The whistle blew.
The second half began.
And for the first time in the match—
Southside didn't back away.
Yusuke immediately pressed forward.
Not recklessly.
Not blindly.
Purposefully.
The ball rolled back through Nocturne's defense.
Normally Southside would've waited.
Normally they'd fall into shape.
Reset.
Recover.
Not this time.
Yuma charged.
"GO!"
Theo blinked in surprise as Yuma exploded toward the ball.
Marc received possession.
Sora arrived instantly.
Pressure.
For the first time all match—
Nocturne had to play faster than they wanted.
The crowd noticed immediately.
"They're pressing!"
The stadium buzzed.
Hiroto pushed higher.
Takumi stepped into passing lanes.
Ren and Daichi squeezed the field tighter.
Even Tsubasa stood several meters further from his goal than usual.
The entire team moved up.
Together.
The ball reached Réservoir.
He controlled calmly.
Looked around.
Then smiled.
"There it is."
Southside's desperation.
The thing Coach Daniel wanted.
The thing Nocturne had been waiting for.
Réservoir spun away from pressure.
Yusuke followed.
Then Yuma arrived.
Then Hiroto.
Three players collapsing onto him.
The crowd rose.
Surely they'd win it.
Surely.
Réservoir slipped a pass through all three.
One touch.
Gone.
The crowd gasped.
Theo accelerated immediately.
"BACK!"
Daichi turned.
Ren sprinted.
Another counterattack.
Again.
The danger felt instant now.
Every mistake carried consequences.
Every gamble risked disaster.
Theo crossed early.
Marc attacked the ball.
HEADER.
Wide.
Barely.
The stadium exhaled.
Southside survived again.
But the warning had been delivered.
Press too hard.
Get punished.
Simple.
The game continued.
Minutes passed.
Fifty-three.
Fifty-four.
Fifty-five.
The score remained 1–0.
And somehow—
that felt worse.
Every minute strengthened Nocturne.
Every minute weakened Southside.
The clock wasn't neutral anymore.
It was an enemy.
Pambara felt it more than anyone.
His legs were heavy.
His lungs burned.
But he kept talking.
"Ren, inside."
Ren adjusted.
"Hiroto, pressure behind."
Hiroto turned.
"Yuma, don't chase."
Yuma chased anyway.
"...Worth a shot."
Even Pambara laughed slightly.
The moment didn't last.
Aka received possession.
Silence spread across the stadium.
The same silence that always followed him.
He stood near midfield.
Ball under his foot.
Waiting.
Nobody rushed him.
Nobody wanted to be first.
Aka looked around.
Then tilted his head.
"...Strange."
No one answered.
His eyes moved toward Yusuke.
"You're different now."
Yusuke stepped forward.
"...Good."
Aka smiled.
A real smile.
The dangerous kind.
Then he accelerated.
Everything exploded.
One touch.
Two touches.
Gone.
Past Kaito.
Past Hiroto.
The crowd erupted.
Yusuke chased.
Not reacting.
Predicting.
Trying.
Aka cut left.
Yusuke followed.
Aka cut right.
Yusuke stayed with him.
For the first time—
the distance didn't grow.
The crowd noticed.
Aka noticed.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The smile disappeared.
Just for a second.
Yusuke saw it.
There.
Exactly what he'd noticed during halftime.
When Aka became serious—
the smile vanished.
Aka pushed harder.
Yusuke pushed harder too.
The duel intensified.
The crowd rose to its feet.
Two shadows sprinting across the field.
One trying to create space.
The other refusing to give it.
Then—
Aka stopped.
Completely.
Yusuke nearly overran him.
Aka spun.
Space.
Created.
The crowd exploded.
Aka entered shooting range.
Tsubasa stepped forward.
The angle narrowed.
Aka shot.
Low.
Fast.
Deadly.
Tsubasa dove.
SAVE.
The stadium erupted.
His fingertips redirected the ball.
Corner kick.
Southside players screamed in celebration.
Not because they'd scored.
Because they were still alive.
Tsubasa punched the air.
"COME ON!"
For the first time all match—
emotion returned.
Real emotion.
Even Aka looked slightly surprised.
Not by the save.
By the reaction.
Because despite everything—
Southside still refused to break.
The corner was prepared.
Nocturne gathered inside the box.
Southside gathered too.
Bodies collided.
Shirts tugged.
Elbows fought for position.
The crowd roared.
The ball was placed.
Réservoir stepped toward the corner flag.
Calm.
Relaxed.
Like he already knew something everyone else didn't.
He glanced once toward Aka.
Aka nodded.
Tiny.
Barely noticeable.
Then both smiled.
And suddenly—
Yusuke felt cold.
Very cold.
Because whatever came next—
had been planned.