[203] The First Day of Training—Complete

"So fast…"

There was almost no resistance—Shinichi had just sprinted like it was a 100-meter dash, and the ball was in the net before anyone could react.

Isagi and the others didn't even get a chance to fall back on defense. Even if Lorenzo had wanted to join the play, he couldn't—he'd been out of position. Or rather, Shinichi had deliberately chosen not to attack from his side.

Against someone as explosively fast as Shinichi, being just a few steps too far meant you were already out of the play.

And for many watching, this goal was even more shocking than his last cannon shot.

Because this time, the difference was raw, unfiltered talent.

That cannon shot—sure, if you stacked enough defenders, or predicted the timing perfectly, you might block it.

But this?

This was speed you could never catch. Not even if you reran the play 10,000 times. Their stamina couldn't match his. Their reflexes couldn't keep up.

It was a kind of gap that hard work alone couldn't close, and that was the most crushing part.

"For players like Shinichi, you need an entirely different defensive setup," Isagi muttered to himself.

"Don't even try to stop him outright—just don't let him accelerate. If you can force a change in direction or delay him even one second, you stand a chance.

You need to create a formation like speed bumps—just enough to slow him down."

He hadn't faced Shinichi's pure speed in a long time, and it reminded him of something important—Shinichi didn't become famous for his cannon shot.

Speed was his original weapon.

And with mentors like Loki—another speed demon—in the mix, Isagi's wariness toward these types of players was now higher than ever.

He made a mental note: his new team had to have a way to neutralize speed threats.

(Chigiri Hyoma: ???)

...

"Alright, that's the end of match one. Take ten minutes to rest."

Shinichi's voice cut across the field with his usual calm.

"Then we'll start match two. I'll join Team Two. Lorenzo, Chigiri—you two are done for today. No objections?"

Just moments after showcasing what looked like a football scout's dream target, Shinichi casually swapped himself into the other team.

And to the surprise of those who thought they'd performed poorly—he didn't bench the weakest.

Instead, he picked Chigiri, who'd been exceptional, and Lorenzo, who may have slacked off but had solid one-on-one defense and undeniable strength.

"OK, I'm clocking out."

"Same here. I've seen what I wanted," Lorenzo added coolly.

"And if I stayed, there'd be too many speedsters on the same team anyway. Not ideal."

It was clear Shinichi had made a calculated choice—and both Chigiri and Lorenzo accepted it without hesitation.

Neither of them left, though. They stuck around on the sidelines, eager to keep watching.

"Still," Chigiri said, scanning the now 8v8 field, "even with us gone, there's a pretty big imbalance between the teams."

"Team One only has Kaiser, Dada Silva, and Charles as their core. But Team Two? Isagi, Hiori, and Sae have natural chemistry—

Add Shinichi, Kurona, Zantetsu, and Aryu into that mix, and that side definitely has more firepower."

Chigiri Hyoma couldn't help but feel a little crushed as he talked—Even with all that talent on their side, they still got shut out 3–0.

The gap was just too big.

Meanwhile, Lorenzo, completely unfazed, took advantage of the break to grab a bucket of popcorn and started munching loudly.

"That whole 'random selection' thing? Total scam," he said, smirking.

"Shinichi obviously rigged it. He just wanted to test the players he's already eyeing, so he stuck them all on the same team."

Then, out of nowhere, Lorenzo turned to Chigiri.

"By the way, if you don't have a team in mind yet, wanna give Snuffy's squad a try tomorrow?"

The unexpected offer caught Chigiri completely off guard.

"One billion bid—sound good?"

"Aren't you planning to join Shinichi? Why are you recruiting for Uber?"

"Money's everything, man. Highest bidder wins," Lorenzo said with a shrug.

"Besides, nobody said I can't help other teams too."

His grin widened.

"Anyway, it doesn't hurt to try. If England's team forged you into a solid steel weapon, Snuffy will hone you into a flawless blade—sharp enough to kill with a single cut. And he'll even craft the sword style to match."

"France might be where all the hotshots are gathering… but that crazy adult Snuffy? He's the one who can make a bunch of snot-nosed punks like us actually reach our dreams."

Then, Lorenzo's smile faded slightly, a glint of gold flashing from his teeth.

"So what will you choose, Chigiri—the player who showed the most but still got no tactical spotlight?"

Chigiri remained silent for a moment, then answered coolly:

"I'll take a look at the Italy league floor."

It wasn't a yes—but for Lorenzo, that was more than enough.

Snuffy would handle the rest.

...

BEEP—!

Just as their conversation ended, the second scrimmage came to a close.

Unsurprisingly, it was another 3–0 blowout.

With Kurona acting as the glue that helped everyone match Shinichi's tempo, Team Two steamrolled the opposition.

Charles: "Damn it, Shinichi! You've been dodging all my passes! Every time I send it your way, you just dish it off—or go full solo!"

Dada Silva: "Yeah, what the hell! You promised me a clean pass!"

The two grumbled loudly after a pair of frustrating matches, venting their complaints toward Shinichi.

But he ignored them completely.

Instead, he gathered the players and announced:

"That's it for the trial. I'll now call out jersey numbers—if you hear yours, stay behind. Everyone else, you're free to leave or keep training. The league floor pathways will remain open until 8 PM, and the training grounds are available the whole time. That's all."

Day One of the trials—complete.

Only six days remain until the Hero Assembly Selection.