30 U20 · Second Half

Shidō’s shot was simply terrifying, overwhelmingly powerful. Everyone realized that the synergy between Shidō and Sae was far greater than the sum of their parts. The stands echoed with chants of Shidō and Sae’s names, while Blue Prison faded into mere background.

The atmosphere was unusually intense; a strong sense of crisis permeated the air. Anri anxiously held the data, questioning Eshin about the next move, but the latter remained calm and unshaken.

“This ends here,” Eshin leaned back, his tone innocent yet composed. “The Blue Prison project is over.”

“...What?!”

Not only was Anri stunned, but all the substitute players turned to look.

“Though we lost this match, your future remains intact.”

His tone was as steady as ever, but to you, it bore a mixture of relief and loneliness.

“The attention this match garnered far exceeded expectations. The whole world has seen you. Blue Prison will be the brightest highlight on your résumé.”

“Including you.” Eshin paused and looked at you. “There’s a Dark Guide in our project—someone who will be remembered by history. I’m sorry for selfishly keeping you here as a counselor, but you will grow strong, and the world will bow before you.”

“From now on, with Anri Teijin leading you, I am at ease.”

“...What?!”

“What? A Dark Guide?!!”

“What’s our guide?!”

The substitutes erupted in confusion, and even Senki stared at you blankly.

Everyone was overwhelmed by the flood of information, their minds struggling to process it all.

Only Kiyoshi, who already knew the truth, didn’t care. He squeezed out a few words through clenched teeth and, for once, lost his composure before Eshin: “I don’t care about any of that. I just want to win. Now. Right now.”

You couldn’t help but speak up, your nose tingling with emotion. “I don’t understand this whole ‘Dark Guide’ thing. All I remember is signing contracts, wages, and bonuses... Did Mr. Eshin just abandon everyone on a whim?”

All eyes turned to him, their resolve unprecedentedly unified.

...

Eshin slowly sat upright. His shoulders sagged again as the core of Blue Prison resumed operation.

He began to contemplate a way to break through.

...Indeed, this composed and unflustered expression suits Mr. Eshin best, you thought to yourself.

*

Thirty minutes remained before the match ended. Marō Teruhide was substituted in.

At this point, Blue Prison could do nothing but attack relentlessly and score.

The long-repressed King Marō entered the field full of fury. His fierce style and boundless stamina stood out on the pitch. An absolute egoist, it wasn’t unusual for him to snatch the ball from his teammates—anything was acceptable if it led to a goal.

The fast-paced counterattack allowed Marō to equalize, but they were quickly overtaken again, followed by Rin’s powerful shot reclaiming the lead.

4:4. No one could foresee the final outcome.

In the fierce tug-of-war between offense and defense, both teams grew more courageous and spirited. Even the traditionally conservative national team was awakening bit by bit.

The ball came to Nagi.

The national team became even tougher to deal with. The towering 1.9-meter Nagi failed to get past his marker after several tries. The opponent aggressively shadowed him, stealing the ball with a strong kick.

Now it was time for the genius midfielder, Sae Itoshi, to shine.

With the ball at Sae’s feet, the offensive charge between him and Shidō sounded once again.

Everyone sprang into motion, sprinting toward Blue Prison’s half. A fearsome defensive counterattack was about to unfold.

Shidō, upon receiving the pass, faced grim prospects. Under tight defense, he had no choice but to shoot immediately or miss the opportunity—

As expected, the shot was blocked. The national team quickly rushed to the other side, preparing a second attack.

Control shifted back to Blue Prison.

Both sides fought fiercely near midfield. Sae Itoshi and Rin Itoshi, both rushing toward the ball’s landing spot, clashed at that moment.

But Rin couldn’t stop him.

The dramatic battle between the brothers on the field was charged with a familiar, intense mental energy.

You vaguely sensed something was about to happen.

Sae moved with effortless grace, while the clumsy Rin was desperate to disrupt him. Ignoring all his teammates’ shouts, Rin clung to Sae like possessed by some obsession.

Something was wrong with his state. When you finally couldn’t restrain yourself and stood up, the unexpected occurred.

Attempting to end the farce, Sae lifted his foot to make a long pass with considerable power. Rin, having correctly anticipated the trajectory, faced the ball head-on and was brutally struck on the side of his face.

“Rin!”

You frowned deeply and, along with other players, rushed over to check his condition.

Kiyoshi went to support him, but Rin raised a hand to signal he was fine.

Still stubborn.

His face was smeared with blood, sweat, and dirt. To think Sae’s kick was blocked with his head—if this were anyone else, you wouldn’t doubt they had a concussion.

This wasn’t the first time. You wanted to grab him by the collar and ask if he had a death wish.

You crouched in front of him, your expression less than pleasant:

“Let me take a look.”

...

Rin’s fierce grimace softened considerably as you wiped the dirt and sweat from around his eyes.

He looked like a pitiful little dog.

He seemed conscious and not in a condition to be taken off the field yet.

You used a wet wipe to clean the grime and sweat from his eyes so his vision wouldn’t blur; at the same time, you placed a hand on the back of his hand, probing the state of his mental pathways.

For now, they were stable. You breathed a slight sigh of relief.

The scene was rather unsettling.

Sae Itoshi stood nearby, watching the interaction. As the “instigator,” it felt somewhat strange, but he finally took action.

A hand suddenly grabbed your wrist from behind.

“The examination’s gone on long enough.”

Sae’s voice sounded abruptly cold.

You guessed he was slightly bent over, speaking close to you, his typically emotionless face near yours.

“If this continues, it’ll count as illegal counseling.”

His gloved hand clenched tightly, trying to pull you up from your crouch.

You staggered but were held by another hand.

“...Mind your own business. Let go.”

Rin grabbed your hand that was wiping his face, glaring fiercely at Sae.

The injured and disheveled Rin and the composed, tidy Sae locked eyes, their states in stark contrast.

“My guide,” Rin said with a hint of ferocity.

Sae’s gaze darkened instantly.

You felt awkward. You had only been concerned about Rin, which was your duty, but Sae was displeased.

You withdrew your arm slightly; neither of you let go.

...Who will save you? So many people are watching.

Kiyoshi, sensing the tension, stepped forward briskly to rescue you.

“Sorry, time to resume play.”

The cameras didn’t miss this dramatic scene. The addition of the guide made the rivalry between the two hostile brothers even more captivating.

Everyone watching the live broadcast witnessed it, their gossip sparked instantly.

Watching an intense, thrilling match, now with the added drama of the sentinel brothers fighting over the guide—a real soap opera. Wow.