The ball rolled back to center circle.
Tokyo FC players stood frozen. Shonan supporters were screaming from their section. The noise was deafening but it felt far away, like Takeshi was underwater.
0-1.
Thirty minutes left.
Akari in the stands had tears streaming down her face. His parents were holding each other tight. His sister had her hands over her mouth.
Ryo was screaming something. "Heads up! We are not done!"
But the faces around him told the real story. Broken. Scared. Close to giving up.
Takeshi stood at center circle. His adult mind was screaming at him.
This is it. This is the moment.
In his first life, this was where it ended. Where he gave up. Collapsed at 22. Quit at 25. Died at 34 with nothing but regret.
He looked around at his teammates. All of them suffering. All of them scared.
But this time would be different.
He raised his hand. "Everyone! To me!"
The team gathered reluctantly. Like they did not want to hear what came next.
"Look at me," Takeshi said.
They did.
"Thirty minutes. That is all we have. Thirty minutes to save everything we built."
His voice was rising.
"Last place to ninth place. From broken to brothers. From impossible to one goal away."
Ryo joined in. "One. Goal."
Sato: "We came too far to die here."
Kenji: "I did not make fifteen saves yesterday to lose today."
Energy was shifting. Slowly at first, then growing.
Takeshi: "Remember last night? All of us together?"
They did not know the system tracked it as Chapter 50. Just knew they had made a promise.
"We are brothers. Brothers do not quit at sixty minutes."
Ryo: "We fight until final whistle."
Everyone together: "Until final whistle!"
The referee blew his whistle. "Gentlemen, let us go."
They broke the huddle.
The crowd was starting to roar again. Sensing something. Sensing the fight was not over.
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
System 🔥⚡💙🎯🏆
Team Morale: 64% → 78%
Leadership: Activated
This is who you have become
Not the talent
The leader
Now prove it
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
The next fifteen minutes were chaos.
Tokyo FC threw everything forward. The formation became something between 3-4-3 and complete madness. Everyone attacking. Everyone desperate.
At the sixty-first minute, Takeshi got the ball in midfield. He drove forward with purpose. Two defenders closing on him.
Not yet. Not yet.
He passed to Sato. Sato shot immediately. Blocked by a defender.
Corner kick.
The sixty-second minute corner was taken by Takeshi. Ryo rose above everyone. His header was strong and true.
The goalkeeper saved it.
"Come on!" from the crowd.
The sixty-fourth minute brought another attack. Quick passing. Movement. A shot from the edge of the box went wide.
Frustration was building but they were not giving up.
Shonan sat back. Defending their lead professionally. Organized. But Tokyo FC was relentless.
At the sixty-sixth minute, a free kick thirty yards out. Takeshi over the ball. He passed short to Sato. Sato crossed.
Cleared for another corner.
The sixty-eighth minute. Corner kick sequence. Ball bouncing in the box. Three attempts blocked. Finally cleared.
The crowd groaned. They were battering Shonan but could not score.
The sixty-ninth minute brought a counter attempt from Shonan. Kenji collected confidently. A quick throw started the attack again.
Possession was now 68-32 Tokyo FC. Shots: 15-7 Tokyo FC.
Score: Still 0-1.
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
System 🔥⚡💙🎯🏆
70 minutes played: 0-1
Time remaining: 20 minutes
Analysis: Creating chances but finishing lacking
Time Relay: Ready when needed
Observation: They are tiring
Goalkeeper made 4 saves last 10 minutes
Defense stretched
Next clear chance: Take it
Use Time Relay
This is your moment
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
The seventy-first minute changed everything.
Takeshi won the ball aggressively. He did not pass this time. He ran directly at goal. Beating one defender.
A second defender lunged.
Takeshi jumped, avoiding the tackle. Now he was twenty yards out.
He shot.
The goalkeeper saved it brilliantly. But the rebound fell loose.
Scramble. Eventually cleared.
Takeshi held his head. So close.
The seventy-third minute brought another attack. Intricate passing. Sato almost getting through. A last ditch tackle.
Corner again.
The seventy-fourth minute. Corner headed away. Ball falling to Takeshi twenty-five yards out.
Volley attempt. Over the bar.
He held his head in his hands.
The crowd groaned. "Ahhhhh!"
But the energy was building. Something coming. Everyone could feel it.
The seventy-fifth minute was approaching.
Everyone in the stadium felt it.
Part 3: The Equalizer
The moment arrived at 75:14.
Tokyo FC throw-in deep in Shonan half. Quick throw to midfielder. Ball worked to Takeshi thirty yards out.
Three defenders between him and goal.
The crowd was on their feet.
Akari stood with hands clasped together so tight her knuckles were white.
His parents gripped each other.
