"Only a few more minutes remain in the last battle of Grand Celesta Galaxy!"
Tsurugi had the ball, and he got through both Manabe and Tenma to reach the goal. A bright light engulfed him as he ran closer and closer, before a large wolf appeared in his place. He jumped high with the ball, spinning around it and infusing it with energy as he sent it towards the goal. Shinsuke's own power lost to his.
3-3.
Ookami... Kimiko had a conflicting look as she watched him return to his position with a smirk. Of course the bastard's proud of himself...
She should be too. She should be proud of him for finally unlocking his Soul, and she was also very curious to see what a combination of all of his spiritual abilities would look like, but for whatever reason... She bit her lip, holding back her powers from surging.
The last time she felt like this was when watching Raimon's match against Zero.
Breathe... Breathe... You can't lose control. Not here, not now. She couldn't afford to get caught because of her stupid jealousy again. And last time, it was Senguuji Daigo... If Ozrock saw... Who knows how much worse he could be?
~~~~~
The next round started with Earth Eleven's kickoff.
After a couple of passes, Tsurugi was able to get the ball just as it reached Tenma. But the brunette ran after him, glowing in a similar light he did just moments before. With his dribbling skills, he was able to take the ball back, and with Matatagi right behind him, he transformed into a horse, both charging through the defense.
"Go, Matatagi!"
"Okay!" The striker jumped high as his own light surrounded him. A blue falcon took his place as it grabbed the ball with his talons and sent it towards the goal, their keeper unable to stop it.
4-3. Earth's win.
Ah, well... He let out all his disappointment in a single sigh before letting out a smile.
"Yay! The match is over! The Grand Celesta Galaxy finals! The winner of this fierce fight is Earth Eleven! Congratulations!"
As one half of the field celebrated, the other half was in despair. It was to be expected, after all...
"We lost..."
"This is disappointing. As disappointing as a flower bud that's been snapped off before it could bloom."
Even so... "We did lose this match. But compared to winning and losing, what we've gained from it is far more priceless."
"Priceless..."
Lessons are one thing, but also... Letting his eyes finally wander freely, he found his friend staring down at him from the bleachers above his team's goal post. She gave a single nod, and he returned it. She started making her way down the steps.
Suddenly, the main monitor changed.
(How many times has it been today?)
It showed a girl about Lalaya's height, clad in white and green. She was standing on top of the VIP box that was across the queen's too. "Faram Orbius and all the people of the galaxy. Please listen. This battle was to determine who won the championship of Grand Celesta Galaxy, but it also had another, very important role."
That's Princess Katora, by the way.
Yeah, I kind of guessed.
"That role is to save us from the impending danger of the galaxy. With the knowledge passed down from our planet Kiel, we have created the Cosmic Plasma Photon Beam powerful enough to extinguish black holes. By filling it with Life Energy that was created by all of you during this match, we have gained the power to clear the dark clouds that cover the sky. Here and now, the entire galaxy can be saved!"
Good. We did it.
"Yeah, it just took some lying and betrayal. No big deal." His head snapped away from the monitor to find the blonde about ready to jump off from the edge of the stands. She jumped to the upper pole of the goalpost before locking eyes with him. He held his hands out just in time to catch her arms and ease her landing.
"Yeah... Just..." It was a little strange. He thought he'll feel the weight of his actions crushing him now that the match was over, but instead, he felt calm.
Perhaps it was her uncaring smile as the rest of Faram gave her questioning glances (glares, really).
"Tsurugi!" An all too familiar voice came from behind him then. The other captain of the field came and gave him his usual kind smile. "Thanks, Tsurugi."
... Why did he feel deja vu?
(Somewhere in the back corner of his head, a memory of the Mannouzaka match went off.)
"I was able to play the best soccer with you. It was fun!"
"Yeah, me too." His own smile dropped slightly as he mentally prepared for whatever would come next. He cast a quick glance at the blonde beside him, who just signalled with her eyes to get it over with. So, he will. "Tenma, I―"
"I know." His grin was as wide as ever. "No matter what happens, you're always our friend."
... Oh. And another deja vu.
(Somewhere in the deep trenches of his mind, his seniors' voices from the first Ragnarok match were echoing.)
Shindou came up to him right then, his own smile present. "Welcome back, Tsurugi."
... Yeah. They are his home.
~~~~~
The ground shook suddenly, scaring everyone but two people on the field. Pillars began to ascend, circling the outside of the stadium, forming a strangely shaped lyre, starting from one side and ending off pointing to the sky.
Cackling laughter resounded through the stadium. "I can't have you using that without my permission. After all, it belongs to me."
A strange symbol appeared on the ground, and as it glowed, Ozrock, along with ten other people appeared, clad in a black and red uniform.
"It is the strongest weapon in the galaxy, filled with Life Energy. It would be such a waste to use that enormous, loaded power to save this pathetic planet."
