Chapter 8

The small crowd roared as the teams took the field. The home team, led by Reo, was ready to take on their opponents. The match began and the home team had possession of the ball.

The match was intense from the start. Both teams had the resolve to win, and the players were giving their all on the field. The stands were filled with excited fans, cheering and shouting for their respective school teams.

Reo, who was playing as the midfielder, was currently in possesion of the ball.

His control of the field and passes were nearly flawless, and he even managed to steal the ball from the opposing team multiple times. But what the opposing team's defense was struggling to keep up with were his quick passes.

Reo gazed upwards, and with lightning quick reflexes, he hurled the ball to Takumi.

As Takumi received the pass, he burst forward with blazing speed, leaving the defense in his dust. The opposing players struggled to match his agility and quickness, which gave Takumi the upper hand.

Spotting a gap in the defense, Takumi quickly sent the ball to Nagi, who was eagerly waiting to make his mark.

Nagi leapt into the air, suspended in mid-air as if time stood still. He deftly controlled the ball with expert precision, spinning past the defender with ease. With a stunning display of athleticism, Nagi launched the ball towards the net with unerring accuracy.

The ball arced gracefully through the air, soaring past the remaining defenders and into the back of the net.

The stadium erupted in a thunderous roar as the spectators celebrated Nagi's incredible goal - the first of many to come.

Nagi's teammates rushed to congratulate him. Reo smiled, knowing that this was just the beginning. They had a strategy, and they were poised to execute it to perfection, leaving no room for error.

The opposing team attempted a valiant comeback, but their efforts were in vain, the combination of Reo's leadership, Takumi's lightning speed, and Nagi's flawless control were simply too much for them to handle.

The match seemed to be just a showcase of the trio's skills, as they dominated the field and scored one goal after another.

The score was a resounding 2-0 in favor of Reo and his team.

The fervor of the game escalated to unparalleled levels as the two sides collided in a battle for supremacy on the lush green pitch.

As the first half was drawing to a close, a new figure strode onto the pitch with a purposeful gait and an unwavering gaze.

Towering over his opponents, his lean and muscular frame was a testament to his strength and athleticism.

His hair was a brilliant shade of cream-white, a stark contrast to his deep brown eyes that gleamed with intense focus.

The spectators' attention was immediately drawn to him, as a hushed awe fell over the stands.

The whispers began, and soon the crowd erupted into a chorus of excitement. They had heard the rumors, and now they had seen him with their own eyes - the National Treasure of Japan - Kira Ryosuke.

The crowd was on the edge of their seats, their excitement building as the first half approached its climax.

The newly entered player was a game-changer, and his impact on the match was immediate and undeniable. His presence was felt immediately as he blazzed trough the field, taking control of it with his exceptional skills and agility.

Reo, watched everything calmly, seemingly unfazed by Kira's impressive display.

With each touch of the ball, Kira's mastery of the sport became more evident, as he dictated the pace and flow of the game.

And as if in a moment of pure magic, Kira received the ball, raced towards the goal, and with a swift and elegant move, sent the ball flying into the back of the net.

The crowd erupted into a frenzy, as they celebrated Kira's stunning goal. But despite the frenzied reactions of the crowd, Reo still remained cool and collected, as if what he was witnessing was nothing new or surprising.

The first half of the match ended with that and the teams took a short break listening to the new strategies that their coaches presented. Reo gave his instructions to the team as their coach in name, Mitsuko, just stood there sitting on a chair while looking at her phone.

...

Reo stood tall on the field, with a calm look etched on his face as he gazed upon his adversaries. With his arms crossed over his chest, he assessed the opposing team with a critical eye, searching for any weakness that he could exploit.

The second half was about to begin, and Reo's mind was working in overdrive as he took in his surroundings. He was acutely aware of the latest addition to the opposing lineup, Kira Ryosuke, a player who had only stepped onto the field at the end of the first half.

A sly smirk played across Reo's lips as he thought to himself, "Finally, they took out their trump card. Their star player, the forward, didn't make an appearance until the dying minutes of the first half. Either their coach is foolish or they are overly confident. Either way, his presence won't make a difference as all it takes is one goal and the game would be over..."

...

The match started, with both teams pushing each other to their limits. Reo's eyes were locked on Kira, watching his every move, ready to counter any threat he posed, despite having predicted his moves and taken measures against him...

Reo's mind was racing with thoughts as he watched the other team's star player, Kira, run across the field. He had spent countless hours pouring over video footage of Kira's past matches, analyzing his every move and studying his tendencies. He had become an expert on this one player, and his knowledge of Kira was second to none.

"I've got you figured out, Kira," Reo thought to himself. "I know your every move, your habits, your decision-making process. I've learned everything there is to know about you through these videos... so why do I feel this unease?"

Reo was confident that his strategy was sound and that they had a strong advantage over the other team but he couldn't get rid of this uncomfortable feeling.

The goal they had allowed Kira to score at the end of the first half was part of their plan, a calculated move meant to throw Kira off his game and make him overconfident.

