Chapter 17 – Duel: The Awakening of Ego
The training field lights still burned deep into the night.
"Found it," Isagi Yoichi muttered to himself.
He had guessed correctly—Yūshin Seiichi was still here. But what he didn't expect… was that someone else was too.
Isagi squinted toward the center of the pitch.
That… that's Barō Shōei?
In the middle of the field, Seiichi and Barō were locked in a fierce 1v1.
Barō held the ball, his blood-red eyes blazing with killer instinct. Dark crimson lightning crackled around his body as he darted right with a feint from his left foot.
But Seiichi matched his every movement.
His pale blue gaze was ice-cold. Not a twitch went unseen. He stuck to Barō like glue, shutting down every window of opportunity.
Barō tried again—an explosive cut in the opposite direction.
Seiichi was already there.
"Tch… Get out of my way!!" Barō growled.
He rammed his shoulder into Seiichi, trying to bulldoze through, but Seiichi lowered his stance, digging his heels into the turf.
You think brute force alone will beat me?
With a smirk, Seiichi anchored his right foot, spun over Barō's frame, and stripped the ball cleanly.
Boom!
The ball rocketed out from Seiichi's foot.
Barō wiped his sweat, face twisted in frustration. Another failed attempt.
This is insane… they're both monsters.
Isagi stood frozen at the entrance, watching the battle unfold.
Now it was Seiichi's turn to attack.
Barō reset his stance, knees bent, eyes fixed on Seiichi's dominant right foot.
You always attack from the right… this time, I'll stop you.
Barō gritted his teeth. He couldn't afford to lose again—not in this match.
They had a deal. The loser had to follow any one order from the winner. When Seiichi proposed it, Barō accepted immediately. If he won, he'd make Seiichi his personal underling—his "slave."
But so far, he was down. Badly.
I can't lose again…!
Seiichi approached with the ball, closing the gap. Barō stayed 1.5 meters back, denying room for feints.
Suddenly, Seiichi raised his right leg.
Barō moved to block—
A fake!
Seiichi smiled faintly.
With a feather-light touch, he flicked the ball with his right foot and darted left, tearing past Barō's center of gravity.
Barō recovered quickly—but not fast enough.
Another shoulder drop. Another illusion.
Seiichi used a seamless combination: step over, flick, ox-tail turn, and Marseille roulette—
Then, the finishing blow: nutmeg.
Boom!
The ball crashed into the lower right corner.
"Damn it!" Barō hissed.
He lost again.
As he panted, Seiichi casually walked over and offered a water bottle. "Rest up, Shōei. You're facing Team V tomorrow."
"Tch." Barō took it but looked away.
"You've got company." He pointed toward the entrance.
Isagi flinched. Caught.
"Yo! My little shadow," Seiichi called out playfully. "What brings you here?"
Isagi stepped onto the field, heart still racing from what he'd seen.
"Seiichi… I wanted to ask you something."
"Oh? What is it?" Seiichi tilted his head with interest.
"How do I truly master my weapon? I know what it is, but I still can't use it properly in a match…"
Barō started walking away, uninterested in the conversation.
But then—
"Wait. My condition—" Seiichi smirked. "You and him. 1v1. First to three goals."
Barō froze. "Huh?! You're pairing me with this loser?"
"You backing out?" Seiichi taunted.
Barō scoffed. "Fine. Don't regret it, punk. I'll let you go first."
"Go get him, Yoichi," Seiichi said, tapping Isagi's shoulder.
"…Okay."
Isagi passed the ball to Barō. Barō returned it.
Match on.
Isagi attacked first, confidence sharp in his eyes.
Step-over!
Barō didn't flinch.
Isagi shifted to the right—trying to beat him on speed—
But Barō appeared like a demon, stealing the ball in an instant.
Boom!
A cannon shot—Barō scored from deep.
"Too easy," he sneered.
Isagi stood in shock.
This strength… it's nothing like what I imagined.
Seiichi really is on another level.
Barō reset and charged again. Isagi braced himself.
Don't let him shoot from range!
But—
Boom!
Another screamer into the top right corner.
That's two.
"One more, trash."
Barō wasn't joking. This was destruction.
"I… I don't want it to end like this," Isagi whispered.
"I want to win. I want to be someone who can stand on my own. I want to be strong!"
He tightened his jaw. His eyes sharpened.
Barō attacked again.
This time, Isagi stayed tighter. More pressure.
Barō cut left—Isagi followed.
Barō raised his right foot—fake!
Isagi bit down, matching his moves.
But then—Marseille turn, nutmeg!
Boom!
Barō scored again.
Isagi collapsed, panting hard.
Three-nil. A complete shutout.
Barō looked down at him. "You're better than I thought… but still trash."
He turned and walked off.
"I'll destroy you next time, Jingshi."
Seiichi walked over and crouched beside Isagi.
"You good?"
Isagi nodded slowly. "Sorry… I lost. I thought I was getting closer…"
"That's not the point," Seiichi said. "Did you realize what your weapon is now?"
"…Yeah."
"My eyes. My brain. The ability to process everything in real-time, feel the field shift, and calculate the best play before anyone else."
"That's my ability… spatial cognition."
Seiichi smiled.
"Well done."
"Thanks… but I've still got a long way to go."
"Obviously, little bitch."
"…Seiichi, why are you like this again?!"