The scoreboard flashed: 1-0, but no one on Team Zeta dared relax.
Epsilon moved like a machine. Their rhythm was precise, their passing seamless — like they could read each other's minds. And it didn't take long for their captain, Rikuya Asano, to show why he was their ace.
The moment the game resumed, Asano took control. His dribbling was smooth and calculated, every touch drawing Zeta's players toward him — like a gravitational pull.
"Don't let him dictate the flow!" Riku Saionji called out, closing in.
But Asano didn't even flinch. With one fluid motion, he tapped the ball backward — and Daisuke Okamoto was already there.
Epsilon's attack was relentless. Kouta Hoshikawa darted forward, drawing Kaede Arata out of position. The space opened — and Asano sprinted through it like a predator.
"Sora!" Renji called, but Sora Amagi was already moving.
Phantom Step activated. Sora blurred forward, matching Asano's pace — but something felt off. Asano's eyes stayed locked ahead, never even acknowledging Sora's approach.
And then… it happened.
Asano twisted his body at the last second — a La Croqueta — smoothly shifting the ball from one foot to the other and slipping right past Sora's challenge.
"Damn it—!"
Asano broke free. The goal was wide open.
But Jin Kazama was waiting.
Asano shot — a bullet aimed for the bottom corner — but Jin dived low, his fingertips pushing the ball just wide of the post. Another critical save.
"Jin's on fire today!" Haruto Inoue shouted, but Epsilon wasn't done.
The corner kick was fast and lethal. Kouta Hoshikawa rose for the header — and just before contact, feinted, letting the ball drop lower — right into the path of Daisuke Okamoto's volley.
The strike was perfect.
"Jin!"
But Jin Kazama was faster.
He read the shot and launched himself across the goal, both hands stretching — and with an explosive thud, he punched the ball clear.
"How the hell…?" Kouta's eyes widened.
Renji smirked. "Jin's evolving, too."
But the counterattack was already in motion.
Renji surged forward, Sora Amagi at his side. Kaede Arata and Riku Saionji flanked from the wings. Team Zeta finally moved as one.
Renji's vision sharpened — his spatial awareness awakening fully. He saw the entire field like a map — every position, every potential route. And with his Copycat ability, he made his decision.
He twisted his body, replicating Riku's off-the-ball movement — dragging Epsilon's defenders out of position.
"Sora!"
Sora's Phantom Step activated — but this time, his Phantom Feint followed. He danced through two defenders, his acceleration sharper than ever.
"Kaede, now!"
Kaede Arata sprinted into the gap, receiving Sora's pass — and with a quick step-over, left his marker behind.
The goal was open.
But Renji wanted more.
He pushed his limits, copying Kaede's Knuckle Shot technique — and when the ball came his way, he struck it with devastating force.
The ball dipped and swerved unpredictably — and the keeper never stood a chance.
2-0.
But Renji knew this wasn't over.
Not yet.