This time, Y/N was the one to retrieve the ball. He headed over to the goal, picking it up and wandering back to Team White.
He offered it to Bachira with a small smile. "You ain't getting past me." Bachira didn't seem disheartened, even though they were 3-1 down. In fact, he seemed excited, eyes alight as he took the ball back.
"Go to your own team, Y/N. We're gonna have a talk." Isagi waved Y/N off, and the small boy rolled his eyes, walking back to Rin and Aryu.
As expected, neither of them gave him any praise for the goal. Instead, Aryu just nodded solemnly, staring at Team White as they grouped up. Rin scowled, turning away from Y/N and walking away.
Team White took their time talking, grouped up as they discussed what Y/N assumed was a game plan. Though, it was surprising. Nagi had gotten involved for the first time, pale lips moving as he spoke to both Isagi and Bachira.
They restarted the game in the same position. Isagi in the middle, acting as a central point. Nagi matched up against Aryu, and Bachira faced off against Y/N.
As soon as the whistle blew to kickoff, their formation changed. Bachira ran into the middle of the field, Y/N drifting across to follow him. Isagi went out to the flank, drawing out Rin. Bachira ran down the middle of the pitch, dribbling the ball forwards.
Is he not going to pass? When it was clear Bachira didn't want to pass, Y/N jogged forwards, putting pressure on him. He waited for Y/N to get closer, before passing it out to Nagi.
"Ah." Y/N slowed down, watching as Nagi used a delicate touch to pass the ball immediately to Isagi. Aryu couldn't do a thing, caught off guard by the sudden change of pace.
Isagi dove in front of Rin, doing the same thing as Nagi and using a single touch to send the ball back to him. Bachira had darted around Y/N while he was watching them, receiving the ball from Nagi.
Like that, they played a lightning fast game of one-touch soccer, moving the ball constantly so none of Team Red could get a chance at stealing.
With that, they moved up the field gradually, trying to split up Y/N's team even more than they already were, and turn the 3v3 into a series of 3v1s. They managed to work their way up Y/N's half, passing to each other and causing obvious frustration on Aryu's face.
"Now, Bachira!" Isagi darted away from the triangle they'd formed, heading for the goal. Nagi pressed up against Aryu, preventing an interception, and Bachira readied a pass.
It was a good plan, in theory. Isagi, Nagi and Bachira had weaker individual weapons than Y/N, Rin, and Aryu. So with them playing together, isolating each of Team Red's players, it allowed them to have a chance at winning.
But that was only in theory. Rin began running at the same time as Isagi, completely obliterating any chance of a goal. Bachira's eyes narrowed, and instead, he passed the ball to Nagi.
It was a beautiful low pass, with huge amounts of spin that sent it bouncing along the artificial grass. It should've gone perfectly to Nagi, but before it could, Y/N appeared.
One second, he'd been marking Bachira. The next, he'd intercepted the pass somehow, avoiding a surprised Nagi. Y/N grinned teasingly, running towards the goal.
"H-huh?!" Bachira's eyes widened with shock, and he began to run towards Y/N. He was way too slow, though, as the smaller boy skipped past.
He made it look so easy. Running at a speed faster than Bachira's sprint looked like a relaxing walk for him, and when he reached the halfway mark, he took the shot.
The whistle blew, and on the screen, it turned 4-1. Team White was being absolutely crushed.
"It isn't over yet!" Isagi's eyes burning with desperation, he scooped up the ball. Everyone except for Y/N and Rin was breathing heavy, faces slick with sweat.
"Time for a comeback." Bachira rolled up his sleeves, exposing pale, lean forearms. "But they're all crazy, right?!" He still seemed overly excited, happy to play more.
"It's only four goals." Nagi quietly added. "I could score that in a few minutes."
They restarted the game, using the same triangle as before. Y/N didn't mark Bachira tightly, allowing him to pass as much as he wanted but not dribble. He threw a look over his shoulder at Rin, trying to communicate with his eyes. Show me something good, genius.
