The air inside the EOS training facility was thick with anticipation. The 26 remaining players stood in a line, their faces set with determination and curiosity. After the brutal matches of Phase 2, every single one of them had tasted defeat, triumph — and the crushing pressure of survival. But now… Phase 3 was here. And the man in front of them, Shunji Kaizen, the enigmatic director of EOS, was about to reveal what came next.
Kaizen's sharp eyes scanned the room, his smirk sending a chill through the players. "Congratulations," he began, his voice calm and cold. "You've survived Phase 2. But let me be clear — survival isn't enough. I want the best striker in the world. And right now… none of you are good enough."
His words hung in the air like a guillotine. Even Kazuya Mori, Alpha's ace and top-ranked player, flinched.
Kaizen continued. "Now… Phase 3 begins. And to shape you into true strikers, I've brought in some… help."
The doors behind him slid open.
Eleven figures walked in.
The EOS training facility felt suffocating — not because of the heat or the lack of air but because of the sheer pressure radiating from the 11 figures standing across the field.
Renji Kurogami's eyes stayed locked on the old players. Their presence alone was overwhelming, but what made his skin crawl was the aura they carried. They weren't just former EOS players — they were monsters forged through brutal competition and survival.
Shunji Kaizen's voice echoed through the silent stadium.
"These players were once in your position. They clawed their way through EOS, devoured their rivals, and became legends. Some of them walked into fame… and some into infamy. But make no mistake — every single one of them is stronger than you."
He turned toward the 26 surviving players. "Today's training is simple: an 11 vs 11 practice match. Top-ranked players versus the legends. Let's see if you've got what it takes."
Renji's heart pounded. This wasn't just a match — it was a test.
The Lineup:
Top 11 Players:
Kazuya Mori (Alpha) – Tactical genius, #1 ranked player
Tetsuya Aikawa (Omega) – Aerial monster, #2 ranked player
Yuto Kisaragi (Delta) – Perfect passer, team's core strategist, #3 ranked player
Kazuki Shindo (Sigma) – Explosive striker, incredible reaction speed, #4 ranked player
Renji Kurogami (Zeta) – Evolving copycat, fastest adaptation rate, #5 ranked player
Hajime Ueda (Sigma) – Technical dribbler, breaks through tight spaces
Shohei Kuroda (Omega) – Strategic playmaker, controls game tempo
Daichi Fujimoto (Alpha) – Aggressive striker, sharp positioning
Kenji Takahashi (Alpha) – High-speed winger, breaks defenses
Riku Saionji (Zeta) – Speedster, quick feints and breakaways
Takuma Ogawa (Delta) – Precise and consistent goalkeeper
Legends:
??? – Captain, ice-cold strategist
??? – Towering center-back, aerial wall
??? – Fast-footed winger with insane agility
??? – Relentless forward with pinpoint accuracy
??? – Midfield general, controls the entire game's rhythm
??? – Unstoppable dribbler, nearly impossible to disposses
s ??? – Sharp passer with devastating through balls
??? – Tenacious defender with perfect tackles
??? – Flexible forward with long-range power shots
??? – Creative playmaker, unpredictable movements
??? – Goalkeeper with lightning-fast reflexes
The whistle blew.
The match began.
From the very first second — they realized.
This wasn't a match.
This was war.
Kazuya Mori surged forward, eyes locked on the goal. He moved with his usual confidence — cutting through the field like a knife — but before he could even think of taking his shot, the ball was gone.
A single touch. That's all it took.
The legend in front of him, the relentless forward, had stolen the ball without breaking stride.
"What—!?" Kazuya's eyes widened.
Before he could react, the old players were already on the attack. The midfield general controlled the rhythm with surgical precision, his passes perfectly weighted and placed. The flexible forward launched a long-range strike — and the ball curved with a terrifying spin.
Takuma Ogawa dove. Too late.
1-0.
Renji's heart pounded in his chest.
Five minutes later:
The score was 3-0.
Every attempt by the top players was crushed.
Shohei Kuroda's attempts at controlling the tempo were disrupted before they even began. Kazuki Shindo's lightning-quick reactions were read and countered. Yuto Kisaragi's perfect passes were intercepted with ease.
The old players didn't just dominate — they devoured.
"How—" Renji gritted his teeth. "How are they moving like this?"
"They're not a team," Yuto Kisaragi muttered, his eyes sharp. "They're predators."
The old players didn't have teamwork. They didn't need it. They had coordination born from devouring each other's strength. They moved as individuals — but in perfect alignment.
Ten minutes in, the score was 7-0.
Fifteen minutes — 10-0.
By halftime — 15-0.
The top players were crumbling. Their egos clashed. They played selfishly, desperate to prove themselves. But their disjointed efforts only fed the legends.
And then — Kazuya Mori snapped.
He exploded forward, his ego burning brighter than ever.
He unleashed everything.
His ten keys. Every football technique he had refined. His tactical genius. His blazing speed. His deadly positioning. His unmatched instinct.
The field seemed to warp around him as he broke through the entire defense alone.
The towering center-back moved to block him — and Kazuya nutmegged him with brutal precision.
The tenacious defender lunged — and Kazuya's body twisted mid-sprint, slipping past.
The goalkeeper's eyes locked on him — but Kazuya's shot was unstoppable.
GOAL.
The stadium erupted in stunned silence.
Kazuya Mori fell to his knees, completely exhausted.
But the damage was done. He had pierced through the impossible.
He was substituted out — but his goal ignited a fire in every player left.
Renji clenched his fists.
"If Kazuya can do that…" his eyes burned. "Why can't I?"
The top players fought back.
Hajime Ueda's technical dribbling finally broke through — 1 goal.
Tetsuya Aikawa's aerial dominance blasted through the defense — 1 goal.
Renji Kurogami, driven by fury and determination, copied and modified Sora Amagi's Phantom Step, creating a flicker-like feint — and his first goal followed.
The battle raged on.
But the legends were relentless.
The final whistle blew.
25-5.
A massacre.
The top players stood on the field — shattered and humiliated.
And Kaizen's voice rang out.
"This is your future — if you don't evolve."
His words sliced through their pride.
"Tomorrow… the real training begins."
Renji's fists clenched.
He wouldn't let it end like this.
Not until he stood at the top.