The Ajax Six around the world held their breath.
This was it.
Time Relay.
Activated.
The world slowed. 1.8 seconds of perfect vision.
Defender number one. Weight on left foot, would commit right.
Defender number two. Watching Sato's run, eyes off the ball.
Defender number three. Deep, blocking the far post angle.
Goalkeeper. Central, anticipating a shot.
The gap. Small. Far post. Required perfect placement.
Space between Defender number two and number three.
Trivela curve needed. Extreme.
This is Ajax. This is eight year old me. This is everything.
Time Relay deactivating.
First touch. Setting the ball perfectly.
Body shape. Signature Takeshi stance.
Defender number one lunging too late.
Striking the ball with the outside of his right foot.
Trivela technique.
Ball leaving his foot, spinning.
Curving right.
Bending around Defender number two.
Bending away from the diving goalkeeper.
Everyone watching the arc.
The crowd screaming.
The keeper stretching.
Cannot reach.
Ball heading toward the far post.
Hitting inside of post.
Bouncing in.
Goal.
1-1.
Seventy-fifth minute.
Takeshi was not running. He was flying. Arms spread. Face to sky. Screaming.
Pure. Raw. Release.
The team mobbed him. Ryo lifting him off the ground. Sato crying while hugging. Kenji sprinting from goal to celebrate.
The crowd erupted.
Loudest noise in stadium history.
Akari jumped in the stands, screaming his name.
His parents were crying. Holding each other. His sister was screaming at the top of her lungs.
The Ajax Six around the world:
Elsa in Norway at 7 AM. Crying with joy at her computer.
Marcus in Germany. Fist pumping, screaming yes.
Oliver in England. Standing up, watching replays immediately.
Kwame in Nigeria. Jumping around his room.
Isabella in Brazil. Dancing, unable to contain happiness.
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
System 🔥⚡💙🎯🏆
⚡ Goal ⚡
75 minutes: Trivela masterpiece
Time Relay: Perfectly executed
This is the player you were meant to be
Score: 1-1
15 minutes to safety
Finish this
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
The referee blew his whistle. "Gentlemen, match continues."
They pulled back from the celebration pile.
Takeshi's legs were jelly from using Time Relay. But he was smiling. Actually smiling despite the exhaustion.
Ryo grabbed his face. "Fifteen minutes! Hold it!"
Everyone: "Hold it!"
1-1.
Draw meant safe. They just could not lose.
Fifteen minutes of life or death.
The next fifteen minutes were agony.
Both teams were exhausted. Shonan wanted a winner because pride was on the line. Tokyo FC was defending but organized. Controlled. Desperate.
At the seventy-sixth minute, Shonan attacked. Kenji caught it cleanly.
At the seventy-eighth minute, another wave. Ryo headed it clear with power.
At the seventy-ninth minute, a dangerous free kick. Everyone in the box. Ball struck toward goal. Kenji punched it clear.
Still 1-1.
Every touch from the crowd was either "Yes!" or "No!" depending on who had possession.
At the eightieth minute, Coach used all his substitutions. Fresh legs for tired warriors. Hiro came on. His moment. His final minutes. The substitute who had refused to quit all season.
Takeshi stayed on despite exhaustion. Could barely run but would not leave the field.
At the eighty-second minute, Tokyo FC had a rare counter attack. Sato running on fumes. Shot blocked. But time was wasted. Time was their friend now.
The final ten minutes arrived.
The clock became enemy and friend. Every second brought safety closer. Every second was agony.
At the eighty-third minute, Shonan had their best chance. Through ball, striker running. Yuta slid in with a tackle.
Winning ball cleanly.
The crowd roared approval.
At the eighty-fifth minute, corner to Shonan. Bodies everywhere. Ball headed toward goal. Kenji catching it. Holding the ball, wasting time.
Referee: "Play on!"
Kenji distributing slowly.
At the eighty-seventh minute, Tokyo FC possession in the corner. Professional time-wasting. Shonan frustrated, fouling. Free kick Tokyo FC.
More time off the clock.
The ninetieth minute arrived.
The referee checked his watch. Board showing plus four minutes added.
Groans from Tokyo FC fans. Four more minutes of torture.
At 90+1, Shonan attack. Shot from distance. Kenji saved it.
At 90+2, corner to Shonan. Cleared by Ryo.
At 90+3, Tokyo FC counter. Hiro running with the ball. Getting fouled. Free kick Tokyo FC.
Taking it slowly.
Referee: "Hurry up!"
At 90+3:30, taking the free kick deliberately slow.
At 90+4, final Shonan attack. Long ball forward. Ryo heading it clear strongly. Ball to Takeshi.
He was holding the corner flag. Body shield. Shonan players trying to win it.
