The momentum of the match shifted in an instant. As the game progressed, Team X's coordination—initially a chaotic mess—began to flow with surprising fluidity. The members of Team Z were beginning to feel the suffocating weight of an organized offensive.
In the final ten minutes of the first half, Team X played as if possessed, launching wave after wave of attacks against Team Z's defensive line. To stabilize the situation, Kira and Kunigami were forced to retreat deep into their own half to assist the defense.
Kira understood the psychology at play. If he had earned Team Z's trust by acting as a reliable core, Barou had done the exact same for Team X through his sheer force of will. That one desperate slide tackle and that miraculous goal-line clearance had sparked a fire in his teammates. A team that was once a collection of selfish individuals was now rallying around their King. This was the exact process Ego Jinpachi had described: football evolving from 0 to 1.
Now, Barou moved like a heavy tank, crashing into the backline and constantly probing for the slightest gap in Team Z's armor.
Fortunately, Raichi refused to buckle under the pressure. He clung to Barou like a parasitic vine, stifling the King's movements at every turn. On the rare occasions Barou managed to shake him off, Gagamaru and the other defenders stepped up with timely covers to neutralize the threat.
Beep!
"First half over."
The whistle finally blew, providing a much-needed reprieve. Both teams were gasping for air; the sheer intensity of this first match had exceeded everyone's expectations. Team Z, in particular, was feeling the heat. They had expected an easy win after their early goal, but Barou had turned the pitch into a battlefield. They weren't entirely sure they could hold off the next wave.
Team Z Locker Room
Gulp, gulp...
Raichi drained his water bottle and slammed it down. "Hey, you two strikers! Are you even trying? I've got that big oaf in a straitjacket, so why the hell are we being pushed back like this?"
"It's not the strikers," Kunigami answered, wiping sweat with a towel. "They've read our midfield transitions. As long as they smother Kira, we can't break their formation."
"Then what do we do? Our defense is going to snap eventually! We still have an entire half to go!"
Every eye in the room instinctively turned toward Kira. He sat with his chin in his hand, his mind working at overclock speeds.
"Kira, say something!" Raichi barked.
"Relax, Raichi. Keep your cool," Kira said calmly. "We're the ones in the lead. They're the ones who should be panicking." He stood up and laid out the plan. "In the second half, we switch to a counter-attacking formation. Kunigami, drop to center-back. Chigiri, move to the wing-back position. We play a 1-4-5 defensive shell. They can't maintain this high-press forever. We wait for them to tire, then we strike."
It was the most logical move. In professional football, the team with the lead often parks the bus to secure the result. Internally, Kira was frustrated; Barou was more troublesome than he had anticipated. He had wasted the Kunigami Trial Card in the first half without a goal to show for it. In the second half, he had to make his next move count.
I'll save my stamina, Kira decided. Then, I'll use the Barou Trial Card to end this when they least expect it.
"You all played great in the first half," Kira encouraged, clapping his hands. "Keep it up, and this victory belongs to Team Z!"
The team huddled together, their spirits lifted. "1, 2, 3—Team Z, Victory!"
The Monitoring Room
"This match is incredible. Both sides are perfectly matched," Anri Teieri remarked in awe.
Ego Jinpachi stared at the screens, a flicker of intrigue in his eyes. He had expected these boys to take longer to understand the "0 to 1" evolution, but Kira and Barou had accelerated the process.
"Will it be Kira's leadership that wins out, or Barou's absolute egoism?" Ego murmured. Even he wasn't entirely sure of the outcome.
Second Half
The players returned to the pitch. Barou immediately noted Team Z's tactical shift.
"What's this? Decided to hide in your shells like cowardly turtles?" Barou taunted, his lip curling in a sneer.
Kira met his gaze with a trademark smile. "To tear through your line, I'm the only one I need."
Veins popped on Barou's forehead. "I hope your defense is as tough as your mouth."
Beep! The second half began with Team X in possession.
Against Team Z's "Iron Bus" formation, Team X struggled to find space. Even though they held the ball, the wall of defenders was suffocating. "These damn cowards!" they cursed. "They're just trying to run out the clock!"
Kira ignored the insults, wandering casually in Team X's half, occasionally dropping back just enough to relieve the pressure on his teammates.
Ten minutes into the half.
The ball found its way to Barou's feet. In an instant, Raichi was back on him like flypaper.
"Tch." Barou was sick of this nuisance. He decided it was time to teach this dog a lesson.
Raichi had marked Barou so many times now that he had grown overconfident. To him, Barou was just a strong, physical brute with clumsy footwork. He figured as long as he stayed tight, the "King" couldn't do a thing.
But from a distance, Kira's eyes widened. Something was wrong. Barou's stance had changed.
"Raichi, look out!" Kira screamed.
"Look out for what?" Raichi muttered, confused.
Suddenly, the ball began to dance under Barou's feet. His movements were precise, fluid—he had been hiding his technical skill this whole time. Raichi froze. Left? Right? Where is he going?
Barou charged forward. As Raichi braced for the physical impact, Barou's massive frame obscured his vision. In one seamless motion, Barou flicked the ball up with his heels.
The Rainbow Flick.
The ball soared over their heads. Raichi, still staring at Barou's feet, realized too late that the ball was gone. By the time he looked up, Barou had already spun around him, leaving him rooted to the spot.
"Defense! Defense!" Kira yelled, sprinting back. "Raichi, get moving! He's past you!"
"I got... played?" Raichi's face turned bright red with fury. "You mohawk freak! Get back here!"
Barou didn't wait. He tore toward the goal. Chigiri and Igarashi rushed to close him down.
"Nammu! You aren't getting past a monk!" Igarashi braced himself, but Barou didn't even slow down. He slipped the ball through Igarashi's wide-open legs—a ruthless nutmeg that left him staggering.
Chigiri tried to use his speed to catch up, but Barou's sudden acceleration forced the "Red Panther" to lose his footing and tumble to the turf.
It was a disaster. Barou had bypassed three defenders in seconds. Gagamaru tried to slide in, but he was too far away.
It was a clean breakaway.
The Team Z players could only watch in horror as Barou wound up his leg. He unleashed a rocket that screamed toward the net. Iemon, acting as the makeshift keeper with zero experience, dove the wrong way entirely.
Thump.
The ball buried itself in the back of the net.
Score: 1-1. The game was tied.