"What?"
"You promised to use this to extinguish the black hole!" Katora yelled from her seat.
"Promised?" Ozrock bared his fangs as he laughed. "You guys have revived the Cosmic Plasma that had been put down to rest as legend. And I have at last obtained it. The forbidden power that can control even the universe!"
Three pairs of footsteps went forward.
"Ozrock. Did you use soccer for your own intentions?"
"That's right. I care nothing for soccer. Only for the Cosmic Plasma Photon Beam to be completed."
"You used soccer just for that? I'm sure soccer is angry with you!"
Kimiko took a deep breath as she headed back to where the rest of Earth Eleven were standing, holding herself back from retorting. I'm so sorry, Tenma. I genuinely felt shivers hearing you get angry, but that was so stupid! You could've gone with literally anything else! Why?!
And of course, Ozrock couldn't take it seriously either. "Soccer is angry with me? You love soccer so much that you treat it as if it were human? What an infant."
"I know that soccer isn't a person." He calmly replied. "But to us, soccer is... Soccer is something irreplaceable!"
Speak for yourself... She didn't dare say that out loud.
"When we fight each other heart to heart, and face deep within our own selves, it connects us to everyone that we meet through it. It's like an important friend! I will never forgive anyone who uses soccer for evil!"
"You are beyond understanding. Then, why don't we see for ourselves exactly what soccer is?"
The commentator seemed to take those words into his own hands. "Everybody, listen! Things have taken a drastic turn! Truly, this is the final match that determines life or death for the galaxy! As the black hole draws near, Earth Eleven, the champions of Grand Celesta Galaxy, will be fighting..."
"We are... Ixal Fleet!"
"Ixal Fleet..." Tenma's eyes scanned over them before widening. "... Why is Ishigashi-san with them?"
Tetsukado balled up a fist. "That guy tricked us too?"
"He may have been observing us this whole time and checking up on our strength levels while acting as our tour guide." Manabe stated.
"So they're well prepared." Matatagi gave his summary.
"Attention, all people of the universe." Ozrock called out once more, pointing a fist into the air. "What motivates us Ixal Fleet is our unending hatred and anger towards Faram Orbius! I stand here today to take back what was taken from me. That is our single wish. But I won't just be taking back what I have lost. I will take your entire galaxy from you!"
He snapped his fingers and the main monitor changed to reset the scoreboard, now showing a new symbol in place of Faram Dite's.
"This match is a side show that will bring despair to the entire galaxy. The soccer that you uphold as hope will destroy you."
"He's nuts..."
"Yeah..."
The green haired alien turned to face the other side of the pitch. "Get lost, Faram Dite. You're an eyesore."
Barga was first to react. "An eyesore, you say?!"
"Which of us is the real eyesore here?" Hilary put up her usual attitude. "You're quite the braggart, saying you'll take the entire galaxy."
"Insignificant. Words from Faram Orbius are only offensive to my ears."
"... What did you say?!"
The Baran Brothers got in front of her before she could do anything.
"Hey, you scoundrel! It isn't you that we're really afraid of! It's that!"
"I see it, Ryugel-nii! Look, a black hole!"
"So what?"
"Eh?"
"I care not whether this planet lives or dies." He held a single finger up and a strange looking ball appeared.
Kimiko's eyes narrowed. Isn't that the same one that he kicked at the― A blur of blue and purple passed through her line of vision in a single second. "Kyousuke?! Wait―!"
He didn't.
Ozrock kicked the ball towards the team, the shot knocking her friend off his feet and reaching the rest of the purple clad team. A bright light surrounded them, about as bright as the Life Energy that had engulfed the stadium previously. When they could manage to open their eyes again, they were gone.
For a moment, their mouths could only hang open.
Tsurugi was the first to find his voice. "You bastard...!"
"Ozrock, you...!"
"Unforgivable!"
"You guys are next." Ozrock let out a smirk before turning to the rest of the field. "We'll give you one day to reconsider! Princess Katora, our affair is only with Faram Orbius. You and those who are not of this planet, the ones who are only here today for the final match, may take this time to leave. However, should you wish to proceed with this fight, we will see you all back here tomorrow. Farewell."
Without letting anyone get a word in, they disappeared the same way they came in.
~~~~~
The planet, understandably, panicked.
No one wanted to stay, but they couldn't bring themselves to try and leave either. After all, there was no way to tell if the time he had given them to escape wasn't a trap. What if there was another army waiting for their entry to orbit?
But after a moment, the people went calm, their fears distracted by an unbelievable spectacle.
A familiar giant appeared in the sky, one that many of them recognized had saved them from the attacks that happened before the match started. It shot an arrow of light that caused an explosion further beyond before disappearing as it fell.
... It fell in the direction of the stadium.