"Without Kira, Z Team would struggle to break through such a defense, wouldn't they? Oh, right, Mr. Ego, which one is the monster you mentioned earlier? Is it from one of these two teams?"
"Just watch carefully, little Anri." Jinpachi replied, his gaze fixed on the screen, "When a monster hunts, it naturally bares its fangs."
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Ikki delivered a powerful long pass that landed precisely at Hibiki's feet.
"Finally, Niko!" Hibiki exclaimed. His face lit up with a smile as he charged toward the opponent's goal at full speed.
Hibiki had exceptional individual offensive skills; in the original work, he effortlessly penetrated Z Team's penalty area and took a shot!
At this moment, Z Team's defensive line was noticeably thin. The few defenders standing guard watched him charging toward them with serious expressions, their nerves clearly visible. Okuhito Iemon, the goalkeeper, already had sweat trickling down his forehead.
Their opponent was a regional top scorer — a force to be reckoned with. Stopping him would be no easy feat.
Just as Hibiki surged forward, a figure appeared before him, standing like an unyielding barrier.
Ryōsuke. At this critical moment, he was holding the line at the rear of Z Team.
"Come on, try to get past me." Ryōsuke challenged.
"Arrogant bastard!" Hibiki muttered as a spark of anger ignited within him, glaring at the figure blocking his path.
Ryōsuke Kira, Z Team's ace, now positioned as a defender, radiated confidence. Hibiki felt as though his Team Y was being underestimated.
"Watch how I get past you! The first goal of this game is mine!" Hibiki declared with determination.
He possessed refined offensive techniques as impressive as Shoei Baro's, which earned him the position of Y Team's sole attacker.
'Ryōsuke Kira is a forward; his defensive skills must be pretty average!' Hibiki thought, readying himself to accelerate straight past him.
If they scored first, it wouldn't just give them an advantage — it would also deliver a massive morale boost.
❖ Total Concentration ➠ Thunder Breathing! ❖
At that moment, Ryōsuke adjusted his breathing, entering a state of Total Concentration. A powerful pressure radiated from him, bearing down on his opponent.
'What... what is this guy?' Hibiki, who had planned to blaze past him, felt the shift in his aura and grew uneasy.
But having committed, he had no choice but to press on, determined to use his speed to break through.
Yet Ryōsuke's speed was beyond anything Hibiki had anticipated. No matter how much he pushed, he couldn't get past him. His opponent stood like an unyielding wall, blocking him completely.
Forced to veer sideways, he found himself unable to approach the penalty area.
"Perfect positioning! Great defense! That's Kira for you!" Wataru exclaimed with a grin.
"Okawa is already incredibly fast... but Ryōsuke Kira is even faster..." From the other half of the field, Ikki couldn't help but marvel.
Ryōsuke had already shown extraordinary speed in the recorded videos, but that was during attacking sprints in straight lines — different from the lateral movements vital in defense.
Even so, his lateral agility was on an entirely different level. This guy... he's a complete monster, masterful in both offense and defense...
"But Okawa is no ordinary player either!" Ikki declared, his confidence in Hibiki unwavering.
His teammate's greatest strength wasn't his speed — it was his incredibly precise offensive techniques!
"Damn... is this guy this good at defense too? I don't even have an edge in physical contact..." Hibiki muttered, realizing his current approach wasn't working.
Though their clash had only lasted a few seconds, it was enough time for the other defenders to close in and prepare for a double-team.
Ikki's defensive counter-attack strategy aimed to exploit weaknesses in Z Team's defense on their own turf, fully relying on Hibiki's overwhelming offensive skills.
But this also left Hibiki with no teammates to coordinate with; the others were focused solely on defending their own half of the field.
Hibiki had no passing options — he was entirely on his own.
And if he, the team's star offensive player, was stopped one-on-one by Ryōsuke, who had just taken up a defensive role for the first time...
"No, I can't let this happen!" Hibiki shouted angrily, "If I can't beat you in speed, then I'll outmaneuver you with skill!"
He switched up his footwork, rhythmically stepping to either side of the ball — the step-over!
This is one of the most elegant moves in football for dribbling past defenders. By using both legs to circle around the ball, the attacker aims to confuse the defender.
"A step-over! And with excellent rhythm..." Wataru, a fellow defender, couldn't help but admire Hibiki's execution.
The key to this technique lies in maintaining good rhythm and superior body control, using seemingly simple step-over movements to deceive the opponent.
On one hand, the move disrupts the defender's center of gravity through rhythmic body shifts; on the other, it allows the attacker to burst forward with speed the moment the defender loses balance.
Hibiki's technique was exceptional. Against any other Z Team defender, he would likely have succeeded without hesitation.
At this moment, Hibiki stared intently at Ryōsuke, searching for an opening. He knew that even the slightest shift in Ryōsuke's center of gravity could be his chance to break through!
Facing him, Ryōsuke remained equally focused, his sharp gaze locked onto Hibiki.
The opponent's step-over was undeniably convincing — highly effective at faking out defenders. But Ryōsuke had made extraordinary progress since their first match.
He had unlocked the Rice Spirit, gaining exceptional dribbling skills, and the step-over technique had been elevated under his control. The power of the Second Form had further deepened his understanding of dribbling movements.
In other words, Ryōsuke had not only mastered a new technique but also learned how to counter it.
This was why he now stood firm on the defensive line.
Fake tackles, subtle shifts in weight, even misdirection with his gaze — Hibiki had attained mastery in these areas.
But so had Ryōsuke.
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