Chapter 166: The New Sensation Shot
"Whoa! Reo Mikage, Number 14 for England's Manshine City, is tearing through the middle on his own!"
"This is insane! The Ubers defense is legendary for being a brick wall, but he just ripped a hole right through it."
Natsuki rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Was this really a Japanese high schooler? If Tereasa were here, he'd probably just laugh and tell Natsuki he hadn't seen anything yet—that the white-haired monster on Ubers was the real freak of nature.
Niko watched from the back, his head spinning. Reo had evolved into something dangerous. He wasn't defaulting to Nagi as his first option anymore. It was a high-level all-rounder style that Niko honestly envied.
Agi and Nagi were keeping pace with Reo, but Reo didn't even glance at them.
"Tell me, Mikage Reo. What does the Number One in the world look like to you?"
"How would the 'Ideal Reo Mikage' answer that question?"
Chris Prince's questions from their first meeting flashed through Reo's mind as he drove the ball forward.
'Chris, I've finally got my answer.'
'I'm going to be the striker who controls the pitch and pulls the trigger myself.'
'I'm done being the parasite who needs someone else to look good. I want the power to become Number One on my own terms!'
Reo had made his decision the moment the whistle blew. He was going to score against Kira. He wanted to show Nagi that he could take down the King without any help.
'This is the new me.'
Reo reached the edge of the box and wound up for a strike.
"Forty million yen? Please."
A shadow suddenly eclipsed Reo's vision. Lorenzo had read the shooting motion perfectly. With a jarring, awkward lunge, he sniped the ball right off Reo's foot and sent it spiraling out of bounds.
"You were trying to mimic Itoshi Rin's curved shot, weren't you?"
"I've faced the real deal. Yours is just a cheap knock-off. If you want to learn how to actually copy someone, maybe you should take notes from our ace, Kira."
Reo's little trick was child's play to a man like Lorenzo.
"Tch... you gold-toothed freak," Reo hissed, his face twisting in frustration. He couldn't believe his ultimate weapon had been dismantled that easily.
"What a massive stop by Lorenzo, the heart of the Ubers defense!"
"Mikage Reo was centimeters away from a goal, but the ball is out for a throw-in."
"This match is on fire! We're seeing world-class offense and defense right out of the gate."
Natsuki might be older, but he could still keep up with the play-by-play, even if he lacked Tereasa's frantic energy.
"Man, that gold-toothed guy is a lifesaver."
"Right? Look at Kira just strolling around the front line. He has zero intention of dropping back to help."
"Well, yeah. If the strikers have to do the defending, the defenders might as well go home and collect unemployment."
The livestream chat was already singing Lorenzo's praises. On the sidelines, Snuffy remained expressionless. To him, a stop like that was just another day at the office. In fact, he was slightly annoyed. He hated that the ball had made it all the way to the edge of the box before being cleared. Too slow.
"Hey, Workaholic..."
Chris Prince leaned over to address Snuffy. The two Masters began to trade barbs as they watched the pitch.
"Don't think that's the only trick we've got. We're just getting warmed up."
"Oh? Is the rest of your team also a bunch of muscle-bound meatheads with zero brain cells?"
"You... you...!"
Chris sputtered, caught off guard by Snuffy's roast.
"I'm not even going to argue with you. You'll see soon enough," Chris said, huffing and turning his head away.
Snuffy let out a small, subtle smile. Ruffling the feathers of a guy who lived and breathed bicep curls was always entertaining.
Match continues. Manshine City throw-in.
Reo scanned the field before launching the ball back into play.
"Tch. Your delivery is trash, rich boy."
Aiku anticipated the drop perfectly, beating Nagi to the spot. Nagi tried to use his god-tier trapping ability to bypass him, but Aiku was too experienced. He used his frame to lean into Nagi, denying him the space to leap.
"Without your wings, you're just a grasshopper that can't hop. Get lost."
Aiku casually cleared the ball forward. "My strikers are waiting. Counter-attack, Ubers!"
"Heh heh heh..."
Lorenzo let out a raspy chuckle as he moved to collect the clearance. The rest of the Ubers squad ignited in sync, moving like a well-oiled machine.
"Hey, Goldilocks. You're just another gear in the machine, aren't you?"
A streak of red lightning tore past Lorenzo, snatching the ball before he could even touch it.
"You're fast, thirty-million... though you feel like you're worth way more than that."
Lorenzo was genuinely surprised. He hadn't expected to be sniped. Up front, Kira and Barou were equally stunned to see Lorenzo lose possession.
[Hyoma Chigiri. Overall: 90 (S-Rank)]
[Speed: 98 (S)]
[Defense: 68 (C)]
[Passing: 80 (A)]
[Dribbling: 93 (S)]
[Shooting: 88 (A)]
[Offense: 95 (S)]
'Tch. No wonder,' Kira thought. Chigiri had hit S-rank. A 98 in speed was terrifying. The Red Panther had undergone a massive evolution in England.
"Shut him down!" Niko roared.
Ubers shifted gears instantly, transitioning from an all-out attack back into a defensive shell. Lorenzo was fast, but even he couldn't catch Chigiri. He was trailing by half a body length, desperately trying to close the gap.
Aryu stepped up to help, creating a two-on-one. Chigiri didn't flinch. His eyes were cold, fixed on the goal.
"Tell me, Hyoma Chigiri. What is your ideal?"
"Be specific. Work backward from the person you want to become."
"What kind of player is the 'Ideal Chigiri'?"
Chris Prince's training echoed in Chigiri's ears. His answer was carved into his every stride.
'I don't want to pass. I'm going to use this speed to tear through every single one of you.'
'I'm the one who's going to score.'
Chigiri gritted his teeth and shifted into another gear.
"He can still accelerate?!"
Aryu was left in the dust. The sheer explosive power of Chigiri's sprint was too much for him to handle. Lorenzo was left behind a second later. Chigiri was moving like a rocket.
On the sidelines, Chris Prince watched with a smug grin. He was proud of his masterpiece.
"Go on, Chigiri. Trap them in your game. Inside or outside?"
Another Ubers defender rushed in to close the lane. Chigiri came to a dead stop, then instantly exploded into an inside cut. The defender's brain couldn't process the change in momentum fast enough. Chigiri's high-speed incision shredded the Ubers' final line.
"I've got you."
Niko's Meta-vision was active.
"You're cutting inside to find your 'golden zone'—the perfect angle for your shot, right?"
Niko's eyes were sharp behind his bangs. He thought he'd read the script.
"Heh... You're too late, Four-eyes. This is my backyard."
Before Niko could react, Chigiri executed a lightning-fast lateral drag. Niko's balance was gone. Chigiri wound up and pulled the trigger.
The ball took flight, carving a perfect arc toward the net.
"Crap! It's too fast!" Niko realized.
Chris Prince stood on the sideline, his ego swelling.
"Enjoy the show, Chigiri. Forget about raw power—it's all about the line."
"Show them that new sensation!"
***
For early access to 20 chapters ahead: p@tre~~.com/Demonic_Fiction (Link is in the synopsis and my profile).