Chapter 87: Master Of The Play
Haruma was soaring through the air, eyes fixed on the ball, every muscle coiled for a thunderous header.
Then, with horrifying speed and deadly intent, Kazutora Inzuka came rushing forward, a predator in motion. His wild, predatory smirk cut through the moment as he leapt alongside Haruma, their bodies collided in midair as Kazutora forced his head between Haruma and the ball, redirecting it away from danger while shoving Haruma violently aside, sending him crashing onto the grass.
The stadium froze, the referee's whistle pierced through the silence, but all eyes were locked on Kazutora.
Raon tried to run at Haruma but Minato caught him mid-stride, holding him back firmly.
"Dang!" Daiki exclaimed from the VIP box, a wide grin on his face, while Ismau and the others let out quiet chuckles.
The stadium was enveloped in a stunned silence, every spectator frozen in anticipation. Toru and Masaru stood rigid, faces etched with disbelief, while Rukia's expression was painted with concern.
Haruma lay flat on his stomach, eyes blazing with unrelenting fury, as he clenched his jaw before slamming his fists into the grass. In a blur, he shot to his feet, spun on his heel like a whip, and lunged forward, crashing forehead to forehead with Kazutora.
Maintaining his smirk, Kazutora met Haruma's aggression head-on, pressed his forehead against Haruma's, pushing with the same force that Haruma met him with, their bodies locked, each straining to gain the upper hand.
'It's Kazutora against Harumaaa'
The stands erupted in a thunderous roar, the crowd's energy surging through the stadium, electrifying the moment in an instant
"Yeahhhh!" Ryusei shouted, bursting into loud applause, Kento beside him grinning from ear to ear
"There's our aggression!" Daiki called out, excitement bubbling in his voice
Another teammate smirked, "The young blood is definitely boiling!"
"Get that bastard Harumaaaa!" Raon screamed from the dugout, clapping with raw energy
From the VIP box, Ameha and Shuya giggled and clapped along, joining in with the roar of the fans
Haruma and Kazutora remained locked, foreheads pressed together, until the other Tyrants rushed in, yanking Kazutora back while Raya pulled Haruma away. Jiho stepped forward too, but instead of holding Haruma back, he shot a death-stare locked on Kazutora.
Both players were dragged back to their respective sides, all while Kazutora kept smirking, never breaking his stare from Haruma even as he was pulled back.
Raya held Haruma firmly, but Haruma's stare too remained locked on Kazutora for a moment longer before turning around, walking away, wiping sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, his expression still sharp and focused.
Shiori watched the scene, a hint of worry crossing her face, murmuring under her breath, "Calm down, Haruma… focus…"
Ayane's cheeks burned as she stared, thinking nervously, "He's got so much aggression… why is he looking kinda…" She quickly buried her face in her hands, hiding her flush.
Rukia stood frozen, mouth slightly open, her wide eyes fixed entirely on Haruma, unable to look away…
The referee's whistle pierced the air again, as the ball went flying towards the Kashiwa player who gained possession with ease.
The moment he took the control, Zora came rushing after him with his eyes sharp, sliding his foot in for the tackle, but the player twisted just in time causing his back to collide with Zora's in a jolt, yet both stayed on their feet, glancing over their shoulders with unwavering focus
"Fuckin Brat!" The Kashiwa player spat with a smirk before effortlessly dribbling the ball away from Zora to continue his run forward.
The Kashiwa player surged ahead, leaving Zora behind with a wild smirk when suddenly Zora reappeared, crashing his shoulder into his as they ran side by side.
The Kashiwa's player jaw clenched as he fought to keep his sprint, only to find Haru closing in on his side, squeezing the space and forcing him to make a move.
Desperation flashed across that player's face, forcing himself to slam on the brakes, dragging the ball back and firing a sharp pass back to his teammate.
The pass landed cleanly, but the player's sprint faltered the moment he saw Itsuki and Izaya ahead, working as unmovable walls blocking his path.
With nowhere to go, the player clenched his jaw before unwantedly began to move back, when out of nowhere a force named Kazutora suddenly ran past him, moving forward with terrifying pace.
Kazutora's approach forced the Kashiwa player in possession to fire a sharp, lightning-quick pass forward for him to reach.
