A New Challenger in the Arena
The moment the whistle blew, it was clear—Ryusei Kuroda wasn't just some random first-year trying out.
From the very first play, he exploded forward with a sharp first touch, his dribbling tight, precise, and unpredictable. Shun was on him immediately.
Rika watched from the sidelines, arms crossed, eyes narrowing.
"He's fast."
Ryusei cut past one player, then another, moving as if the defenders weren't even there. But just as he was about to break into the penalty area—
SHUN APPEARED.
With a perfectly timed shoulder check, he cut Ryusei off, stealing the ball cleanly.
The crowd on the sidelines reacted instantly—
"Damn! That's why he's the ace!"
"Ryusei was fast, but Shun read him like a book!"
Ryusei gritted his teeth. He wasn't expecting Shun's insane defensive control.
But instead of backing down, his eyes burned even more.
"He's… smiling?" Rika thought, watching as Ryusei picked himself up, eager for the next play.
A Clash of Monsters
Over the next ten minutes, it became a full-fledged duel between Shun and Ryusei.
Shun wasn't just playing defense. He was reading Ryusei's every move, testing him, seeing how far he could push.
And Ryusei?
He was adapting—fast.
Every time Shun shut down one of his moves, Ryusei would adjust.
First, he went for speed.
Then, he tried physical play.
Then—deception.
At one point, he did a fake shot, forcing Shun to react—only to immediately change directions and nutmeg him.
The entire team lost their minds.
"HOLY SH—"
"HE JUST GOT SHUN!"
Even Rika had to admit—it was clean.
But Shun?
He just grinned.
"Good."
The match raged on, and while Shun still had the upper hand, it was obvious—
Ryusei Kuroda wasn't an ordinary first-year.