25th March 2025
'Dammit... it's 2-1 I can't let in another goal. I didn't know Itoshi was this good at learning from his opponent...
I can almost guarantee I have better shooting, and if I didn't hurt my legs last night I would be demolishing him...
It's like Kisaki... If he can read my dribbling, then I just have to bruteforce a way that he doesn't know how to read...
I'll have to use trial and error... But I don't have time... But what can I do?
Maybe I can outmuscle him, but I'm not sure... He's a winger so I probably can't, he marks people all the time...
I think my best bet is to confuse him and get past him... Hopefully get close to the box and shoot...'
Ren controls the ball lightly on kickoff.
Nobu and coach Suganuma watch with baited breath. Suganuma happy as it reinforces in his head that Ren's a liar. But Nobu is distraught.
"Ren!!! Win this!!!" Nobu shouts.
'Oh I will Nobu! I can't afford to be outdone by a winger! I WILL BECOME THE GREATEST STRIKER!'
Ren lobs it towards Itoshi. Itoshi is greatly confused by this, as Ren is practically giving the ball to him. Itoshi jumps to gain control.
'You can't jump that high!'
Itoshi can't reach it by a hair, and the ball lands at Ren's feet.
'You fell for i-'
Itoshi appears suddenly at Ren's right-
'How!? He should be on the ground!
Dammit! I'm going to lose!
...
No...
Don't dribble... He'll expect that...
Charge!'
Ren pushes with all his might, clashing with Itoshi.
'You're shorter... Maybe I can do this!'
Ren breaks the stalemate, it's a clear run the the goal.
'I did it-!'
"Knuckle!"
The signature knuckle ball shoots towards the net.
...
"Change it up."
...
Itoshi hit the ball barely with the tip of his foot causing it to go out of play.
'It'll be impossible for me to score a normal knuckle ball against him now...
But my regular shots are horrible... I can barely score without a knuckle...
The knuckle ball was my key to scoring...
But that key doesn't fit into this lock...
I need to get a key that does-!
I'll adapt to your adaption Itoshi!'
Ren has a free kick, Itoshi stands in net.
'Let me think-
A direct fast shot is hard to reach, but easy to read, Itoshi would definitely be able to read it.
A curve ball is harder to aim, and is slower, but harder for a keeper to reach and read.
The knuckle ball is basically a curved direct shot, it wiggles back and forth in the air, but how much it wiggles by changes with the power and spin. Better in terms of speed than a curve ball, but easier to read.
I need a shot that has speed, and can't be read at the same time...
...
A GYRO SHOT!
The Gyro shot has a side over side spin, which makes it similar to the direct shot, it has equal pressure, meaning no speed drop! But the side over side spin causes it to curve! It's exactly what I need!
...But it took me so long to learn the knuckle ball... And a gyro shot is even harder to pull off...
I don't have time to whine! Just shoot how your soul feels like you idiot!'
Ren hits the ball, praying he executed it right.
It flies towards Itoshi, "A simple direct shot!?" Itoshi jumps up to save it...
"GYRO SHOT!!!"
The ball curves and slams into the right side of the goal.
2-2
"What!?" Itoshi shouts.
Coach Suganuma and Nobu are speechless.
"I vowed to myself that I'll adapt to your adaption, Itoshi!!!"
"Heh... I knew you'd do it Ren... I saw the fire in your eyes after the match yesterday..."
Next one to score wins!