Chapter 4: Against all Odds
\ Team Z room \
As the players returned to their rooms after their hard-fought victory, Bachira walked up to Isagi, who was sitting on his bed, scrolling through his phone.
"Hey, great job on that super goal, Isagi," Bachira said with a smile.
Isagi looked up from his phone and nodded, "Thanks." Isagi continued, "Do not disappoint me, Bachira, or else you'll lose your free reign on my field."
Bachira's smile widened as he responded, "Aye-Aye, captain♫."
Ego's voice boomed over the intercom, interrupting their conversation. "Hello, my unpolished Gems! You all have won your first match, and it seems that you may have just discovered the formula to win! The ability to repeat a goal may be in your hands. Those who devise their own formula are bound to win. Abolish the idea of winning by chance and claim victory as a logical consequence."
As the screen turned off, Bachira noticed that most of the team seemed to be motivated by Ego's speech, eager to prove themselves in the upcoming matches.
Isagi had already left the room, presumably to train on his own.
Bachira had spent the past few days following Isagi around the facility, training and hanging out with him.
He watched as Isagi practiced his moves and honed his abilities, and he couldn't help but feel impressed by his dedication and focus.
\Team Z vs Team Y: Field.\
As the day of the match between Team Z and Y dawned upon them, the players entered the field and awaited their opponents.
When Team Y walked out, they emitted an aura of teamwork that wasn't intimidating but wasn't insignificant either.
Team Z passed the ball to Isagi. As he scanned the field, he noticed that Team Y's strategy was all about rushing at once.
They were putting all their focus on pressing Team Z and taking control of the ball. Isagi knew that he needed to act fast and use his abilities to predict their movements.
With his eyes and arrows, he saw an opening and instantly passed the ball to Bachira, who was in a prime position to advance towards the goal.
As he dribbled past one of the defenders, Isagi was already moving forward, anticipating the pass that would come his way.
If all went according to plan, he should be able to score easily.
"Let's go, Isagi," Bachira said, dribbling past one of the defenders and sending the ball into open space.
Isagi appeared right there, but someone else was running with him.
"Ikki Niko," stood right beside Isagi, telling him that he's out of his shooting range right here, lifting his hair to reveal his eyes.
As he looked at Isagi's face, his expression remained the same as he only side-eyed him.
In one fluid motion, Isagi stopped running with the ball while Niko kept running. "Out of my range, you say?" Isagi said amusingly.
He then shot the ball from way outside the keeper's box and scored, with Niko's eyes widening at the prospect of Isagi's goal.
Isagi returned to his starting position, drawing stares from everyone. His team complained that he wasn't passing, and Isagi became frustrated and spoke up, "Fine then, the rest of you can do as you please. Bachira, you can take the striker position."
"Sure thing," Bachira replied. Team Z switched their positions around, and the match continued.
Team Y gained possession of the ball, passing it around and rushing forward as a group, breaking through Team Z's defense.
Niko scored the goal and glanced at Isagi, who appeared to be staring blankly at the roof of the facility. "He doesn't even care that his team just got scored on," Niko thought to himself.
Raichi walked over, glaring at Isagi as he grabbed him by the collar. "Why the hell didn't you help us defend?" he asked, his face filled with anger.
"Why should I? I'm a striker. I left that job to the defenders, who are just who're just shit imitations of the striker position at the moment," Isagi responded, as if it were obvious.
"I wouldn't have had to if you guys had just stolen the ball in midfield, like I always do, and then scored," he added.
Raichi glared at Isagi, incredulous at his behavior. "You're unbelievable," he muttered.
"Oh, and don't touch me, you worm." Isagi said, brushing off Raichi's grip on his collar and staring blankly ahead, seemingly oblivious to the commotion around him.
Team Y gained possession of the ball once again and employed the same strategy of breaking through Team Z's defenses.
This resulted in them scoring yet again, bringing the score to 2-1 in favor of Team Y.
After this goal, Team Y began to play a game of "keep-away," passing the ball amongst themselves and maintaining possession until the halftime whistle blew. They did not allow Team Z to regain possession or make any significant advances towards their goal during this period, effectively controlling the pace of the game.
\Team Z locker room\
Team Z was frantically brainstorming ways to turn the game around and win.
