The match restarted with a fire that threatened to consume the field. The intensity was unmistakable — every player here had evolved through the brutal training with the old legends, and now, they were desperate to prove they were among the best. With four eliminations looming over them, no one could afford to hold back.
Renji stood at the center, his breathing steady despite the chaos around him. His eyes flicked across the field — his Hawk's Eye vision made every movement crystal clear. But he wasn't the only one with heightened awareness.
Team 2's kickoff.
Riku Saionji immediately took control, his field vision and composure a mirror of Renji's. With one glance, he sent a perfect one-touch pass to Kaede Arata on the wing. Kaede didn't waste a second, executing a quick Cruyff Turn, leaving Kenji Takahashi off balance.
"Too slow." Kaede sped down the line, his control smooth and precise.
But Hajime Ueda was waiting. Kaede feinted left — but Ueda anticipated it, sliding in for a clean interception.
"Not happening!" Ueda snapped, launching a short pass to Aikawa.
Aikawa took the ball with ease and pushed forward. But before he could pick up speed—
"Got you."
Shun Takagi appeared out of nowhere, closing in with blistering speed. Aikawa barely managed a quick feint, but Takagi kept pace, his footwork sharper than before.
Renji saw it happen in slow motion — Aikawa was boxed in.
"Tetsuya, switch!" Renji called.
Without hesitation, Aikawa backheeled the ball toward Renji. The timing was perfect — but so was Ryota Minami's read. He lunged in for the interception.
"No you don't."
Renji's body reacted on instinct. He shifted his weight and pulled off a La Croqueta, smoothly sliding the ball past Minami and keeping possession. The movement was seamless.
But then, Isamu Oda charged at him.
"Two on one already?" Renji's eyes narrowed.
Oda came in strong, his physicality overwhelming — but Renji had anticipated this. Instead of trying to take Oda head-on, Renji quickly executed a Body Feint, sending Oda stumbling in the wrong direction.
He pushed forward, and the field opened up before him.
"Renji!" Mori called from the right.
Renji sent a perfectly weighted through ball toward him — but Sora Amagi intercepted it with his Phantom Step, appearing right where the pass landed.
"You're not the only one evolving, Renji," Amagi smirked, his eyes gleaming with confidence.
But before Amagi could launch a counterattack, Yuto Kisaragi closed in. The two clashed — Amagi's speed against Yuto's impeccable passing and control. It was like watching two different philosophies collide.
"No way you're getting through me!" Yuto's movements were efficient and razor-sharp. He kept Amagi from breaking through, forcing him into a tight space.
And then—
"Now!"
Mori surged in from the side, stealing the ball cleanly. Without missing a beat, he sent a powerful cross toward Shindo, who was already racing toward the box.
Shindo's speed was terrifying. He cut past Reiji Sakamoto and closed in for the shot—
"Not so fast!"
Hideo Morita appeared just in time. Shindo went for a powerful strike — but Morita used a perfectly timed Block Tackle, stopping the shot cold.
The ball rebounded toward the edge of the box — and Renji saw his chance.
He sprinted forward, his vision aligning every moving piece in perfect clarity. But Kaede Arata was already closing in.
It would be a race.
Renji reached the ball first and flicked it forward, using a quick Sombrero Flick to lift the ball over Kaede's head. But Kaede recovered instantly, spinning around and chasing him down.
Renji pushed forward, his mind racing. He saw the opening — but just as he was about to take the shot—
"Not yet."
Riku Saionji cut in from the side, and Renji barely managed to shift his weight to avoid losing the ball. But the pressure was mounting.
And then, out of the corner of his eye—
"Aikawa!"
Renji flicked the ball back with a quick Backheel Pass, and Aikawa took it in stride. The coordination was perfect — they were finally using each other's strengths.
Aikawa surged toward the goal, his pace unstoppable. He readied his shot—
"I won't let you!"
Haruto Inoue blocked his path, but Aikawa wasn't stopping. He feinted left — then spun right, executing a flawless Marseille Turn.
The opening was there. Aikawa fired—
But Takuma Ogawa was a wall. The keeper dove, blocking the shot with lightning-fast reflexes.
The ball bounced out, and the battle continued.
The game was chaos, every player pushing their limits. Skills clashed, techniques collided — and yet, the score remained 0-0.
Renji grinned, his blood pounding with excitement. This wasn't just a match.
This was survival.
To be continued…