like more are trickling in. As long as they can field the minimum before kickoff, they should be fine."
"Okay, let's hope they make it here on time. This game has too much potential to end before it even begins."
"Agreed. While the players are all warming up on their respective sides, let's introduce the roster for each team."
"Let's do it."
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The stadium carried a unique energy—the kind that naturally builds when the stands fill slowly but steadily.
People of all ages were present in the crowd, from older fans who had played football long before the J-League was established, to parents and classmates waving handmade signs, and even kids younger than Ryo who wore the jerseys of their favorite professional teams. Not only were there fans who came to support their local teams, but also quite a few seats were filled by die-hard football enthusiasts who had bought all-access passes, planning to watch every match of the tournament back-to-back.
With the stands filled with excitement and anticipation, Ryo decided to finish his warm-up. His practice had consisted of stretches, mobility exercises, passing drills, and a few shots on goal. Ryo kept all the drills simple, dedicating himself to only doing what was needed to loosen up, saving as much energy as possible for the game.
A couple of minutes after Ryo returned to the sidelines, the referee called out to both teams, signaling that the game was about to start. Ryo glanced toward Coach Matsumoto, who finally looked less tense now that more players had arrived, bringing their numbers up to fourteen.
It must have been very stressful for him not to have a full team until the last second.
Ryo turned his attention back to the pitch as he leaned back in the chair and took one last sip of water before the game. By this time, all extra balls had been cleared from the play area, and all the referees were ready. All that was left was for the teams to walk onto the pitch.
"Ryo, you ready?" Taiga asked as the team gathered together.
"Yes," Ryo replied simply, getting up from his seat. If anything, he was rather excited.
Their team huddled together around Matsumoto one last time, and with some final words of encouragement and instructions, they stepped out toward the referee.
"Alright, both captains, please come forward for the coin toss," the referee said after both teams were lined up facing each other. "Lida Alto FC, you will call out the toss."
Ryo listened to the referee's words as he studied the opposing players up close for the first time.
They all give off quite an impressive feeling. Some of them are pretty tall too…
Ryo stopped his gaze on the player in front of him. He could tell from a glance that the person in front of him was much older than he was. On top of that, he was a head taller than Ryo, and with his build, he was probably a defender.
I wonder what his number is…
The thought stopped halfway when the boy's gaze snapped toward him, and their eyes met. Neither of them diverted their gaze, silently waging a war of attrition to see who would crumble first.
The player looked down at him, his eyes serious, yet relaxed, and the rest of his expression still. Ryo didn't back down, keeping his gaze held firm, even if he was looking upwards at his opponent.
His eyes look intense… Is he trying to intimidate me? Or is he just trying to decide whether I'm a threat?
Either way, it doesn't matter. He will get the answer to all his questions during the game.
Ryo broke the stare with a small smirk and looked to the coin spinning high in the air. The Alto FC captain called heads right as the coin reached its apex, but when the coin landed, the tails side of the coin was showing.
"The coin is in Ryusei Elementary's favor. Captain," the referee turned and addressed Tomoya. "Do you choose to kick off or defend?"
"We'll kick off first," Tomoya said without hesitation. Under normal circumstances, they would choose to give up the kickoff in the first half and start with the ball in the second half. However, given the fact that most of their team wasn't fully warmed up, and that some of the key players still hadn't arrived, they couldn't afford to let the opposing team start with any momentum.
After acknowledging Tomoya's decision, the referee blew his whistle as he signaled towards Alto's goal, and the audience broke out into applause as the players took their positions.
Ryo headed to his usual starting position to the left of the center circle and waited expectantly.
This is the first time I've played in front of so many people. I hope I can make the game interesting for them.
As the referee got into place and brought the whistle to his mouth, the stadium fell quiet. Nobody moved around, nobody spoke. Even the broadcast fell silent as the commentators stopped talking, all waiting for the kickoff.
Fweeet
The instant the whistle blew, Tomoya set the ball in motion, and the game officially began.
{New Quest!}
—(Situational Quest – Regional Debut)
——[The Regional Tournament Is Here. The Player Must Prove They Belong On This Stage.]
——[Score Three Goals: 0/3]
——[Reward: New Skill – Anchor]
——[Penalty: Overall -5]
——[Time Limit: The End Of The Game]
Of course, The System would show up now. But seriously? Three goals? And a -5 penalty to my overall stat would undo months of progress. I swear, sometimes The System knows exactly how to provoke me.
Although he was still unsure how he would score a hat trick, Ryo had to put his lamentations on hold. His team had possession and was slowly advancing into the Alto's half.
Just to be safe, Ryo did not overcommit to this first action; instead, he wanted to wait to see how Alto would arrange themselves. Within a minute of the game starting, Ryo had a grasp of their formation.
Interesting. They are employing a 3–4–3 formation, with the middle four players arranged in a diamond. That means they'll focus more on controlling the center instead of breaking through the wings. This would allow the defending midfielder to retreat or the attacking midfielder to advance more easily.
Ryo was slightly worried since this formation was very attack-oriented. If his team got caught off guard, they would be overwhelmed quickly by three or possibly four attackers. However, they would not be able to stretch out much to cover the sides without tearing their formation apart.
Why fight them in the middle? We can just let them have it—it will be like keeping the midfield locked in a cage.
But to do that, he would have to coordinate with the rest of his team. And the best way would be to talk to them during a break in the play.
Ryo eyed the ball, the position of the white and black jerseys, and a grin spread across his face as he got ready to leap into action.
If The System wants goals…
Then goals it shall receive.