"It's in again."
Just two minutes after the first goal, Kai received the ball in midfield and immediately threaded a pass into open space.
Cazorla drifted into the channel almost unnoticed, took the ball in stride, and slipped a perfectly weighted through pass to Suárez, who finished cleanly.
On the sidelines, the coaching staff exchanged quiet looks of approval. The goal made full use of the pitch's width and arrived at exactly the right moment.
The connection between Kai and Cazorla was becoming unsettlingly smooth.
"Beautiful pass," Cazorla said with a grin, high-fiving Kai as he jogged by.
After the disappointment of the World Cup, the goal allowed him to rediscover a familiar feeling. After such a disappointing World Cup, it was a welcome feeling.
The main team played with ease now, confidence flowing with the two-goal advantage.
The substitute side, by contrast, looked deflated.
Wilshere's body language bled frustration. The World Cup had already weighed heavily on him, and being pushed into the substitute lineup—forced to play in a disjointed side—only deepened his irritation.
He snapped at Sanchez.
"If you think this is the World Cup, you're mistaken," Wilshere said sharply. "You can only rely on individual ability so many times. Here, you have to play with others."
He gestured angrily.
"Look up. Look at your teammates. Stop trying to do everything yourself."
Sanchez had no answer. New to the squad, he swallowed his pride and stayed silent.
Di María kept his distance on the far side. He was careful not to provoke Wilshere, but his performance remained out of sync.
Kai noticed immediately.
He frowned and was about to step in when Arsène Wenger's voice cut across the pitch.
"Wilshere. Kai. Switch."
Both players froze for a moment.
Kai to the substitute team.
Wilshere to the main side.
Wilshere's expression lit up, though the decision wasn't meant as a demotion for Kai. Wenger was clearly trying to bring structure and control to the substitute unit.
As they crossed paths, Kai patted Wilshere on the shoulder.
A difficult situation—wearing Arsenal's number ten and still finding himself on the bench. There was even a sense that his future was already uncertain.
Kai didn't dwell on it.
He immediately called Sanchez and Di María over.
"Sanchez," Kai said calmly, "don't come so deep. I will give you the ball. Your job is to go forward and make space, not run after the ball all the time."
Sanchez nodded.
His blend of speed and technique made him dangerous around the penalty area. Kai knew that all too well from the World Cup.
Then Kai turned to Di María.
"Angel," he said, studying him, "something's off. What's the issue?"
Di María hesitated, then admitted quietly, "There's no one in front to pass to."
Kai understood immediately.
At Real Madrid, Di María played as a provider, delivering the final pass into dangerous areas. He wasn't the focal point—he supported one.
Here, the striker was Sanogo, whose movement and finishing were limited. Sanchez, meanwhile, was drifting without purpose.
Di María had no reference point.
"Let Sanogo go for crosses and near-post runs," Kai said. "If no one is open, pass the ball back diagonally. Don't force it."
Di María looked at him, then nodded. "I'll try."
As they split, Kai watched him go.
Di María had elite technique and versatility, but without a clear structure or leader, he could lose confidence quickly. He could decide matches, score spectacular goals—but he was never meant to be the centerpiece.
Once restrained, he faded.
Play resumed.
The substitute lineup wasn't weak on paper, but Wilshere's dip in form had left the midfield without control.
That changed once Kai settled in.
Ramsey began feeding him the ball more often. Kai kept moving, directing play, setting tempo, pulling teammates into position.
His ability to organize had clearly improved during the World Cup. Even Kai found it surprising—China had relied almost entirely on defensive counters, with little emphasis on structured buildup.
And yet, his sense of control was unmistakable now.
Nearby, Kanté watched quietly.
Things that he handled well before, Kai now handled with ease.
He could only chalk it up to experience and insight.
Back on the pitch, after Kai's instructions, Sanchez stopped drifting back. Di María, however, still dropped deep from time to time to link up with Kai, completing the substitute team's attacking connections.
And for Di María, it all felt effortless. Since Kai arrived, his movement become more positive, and the pressure has been lifting. With Kai's precise passes feeding him, his form began returning almost visibly.
Angel was back.
Whoosh!
Di María flicked the ball to the left. Kanté stretched out a leg, but Di María's quick ankle flick sent the ball straight through.
Kai shook his head with a small smile.
"J'ai besoin de plus de force," Kanté muttered in French.
(I need more strength.)
Kai didn't panic. He moved forward calmly, following the play. After evading Kanté, Di María charged into the box. Suddenly, the main team's defenders tensed.
"Push him out!"
"Press him!"
"Don't let him shoot!"
Di María came to a sharp stop. Sagna stumbled, trying to block, but Di María didn't fire. Instead, he slid a diagonal pass backward.
The move was so sudden it almost went unnoticed. Then—bang!—the net shook. A cannonball-like strike from Kai, perfectly timed, had breached the goal.
The sequence had unfolded in a flash. No one reacted in time.
Even the coaches looked on in disbelief.
The goal was clever—too clever. As Di María moved toward the byline, Kai had cut across horizontally at the far corner of the box. Di María's cross met Kai's run perfectly, and he finished with a powerful strike.
The goal demanded precision from Kai in footwork and positioning—but it also relied on Di María drawing multiple defenders, creating space.
Wenger's eyebrows lifted. Even he hadn't expected this. He'd hoped Di María and Sanchez would link up, but Kai had connected with Angel in a way that seemed almost effortless. Kai always seemed able to find his position and do exactly what was needed, whether linking with an individual or coordinating with a group.
Satisfied, Wenger finally called it.
"That's enough for today!"
The players trooped off the field, chatting, smiles everywhere. Kai patted Di María's shoulder, and Angel returned the gesture with a wide grin, clearly happy to have been part of such a familiar-feeling assist. It reminded him he could still play at his preferred rhythm here.
"Beautiful goal!" Di María said, holding out his hand.
Kai smiled and shook it firmly.
"Guys," Kai called out loudly, "gather at the barbecue ranch tonight. The newcomers will send you the location shortly. This is our first team dinner of the season—everyone must come!"
He thumped his chest. "My treat!"
A chorus of cheers erupted immediately from the Arsenal squad.
. . .
Please do leave a review and powerstones, which helps with the book's exposure.
Feel like joining a Patreon for free and subscribing to advanced chapters?
Visit the link:
[email protected]/GRANDMAESTA_30
Change @ to a