Rensuke "Is that Ichigo-" Kunigami

In the high-stakes match between Japan's U-20 soccer team and Nigeria, Rensuke Kunigami finds himself frozen with doubt. With his team trailing and facing triple coverage from Nigeria's top players including their ace striker and New Gen 11 star, Kunigami questions whether his dream of becoming a 'soccer superhero' was ever anything more than fantasy. When a crucial opportunity presents itself with a rebound at his feet and the goal open, Kunigami must overcome his crisis of confidence and decide what kind of player he truly is.

Rensuke "Is that Ichigo-" Kunigami

In the high-stakes match between Japan's U-20 soccer team and Nigeria, Rensuke Kunigami finds himself frozen with doubt. With his team trailing and facing triple coverage from Nigeria's top players including their ace striker and New Gen 11 star, Kunigami questions whether his dream of becoming a 'soccer superhero' was ever anything more than fantasy. When a crucial opportunity presents itself with a rebound at his feet and the goal open, Kunigami must overcome his crisis of confidence and decide what kind of player he truly is.

Location: Nissan Stadium, Yokohama. Time: 20:15. Scoreboards: Nigeria 1 - 0 Japan

Let's just say it, no sugarcoating. It was going bad for Japan.

First off. Nigeria's team was impeccable when it came to both their offense and defense, Japan was thoroughly outmatched. And not only in the fields already mentioned, no no no, in strategy too.

Abusing the speed of their wingers? Nigeria promptly switched formation, to make so the speed type defenders on their team were the first to match up Japan's wingers, completely shutting down their overly simple strategy.

Trying to draw in Nigeria's team? Didn't even manage to pull it off due to the fact the centerbacks and midfielders of Nigeria's team had a habit of lingering back during counter-attacks to prevent any surprise counters or shift in the game.

And For Kunigami the match could not go any more terribly, why? Because he wasn't just only getting pressed by one player. Not two players. But three whole players, yes, he was getting triple blocked. These three players being: Nigeria's Ace and main striker, their team captain, and the country's New Gen 11.

Why use so much man power on a single player? Well, Japan's biggest hitters were getting currently blocked or had already been shut down, which sorta left Kunigami as one of the few players that could pose as a threat to Nigeria's flawless victory.

"What the hell was it all for...?" Kunigami thought, before continuing in his mind. "Every hardship I went through.. all of my relentless training.. the inferno I went through, every single player I had to eliminate in the Wild Card... What the hell was it all for?" Kunigami questioned himself, having grown completely numb to what was happening around him, completely ignoring the fact that Japan had managed to make a breakthrough.

A moment of inattention. And then a shot!

It hit the crossbar.

Kunigami was still completely out of it, unaware of the ball that had rolled up at his feet, still stuck in his mind. "Soccer superhero, huh? What a shitty dream-" But before Kunigami could finish his inner monologue he was broken out of his train of thought.

"Kunigami, wake up! Their goal's still open! Take the shot already!"

And suddenly, Kunigami was very aware of the situation he found himself in, the ball at his feet and the trio of Nigeria's ace striker, their captain, and their New Gen 11 running straight at him.

And then Kunigami realized the distance between him and the goal.

"A 28-meters clinical shot? Think of what a superhero would do- No! Think of what I would do!" Kunigami exclaimed, beginning to dribble the ball forward, a single lefty shot and he could score a goal for Japan, but that wasn't what he wanted, that wasn't what his Ego craved.