(If I switch to the Limit-Breaking State, I can get to the ball before Ryusei Shido—but what happens next?)
(In that state, Ryusei Shido would absolutely use his Anticipation and instinct to cut me off.)
(And once I get tangled up with him, Tōya will show up to help, and then Rin will come crashing in. It'll turn into an all-out brawl.)
(If that brawl was happening in front of their goal, I'd welcome it. But right now we're right in front of our Team A goal!)
(If Tōya or Ryusei gets even one clean shot, we're done.)
(Damn it! If I don't switch states, how am I supposed to win the ball?)
Before Ryūma could think further, the scene before him snapped his thoughts in half.
The ball, clearly descending, suddenly bent its trajectory, curving back toward Ryūma and Ryusei Shido.
Seeing it come at him, Ryūma knew he had no time to hesitate. He shut off Slow-Motion World and activated Limit-Breaking State.
In a flash, he burst ahead of Ryusei Shido. As he reached the ball, Ryūma leaped up and trapped it with his chest.
But the next second, Ryusei Shido's ecstatic voice hit his ears.
"Ha ha! My cells are screaming——"
The sound—half-crazed, half in heat—hit him at the exact moment pressure slammed down on his shoulder. Ryūma twisted his head.
"Detonate!!!"
Using Ryūma's shoulder as a springboard, Ryusei Shido twisted mid-air, whipping his right foot toward the ball Ryūma had just controlled.
[BOOM!!]
GOAL!!
Team A 2 : 2 Team B
(Seriously? He can shoot from that angle?)
(Tōya's ability really drags out every last drop of Ryusei's potential and pushes it even higher.)
(Troublesome… If he stays like this...)
Before Ryūma could finish the thought, Ryusei Shido cut in.
"Hey, Little Dragon—are you taking revenge? Payback for me using you as a platform for that earlier shot?"
Ryūma froze, only then realizing he was still on top of Ryusei Shido.
"Sorry, sorry! You were the one climbing on me in mid-air—call it karmic payback!"
(No wonder falling didn't hurt. I used Ryusei as my landing cushion…)
(Hah, thinking about it now, that goal doesn't even matter anymore.)
Hearing that, Ryusei Shido lit up like someone set him on fire. He rolled his wrists and grinned.
"Great. I'm giving you a shoulder throw so you can taste what it feels like to hit the ground from that height!!"
"Ryusei, get back here! I told you—no violence!"
Kudo Tōya walked up, grabbed Ryusei Shido, and added,
"Awakening Moment is over."
"Yeah… but why can't it last longer, Tōya-chan?"
"That feeling… I'm addicted to it~"
"Hmph. You think it's a video game skill? Extend it whenever you feel like it?"
…Watching Ryusei Shido and Kudo Tōya walk off, Ryūma shook his head helplessly and turned to Yo Hiori, who had just arrived.
"Time limit or not, Tōya's skill really is the best support."
"Yeah, Ryūma. I watched Shido throughout the match. Every single attribute was boosted."
"He even showed abilities he never had before—Tōya's ability must have triggered them."
Ryūma nodded with a grin.
"But it is time-limited."
"And it looks like Tōya can only use it once in a short span."
Yo Hiori touched his chin, recalling.
"Right. From the way they talked, it's definitely on cooldown now."
"Alright, enough. Let's restart the match. I'm getting that goal back!"
…
When Ryūma reached Rin Itoshi, Yoichi Isagi jogged over.
"Sorry earlier, Rin. I didn't expect Kudo would use me to block your path."
"Hmph. Just don't get in my way again, small fry."
"I…"
Ryūma slung an arm around Rin's shoulders, smiling at the downcast Yoichi Isagi.
"Come on, Rin. Isagi didn't do it on purpose."
"He was trying to help, but he got overeager and fell right into Tōya's trap."
"Come on, come on. Instead of wasting time blaming teammates, let's think about how to win."
"Right, Rin?—OW! Hey hey hey, that hurts!"
Rin Itoshi's expression didn't change.
"Seems you've forgotten my warning again, Ryūma Banjō."
With that, Rin walked off toward the center circle without another word.
Ryūma rubbed his wrist—still aching—and shouted after him:
"I'm older than you by a year! Show me some respect!"
Rin didn't even look back. Ryūma sighed and followed him to the center.
Yo Hiori turned to the silent Yoichi Isagi and offered comfort.
"Don't feel down, Yoichi. You were just one or two steps off."
"Tōya pulled off that nutmeg because your physical ability isn't as strong, and his Anticipation beat you by a split second."
"That's why he got past you. Your approach itself wasn't wrong."
Yoichi shook his head, voice cracking with frustration.
"No, Hiori—it wasn't about anticipation!"
"I predicted everything they were going to do. Kudo only pulled that nutmeg because he saw me sprinting at him and improvised!"
"He definitely planned to try beating Rin again, but when he saw me coming, he changed his move!"
"Damn it! My thinking was right, but my body couldn't keep up! If only I had Ryūma's physique—"
"No! Even if I had the physique of a Seven-Star player, I could've stopped that nutmeg!"
Yo Hiori paused, then said quietly:
"If you think it through before you act… you're already too late."
Those words snapped Yoichi out of his emotional spiral.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Yo Hiori looked at Yoichi Isagi, who had finally lifted his head, and smiled.
"'See' → 'Think' → 'Act'."
"In your earlier matches, that sequence was enough. Your opponents gave you the time."
"But trying to take the ball from between those four, or help win it, or even create a scoring chance—that's a different level entirely."
Yoichi frowned, confused.
"If my body isn't as strong as theirs, even if my reaction speed matches theirs, I'll always be a step behind."
"What are you saying?"
"So… there's no solution?"
Yo Hiori's eyes sharpened as he looked straight at Yoichi, enunciating each word.
"Try replacing that thinking… with reflexes."