The meeting room hummed with a quiet tension. Fluorescent lights buzzed faintly above, casting a sterile glow over the long, polished table. Yugen sat beside Sosei, hands clasped in his lap, eyes fixed forward. Around them, the rest of Team B murmured in low voices, the air thick with curiosity and nervous energy.
Before anyone could speak, the door swung open with a sharp click. Heads turned.
Mika entered with quiet authority, her presence immediately silencing the room. Beside her walked a girl with striking green eyes and a ponytail that swayed with every step—Hojo. Yugen's brows lifted slightly.
Isn't that the girl from earlier?
Hojo didn't spare him a glance as she strode up to the stage beside Mika, posture perfect, eyes cool and sharp.
"The system is simple," she began, her voice precise and clear, cutting through the silence like a blade. "Each region will host its own league. The top team from each will move on to a national knockout tournament. Only eight teams will remain."
She paused.
"The team that wins the final tournament will become Japan's U-20 national team."
Mika smiled, her arms spreading in theatrical flair. "Makes it interesting, right? Being the best in the world isn't a fantasy here. It's the only thing that matters. Everything else? Background noise."
Inyo scoffed from his seat. "Hah. Obviously."
Yugen remained still, his jaw tight. He could feel it now—this wasn't a dream anymore. It was real. Tangible. Becoming the world's best… was possible.
But if he couldn't make it happen?
Then my dream is fucking trash.
---
Steam curled through the air of Kelshea's hot spring, a thin fog wrapping around the warm stone walls. Yugen stood at the entrance, a towel slung over his shoulder, peering into the water like it was lava.
He dipped a toe in—and instantly leapt back.
"Too hot!" he hissed, shaking his foot. Back home, cold water had always been the norm. This was torture.
Across the bath, Kou, Jin, Inyo, and Iori lounged in the water, towels folded beside them. An awkward silence lingered until Iori finally cleared his throat.
"So… we'll have a chance to play with the—"
Kou's face darkened immediately.
Yugen blinked. "Who are those people?"
The silence that followed was somehow louder than anything said.
Inyo groaned and covered his eyes. "What a fool."
Jin didn't even acknowledge the question.
Akane's voice broke the silence, light with amusement. "You really don't know?" He leaned in, eyes glinting. "They're the Five."
Yugen tilted his head. "The Five?"
Akane grinned. "The top five players in Japan. Untouchable. Each one's considered a generational monster. They're already being scouted by clubs in Europe. Gods on the pitch."
Yugen's awe turned quickly into something sharper, more focused.
"So those are the ones I have to surpass," he said, more to himself than to anyone else.
Water sloshed suddenly as Kou stood up, muscles tense beneath the droplets that clung to his skin.
"I need air," he muttered and left without looking back.
Yugen watched him go, frowning. "What's his deal?"
Akane shrugged, towel behind his neck. "Don't take it personally. Kou's just… intense." He smirked. "Probably the result of rebellious teen years."
---
Later that night, laughter echoed softly through the foggy air. Inyo and Sosei were locked in a ridiculous battle of endurance, sitting motionless in the scalding water, eyes squinting in discomfort, refusing to admit defeat.
"Strategic warmth?" Sosei teased, sweat dripping down his face.
Inyo scowled, arms crossed. "This is psychological warfare."
Then the heater surged unexpectedly.
"SON OF A—!" Sosei launched out of the water, flailing like a fish yanked from the sea.
Yugen chuckled, shaking his head as he toweled off and stepped away from the hot spring, their arguing fading behind him.
---
Outside, the night was cool and still. Moonlight spilled across the Kelshea courtyard in silver pools, casting long shadows from the rooftops and trees. The air smelled of pine and faint earth.
Yugen wandered quietly, letting the silence seep into his bones. His footsteps brought him to the far edge of the property where the streetlights flickered dimly.
There, at the rim of the stone path, sat Kou.
Alone.
His eyes were closed, face tilted slightly upward as though drinking in the moonlight. The usual storm in his expression had quieted, replaced by a rare calm. He looked almost peaceful.
Yugen hesitated for a moment, then sat down beside him, folding his arms across his knees.
They didn't speak at first. Just sat there, shoulder to shoulder, sharing the silence as the distant hum of the city floated in from beyond the trees.
Finally, Yugen spoke, voice low.
"You're amazing, Kou."
Kou didn't react. Not at first. One eye opened slightly, watching him sideways.
Yugen grinned, a fierce light behind his gaze. "But I'll be the best striker in the world. Enjoy your spot while it lasts."
He rose, brushing off his shorts, and turned to leave.
Behind him, a whisper floated through the night—barely audible, but enough to freeze his steps.
"We'll see about that."
Yugen looked over his shoulder, smiling.
In that brief moment, something unspoken passed between them.
Not rivalry.
Not yet.
But a promise.
---
The next morning, the training field was alive with motion. Sunlight spilled over the turf as players sprinted drills under the watchful eyes of coaches and analysts. Mika stood at the top of the bleachers, arms crossed, her gaze fixed like a hawk.
Yugen's muscles ached, but he moved sharper, faster. Every pass, every sprint—it had purpose now.
Every drop of sweat carried weight.
Akane jogged beside him between sets, still grinning like a child.
"You know," he said, wiping his brow, "I've been thinking."
"That's rare."
Akane laughed. "I meant about them. The Five."
Yugen raised an eyebrow.
"They're not just players, you know. They're… anomalies. One's a genius with spatial awareness so insane, he once scored a hat-trick blindfolded during a training stunt. Another's known for breaking defenders with a single dribble. And there's one—his nickname's 'The Phantom.' People swear he disappears on the field."
Yugen shook his head. "Sounds like fiction."
"Nope," Akane said, tapping his temple. "Saw the replays myself. You'll feel it too, soon. Being in their presence—it's like being swallowed by something bigger than the game."
Yugen didn't respond.
But his fists clenched.
And deep inside him, something stirred.
Not fear.
Not excitement.
Conviction.
---
[Chapter End]