Preparation
Chapter 9:
The match was over.
But the pressure wasn't.
Room 109 was given 24 hours to rest, train, and prepare for the next stage.
No eliminations.
No coach.
Just silence and time.
---
Morning. Training Field.
The training hall opened into a futuristic arena — glowing turf, auto-reset goals, and high-speed replay drones.
Kai was already on the field, locked in.
He fired a shot from the edge of the box.
The ball curved sharply, bypassing two defenders projected by hologram.
"Demon Curve."
A cursed arc that slithered through the air, unnatural, unpredictable.
Each strike bent reality. Each miss made him hungrier.
Haru stood nearby, quiet, observing. He wasn't touching the ball yet. Just watching. Learning.
Then he stepped forward.
He placed the ball without a word.
One step. One breath. One strike.
The shot rose as if to soar into the stands — then suddenly dipped like a collapsing illusion.
"Phantom Drive."
A ghost shot that fakes elevation before crashing down.
Kai turned, wide-eyed.
"What the hell was that?"
"A fake flight," Haru replied calmly. "Gravity can be a weapon too."
---
Afternoon. Cafeteria.
Players from different rooms gathered. Laughter, tension, strategy — all mixing in one space.
Then came the intrusion.
Two players from Room 107 walked up.
One of them — tall, lean, with wild black hair and a smirk that screamed ego — stepped in front of Haru.
"You're the Phantom kid, right?"
"Haru."
"Name's Renji. I break nets. Room 107."
He leaned closer.
"Try that soft shot on me — see what happens."
Beside him, a shorter player with sharp eyes and fast-twitch energy smirked.
"I'm Mio. Flashpass. Let's make it entertaining."
These weren't just cocky.
They were dangerous.
---
Evening. Tactical Room.
The rules of the next match dropped.
A joint-zone match.
Three zones: Defense, Midfield, Attack.
A goal could only be scored if the ball was passed in each zone — at least once.
No solo heroism.
No one-man armies.
Real football.
"We'll see who can really link up," Kai said.
"It's a system of trust," Haru replied. "A network."
---
Match Start (To Be Continued in Chapter 10)
Whistle.
Room 109 vs Room 107.
The ball rolled.
The air tightened.
Mio danced between defenders — fast, electric.
Renji burst into motion — loud, chaotic, wild.
Haru backtracked. Kai took position.
And then, with a single touch, Renji flung himself forward.
"Time to show you what real power looks like."
His foot whipped through the air like a loaded spring.
"Dragon Burst."
A jumping shot filled with rage, energy, and explosion — aimed straight at the goal.
To be continued in Chapter 10: The Dragon's Breath.