roccoschili Chapter 106 106: Unstoppable 22
Chapter 106 106: Unstoppable 22
For a split second, time seemed to freeze.Kazutora was off balance yet still upright, a wide, manic smirk carved across his face as the ball rolled open before him.
"Harumaa! You're dead!"
He stepped in, swinging his foot toward the ball but just then another leg snapped in first, nudging the ball ahead, just beyond Kazutora's reach. And in the same breath Haruma Kusaka burst past him from the side, acceleration tearing him free as he left Kazutora choking on empty air.
Kazutora stopped dead, frozen in place as disbelief hit him like a blow, his wide eyes burning into Haruma's back, the number 22 seared into his vision.
Haruma reached the ball in an instant and swung his foot striking the ball clean and hard. The shot ripped forward and crashed into the right corner of the net, the goal net snapping violently as the ball buried itself inside.
'KusaaaAaakaaAaaaa!'
"YAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH"
Haruma roared his lungs out, head lowered, face carved with raw fury as adrenaline tore through him, his shout ripping into the air around him.
The crowd completely lost control. The stands bounced in unison, bodies surging and screaming together, the atmosphere charged with a ferocity never before seen in this U17 tournament.
Ryusei and Raon were roaring along with the crowd, completely charged, voices tearing out of them. Mio laughed and cheered with her usual innocence, swept up in the moment. Beside her, Haruma's mother covered her face, crying openly now, while Ayane stood frozen, mouth agape, eyes stretched wide in disbelief.
Haruma finally eased out of his roar and slammed his boot into the turf, grass tearing free and flying into the air. Behind him, Kazutora dropped to his knees, head bowed, his face hidden as the weight of the moment crushed down on him.
Back at the goal, Kurogami nearly exploded into celebration before stopping himself at the last second, clapping harder than anyone, the force of it carrying everything he didn't shout out loud.
Raon was roaring from the dugout, fists slamming through the air as he punched toward the field, unable to contain himself. Beside him, Minato was clapping with explosive enthusiasm, every strike of his hands loaded with energy. Off to the side, Shiori was beaming brightly, applauding just as hard, her smile glowing as the moment washed over them all.
After unleashing his roar, Haruma stood tall, teeth still clenched, eyes locked on the screaming fans ahead. Just then, a wave of teammates crashed into his back throwing their arms, wrapping around him as someone jumped onto his shoulders, ruffling his hair, laughter and roars exploding all at once. Yet even beneath the chaotic celebration, Haruma's face stayed set, fierce intensity burning without a hint of fade.
"Harumaaa Kusaka has equalized! Haruma Kusaka scores!"
Masaru and Toru were bouncing in place, arms thrown around each other's shoulders as they roared at the top of their lungs. Beside them, Rukia was laughing through tears, clapping hard as emotion spilled over.
From the balcony, Isamu and the seniors were applauding loudly, some laughing in disbelief,
others shouting with fierce pride.
In the other VIP box, Shuya's roar echoed as he surged to the glass, celebrating without restraint. Ameha, however, remained seated, her face frozen, eyes wide, still caught in the shock of what she had just witnessed.
"At the eighty-eighth minute, it's all level…! Four–four! And this match is far from over. I repeat, the game is not over!"
Haruma's teammates finally peeled off him, patting his back, ruffling his hair, pulling him into tight hugs as the celebration kept surging.
"Haruma Kusaka…"
The commentators' voices dropped for a heartbeat, barely audible beneath the roar of the stadium, before rising again with sharpened intensity.
"He is now the highest goalscorer of the U17 JFC 2042."
Haruma took a few steady breaths, then lifted his gaze to the stands. He stepped forward and opened his arms wide, embracing the roar, the noise, the moment itself.
As his heartbeat settled, the commentators leaned the microphone closer.
"Not just this tournament," one of them said, voice carrying through the stadium. "Let us remind you, Haruma Kusaka is the only player in Japan's history to score a hat-trick in the finals.
He now holds the record for the most goals scored in a single U17 JFC edition. The most goals ever scored in a JFC final. The youngest Japanese player to score a hat-trick."
A brief pause followed, heavy with anticipation.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome the prodigy. The next great name in football… Haruma Kusaka."