Itsuki clenched his jaw and rushed forward with terrifying speed, the ball now rolling loosely between him and Kazutora as they raced toward it from opposite sides
The commentator's voice rose with tension.
"They're both going for the ball! Itsuki and Kazutora! Who's going to get there first? It's a collision! It's coming!"
With either willing to hold back their speed, they closed the distance in a blur of speed and force
The crowd held its breath, eyes wide with anticipation, waiting for the inevitable impact
Kazutora neared the ball and eased his run for a second, just enough to bait the next move. Itsuki came rushing in, full of raw aggression, sliding his left foot hard toward the ball.
But Kazutora, quick as lightning and fluid as water, shifted both the ball and his body gracefully to the left. Itsuki's tackle met nothing, leaving him completely off balance and stunned.
The commentators' jaws dropped. Minato and Raon stood frozen, while Ismau and his team stared wide-eyed in shock. The stadium held its breath.
In a flash of brilliance, Kazutora weaved past Itsuki, but just as he pushed forward, Izaya with his eyes locked in immense focus, lunged in with a sliding tackle. Yet it met nothing because Kazutora had already dribbled past him to the right, his speed and elegance leaving him untouchable.
Itsuki and Izaya, both were frozen, disbelief written across their faces, mouths slightly open.
Raya and Haruma watched with wide, stunned eyes, unable to tear their gaze from the unstoppable play by Kazutora.
Kabuto was staring at Kazutora with fierce eyes, clenched his fists tightly he rushed at Kazutora who was just jogging forward with the ball at his feet.
"You morooon!" he roared, charging forward with a fierce intent.
Meanwhile Kazutora stayed calm, composed, not even glancing up at Kabuto who was rushing at him.
Just as Kabuto was about to reach Kazutora, he fired a bullet of a pass forward which arched past Kabuto effortlessly, leaving him frozen in shock.
The ball reached one of Kashiwa's players, who executed a flawless one-touch lofted pass, sending it flying past Haru and Zora, leaving both of them standing frozen, dazed by Kazutora's sheer brilliance.
As the ball went past him, Haru snapped back, realizing he had missed it. He spun sharply, only to freeze again, eyes wide in disbelief because the ball was already at the feet of Yohan Eunseong.
Haru stood frozen, eyes wide in shock. Haruma clenched his jaw and slowly began jogging forward, while Raya watched, holding his breath, as Yohan moved into the open, poised for a one-on-one with Subaru.
With a manic smirk spreading across Yohan's face, he nudged the ball forward and swung his foot with full force, sending it flying like a bullet toward the goal.
Subaru gritted his teeth and leapt into the air, stretching his arm toward the ball, but it was too late. The shot slipped past him, crashing into the back of the net.
'Gooooooaaaalll'
With his eyes dripping with malice, Yohan kept his smirk and stuck out his tongue in a mock, jogging toward the corner of the field.
A heavy wave of disappointment and silence washed over the stands. Only a few Kashiwa fans cheered.
On the field, the other Tyrants began to chase Yohan who kept running towards the corner making his team follow his lead.
From the crowd, Ryusei lowered his head, letting out a quiet sigh. Kento remained rigid, eyes locked on the field, silent and unflinching.
Haruma's mother clasped her hands tightly on her mouth, worry etched on her face, while Ayane folded her arms, attempting to show she doesn't care, but the unease gripping her was impossible to hide completely.
Across the stands, Masaru sat upright, arms crossed, enveloped in heavy silence, while Toru remained calm and unreadable. Beside them, Rukia's eyes remained fixed on the field, her expression carrying the same quiet worry as Haruma's mother and Ayane.
That office boy Keiichi sat with a completely serious expression, his face unreadable, showing no hint of joy or sorrow, only firm composure. Beside him, Seiji and Ruria kept their wide eyes fixed on the field, clearly stunned.
From the dugout, Raon and Minato stood side by side, faces impassive, their stillness heavy with the tension of the moment. Nearby, Shiori watched quietly, her gaze soft but filled with concern, the unease in her expression was clear.
Yohan with a big smirk reached the corner of the field and began to imitate a cry, rubbing both hands under his eyes, in a pure mockery.