Chapter 62: [62] Full Firepower
Tweet——!
The instant the whistle sounded, Shinichi launched forward like a bullet, surging ahead of everyone and charging toward the goal.
"Still haven't learned, have you?" Noa stepped up to block Shinichi, his voice calm but firm. "Recklessly charging like this only spreads the pressure to your teammates. As the ace of your team, you need to act with more caution."
"Enough of your annoying lectures," Shinichi replied, his voice sharp and cold. His hollow eyes made it impossible to discern his thoughts. "Now, the real game begins."
His words echoed like a battle horn, igniting the field.
Almost simultaneously, Shinichi and Noa sprang into action.
However, at that very moment, Shinichi's already incredible speed surged even higher, far beyond what Noa had anticipated.
Even the robot-like Noa showed a flicker of surprise as he witnessed Shinichi's sudden burst of velocity.
Shinichi lifted his foot and sent the ball flying forward, his body following in a lightning-fast burst of motion.
It was as if he bypassed the need for acceleration entirely, instantly reaching his top speed.
The sheer speed left behind a trail of dark, crackling lightning-like afterimages, painting an almost surreal scene.
But Noa was the world's best for a reason.
Even though Shinichi's extraordinary speed caught him off guard, Noa quickly shook off his surprise and executed a calculated response—the best possible move given the circumstances.
Realizing it was impossible to completely block Shinichi head-on, Noa decisively abandoned any attempt to chase him directly.
Instead, he focused on disrupting Shinichi's attack with the parts of his body he could position in time.
With precision and speed, Noa lifted his right foot to intercept the ball while simultaneously extending his right arm as wide as possible to enlarge his defensive range.
In that fleeting moment, Noa managed to obstruct both the ball and Shinichi's path.
Whether Shinichi chose to waste time redirecting the ball's trajectory or attempt a direct confrontation, the maneuver forced a delay, granting Noa enough time to recalibrate his defense.
Even in the worst-case scenario—if this defensive maneuver resulted in a foul—Noa would still have succeeded in disrupting Shinichi's attack.
With better preparation for the next encounter, this move would lose much of its effectiveness.
Moreover, Shinichi already carried one foul, and a misstep here could backfire, earning him a yellow card and forcing him off the field.
This looming threat would inevitably make Shinichi more cautious in his movements.
Noa's split-second reaction and precise execution left even the trailing members of Shinichi's team in silent awe. However—
"So, this is the extent of the world's best?" Shinichi sneered, unfazed by Noa's elite counterplay.
The unstoppable streak of lightning seemed to pause mid-flight.
Suddenly, massive, ethereal wings unfolded from Shinichi's back, his posture as graceful as a raptor halting in midair. "Rationality is undoubtedly your greatest strength. Even I can't see a way to outmatch you in that domain—"
"—But what if I go beyond reason?"
Just as he was about to collide with Noa, Shinichi came to an abrupt stop.
The tip of his foot, almost as if imbued with magic, tamed the ball's rapid spin, gently pulling it back under his control.
Then, with a flick of those phantom wings, Shinichi's body surged with explosive energy.
His leg muscles coiled like springs, and with a powerful push off the ground, he launched sideways to Noa's left.
In an instant, Shinichi executed a massive lateral step, his agility carving a zigzagging Z-shaped path across the field.
With this electrifying maneuver, he slipped past Noa's defenses, leaving the world's number one in his wake.
At that moment, almost everyone felt a sense of déjà vu—this was a seamless fusion of Loki's high-speed, wide-stride dribbling and Lavinho's Butterfly Dance!
"No way... The last time he mimicked it, it was just a downgraded version of the Butterfly Dance. But now, it's on par with the original—and what's with that bizarre ball control?" Snuffy, renowned for his exceptional football IQ, came to a swift conclusion after a brief observation. "It's a true, complete replication! What kind of state has this kid entered?"
"Defend!"
Despite conceding two goals, the World's Top Five maintained their composure.
However, a faint hint of unease crept into their minds for the first time.
Even these elite players, some slightly irritated by being outshined by a younger rival, felt an undeniable sense of urgency and threat emanating from Shinichi.
Five of the world's best players, almost simultaneously, rose to counter the challenge ahead of them.
If they didn't take this seriously now… they would lose!
In the briefest of moments, the world's top forwards reached a consensus.