"This one goal we let you score was just to confirm the information we had on you, Kira. You may be the National Treasure of Japan, but you're no match for us," Reo thought with a smirk despite the growing light of unease in his eyes.

As the match reached its climax, Reo could feel the tension in the air. His team was leading by one goal, but the opposing team was pushing hard for an equalizer. It was then that Kira made his move and Reo's uncomfortable feeling shot trough the roof.

Yusuke, their main defender, made a terrible mistake, a incredibly weak pass that Kira managed to get to and with a burst of speed and agility, break through the almost none existent defense, being one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Reo's heart sank as he watched Kira outrun him and take the shot.

The perfect shot, executed by Kira was heading straight towards the goal.

But their goalkeeper, Daichi, was quick to react. He dove towards the ball and managed to stop it with a well-timed jump, the ball hit the post and bounced away from the goal. The crowd erupted in cheers as Daichi got back up, dusting himself off with a grin.

Reo gave Daichi a quick smile acompained with a nod of approval and turned his attention back on the game.

"We need one more goal", he thought, to absolutely secure their victory and avoid wild variables like the one that just took place.

Daichi now had the ball in his hands, after the catching the corner of the opposing team, he looked at the field and saw Takumi streaking down the left side, and with a quick glance ahead, he launched the ball towards Atsushi, who was taking the role of midfield alongside Reo. Atsushi recieved the ball and looked at Takumi who was asking for the ball, he hurled the ball made send it above the heads of the opposing team defenders.

Takumi leapt into the air, stretching out his foot to meet the ball. He connected, sending the ball hurtling towards the goal. The crowd held their breath as the ball soared through the air, but it hit the post with a loud thud and bounced harmlessly away.

Reo stood at the edge of the penalty area, with his eyes fixed on the approaching ball. He could feel the thrum of excitement in his chest, the familiar rush of adrenaline that always came before a big play. But as the ball came closer, Reo realized something was amiss. It was moving too fast, flying too high for him to reach. The opposing team's goalkeeper was already sprinting forward, arms outstretched, ready to make the save.

But then, something inside Reo ignited. Memories of Nagi's plays, his precise control and expert traps, surged through his mind. Without hesitation, Reo sprang into action. He faced the incoming goalkeeper, and with a lightning-fast move, used his foot to control and deflect the ball from the goalkeeper's reach. The crowd erupted into a collective gasp as they watched Nagi's skills and technique blend seamlessly with Reo's movements.

Reo took advantage of the opening and bolted past the goalkeeper, scoring a stunning goal. The cheers of the crowd rose to a crescendo as the ball sailed into the back of the net. Reo was stunned, his mind racing as he tried to process what had just happened. It was as if Nagi's moves had flowed through him, granting him the ability to execute a truly remarkable play. The feeling was indescribable, a moment of pure bliss and triumph.

Reo ran back to his position, his mind a whirlwind of emotions, as the game continued on with no signs of letting up. The adrenaline was still coursing through his veins, and the excitement of his goal still fresh in his mind.

...

Finally, the final whistle blew, signaling the end of the match, and the home crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Reo's team had just secured a hard-fought victory against their first rivals, thanks in large part to the impressive skills of their star players, Reo, Nagi, Takumi, and Daichi.

As the team celebrated their victory, Reo couldn't help but cast a quick glance over to the opposing team's forward, Kira, who was walking off the field with a sullen look on his face. He didn't seem to be paying attention to his teammates, who were patting each other on the back and congratulating one another for the well played game. Reo couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at seeing the usually confident forward walk off the field defeated, his game plan having been successful in disrupting Kira's play. Reo knew that a victory like this was a testament to his skills.

...

Nagi walked towards Reo, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "That was tiring, but rather easy," he said with a lazy grin.

Reo chuckled at his friend's nonchalant attitude. "Don't be modest, Nagi. You're a genius." he said, clapping him on the back.

Nagi shrugged. "Yeah, I know," he said with a smirk.

Reo looked at him with a serious expression. "Hey Nagi, how about we make a promise?"

Nagi raised an eyebrow. "A promise?" he asked, his tone curious.

"Yes! Let's reach the top of the world and win the world cup together," Reo said, his eyes shining with resolve.

Nagi's expression softened. "Hah, you're always thinking big, Reo," he said, offering his hand to shake. "But sure, I'm in. Let's make it happen."

"Haha, Great! Let's make it happen, Nagi." Reo couldn't hold back his smile

"Yeah, let's do it.", Nagi's lazy voice answered him back.

The two friends shook hands, sealing their promise. The crowd cheered as they walked off the field, arm in arm, ready to take on the world together.

And while the crowd outside was still talking about the defeat of the National Treasure of Japan, Kira. Reo, more than Nagi, was already thinking about their next match and how they were going to win it. As he knew that they had a long road ahead of them, to reach the top and bring home the World Cup.

** Dear readers, This chapter may undergo some revisions as I am not fully satisfied with its current form. Your feedback would be greatly appreciated. Please let me know which parts you particularly enjoyed or had difficulty with so that we can work together to make it even better.