Project: Bland King

Chapter 21: Stepping into the World Level

Adam Blake: (Watching from a screen and seeing it firsthand are completely different. I guess these two kids are going to make us try a little.)

Shido: Ah.....

Kiyotaka walked over to Shido. 

Kiyotaka: Great finish. You're getting faster, but can't you just stockpile everything and release it after the match or something? 

Shido: Why would I do that if I can feel so good right now?

Kiyotaka sighed. 

Kiyotaka: Just get back on defense. The last thing we need is to have a missing player in the back giving them a chance at an easy counterattack. 

Kiyotaka patted Shido's head lightly to which he agreed with his demands. 

The players all went to their original positions. 

Loki: What a slippery connection. Not bad. 

The French supernova checked the ball and began their attack. But instead of passing to his other teammates, he took it upon himself with a big smile. 

Loki: Now show me what you got, Bland King. 

In a short burst of speed, Loki passed through Kiyotaka's blind spot on his right and got past him. But because of his incredible acceleration, Kiyotaka kept up with his speed and applied pressure from his right shoulder. 

Loki: I guess I'll just have to go faster. 

His playful demeanor shifted immediately and his ego awoke, using his God-given ability: Godspeed. 

With ease, Loki zoomed right past Kiyotaka into open field, still ignoring his four other teammates. 

Kiyotaka: (So he wants to score this goal on his own. I'm not so honorable to make this a one on one however.)

He stared right at Shido who responded and went after the fast-paced Loki. Kiyotaka changed gears to his top speed and acceleration and seemed to catch up with Loki.

Loki: I knew you were pretty fast but I didn't think you'd put this much of a fight. 

Shido: What about me, prodigy?

He burst through in front of Loki, holding out his leg to take the ball away. 

But this was exactly what Loki was waiting for. A layout of the final third of the pitch played through Kiyotaka's eyes and he noticed Loki's next move: he was going to use Shido as a means to slow him down before he caught up with him. 

Kiyotaka: (This would have been nice to learn a couple milliseconds prior. Just because I know what's going to happen doesn't mean I can stop it if I don't have time. Guess this is the pinnacle of soccer Ego is trying to reach.)

Loki bull-rushed right through Shido, jumping over his extended leg and skated past him. Kiyotaka had to stop and dodge Shido, costing him valuable milliseconds. 

All that stood in his way was... Raichi who peeled off Pablo and dashed forward. 

Raichi: Bastard, I know you're not gonna pass! I'll destroy you-

Loki looked down at Raichi and proceeded to toy him with his incredible control of his acceleration, decelerating an accelerating in radical patterns, until Raichi's legs gave out and fell right over to the ground. 

Raichi: Shit...

However, thanks to his effort, Kiyotaka and Shido, like the monsters they were, caught up to Loki and fought against him for the ball.