𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐍 | Michael Kaiser ( ✓ )

17. RAGE AND SORROW

YOICHI SCORES the final goal — ending the game with a score of 3–2 against the Ubers. [Name] was delighted immensely and squeals at the sight of her brother and his teammates rejoicing in their win. With the bubbles of joy blazing in her soul, she abandons her notebook and sprints toward them.

"Yoichi! Hiori!!" She gives them noogies, and Hiori barks out a laugh alongside Yoichi as she yells out, "You guys are amazing! Holy crap!"

Oliver sits on the ground, huffing. "Amazing."

"What's with those two..." Niko says, hands on his knees, breathing heavily.

"They're twisted..."

"I can't believe it! No... it's theoretically possible, but... I can't believe it...! For this to work, those two... At that moment, those two... Those two synced up without even making eye contact...! It's impossible... Unless those two synced up perfectly... Their thought process. The things they saw on the field. Everything needed to be in sync...!"

"Dah..." Lorenzo scratches the back of his ear. "We got destroyed by those two. An attack that surpasses any perfect design we could have created. Sharing a 'winning vision' that surpasses logic and theory..." He grins. "It was a risky gamble. But for them to pull it off in this do-or-die situation..."

"You gotta tip your cap off to those crazies. They were the heroes of this match." He watches as Kurona gets on Yoichi's back, Gagamaru grabs his hand, saying something, while Raichi rubs Hiori's head. "Yeah, that goal just now was worth 100 million, okay~"

Barou, on the other hand, is angry. "Damn it..."

Yoichi and Hiori high-five.

"You're amazing, Hiori... As expected of my buddy. Your shot gave me the inspiration... If we use your shot as a decoy, we could create a split-second opening... If we have complete trust in each other, I think we can see the same winning vision... Thanks for tagging along with my selfish demands, Hiori!" Yoichi says.

Hiori stares at him. "Expectations..."

"Huh...?"

"I never thought you could use 'expectations' like this. It won't work even if both parties understand and play off each other... and it's not about one person wholeheartedly supporting the other's demands either..."

This partnership can only work if both parties believe the other sees the same winning vision.

"When I realized that I could play freely... A whole new world opened before me... So, thanks, Isagi-kun."

Yoichi smiles. "Yeah. Let's go this. Until we become the best players in the world..."

"Nah..." Hiori smiles. "I won't play this kind of tag-team football with you anymore."

Yoichi's eyes widen. "Eh...?"

"From now on, I'm gonna play a brand of football..." Hiori grins, eyes glowing, "...that will produce the best striker in the world!"

"Hiori..."

"To be quite honest, I was planning on quitting after the match... But after being a part of that goal... After experiencing that thrill, that ego... If strikers can't understand and keep up with my passes... I'll discard them without a second thought. That goes for you, too, Isagi..." Hiori rubs under his nose.

"Hah. Why you..." Yoichi lifts his jersey to wipe his sweat, "Contrary to your calm demeanor, you're quite a sadist, aren't you?"

"Huh? Whatchu talkin' about... I'm an ultra-sadist. Nice to meet ya." Hiori smiles.