Demon It Is

The little game of tag started right at the moment when a ball landed from the ceiling right in front of everyone.

Gurimu's expression became slightly panicky and the moment he glanced over at the barely 3 minutes of playing time on the screen, it was a dead giveaway that there would not be much time to get someone else to be it.

Hardening his resolve he proceeded to trap the ball underneath his right foot and stared at the others.

Haruo only analyzed everything that happened from behind him.

"Wait a sec...That thing about Japan's U-20. Do you really believe what that guy had said? That must have been a bluff!?" Another player with brown hair and the same height as Haruo also stood behind Gurimu and tried to defuse the situation, mentioned that it can't be true what Jinpachi had said.

"I will do it...If I lose, I'll have to become a monk at the temple...If I lose, I'll be a monk at the temple..."

Haruo smiled because he knew what that other guy said was really the truth. For each and every player that was here, this was not the end of their life.

If they would think about it rationally it only meant that their opportunity to go big in a short amount of time would be lost but not what happens after that. They still had their skills and talent. Moving on is also a thing professionals need to accept.

But if Haruo is right about this project then the ambition of all these young players should be great. Especially Igarashi's since he would have to return to the temple. He even chanted about it already like he was delirious.

Haruo had overheard the conversation between Igarashi and Isagi. From that, he knew that this guy lived in a temple and only could leave it if he succeeded in becoming a professional footballer. His resolve and desperation should be the highest among the guys here.

If he was right, then that is why he was pushed to be the first Oni. That was by the way the name of it.

Haruo smirked. It sounded like a poetic poem. Defeat and overcome your demon. But don't be devoured by your inner demons.

Igarashi didn't seem to be aware of him being at his six. So he noted down his spatial awareness being flawed.

No wonder he had the lowest number. But his resolve to not hesitate and start shooting the ball at the others on the other hand seemed to be a strong point. It also aligned with his talent.

-[Gurimu Igarashi]-

[Football Prodigy: B+]

[Steel-Like Resolve: A]

[...]

In fact, it was his best talent he had and it was a talent that many players lacked and could never find. This game in itself would show exactly who had it and who did not.

There were 12 players in this room. Obviously, one too many to build a team of eleven. It was already a rigged game for one of them to get thrown out. But who will that be? Haruo's eyes traveled over each and every player in the room.

Haruo became vigilant because the one with the lowest potential in this room was actually himself. Everyone in this room had a higher talent in football than himself. That said, if he wanted to keep here he needed to make the playing ground even.

With that in mind, Haruo started to glare at Ryosuke. The one with the highest talent in the group.

'Right, to become the greatest, you just need to throw out the greatest. I should listen to my power a little bit more...' Haruo was now resolved that throwing out that guy was his goal. Besides that, he didn't like him at all. He made a spiel of being the good guy but inwardly was looking down at all of them.

"Graaaaaaa!!!!" Igarashi was running with the ball

The other guys started avoiding his shots and tried to find places to avoid them easily. That of course led to them grouping up into a corner and noticing it way too late. Ryosuke was hiding behind the guy from before that tried to defuse the situation and another blond guy. Among them was also Isagi right at the front.

It looked like Igarashi would shoot one of them but missed them all. Everyone repositioned themselves again.

"This has to be a joke. There is no way pros actually train like this." Ryosuke was complaining about this game again.

"Kira-kun..." Yoichi noticed that and wanted to talk with him but got interrupted by Kira's next sentence.

"I'm only here so I can reject that guy's rotten ideology...Trying to stake our football careers on a three-minute-long game of -Tag- is completely screwed up!!! I won't let that guy destroy my future!"

Haruo heard his little speech as well and could only scratch the backside of his head. 'Knew it, you little shit. Now only a small opportunity to kick him out...Come on Igarashi...'

Haruo already started positioning himself differently. But even with that Gurimu was like a straight train with a tunnel vision the moment he saw the still on the ground lying kid.

"Haha! That's the guy! Lucky me, he's still sleeping!!"

But before Igarashi could tap him with the ball the guy from the ground made an agile handstand and kicked Gurimu in his face. Effectively avoiding the ball as well.

"Argh...That hurts! Hey, that was a foul! IN a match that'd get you a red card!" Igarashi complained.

"Hmm~? Wasn't the only rule not to use our hands? Anyway, good morning~" The person that slept now rubbed his eyes lightly.

Did Haruo mention already that most people now had crazy hair and eye colors? Pink, orange, blue, and green were all colors that seemed to be naturally born colors. It was kinda crazy to get used to that at first.

