After much discussion among the team,
for the second round, they decided on a 4-2-3-1 formation with Kira Ryosuke as the lone Forward, focusing on all-out attack and defense.
This would greatly conserve Ryosuke's stamina on offense and provide sufficient defensive lines for the team.
No one had any objections.
Although Kira Ryosuke was around their age, after witnessing the monster's strength firsthand, they were all convinced.
Time quickly arrived at the day of the match.
In the player tunnel, Bachira winked at Ryosuke, "Don't leave me out this time."
Kira Ryosuke glanced at him, "That depends on the accuracy of your passes."
"Understood, Your Tyranny..."
Bachira, having received a satisfactory answer, saluted.
As both teams' players gradually entered the field,
Team Y, led by Hyoma Okawa, the Kumamoto Prefecture's top scorer with jersey number 9, appeared before everyone.
Their chosen formation was also a 4-2-3-1, with Okawa as the spearhead of the attack.
When Niko Isshiki, whose eyes were obscured by his bangs, saw Kira Ryosuke occupying the Forward position, a shadow fell over his face.
After their first match against Team V, he deeply realized the gap between himself and a genius.
8-0!
Even if he skillfully utilized every organized attack on the field, it was still futile.
And this time.
Facing Kira Ryosuke, known as a japanese treasure, Niko had made thorough preparations. He had already mastered Team Z's offensive rhythm and player abilities through video analysis.
He would definitely not repeat the same mistakes!
Beep!
Team Z kicked off.
Bachira immediately chose to pass the ball to Kira Ryosuke, then, along with Isagi and Kunigami, formed an attacking midfield, with Ryosuke as the core, to penetrate the opponent's territory.
"Well, I knew it."
"With a genius like that, you guys would definitely do this, right?"
Niko Isshiki's eyes, hidden beneath his bangs, gleamed coldly. He then instructed the other two Defensive Midfielders to press Forward, immediately forming a triple-team.
Kira Ryosuke's pupils narrowed. He sensed Niko's intention; the opponent planned to use a multi-person encirclement to hinder him.
If he forced a breakthrough, the stamina consumed would inevitably be more than usual.
And if he passed the ball, then Niko's objective would be achieved.
Niko, like Isagi, was a player extremely sensitive to spatial awareness, and he also served as Team Y's core commander.
Stopping the attacks of the other three might not seem difficult in his eyes.
However... he seemed to have overlooked a crucial point this time.
That was that Team Z, after the baptism of the match, had completely become his team.
Only focusing on offense, the stamina consumed would be enough for him to last until the final stage, and most importantly, before that, the score difference between the two teams would be greater than he imagined.
Kira Ryosuke moved left and right, performing a pendulum dribble.
He easily got past two Defensive Midfielders.
Niko Isshiki seemed to have been waiting for a long time, extending his foot to block Ryosuke's path, "I won't give you a chance. It's not that easy to get past me."
Using the information gathered through spatial awareness, he was extremely confident in his judgment.
This ball.
He would steal it.
Hyoma Okawa in the front field saw this and excitedly said, "Great job, Niko! Intercept him and pass the ball over."
Losing to Team V, Niko wasn't the only one holding a grudge and wanting revenge. Okawa, who had grown up showered with praise, also wanted to curb the arrogance of these geniuses, even if they weren't the three monsters from Team V.
At least, taking some interest on Kira Ryosuke, who was also a genius, would be good.
Bachira licked his lips, "Oh my, they're sending three people to deal with Ryosuke all at once."
"He's really popular."
"But isn't that too few people to stop our main attacker?"
The defender marking Bachira heard this and couldn't help but widen his eyes, looking towards Kira Ryosuke.
The ball, which was about to be intercepted, was stopped by Kira Ryosuke, who firmly stepped on it. Then, he spun his body, using the momentum to Swing Niko to the left, completing a turn-around dribble.
In an instant.
Kira Ryosuke achieved the feat of beating three players.
Niko Isshiki's pupils dilated, "This monster..."
"Hahahahaha..."
Raichi triumphantly raised his fist, "Although I hate you geniuses."
"But playing on a team with you guys isn't bad."
At this point, Kira Ryosuke had already penetrated forty meters into the backfield. Niko urgently shouted, "Stop him! Don't let him get within shooting range!"
Two Team Y defenders simultaneously closed in.
Having learned from Team X's mistakes, they disciplinedly stuck close on the right side, leaving only space on the left for the goalkeeper to have sufficient visibility.
"Trying to block my dominant foot?"
Kira Ryosuke smiled faintly at Team Y's targeted defense, but his eyes held a hint of coldness, "Don't underestimate me too much."
During daily training, he had observed Kunigami's shooting motion multiple times.
Coupled with utilizing his body's coordination,
he had long overcome any discomfort.
He had already mastered ambidextrous shooting.
He dribbled and accelerated, and at the moment the two defenders closed in, he passed the ball with his heel.
The landing spot was precisely where Bachira Meguru was running.
"He passed the ball?"
Team Y's goalkeeper's expression changed. During the match against Team X, Kira Ryosuke's "selfishness" had left a deep impression.
He hadn't expected that after just one match, this dominant tyrant would start passing the ball.
Niko's expression was also not good; this was both within his plan and unexpected.
Even though the ball had left Kira Ryosuke's control, the two defenders still pressed him tightly, their attention on him even surpassing that on Isagi Yoichi and the other two, whose defense was relatively weaker.
"Pass it to me."
Kunigami had already reached his preferred distance of twenty-eight meters.
Given the right opportunity, he could immediately take a shot.
Isagi Yoichi was also organizing his spatial awareness theories in his mind, making reasonable runs, like a hunter lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike at any moment.
Both naturally drew the defenders' attention.
Taking advantage of this gap, Bachira dribbled Forward, using extremely fast step-overs to bypass the blocking Team Y midfielder, then launched a long pass.
As the ball flew into the air, he applied enough spin to it.
Like a crescent moon, it flew directly towards Kunigami's head.
"Nice, Bachira."
Although a bit forced, Kunigami, relying on his strong physique, forcefully pushed past the defending defender and jumped up, contending for the ball.
"He's left-footed, don't give him a chance to shoot with his left foot."
The goalkeeper warned.
Kunigami and the defender were jostling for position, but the ball curved in a strange arc before their eyes.
"Damn it... I missed it."
Kunigami thought it was a passing error.
Bachira smiled, "No, that ball wasn't meant for you."
The ball roared through the air, instantly arriving in front of Kira Ryosuke, who deftly cushioned it with his instep, letting it roll Forward.
"Block his dominant foot."
The two closely following defenders didn't hesitate, turning sideways to block Kira Ryosuke's right half, forcing his shooting path.
Kira Ryosuke saw this and smiled noncommittally, "I am the king of the pitch. Don't try to defy me, you rebellious commoners."
As his voice fell.
He nudged the ball with his right foot, simultaneously leaning his body. His left foot, like a bowstring drawn taut, suddenly unleashed a fierce shot.
Boom!
The whistling wind exploded in the ears of the two defenders.
The ball hit the net.
The goalkeeper didn't even react, standing rooted to the spot.
Goal — — — — — —
Goal!
1-0.
Team Z scored first.
Both Team Z and Team Y players, looking at the figure in front of the goal, felt a shiver down their spines.
"This monster..."
"...He's still evolving."