With his arms still spread wide, Haruma was standing tall, soaking in the roar and the glory. While Behind him, Kabuto watched with a wild, crooked smirk before his eyes widened with a sudden thought and he stepped forward.
He stopped just behind Haruma and, with that same smirk, he lifted his hands and shaped them into a crown.
Gently, deliberately, Kabuto placed it above Haruma's head.
Haruma remained unaware, still standing proud with arms open to the sky, as the silent crown settled there, a wordless mark of dominance and recognition…
The clock rolled into the eighty-seventh minute. Three minutes remained before stoppage time.
The ball was soaring high into the air as Itsuki and a Tyrant charged beneath it, shoulder to shoulder, boots pounding, faces locked in raw hunger and desperation as neither was willing to give an inch.
From the opposite side, Nagisa sprinted relentlessly, eyes cutting across the field, searching for any opening he could force into existence.
Raya meanwhile was sprinting with quick, measured steps, raising an arm as he positioned himself. Izaya caught the signal instantly and burst forward, sprinting hard to meet it.
Just as the ball was about to drop, Itsuki and the Tyrant leapt at the same time, boots snapping up to meet it, but Itsuki managed to get there first, chipping it upward by a fraction.
Landing off balance, Itsuki stumbled forward, yet still forced himself into the motion and nudged the ball ahead into open space from where Jiho burst in from the side and collected it cleanly, the play flowing on without pause.
Jiho turned and just as he was about to push forward or could accelerate, a Tyrant slid in hard, foot flashing toward the ball, but at the last moment Jiho pulled the ball back instantly before taking careful steps backwards. While that Tyrant kept on pushing, the pressure stayed relentless.
With no space left, Jiho's face hardened with frustration as he quickly snapped a pass backward just in time.
As the ball rolled free, Haru came charging in and struck through it without a moment's hesitation, unleashing a soaring shot toward the opposing net.
The field erupted instantly as the players burst into motion, sprinting in pursuit as the clock ticked into the eighty-eighth minute, every second now charged with burning urgency.
With immense focus, Nagisa was sprinting hard toward the dropping ball before leaping up high to collect, but before he could a Tyrant launched in from behind, crashing his shoulder onto Nagisa's back mid-air. Yet, Nagisa didn't flinch, he absorbed the impact and cushioned the ball cleanly on his chest before landing and letting the ball fall perfectly to the turf.
The Tyrant came down with him, shoulder still pressed hard into Nagisa's back, but Nagisa held his ground, eyes wide staring at the ball settled calmly at his feet.
With his teeth clenched, the Tyrant shot a foot forward to tackle, but Nagisa quickly sent the ball ahead and instantly spun away from the Tyran, breaking free.
The ball rolled into open space, where another Tyrant charged in, swinging his leg to intercept, but Kabuto burst into the frame, using his strength to shield the man off and striking the ball cleanly, sending a sharp return pass back into Nagisa's path.
Just as Nagisa was about to meet the ball in his full stride he drew his leg back to shoot, when yet another Tyrant came flying in, sliding hard across his line to block the attempt.
Nagisa exhaled a faint cloud of breath before faking the shot at the last instant, he flicked the ball cleanly to the opposite side of the slide, gliding past the challenge as the Tyrant skidded by without making any contact
The crowd gasped as one. The commentators fell silent, jaws hanging. Izaya, Raya, Jiho, and Itsuki all froze with wide eyes, caught by the sudden turn.
Moving with effortless elegance, Nagisa struck through the ball hard with his weaker foot, driving a high, arcing pass toward the left side of the box, the ball sailing perfectly into space near the net.
The entire stadium followed the ball sailing high through the air, its arc drawing every gaze upward. And from the left side of the field, Haruma Kusaka burst into the open, his run perfectly aligned with where the ball was about to fall.
Mio was jumping to her feet, arms thrown high as, laughing in pure excitement. Ryusei and Kento stood rigid, eyes wide and teeth clenched, their bodies locked by anticipation.
Haruma's mother was watching with trembling hands pressed to her mouth, tears shining as her breath caught in her chest.
With a blazing golden aura wrapping around his body, Haruma Kusaka was charging forward with a relentless pace. His face carved with raw fury and determination, the ball dropping straight into his path as if destined for his feet.