The guy that was sleeping seemed to have blonde hair that he dyed black? At least it looked like that because his bob cut hair was interesting to look at. Being all black outside and blond underneath.

There was even a guy with cherry blossom colored hair and matching eyes. Another one had orange hair.

"Hey, I hate that dirty shit." Said an orange-haired guy now that seemed to be triggered by the kick to the face. He didn't like the bob-cut using such violent methods. "Play fair and square."

"Well, ain't you serious." , said the bob-cut back. Just at that moment when he responded to him the orange-haired guy got the ball smacked to his face.

"Hah! Found an opening!" Igarashi was excited but soon got scared and hid behind Isagi who gets a powerful shot into his abdomen knocking him over and letting him gasp for air.

"Uff...That probably hurt a lot...", mentioned Haruo after looking at the shooter.

-[Rensuke Kunigami]-

[Football Prodigy: B+]

[Monstrous Power-Shot: A]

[...]

"My bad...That wasn't for you." Kunigami apologized after realizing who he actually hit.

Yoichi Isagi who was now the Oni seemed to be somewhat agitated. His time was only a minute and he needed to find someone he could hit with the ball. Even Haruo had to evade one of his shots after trying to get in his blind spot without success.

Haruo smiled wrily because it really wasn't easy to get behind someone that actually had good spatial awareness.

-[Yoichi Isagi]-

[Football Prodigy: A-]

[Impressive Offensive Positioning: A-]

[Tactical Vision: A-]

[...]

And after failing most of his tries it seemed at first that Isagi would now go after Igarashi again but for some reason, the former sleeping guy that he identified as Bachira was clinging like a monkey to Kunigami and trying to persuade Isagi to shoot him.

-[Meguru Bachira]-

[Football Prodigy: A]

[Snake-like Flexibility: B+]

[Smooth Ball Control: A-]

[Fast Elastic Dribble: A+]

[Precise Crossing: B]

[Low center of gravity: B+]

'Oh~, this fella is actually quite interesting. Makes me wonder...' Haruo looked over at the guy with the redish long pink-hair. He was the only one that seemed to be gone from danger the moment it came over.

-[Hyoma Chigiri]-

[Football Prodigy: A]

[Explosvie Acceleration: A]

[Cheetah fast Legs: A+]

[Impressive Dribbling: B]

[Precise Ball Control: B]

'Looks like I really got a lot of interesting fellas in my group. That means I really want that idiot gone...' Haruo looked at Ryosuke.

At the same moment, while Haruo was in thought, Bachira was thrown by Kunigami against Igarashi. Their collision was not without aftereffects. And when he wanted to stand up Gurimu noticed that his leg was slightly injured.

Everyone noticed his predicament and the only one that was actually shouting was Ryosuke.

"Go!! Isagi-kun! Take the shot!! Do it now!!"

"H...Hey. H-Hold on..." Igarashi tried to talk himself out and Isagi only stared at him while he talked to him.

Only 30 seconds remained on the clock. Just a simple pass would make Igarashi the it again.

But in the end he did not follow Ryosuke's advice. Isagi stopped in front of Igarashi and then ran against the others.

Haruo smiled greatly at that moment while looking at the teenager.

-[Yoichi Isagi]-

[Football Prodigy: A+][NEW]

[Driven Resolve: B][NEW]

Without hesitating, Haruo positioned himself near Ryosuke and looked at Bachira who stole Isagi's ball and went after Ryosuke as well.

He shot the ball and only hit the wall. That gave Ryosuke enough time to run away.

"What the hell are you trying to do!?" Ryosuke was annoyed and shouted at Bachira's behavior when he thought he was safe.

But what he didn't expect was that Bachira made a light cross over to Isagi when the ball rebounded from the wall and it was all about him. Even though the ball would not hit Isagi, he still shot it straight at Ryosuke in a direct volley.

Anticipating the betrayal Ryosuke avoided the ball with barely ducking at the same time when the clock reached 0.

A small smile appeared on Ryosukes's face after seeing that.

"So you betrayed me!? Suits you just well being thrown out, then." Ryosuke clearly showed his true face then and there.

But what he did not know was that Haruo trapped the shot behind him with his chest and was already in shot motion. The ball was struck and hit the back of Ryosuke, sending him stumbling to the ground a little. Shortly after the ball rolled over the ground after coming back down.

Ryosuke was angered and looked back. "What the fuck was that for!!? The game is over!!"

