The fresh batch of first-years gathered on the field, warming up under the afternoon sun. The tension in the air was thick—this wasn't just any practice match. It was a test to see which freshmen had what it took to compete at Seikan High.
As they stretched, the coach approached them.
"Choose your captain," he said simply.
A moment of silence followed. Then, one by one, all the freshmen turned their gazes toward Masaki.
Masaki sighed, already knowing what they wanted. "I'm not interested in being captain," he said nonchalantly. "Taira's more suited for it."
Taira smirked. "Tch, you're just lazy."
"Alright then, I'll take the role. You all better be ready," Taira said, cracking his knuckles.
The others nodded, trusting his decision.
Taira immediately got to work. "We'll use Seikan's standard 4-5-1 formation. First, Sugino-san, you're our goalkeeper. You've got good instincts."
"Yes!" Sugino responded, excited by the recognition.
"For defense, Satake will be our left-back, Higuchi and Taiga will be our center-backs, and Hiiragi will take the right-back spot. Stay sharp on the defensive line."
"Understood!"
"For midfield, Izawa will play left wing, Midorima will take defensive midfield alongside Murasakibara, and Sawada will handle the right wing. Any questions?"
Higuchi crossed his arms. "What about you and Masaki?"
"I'll play as attacking midfielder, and Masaki will be our ace striker," Taira declared. "Any objections?"
"Hmm…alright"said higuchi
Masaki chuckled. "So that's your plan, huh?"
Taira smirked. "Let's give the seniors a little surprise."
Masaki's grin widened. "Heh… Alright, I'm in."
Taira turned to the rest of the team. "The rest of you, be ready for substitutions. Keep your bodies warm and stay sharp. Let's go!"
—————
The Practice Match Begins
The coach blew the whistle.
The senior team started with possession, opting for a slow, controlled pace. They knew Masaki and Taira were playing, and they weren't going to take this match lightly. They planned to play seriously from the start.
A crisp, low pass moved through midfield, but—
Intercepted.
Taira read the play perfectly, cutting the ball off before the seniors could even settle into their rhythm. Without hesitation, he delivered a brilliant pass to Masaki.
It all happened in the blink of an eye.
Masaki trapped the ball cleanly, then exploded forward, weaving past one defender after another. His dribbles were sharp, his movement unreadable. The seniors struggled to keep up.
Then, the moment he saw the slightest opening—
BOOM!
A powerful shot launched off his right foot, rocketing toward the top right corner at an insane speed. The goalkeeper barely had time to react.
But—
CLANG!
The ball struck the crossbar and flew out of play.
Masaki clicked his tongue. "Tch… Damn it."
Taira, watching from midfield, narrowed his eyes. "Something's off with Masaki… He's distracted."
Meanwhile, Masaki stood still, gripping his jersey tightly.
"Hahh… Focus, Masaki."
From the sidelines, Taiga groaned. "Ughhh! That should've gone in!"
"Close call!"
One of the senior defenders exhaled in relief. "Damn… That was dangerous. Well, as expected from him."
Kojiro, a senior and Japan U-17 representative, stepped forward. "Mark him with three players. Don't underestimate him. He's a Japan rep for a reason."
Jito, another U-17 representative, nodded. "Kojiro's right. If we don't play seriously, we'll get embarrassed by our juniors."
The senior team captain, Taro Misaki, looked at his teammates. "Kojiro, Jito, and I have played with Masaki before. We know how dangerous he is. Keep the defense tight and control the flow of the game."
With the seniors adjusting their strategy, the game resumed.
Now, they were more careful. They passed back and forth, not rushing forward. They knew Masaki and Taira were waiting to counterattack.
Then—
A high pass was sent toward the senior team's forward. It looked promising. But—
"Not happening."
Higuchi leaped, his tall frame perfectly positioned to head the ball away. Midorima intercepted the rebound and immediately passed to Taira.
Taira feinted left, sending two defenders the wrong way, before delivering a perfectly placed high pass over the defense.
Masaki was already moving.
"Don't let him get the ball!" Taro shouted.
Three seniors rushed in to mark him.
But—
Too slow.
Masaki trapped the ball with an effortless first touch, then flicked it over their heads. In one smooth motion, he left all three defenders behind.
The field erupted.
"W-WOAH!!!"
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FIRST TOUCH?!"
"HIS BALL CONTROL IS INSANE!"
Now, it was just Masaki vs. the goalkeeper.
The goalie charged forward, trying to close the angle.
But Masaki—
Didn't even hesitate.
With a soft, elegant touch, he executed a perfect lob shot over the keeper's outstretched arms.
The ball dropped into the net.
1-0. Freshmen lead.
Silence.
Then—
The entire field exploded.
"HE SCORED!!!"
"THAT FINISH WAS INSANE!"
"DID HE JUST LOB IT CASUALLY?!"
On the sidelines, the coach smirked. "Yeah… He's on a different level."
Masaki turned back toward Taira and smirked.
"Still think three defenders are enough, Taro?" Taira taunted.
Taro clenched his fists. "Damn it… He's not the same Masaki from before. He's even stronger now."
—————-
Masaki's World Cup Season (FLASHBACK)
During the FIFA U-17 World Cup, Masaki had dominated.
He led Japan through the group stage, scoring in every match. His goals were spectacular—dribbling through entire defenses, scoring from outside the box, and even scoring directly from a corner kick once.
Against France in the quarter-finals, he had a legendary performance, scoring a hat-trick to knock them out. His third goal? A bicycle kick in the 95th minute.
But in the semi-finals against Brazil, things had been different.
Japan lost 3-2 in a heartbreaking match. Masaki had scored twice, but in the final moments, Brazil's captain, a world-class defender, had shut him down completely.
The pain of that defeat—
Masaki never forgot it.
That's why he trained harder than ever after that tournament. He refused to let that happen again.
He wasn't just aiming to be the best in Japan.
He was aiming to become the best in the world.
—————
BACK TO THE PRESENT
Masaki locked eyes with the senior players, his gaze sharp and unwavering. A chilling aura surrounded him as he took a step forward, exuding quiet confidence. The seniors, seasoned players themselves, felt an unsettling pressure settle over them as if a predator had just entered their territory.
"Heh… let's see how they try to stop me now."
The moment hung in the air, thick with tension. For the first time, the senior team realized—
They weren't just facing a talented freshman. They were facing a monster.