Rin's jaw tightened with acknowledgement, and he shifted closer to Isagi's back. He was way too tight, giving Isagi no space to do anything. For an untrained eye, it looked like a good move, but it left a huge gap behind Rin that Isagi could move into.
Wait, that's actually a smart play. Y/N realised. Rin's eyes are pretty good. I mean, compared to everyone in Bluelock, Isagi's eyes are on a higher level. But Rin's amazing even compared to Isagi.
"Bachira, now!"
Y/N sighed as Bachira's feet moved. He darted to one side, giving Y/N no space or time to think as he spun around him. Y/N didn't even try to stop him, allowing him to kick the ball high and far towards Isagi.
Isagi moved as well, running past Rin into the space that had opened up. With Rin marking him so close, it should've been impossible for him to realise what was going on, and impossible for him to react to keep up and stop Isagi.
Y/N grinned widely as Rin reacted, taking his first few steps as soon as Bachira had prepped the pass. Isagi was running onto the ball, but Rin had perfectly predicted it, leaping up to trap the ball and steal possession.
Rin went on a tear. Y/N moved aside, bowing low to the ground to let him pass. After completely outplaying Isagi, Rin charged straight down the middle of the pitch. Isagi's mouth opened with a desperate cry. "Bachira, Nagi! Stop him!"
He was completely unstoppable. Nagi attempted to tackle him, going in for a fast slide tackle. Rin saw completely through it, leaping over Nagi's legs to continue running.
Bachira attempted to tackle as well, taking his time and slowing down. Rin didn't falter, dipping his shoulder and bending his body low as he ran past Bachira's right side.
It was a brutal, basic tactic, but it threw Bachira right off. At this high level of soccer, simply running past someone was too easily countered to be used often. But Rin had used that to his advantage, completely surprising Bachira and breaking through all of Team White.
He ran for the goal, pausing a good fifteen metres away and taking the shot. Everyone stopped running, watching as it arced high into the air.
It was a beautiful shot, even by Y/N's standards. Drawing an elegant curve in the air as it spun, his eyes followed it as it flew straight past the goalkeeper.
A whistle blew from above, and Y/N smiled as the familiar electronic voice rang out across the pitch. "Team Red wins, 5-1."
Two doors opened up on either side of the pitch. One of them, labelled with bright neon green, was called the 'Winner's Gate'. The other, with bright red lettering over the top, was called the 'Loser's Gate'.
"Now, who do we pick?" Y/N and Aryu grouped up, Rin not bothering to join them. All of Team White looked stunned by the loss. Isagi's mouth was wide open with disbelief.
Y/N shrugged. "Choose whoever you want. None of them are that useful."
"Alright." Aryu raised a finger to Team White. "Come on then, Bachira Meguru. Your passes are extraordinary... they'll lead me to score more glam goals."
Bachira lowered his head with resignation. "Aw, man. I wanted to be on Isagi's team." He sounded upset, like a kid who'd just lost his favourite toy.
"But, I guess I'll go. That's the rule." Bachira gulped, walking forwards a little to Y/N's team. Rin waited by the Winner's Gate, Aryu beginning to walk away. He steeled himself, and glanced back over his shoulder. "But I'm not waiting, Isagi. If you want me, come get me yourself."
As soon as Bachira reached Y/N, the small boy grinned, throwing an arm around his waist and leaning into him like they'd done on Team Z. "Hiii..."
"I guess that's a good thing about this." Bachira's face lightened just a little, and he laughed. "I get to play soccer with you!"
"With your passes, we're going to be so much stronger." The pair walked through the Winner's Gate after Aryu and Rin, already chatting excitedly. "Our team all hates each other."
"I don't hate you, Y/N!" Bachira rushed out.
"I know, I know." Y/N chuckled. "But Rinrin over there is an edgy teenager, Aryu is a drama queen, and neither of them like talking to me. Or passing, for that matter."
"Well, I'll make sure to pass to you!"
"I don't want your passes." Y/N countered. "I want you to score."