However, they couldn't afford to dedicate all their focus to defending against Shinichi alone.
After all, Shinichi—driven purely by his desire for victory—would never hesitate to pass the ball to his teammates if the situation demanded it.
The previous play, where three players were deployed to swarm Shinichi, was still fresh in their minds.
While they could have shut down that play if they had taken it more seriously, Shinichi hadn't been using his full strength back then.
Now, with his current level of ability, they needed sufficient resources to guard against Shinichi's teammates as the final line of defense.
"Did this kid anticipate this exact scenario from the beginning? Is that why he intentionally scored the first goal through a pass? Could his seemingly reckless charge into the swarm during the last play have been calculated too…?" Snuffy's mind raced, beads of cold sweat dripping from his forehead.
For the first time, he felt a chilling sensation—that everything was unfolding precisely as Shinichi had planned.
"By using his passing to amplify the threat of his teammates, he forces the defense to split their focus, reducing the pressure on himself. Sacrificing one scoring opportunity, he's secured more chances for the rest of the match. Through an act that seems selfless, he's achieved the ultimate selfish outcome… Shinichi, you bastard…"
As Snuffy pieced everything together, the defensive duo of Chris and Loki, known for their speed and physical prowess, moved up to intercept Shinichi.
One positioned to his left, the other to his right, aiming to halt his explosive charge.
Yet Shinichi showed no sign of slowing down. He charged straight at Loki, who had arrived a split second earlier due to his superior speed, his unrelenting momentum cutting through like a force of nature.
"Is this... a sudden stop?" Loki's fiery eyes captured every nuance of Shinichi's movement, carefully analyzing the situation on the field. "He's trying to use the same move he pulled against Noa on me? How arrogant."
Determined to counter, Loki decided to feign compliance, maintaining a defensive distance as if preparing to stop and hold his position.
In reality, he had a plan: as soon as Shinichi committed to his signature stop-and-change move, Loki would launch forward and exploit that moment to close in.
"I'll play along for now… and then, the second he stops, I'll strike!"
The instant Shinichi appeared to execute his supernatural ball control for a sudden stop and direction change, Loki sprang forward like a predator.
His blazing speed brought him face-to-face with Shinichi in the blink of an eye.
"Let's see how you handle a physical challenge right as you stop!" Loki roared, throwing his full weight into the confrontation.
Thud!
The sharp sound of body-on-body impact echoed across the field.
Shinichi, as if he had foreseen this, stopped the ball and braced himself, turning his shoulder into Loki's charge.
Unprepared for the unexpected counter, Loki—already at a strength disadvantage—staggered backward from the collision.
Shinichi, unfazed, absorbed the blow while maintaining control of the ball and surged forward, forcing his way past Loki by half a body's width.
As their shoulders tangled in the ensuing struggle, Shinichi initiated another deliberate collision.
This time, the disoriented Loki couldn't resist.
His legs buckled, and he stumbled several meters back, barely managing to avoid an embarrassing fall.
Meanwhile, Shinichi used the momentum from their clash to propel himself forward, accelerating once more.
"Well, looks like you made good use of my 'perfect physical defense,' thief," Loki muttered bitterly, shaken but regaining his composure.
Unfortunately, the time spent battling Loki gave Chris, known for his speed and power, enough time to close in.
Chris blocked Shinichi's path with a ferocious glare. "Let's see what you've got, you little thief. Come at me if you dare."
"Thief? Don't misunderstand," Shinichi replied calmly, his empty gaze still crackling with electric determination.
His breathing had quickened slightly, but his expression remained impassive. "I'm not stealing anything. I'm merely picking up treasures while conquering you all. Isn't the British Museum in your country? You should be familiar with this kind of thing."
"You cheeky brat, sharp-tongued as ever. But I'll admit..." Chris's ferocious expression twisted into a faint, almost begrudging smile. "In the end, it all comes down to who's stronger. So—"
"Try and 'conquer' me if you can!"
"As you wish." Shinichi, deep within enemy territory, had no intention of wasting any more time.
Lowering his center of gravity, the crackling lightning in his eyes suddenly erupted, surging with renewed intensity.
Three obstacles still stood in his path.
Three defenders left.
-------------------
🤒
Want to read 20 advance chapters ahead?
Go to my patreon: patreon.com/Kinglass