After several ideas, Bachira, who had remained silent up until this point, finally spoke up with an idea.
Igarashi asked him to share his plan, and Bachira pointed towards Isagi, who was sitting quietly in the room with his arms folded and eyes closed.
He opened one eye to see everyone staring at him and asked, "What do you want?"
Kunigami suggested that Isagi return to the forward position and help the team win. Isagi responded, "It's funny how you assume I'm doing all this for you. You are all just stepping stones for my eventual victory in this selection. Not one of you can stop me. I will keep moving forward, whether you like it or not."
Bachira stood up and put his hand out to Isagi, saying, "Let's go kick some ass then!" Isagi slapped his hand away and stood up, declaring, "If you all want to win, just give me the ball."
Isagi and Team Z exited the locker room and returned to the field for the second half.
\Pitch\
As the game resumed with Team Y in possession of the ball, Okawa attempted to penetrate Team Z's defense by attacking through the middle.
However, Isagi was quick to react and snatched the ball away from him. "You should be more aware of your surroundings," he taunted.
Isagi expertly dribbled the ball forward, dodging Niko and Okawa's attempts to steal it from him.
His Supreme Vision activated, allowing him to see all possible paths to success in the game. With a flick of his foot, he changed direction, surprising his opponents and dribbling the ball towards the goal box.
Niko and Okawa closed in on him, trying to stop him, but Isagi kept his cool and dribbled past them with ease.
He reached the goal box, and the keeper rushed towards him, unsure of what to do. In that split second, Isagi made the decision to chip the ball over the keeper's head, and with a swift kick, the ball soared gracefully into the net.
Isagi's teammates rushed towards him, congratulating him on his stunning goal. The score is now 2-2. Isagi simply smirked and said, "What a terrible defense."
Isagi sneered at the stunned faces of Team Y as he walked off the pitch. "For a team that prioritizes counterattacks, you all are absolute rubbish."
The opposing team fumed with anger, but their frustration only served to fuel Isagi's fire.
Team Y attempted their signature counterattack, with Niko and Okawa poised to deliver the winning blow.
However, Isagi was ready and waiting for them. As Niko passed the ball to Okawa, Isagi burst forward with lightning speed and stole the ball away.
With the ball at his feet, Isagi's vision became laser-focused as he evaluated his options. He spotted Bachira making a run towards the goal and sent a perfect pass towards him, catching the defense off guard.
Bachira deftly trapped the ball and accelerated past the defenders, using his expert footwork to navigate through the opposition.
The rest of the players sprinted down the pitch, keeping pace with the ball as Bachira sent it soaring into the box.
Gagamaru leaped for a header, but the ball fell short.
Raichi's heart sank as he thought they had missed their chance, but Bachira shook his head and pointed towards the only person who could finish the play: Isagi.
Team Z roared as Isagi pulled his leg back, ready to unleash a devastating strike. With a burst of energy, he launched the ball towards the goal, sending it hurtling towards the top corner. The goalkeeper dove valiantly, but it was too late. The ball smashed into the back of the net, sealing Team Z's victory. 3 - 2.
Isagi walks back, his team celebrating their hard-earned victory.
As he passes by the defeated Team Y, they sit on the ground, some crying or in anguish.
Isagi sneers at them, "It feels good to remind people, especially trash, of where they belong, and that's off the pitch."
\Team Z: room\
After the match, everyone's ranks changed yet again, except for Isagi, who remained at 265. Team Z celebrates their second win, but notice Isagi's absence.
Bachira informs them that he's training. Chigiri seizes the opportunity to ask Bachira what Isagi is like outside of their team since he seems to get along well with him.
Bachira chuckles and says that Isagi is amazing.
Team Z prepares for their upcoming match, with each player focusing on their assigned tasks.
However, Isagi remains absent from their meetings and film-watching sessions, as he continues to train alone.
Despite Isagi's absence, the team devises a plan to stop the formidable duo, 'The Twins', on the pitch.
They go over various scenarios and strategize accordingly.
Each player is aware of their role and knows what they need to do to ensure their team's victory.
Will Team Z be ready for their upcoming match?
(A/N: And that concludes this chapter! I hope you enjoyed reading it and are eagerly waiting for the next one. As always, thank you for reading, and I look forward to bringing you more exciting content.)
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Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone