Chapter 19 (Part 1): The Aftermath of Shun’s Victory

The Goal That Shook the Tournament

The stadium was silent for a moment as if no one had fully processed what had just happened. Then, like a dam breaking, a roar of cheers and disbelief flooded the air. Shun stood on the pitch, his breath ragged, his body burning from exhaustion, yet his mind was sharper than ever.

His final goal—the one that broke Kazama's defense and sealed Fukura's victory—was already spreading through the crowd like wildfire. Fans, scouts, and even rival players whispered among themselves.

"Did he just do that?"

"He weaved through five defenders while under pressure…"

"And that shot—was it even humanly possible?"

Kazama, Fukura's toughest opponent so far, sat on the ground, his gaze locked onto the sky. His chest rose and fell rapidly, sweat dripping down his face. His pride as a dribbling genius had been shattered by someone who outplayed him in every way that mattered.

Shun turned towards his team. They rushed toward him, tackling him to the ground.

"You… are not human!" Renji shouted, shaking Shun by the shoulders.

"Shun-bro, tell me right now—are you secretly a cyborg?" Kaito added.

"Hah… hah… shut up," Shun managed to say, completely drained.

Their captain, Ryusei, grinned before grabbing Shun by the wrist and raising his arm. "THE MVP OF THE MATCH!" he declared.

The crowd erupted again.

Back in the locker room, Shun collapsed onto the bench, pouring water over his head. His teammates were still buzzing with excitement.

Then, Renji's phone beeped. And then another. And another.

"What's up?" Shun asked, rubbing his face with a towel.

Renji's eyes widened as he scrolled. "Bro. You are blowing up on social media."

Shun blinked. "Huh?"

Kazama's team wasn't even out of the locker room yet, but the internet was already on fire. Videos of Shun's game-breaking goal were trending.

📰 "Who is Shun Kiryuu? The High Schooler Who Just Scored One of the Craziest Goals of the Tournament!"

🔥 "This kid's spatial awareness and movement are ELITE! Japan needs to watch out!"

"Shun Kiryuu = The Future of Japan's Soccer?"

Shun stared at the screen, feeling a strange mix of disbelief and excitement. He knew he played well—but this much attention?

⚔️ Kazama Won't Accept This Loss

The locker room door slammed open.

Kazama stood there, his expression unreadable. His teammates looked just as frustrated.

Shun sat up. "Kazama."

Kazama took a step forward, his gaze locked on Shun. "…That goal. I'll make sure it never happens again."

Shun smirked slightly. "That's what every defender says before I do it again."

A flash of frustration crossed Kazama's face, but then he grinned. "Tch. Keep talking, 'MVP.' I'll see you in the next tournament."

With that, he turned and walked away.

Renji whistled. "Damn. That dude is salty as hell."

Ryusei crossed his arms. "No. He's just like us. He's already thinking about the rematch."

Shun exhaled, closing his eyes for a second. This was just the beginning.