3.20. This Shitty Game

"You fucker... what was that?!"

Y/N quivered. His nine year old eyes were wide, staring at the ball as it rolled away from the goal. He'd missed, the ball bouncing off the crossbar at the top. Sure, it was from a third of a pitch's length, but that didn't matter to the man standing in front of him.

He gulped, not daring to tear his eyes away from the ball. If he stared at it long enough, maybe the man would leave him alone. Maybe.

Other than him and the man, the room was completely empty. A full soccer field, hundreds of balls strewn over the ground, with only a small boy, and a uniformed man there to fill it. Leaning close to him, the man's voice was quiet. "Try again."

Y/N shivered. His entire body was trembling, water welling up behind his eyes. He leant away from the man like it would help him, his shoulders turning to one side. He didn't move, keeping his eyes fixed on the ball. Maybe if he just pretended if the other man didn't exist, he would be okay...

"Hey." A blur of motion. Y/N let a strangled gasp slip out as the man lunged for him, one large hand snatching hold of his chin. He squeezed both eyes shut as his face was wrenched away from the ball. He didn't wanna see the man. He just wanted to leave. "I'm talking to you."

Y/N's heart hammered in his chest, pounding at his ribcage. His ribs stretched, cracked under the pressure. Taking a deep breath, Y/N tried to steady himself.

"Open your eyes." Y/N's deep breath turned into a cough of fear. He hesitated, drawing another quiet command from the man. "Now."

Then he did.

Soulless grey eyes stared back at him. Y/N held his next breath.

"Try again." The man softly said. But it wasn't soft because it was gentle, or soft because he was concerned. It was soft because he was in control. He didn't need to yell. Just the quiet words were enough to make Y/N's eyes dilate with terror.

The man let his face go. Y/N staggered away, trying to put a few metres between them. He scooped up a ball with weak fingers, placing it at his feet. The man's voice echoed in his head.

Y/N returned his eyes to the goal. His mind was blank with nothing but panic. He swallowed. Took a few steps back.

When he ran forwards, foot colliding with the ball, he instinctively knew it wasn't right. Nothing was right. It wasn't far enough, it wasn't spinning enough, hell, it wasn't even on target. The ball flew by the goal on the right side, a soft thud echoing through the room as it hit the wall.

All the colour drained from Y/N's face.

His voice came out strained, on the verge of tears as he turned slowly to look at the man. "W-wait..." Struggling to breathe, Y/N took a step back. "It's just... one miss...!"

The man sighed. From his pocket, he pulled out a small wristband. It wasn't any normal band, but made entirely from metal, a strap on the side to tighten and untighten it. Y/N froze. The man spoke. "It was two misses. Come here."

Y/N hung his head, biting down on his lip. The man waited patiently as Y/N shuffled forwards, centimetre by centimetre, till he was in front of him. Y/N never looked up, terrified eyes fixed on the floor.

"Pull up your sleeve."

Y/N did as he was asked. Over the skin of his arm, red rings circled from his wrist all the way up to his shoulder. They weren't cuts, nor were they any lasting injury. In fact, they would fade the next day, like they never happened. But that was what made them so hellish - the fact that no matter how many times he was hurt, it never showed.

He bit down harder, fighting the urge to be sick.

The man slapped the band onto his arm. Y/N's breathing quickened. He looked towards the grey ceiling, holding back tears. The band tightened around his arm, a red light flickering on as inside, the metal began to heat up. The man stood there, watching as Y/N bit down even harder on his lip. Blood spilled out, flowing down his chin as his entire body shook horribly.

When the metal grew hot enough, and Y/N's knees buckled from the pain, the man showed no reaction.

But when he stared down at the boy, watching as screams began to spill out from between bleeding lips, he cracked a small smile.

🥕🥕🥕

Y/N could only watch.

A pass from Niko to Raichi was nearly intercepted, as Isagi threw himself in the way. Again, Y/N hadn't predicted it. But Snuffy had, placing himself in the perfect position to stop the ball early.

The Ubers' master clicked his tongue. "My, oh my. That was too close." Every word infuriated Y/N. But he didn't - couldn't let it show.

Ubers said I was gonna get chances at scoring... but they don't intend to give me any. I need to wait. I need a chance that I can take for myself. Screw Snuffy. I need to find one chance... a chance to steal the ball and score myself.

The only problem was, he was weak. Compared to the players on the field, he was nothing. Before, he would've been able to solo score a goal whenever he wanted. Now? He wouldn't even get ten metres.

So he had to be smart. He had to find a guaranteed chance - because after Snuffy realised he'd gone rogue, he'd more than likely be shut out by the rest of the team.

Y/N waited, and watched.

Noa came in from one side, as Isagi rushed Snuffy. The two Bastard Munchen players tried to press him at the same time, feet shooting out as they tackled him from both sides. Somehow though, Snuffy didn't give up the ball. Noa and Isagi had done a pretty rough tackle - if Snuffy wanted to fall and take a free kick, he probably could. But he didn't, impressively maintaining his balance and hold on the ball.

