The Real Battle Begins
The intensity was unreal.
But Ryusei wasn't the only one showing off.
As soon as Shun took back possession, he went full throttle.
His movements were sharp, his dribbling was pure instinct, and when he sprinted—he was untouchable.
In a blink, he broke through the midfield, cut past two defenders, and entered the penalty area.
The goalkeeper braced himself—but he never even saw the shot.
BOOM!
A thunderous strike.
Goal.
The entire field fell silent for a moment.
Then—cheers erupted.
"THIS GUY IS A MONSTER!"
"HOW DO YOU STOP HIM?!"
Even Ryusei froze for a second.
He wasn't just up against Fukura's ace.
He was up against something different.
Something on another level.
Rika's Realization
As the game continued, Rika started noticing something.
At first, she thought Shun was just overwhelmingly strong.
But no—there was more to it.
It wasn't just speed or skill.
Shun's movements weren't just natural—they were calculated.
Every pass, every dribble, every step he took—it was like he already knew what would happen next.
It was instinct and intelligence combined.
And for the first time, Rika realized—
"He's not just a good player. He's… a genius."
But at the same time, she felt a strange unease.
Because someone like that…
Would always be chased.
And she wasn't sure if she was ready to keep up.
Aftermath – The First Spark of Rivalry
The match ended with Shun's team winning—but Ryusei had proven himself.
The coach walked onto the field, arms crossed, nodding.
"Kuroda, welcome to the team."
Ryusei, still breathing heavily, grinned.
He looked at Shun, eyes full of determination.
"I won't lose next time."
Shun smirked. "Then keep up."
And with that—
A new rivalry was born.