The night air was cool and still, but Renji's blood was burning. Across the training field, Eiji Kobayashi [old legend] stood like a silent sentinel, the ball resting at his feet. The man's calm presence only made Renji more restless — he was ready to learn, to grow, to surpass.
Kobayashi's eyes met Renji's. "You've got vision. You've got creativity. But that's not enough to be a striker."
Renji's fists clenched. "Then what is?"
"Execution." Kobayashi's foot tapped the ball lightly. "All the awareness in the world means nothing if you can't capitalize on the smallest window. You see the space — but can you take it?"
Without warning, Kobayashi launched the ball into the air and struck. The shot curved sharply, a Trivela — an outside-foot strike — that sailed across the field and smacked the far post with a sharp clang.
Renji's breath caught. The precision, the power — it was perfect.
"Tonight, we refine your weapons. No more wild swings. You're going to learn to hit with intent."
Drill 1: The Driven Strike
Kobayashi set up a simple target — a single cone placed low at the far end of the field. "Driven shots are about speed and control. A fastball that keeps low and cuts through defenses. No spin, no lift — just pure force."
Renji lined up his shot. He focused on his form, on keeping his body balanced and his strike clean. The ball shot forward — but it lifted, soaring over the target.
"Too much backspin," Kobayashi corrected. "Again."
Over and over, Renji adjusted. Each strike brought him closer. He recalled Nakamura's vision training, the way he'd learned to see the field. Now, he applied it here — visualizing the ball's path before he even struck.
On his tenth attempt, the ball hissed through the air and knocked the cone flat.
Kobayashi nodded. "Better. But now we add pressure."
Drill 2: Moving Targets
Kobayashi set up several small, mobile dummies. "In a match, your target's never still. If you can't adapt mid-shot, you'll never score against top defenders."
Renji gritted his teeth and went to work. His first shots missed wildly — his timing thrown off by the shifting targets. But he adjusted. He used his vision to anticipate their movement. He slowed his breathing, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
When his next ball struck a moving dummy dead-center, Kobayashi's sharp eyes gleamed.
"Good. Now let's see if you can do it when it matters."
One-on-One
Kobayashi stood in front of the goal, the ball at Renji's feet. "Your job's simple. Get past me and score."
Renji's muscles tensed. He activated his Specter Drive, his movements becoming sharper and more elusive. He darted left, then right — but Kobayashi didn't bite. The old legend mirrored him perfectly, calm and unreadable.
Renji switched tactics. He tried a Feint Step, shifting his weight to one side before cutting back — but Kobayashi anticipated it. With a single step, he blocked Renji's path, forcing him back.
"You're too focused on the trick," Kobayashi said. "Use your weapons together."
Renji's eyes narrowed. He activated his vision — reading Kobayashi's stance, his balance. And then he saw it — a slight shift in weight.
He didn't hesitate. He struck with a Rabona Cross, not as a pass but as a sudden shot — the unpredictable angle catching even Kobayashi off-guard. The ball sailed past him, striking the top corner of the net.
For the first time, Kobayashi smiled.
"Not bad, Kurogami. But you're still far from the top."
Renji collapsed onto the grass, his chest heaving. The night's training had pushed him to his limit — but the fire inside him only grew stronger.
"You've got potential," Kobayashi said as he walked away. "Let's see if you can turn it into something real."
As the old legend disappeared into the darkness, Renji clenched his fists.
"I will."
End of Chapter 86