The whistle cut through the air.
Kickoff.
Riku tapped the ball back, already speaking under his breath.
"Stay sharp… from the first second."
Hiroto received instantly.
His head moved left, right, scanning everything.
"Spread out," he called. "Don't bunch up."
But Nocturne Eleven were already moving.
Fast.
Tight.
Pressing.
Réservoir stepped forward first.
Calm.
Controlled.
A faint smirk on his face.
He shifted just enough to block Hiroto's forward lane.
"…Too obvious," he murmured.
Takumi reacted.
He moved wide, opening his body.
"Here."
Hiroto passed.
Marc Pelletier crashed in immediately.
Hard.
Takumi's first touch slipped slightly under the pressure.
"…Tch."
He adjusted.
Barely.
Then sent it back.
"They're tighter than expected," Takumi muttered.
Hiroto received again.
But the space was gone.
Already.
Yusuke drifted between lines.
Trying to find a pocket.
Trying to breathe.
Lucien was already there.
Not touching him.
Not diving in.
Just—
there.
Riku stepped forward.
"Give it."
Hiroto passed.
Riku turned fast.
Too fast.
Réservoir was already on him.
"…You rush," Réservoir said quietly.
Riku forced it anyway.
A sharp pass forward.
Sora got it.
Pushed ahead—
Noah Garnier stepped in cleanly.
Took it.
No hesitation.
"Switch."
Noah passed instantly.
Theo Armand was already moving.
Theo exploded down the wing.
Fast.
Sharp.
Ren chased him.
Matching stride for stride.
"Center!" Ren shouted.
Daichi shifted inward.
Covering.
Theo cut inside.
Sudden.
Sharp.
Two defenders pulled.
Then—
a slip pass.
Unexpected.
Aka.
The ball reached him.
And—
he didn't touch it.
It almost rolled past him.
Then—
snap.
Control.
Perfect.
Yuma charged.
"Got you!"
Aka moved.
Not fast.
Not slow.
Just—
wrong.
Yuma missed.
"…Heh."
A quiet laugh.
Aka dragged the ball backward.
Deliberately.
Inviting pressure.
Kaito stepped in.
"Enough."
Aka flicked the ball up.
Over his foot.
Spun.
Gone.
"…What the hell?" Kaito snapped.
The crowd noise lifted.
Aka kept moving.
Loose.
Unpredictable.
Ignoring everything.
"PASS!" Jules Caron shouted.
He was wide open.
Aka didn't even look.
He kept dribbling.
Hiroto stepped in.
Perfect timing.
Aka shifted.
Last second.
Gone again.
Riku sprinted back.
"Close him!"
His eyes locked onto Aka.
Trying to read him.
Aka stopped.
Completely.
The entire field froze for a split second.
Then—
he moved again.
Explosive.
Daichi stepped in.
Strong tackle—
Aka slipped it.
Between his legs.
"…No way," Daichi muttered.
Réservoir watched from behind.
Arms loose.
"…He's overdoing it," he said calmly.
"…But it works."
Aka kept going.
Closer now.
Tsubasa stepped forward.
Just slightly.
Preparing.
Aka slowed again.
Almost walking.
Tap.
Tap.
Side to side.
Smiling.
Mocking.
Yusuke stepped in.
Direct.
No rush.
No panic.
Just watching.
Aka leaned closer.
Close enough to feel.
"…You see it too," Aka whispered.
Then—
he moved.
Past him.
Clean.
"…Tch."
The defense collapsed.
Everything tightened.
Aka didn't pass.
Didn't even consider it.
He pushed forward.
Alone.
Tsubasa stepped fully now.
Aka struck.
Clean.
Low.
Sharp.
The ball flew.
Net.
Goal.
1–0.
Aka laughed.
Soft.
"…That's fun."
Silence fell over Southside.
Riku stood still.
Breathing hard.
"…So that's him."
Yusuke stared at the goal.
"…Yeah."
The ball rolled out slowly.
The game had just started.
And they were already behind.