After Kaiser accepted the challenge from Miyuki Nagi, they agreed that their match would take place after the much-anticipated face-off between Kaiser and Raju.
Just as Kaiser was catching his breath and preparing mentally, Raju walked over with his usual confident swagger. "Don't slack off, genius," he said with a smirk. "You haven't forgotten our match today, right?"
Kaiser looked at him calmly, his eyes sharp and unwavering. "Yeah, I remember. Let's give them a show."
Soon after, all the students and spectators gathered at the stadium. The excitement was palpable. Even Miyuki Nagi, Japan's top-ranked badminton player, took a seat among the crowd to watch the match. The atmosphere crackled with energy.
The teams were the same as before, but this time, the university students who had played in their earlier match brought along some peers who came purely to spectate. The number of eyes on the field had doubled.
Kaiser looked across the field and muttered with a chuckle, "Looks like this has turned into a full-blown club match now."
Far in the distance, hidden among the crowd, Kaito Goldat watched quietly, observing every detail from the shadows.
Raju cracked his knuckles and stared at Kaiser from across the field. "Perfect time to demolish you, genius."
Kaiser smirked. "Bring it on."
The whistle blew. The match had begun.
Kaiser made the first move, quickly passing the ball to Itoshi. Before Itoshi could push forward, Hiraku appeared in front of him like a phantom, trying to intercept. Itoshi skillfully dribbled past, but Hiraku didn't back down. With a sly smirk, he doubled back and stole the ball cleanly.
"So that's why he's called the Stealthy Wall," Kaiser thought, mentally noting Hiraku's deceptive skill.
Without wasting time, Hiraku passed the ball to Hiyori. With swift, fluid movements, Hiyori maneuvered through the field, but then Rensuke and another university player blocked his path. Trapped between the two, most expected him to panic or backpedal.
Instead, Hiyori closed his eyes for a split second—then delivered a pinpoint pass so precise and instinctive that the entire crowd gasped.
Raju caught the pass, charging toward the goal. But Kaiser, predicting the move, rallied the defense. Within moments, Raju found himself surrounded by five players, including Kaiser himself.
Kaiser stepped in, aiming to steal the ball—but Raju acted fast. Without hesitation, he passed the ball to Hiraku again.
As Hiraku caught the pass, three attackers surged forward—Raju, Hiyori, and Blake. The crowd held its breath, expecting Hiraku to feed Blake, who was closest to the goal.
But Kaiser's eyes narrowed. "No... this is a trap."
He shouted instinctively, "He's not passing to Blake—Raju's going to shoot!"
The moment Kaiser called it, the ball shot toward Raju—just as predicted.
Raju caught the ball, now surrounded by two defenders. But he didn't hesitate. He struck the ball downward with force, then spun mid-air with graceful precision. His body twisted like a corkscrew, the motion unfamiliar and dangerously elegant.
In that split second, Kaiser's mind flashed back to a rumor he'd once heard—that Raju had developed a brand-new technique after his team's crushing loss in the U-20 World Cup.
In a cutaway memory, we see a younger Raju researching physics and the Magnus effect—a phenomenon where a spinning ball curves mid-flight due to pressure differences. Inspired, he trained relentlessly, eventually creating his own version—a high-powered curved shot with seemingly impossible angles.
Back in the present, Raju unleashed his new move: Magnus Lock.
The ball curved in an unnatural arc, bypassing both the defenders and the goalkeeper. It slammed into the net.
The entire stadium erupted.
"RAJU! RAJU! RAJU!" the chants rang through the air.
Even Kaito raised an eyebrow from the stands.
Raju jogged back, stopping right in front of Kaiser. His expression was calm, but his eyes blazed with passion. "I told you I'd defeat you," he said. "So don't be disappointed… knowing you lost to me."
Kaiser stood silently, the roar of the crowd fading in his mind as he processed the shot. His competitive instincts lit up.
So the rumors were true… He really did create something new. That move… that wasn't just luck. It was calculated. Precise.
He watched Raju walk away.
Raju Desai… The devil chosen by God. Fitting name.
Kaiser clenched his fist slightly and whispered to himself, "You got me this time… but I won't go down easy. I'll win, no matter what."
The crowd was still buzzing, conversations exploding about the shot.
"Did you see that curve?"
"He shot it from 22 meters and still made it!"
"That spin… that angle… was that really high school-level play?"
Kaiser turned to his teammates and nodded. "Let's raise the tempo."
The fire in his eyes was back. His pride wasn't hurt—it was ignited.
Miyuki Nagi watched from the audience with growing interest. "So this is the level of Holy Cross… This Kaiser… he's not just another prodigy. He's a monster in disguise."
Back on the field, Kaiser walked past Raju with a grin. "Now my respect for you has increased even more, Raju," he said.
Raju replied with a smirk. "Then prepare yourself, Kaiser. Because I'm not done yet."