Haruo only grinned at him. "Are you sure? Maybe you should take a look back at the screen?" His mocking smile remained after his words and everyone else looked at the screen as well because they were sure Isagi would be kicked out.

Then a clear ringing sound was heard and the screen changed from Haruo being the Oni to Ryosuke being the final Oni and blood seemed to trickle down with a game over in it.

"What!!? That can't be!! The time was already over the moment Isagi shot the ball!"

The screen opened and Jinpachi Ego looked at the twelve of them.

"Good job, you unpolished gems. Let us continue to the results. The player we will get rid of is... Ryosuke Kira! You are expelled!"

Ryosuke was of course not agreeing to it and shouted how such a shitty bug could even happen.

"Sugewara-kun, would you like the honor?", asked Jinpachi.

"Sure." Haruo just shrugged his shoulders. He knew what the coach wanted him to say. So he went over to the ball and started juggling it with his feet.

"Kira-san...Do you know what it means to struggle until the end? Do you know how it is to keep fighting to reach a win? Being the underdog and still being hungry for that one goal? From the beginning, your attitude was that of someone only being here to try and discredit this project. To show your superiority complex. You never took anyone serious here and you never took everyone's resolve into consideration."

"What does that have to do with anything!!?"

Haruo took the ball and placed it at his waist. "If you trash can't play until the blow of the whistle, then you better fuck off. Your attitude was just some half-assed attempt at football. You looked at the clock as if it was the ultimate goal."

Now Ryosuke was shocked. Every player knew that you play as long as the whistle had not sounded. And yet he was so focused on the clock that he didn't even think about that. He was too cocky to be able to avoid Isagi's shot that he didn't even notice that the game was still going on.

"But let me tell you something. Every professional referee would keep the play going until the ball is either on the ground too long without possession or the shot is missed." Then Haruo made a pistol with his hand and aimed at Ryosuke. "And with a bang, you are out just because you lost to despair. If everyone would stop playing just because 90 minutes were over, football would be boring. Especially if you are right in the penalty zone."

"Well said, Sugewara-san. Now then, would you please leave?"

"What the fuck!? Do you think you will win the world cup with this dumb shit!?" Ryosuke pointed at the still injured Igarashi. "How could you erase the future of a player as talented as me!!? Aren't I Japan's national treasure!? So why the fuck don't you expel Igarashi or Isagi instead. Even that trash Sugewara would be fine!!"

At that moment Ryosuke got another ball hitting his face.

"What the hell, you bastard!!?" He shouted further and glared at Haruo.

"How about you blame yourself for instance? You know, you could have still reacted and pushed the ball right at Igarashi that was in front of you. As I said, you just lacked the resolve in front of the real goal." Haruo explained the obvious now.

It was simple. Because the shot he made at his back was still in the air for a while and Ryosuke was even able to look after the ball that hit him, he could easily have reacted with a slide to push it against the injured Igarashi.

It was enough time to react but he did just not do it because he was frozen and the mindset of the game being over manifested inside him.

"That is correct..." Jinpachi started explaining what the purpose of the tag game was. How the room was exactly the same size as the penalty box or that the time given was exactly 2 minutes and 16 seconds. The average time a player was in possession of the ball during a match.

"You had the chance, yet you wasted it. The one who is it in tag. That is the one who has the ball. That person decides who they want to win, but also gets to decide who they want to "lose"."

Jinpachi Ego paused for a second.

"This is your loss, Ryosuke Kira. Now fuck off."

"Graaa!" Ryosuke was naturally pissed and left the room after glaring at the remaining elven, especially Haruo that was balancing the ball on his finger and not caring at all.

[Congratulations, Football talent upgraded to *Football Prodigy A+* after devouring the talent of -Ryosuke Kira- .]

[Bonus was chosen and added. 3 times *Monstrous Stamina: A+* from -Raichi Jingo- devoured. Bonus for choosing the same skill three times is added. Skill bonus received and existing talent is merged....*Three-Lunged Stamina: S* gained.]

Haruo was already more focused on his gains.

He had already looked through everyone's talents and chose the one talent that was the hardest to gain and always depended on genetics. With enough stamina, you could train longer and more effectively in general.

There were of course some talents that had something to do with height and other genetic stuff but for now, what he needed most was fitness.

The more time on the field you play, the more experience you could gain. With that talent, he already gained an amazing boost as a young prospect.

Especially since he seemed to be the youngest player in this team with 16 years and 5 months.

And most young players lacked exactly this endurance that was needed to run full 90 minutes.

But now it should be easy to run for the whole game. Probably even 120 minutes.