The referee checked his watch.
Whistle.
Full time.
1-1.
Tokyo FC safe.
Part 5: Final Whistle
The whistle blew three times.
The referee pointed to center. Finished.
Scoreboard: Tokyo FC 1-1 Shonan FC.
Tokyo FC players collapsed. Not standing. Falling.
Ryo on the ground, crying.
Kenji face-down in the goal, sobbing.
Sato and Takeshi holding each other. Both crying, laughing, breaking.
Hiro on his knees, hands to the sky.
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
System 🔥⚡💙🎯🏆
🎉 Survival Quest Complete 🎉
Final result: 1-1 draw
Final standing: 9th place (40 points)
Status: ✓ Safe - Top 9 secured ✓
Matches: 8 of 8 complete
From 13th to 9th
From broken to unbreakable
From last to safe
You did it
Redemption: ✓ Complete
Two lives: Second one successful
This is what second chances create
Congratulations
The demon has survived
Now: Become legend
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
The crowd poured onto the field.
Small stadium. Security overwhelmed. Did not matter.
Five thousand people celebrating. Players being lifted. Takeshi surrounded by strangers. All crying, hugging, celebrating.
"You did it!"
"We are safe!"
"Thank you!"
Complete chaos. Complete joy.
His parents tried reaching the field. His sister somehow already there.
She jumped on Takeshi. "Big brother you won!"
He lifted her, spinning. Both crying.
Through the chaos, he was looking for someone.
Then he saw her.
Akari.
Running toward him.
Both running.
Meeting in the middle of the field.
Surrounded by celebrating fans.
Did not care.
Akari jumped into his arms.
He caught her, holding her tight.
Both crying.
Her: "You did it! You are safe!"
Him: "We did it."
She pulled back, looking at him. Face wet with tears. Him the same.
"I am so proud of you," she said.
"I love you," she added.
First time saying it directly like this.
Him: "I love you too."
They kissed on the field. Surrounded by thousands of people. Did not care.
Just them.
Sweet. Emotional. Earned.
The crowd around them was cheering. Sato whistling from somewhere: "Get it!"
They both laughed while crying, kissing again.
His parents reached them. His mother sobbing: "My son!"
His father: "Proud. So proud."
Group hug. All five Yamamotos. This was family. This was home.
The team reunion happened minutes later. All eight from the sleepover finding each other.
Ryo: "Brothers!"
Group hug. Complete chaos.
Coach Tanaka watched from the sideline. Actual smile. Tears in his eyes.
"They did it. Those kids actually did it."
Media swarmed. Cameras everywhere. Takeshi was pulled for interview.
Reporter: "How does it feel?"
He looked at his teammates. At Akari. At his parents.
"Like I am finally alive," he said simply.
The Ajax Six messages came later. Group chat exploding:
Elsa: "You did it! 9th place! So proud 💙💙💙"
Marcus: "That trivela was cold. Ballon d'Or level"
Oliver: "The comeback story! Legend!"
Kwame: "Never doubted! (okay maybe a little)"
Isabella: "Crying in Brazil! You are a hero!"
Takeshi typed back: "Thank you. All of you. For never giving up on me."
Elsa replied instantly: "Never. See you at U17 World Cup 💙"
The reunion was approaching.
Later that night, the locker room was finally quiet.
The team sitting in a circle. Jerseys soaked with sweat, tears, champagne.
Ryo: "We are safe."
Everyone: "We are safe!"
Kenji: "From thirteen to nine."
Yuta: "Twenty-seven points gained."
Sato: "Eight matches. Five wins, two draws, one loss."
Takeshi: "Together. All of it."
Silence.
Then Ryo: "This was just the beginning."
"Next year: high school nationals."
"Summer: U17 World Cup."
Everyone perked up.
"Ajax reunion happening," Ryo continued.
Takeshi smiled. "We promised. Age eight. Meet as professionals. Time to keep that promise."
That night, Takeshi lay in bed.
Body completely destroyed. But happy destroyed.
Phone showing messages:
Team group chat celebrating.
Akari: "Sleep well, my champion ❤️ Love you"
Parents posted photo: whole team together.
Sister already changed profile pic: her and Takeshi rove
Closing his eyes.
Smiling despite complete exhaustion.
Thinking about everything.
The eight year old at Ajax who made promises.
The fifteen year old who kept them.
The thirty-four year old who never got this chance.
This is what redemption feels like.
This is what being alive means.
Not the victory.
The people.
The love.
The fight.
The refusal to quit.
Akari's "I love you" echoing.
Team's laughter echoing.
Ajax Six waiting in summer.
Sleep finding him.
Peaceful.
Complete.
Safe.
Alive.
Loved.
Home.