"Absolutely no way, this iron-walled kingdom shows no flaws at all." Once again, Karasu was forced to pass the ball back under the opponent's relentless pressure, and this was already the third time.
Under the terrifying, interlocking defensive pressure of Ubers, they had no chance to advance. Even in the breaking-in period of official matches, the defensive formation of Italy's Ubers had grown increasingly solid, their coordination more tacitly understood.
"And most importantly, Shinichi hasn't even made a move!"
That's right. If it were just a matter of not being able to break through, it wouldn't have made them so anxious.
After all, they were all battle-hardened geniuses, and with the ball still in their possession, even if they couldn't break through, they could just take their time to look for opportunities.
They wouldn't be so frustrated over something like this.
But Shinichi, standing in the center with his arms crossed, indifferently watching them, had cast a thick shadow over the hearts of all P-X-G members.
The fact was, even the already formidable Ubers hadn't even used their full strength, and even if they barely found some flaws, Shinichi was there to compensate for them. This was what troubled them the most.
"Ah, this won't do. Falling into the opponent's rhythm is just a slow death," Charles said, stepping on Karasu's return pass. As he looked at his teammates, each tightly marked, a hint of brutal madness flashed in his eyes. "Since we're short on numbers, why not add a few more? How about that?"
The moment Charles finished speaking, Zantetsu, who had been deployed to the rear, sprinted forward to the front. Behind him, an unexpected figure also rushed out.
"Is it really okay? Me, the goalkeeper, also joining the attack?" Tokimitsu, wearing goalkeeper gloves, looked uneasy, very unsure as he glanced at Charles. But the other waved his hand carelessly. "It doesn't matter. If we can't score, we lose anyway. Don't worry about those conventional thinking."
"Now, it's time for chaotic battle!"
With Charles's command, both Zantetsu and Tokimitsu unleashed their exceptional talents, using their lightning-fast speed and superb physical fitness to plunge into the already stalemated offensive and defensive battle. They successfully muddled the situation, causing Ubers's formation to show a hint of chaos.
"And chaos in order means flaws. This kind of chaotic battle that disrupts the opponent's order is the perfect stage for me, Amanojaku, to shine!" With a fiery determination burning in his eyes, Charles curled his lips into an excited yet cruel smile. His goal now was to dismantle and dismember the meticulously organized Ubers, piece by piece, and to bring down the lofty king from his throne. This was his objective, and it was also the ultimate expression of his own capabilities!
Thud!
The football was forcefully kicked by Charles, accompanied by a fierce whistling sound. The ultra-fast through ball, almost indistinguishable from a shot, instantly pierced through the first layer of Ubers's defense.
Even the defensive line formed by Aiku and Niko, who had awakened their meta vision, was effortlessly breached by Charles's exceptionally high-level pass.
The ball narrowly slipped through the gap between their raised legs, and even when Tokimitsu caught it, the dull thud from the immense force of the pass could be heard as he stopped the ball.
"This guy actually delivered such a high-quality through ball through such a narrow gap. And he must have targeted Tokimitsu's exceptional physical strength and reflexes to dare to pass with such force. If it were anyone else, it would have been difficult to handle the power behind that ball so easily."
Niko's large, sparkling eyes beneath his bangs still held a lingering trace of shock. Charles's pass had even slightly exceeded his comprehension.
Although he could understand every step of it, the ability to instantly combine everything and dare to make such a high-risk, low-reward decision at such a critical moment—was that really something a normal person could do?
"Daydreaming on the battlefield isn't a good habit, you know, pretty-eyed guy." A sudden voice from behind sent shivers down Niko's spine. Feeling a finger tap on his left cheek, he instinctively turned his head. But like a schoolboy's prank, Charles, who was deliberately standing on his right side, had reached out to touch his left cheek.
This caused Charles to completely escape his line of sight and defense the moment he turned, charging straight toward the front lines!
"Dammit, I actually fell for such a cheap trick." Niko's heart tightened as he rushed toward the distant figure of Charles.
However, the sight of Zantetsu sprinting freely made him hesitate. "Charles is undoubtedly the core engine of their team, that much is undeniable. But Aiku has gone to chase Tokimitsu, who received Charles's pass. In this chaotic situation, the only players who have broken free are Charles and Zantetsu."
"Between Zantetsu and Charles, the threat posed by Charles is unquestionably greater. Moreover, Zantetsu is farther away from me, and his speed is something I can't match. On the other hand, Charles, who just slipped past me, is easier to catch up to. So, defending Charles is my best option." Almost instantly, Niko reached a conclusion. No matter what, chasing and defending Charles was what he should do. But—
"Wait, no. If the logic were that simple, it would mean underestimating the opponent. Against a playmaker of that caliber, I need to think on a broader scale. So, if I shift my perspective, what can I actually achieve if I go to defend Charles?" On this battlefield where every second counted, Niko forcibly suppressed his instincts and came to a halt, rejecting the football principles he had always adhered to—
"I can't do anything! That's right. If it's about defending a striker's shot, I still have the ability to interfere. But when it comes to Charles's passes, there's no way I can effectively disrupt them. No matter what technique a striker uses, their ultimate goal is the net, and I can still find a way to interfere to some extent."
"But Charles's passing routes are something I can't figure out in the brief moment I have while defending. The gap between his thinking and mine, as well as his overall vision, is too vast. So, it's difficult for me to effectively disrupt him. In that case, Charles essentially uses himself to tie down an extra defender."
"And if he further utilizes Zantetsu, using him to draw out our ace—Shinichi—then Uber's defense will no longer be impenetrable!" With this realization, Niko no longer hesitated. To the surprise of many, he decisively abandoned Charles, who was close by, and instead charged toward the distant figure of Zantetsu, leaving Charles unmarked as he surged forward.
"Amanojaku, I've seen through your plan!"
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