Shoving his way forwards, using both arms to keep two elite players away from him, Snuffy somehow managed to pass. It wasn't a rushed pass either, but a calm, precise one that was trivally easy for Lorenzo to get to.

He didn't slow. He tapped the ball, immediately passing. Niko did the same, passing forwards without dribbling, without trapping it. A super fast, one-touch style of soccer.

Ness pressed forwards. Y/N caught something, an insult flung towards Niko, and an answering retort. But before Ness could reach him, Niko had already passed to Snuffy.

Yet again, as Noa tried to rush forwards for the ball, Snuffy somehow stayed ahead. His arm acted as a barrier, holding Noa back as he himself lunged forwards. He grinned lightly, using the outside of his foot to tap the ball along. He made it look so easy. Like it was no effort, to face the best player in the world and win.

"That's it, Ubers."

The ball was magical. Like something sent from heaven, some pass blessed by some deity watching the game. It threaded the smallest of gaps, between three defenders towards Barou. Barou's leg swung forwards...

Isagi and Kaiser were there to block. The ball spiralled into the air.

And yet, it wasn't over. Snuffy trapped the ball, somehow predicting where it was going to land with a casual shrug. He nodded, ponderously. "So even this design is a bust, huh?"

The second wave began instantly.

Y/N was struggling to keep up with the pace of the game. And if even he was, he could only guess at how the Bastard Munchen defenders were feeling.

Snuffy began it. As Kunigami attempted a tackle, he tapped the ball to Lorenzo.

Lorenzo's dribbling only served to create more chaos. It was impossible to tell - was he going to pass? Was he dribbling forwards? Was he going sideways? Raichi obviously didn't know, because he was left completely in the dust as Lorenzo flew past him.

A pass, and the ball moved closer to Y/N. Another pass, and Snuffy held it, still in the centre of the field. A third pass...

The ball rolled to Y/N's feet. He immediately shot up the field. Only one defender was anywhere near him, and he was immediately left far behind. Can I score...? Is there a chance?! He scanned the area. Isagi and Kaiser in front of the goal... five more defenders... an entire Ubers team ready to carry out another one of Snuffy's designs if Y/N made a single misstep.

He gritted his teeth, and passed back to Snuffy.

No chance yet.

Within seconds, Ubers moved the ball to the far right of the field. Then back to the left, stopping just shy of Y/N. Niko and Lorenzo kept passing to each other and their accompanying midfielders, stretching out the play so both teams were forced to fill the entire pitch.

And as the players spread out, gaps formed. Snuffy slipped right in through those gaps, receiving a long pass from one of his teammates. Kaiser was right there with him, fighting to keep him away.

But Snuffy was unstoppable. He leapt up, using his head to smash the ball right back into the centre of the pitch. Niko acted like he was taking a shot, drawing Noa's attention, but didn't shoot. He just passed along, towards Barou Shoei.

Isagi came in like a wrecking ball. He slid, both feet knocking the ball away. Barou didn't have time to shoot.

The ball bounced off the pitch.

Lying on the ground, Isagi let his head tip back. He panted, his mind whirring. "Good."

He'd barely made it. But barely wasn't going to cut it. Ubers were launching the most punishing, exhausting attack he'd ever come under, and Bastard was struggling. The only reason why we can hold on is because Kaiser, Noa and I can predict their attacks... yet, it's taking everything we have.

Isagi pulled himself to his feet. I can't even think of a counter... and I think I know why. Other masters like Prince and Lavinho just thought of their own goals - like ultra-egoists. But Snuffy isn't focusing on his own goal at all, but rather, using his abilities to enhance his team's attacking power and cohesion!

That's what makes him so hard to pin down. He can be anywhere on the field, instead of always going for the goal! Like an overseer...

Across the pitch, Y/N was readying himself to take the throw-in. And he wasn't happy about it. Because it was another way Ubers were controlling him. By asking him to take the throw, they ensured he had no chance but to pass. He couldn't run, he had to give it to one of them.

Shoving the emotion down, he forced his face to not show a single thing.

And he tossed the ball.

Too focused on trying to remain calm, Y/N didn't particularly pay attention to what happened next. He watched Raichi position himself in front of Snuffy, he watched Snuffy dribble forwards. The master got a fast pass out past him, sending it towards one of the Ubers' midfielders.

The world faded into blurs of colour. Y/N sighed tiredly, jogging down the edge of the pitch as his team attacked up the middle.

Isagi yet again was there to intercept.

And yet again, he was stopped. Aiku flung himself forwards, preventing Isagi from stealing the ball, and instead taking it for himself.

More passes. The ball went to Barou as Y/N lazily headed towards the goal. The small boy's face looked calm on the outside, maybe even bored. But inside, he was trying his utmost hardest to not just... snap. Why do they pass to Barou and not me...?

Barou shot. Gagamaru caught it.

Y/N sighed.

As Gagamaru began to move, throwing the ball upfield, Y/N stared at the ground.

"Why do I still care about this shitty game?"