The sun blazed down on the practice field, the scent of fresh-cut grass filling the air.
Barou Shoei stood, hands on hips, staring at the ball at his feet. He was surrounded by his teammates—Ryuu, Sakuraba, and a few others—who were all catching their breath after a grueling drill. The sweat dripping from their brows only highlighted how intense the practice had become under Mirko Kovac's unforgiving watch.
Kovac crossed his arms, a rare smile flickering on his face as he observed the group. "Alright, team. You've gotten the fundamentals down. Now, we're moving on to something different." His voice was authoritative, yet there was a hint of excitement in it.
The players exchanged uncertain glances. What could this foreign coach have in mind?
Kovac clapped his hands, signaling them forward. "Barou, I want you to show everyone your moves."
Barou's lips curled into a half-smirk, his usual cocky attitude flaring up. "Moves, huh? Fine." With that, he dribbled forward, performing a sudden sharp chop with his right foot—cutting across the ball with quick precision. The defender in front of him, one of the less experienced players, tried to block him, but Barou was already past him, leaving a cloud of dust in the wake of his slick footwork.
Ryuu, watching from the sideline, narrowed his eyes. "That chop... It's so sudden. Like he's predicting where the defender is going to be." He clenched his fists, a mixture of admiration and frustration stirring in his gut. Barou was such an unpredictable force, and every time Ryuu thought he had him figured out, Barou would break free with a move he hadn't seen coming.
---
"Not bad, Barou," Sakuraba called out, his voice tinged with genuine surprise as Barou slowed to a stop, watching his teammates' reactions.
"Heh," Barou grinned, though his face was still full of arrogance. "You think that's all? Watch this."
He started dribbling again, his pace quickening. The ball was a mere extension of his body as he used a combination of feints and step-overs to glide past the defenders. Every move was a fluid display of speed, control, and intent.
Barou executed another sudden chop dribble, but this time, he faked a pass with a sharp look toward his teammate, causing his would-be defender to bite on the fake. With a lightning-fast burst, Barou tore forward, leaving the defender spinning in place.
Ryuu's eyes widened as Barou breezed past another player, this time with a predatory glint in his eyes—he was reading the defense like a hawk, predicting where each player would go before they even moved. It was unsettling to watch, the way Barou made it seem so easy.
---
"You're really something, Barou," Ryuu muttered under his breath, still processing what had just happened. "That dribble... and those feints... he's not just relying on his raw power anymore."
Sakuraba, who had been skeptical of Barou's inclusion from the start, spoke up, his tone a little softer than usual. "You know, for a guy who never passes, you sure know how to throw off the defense. Almost makes me wish you'd pass more often."
Barou shot him a challenging glance. "I don't need your passes to make goals." His voice was blunt, but there was an edge of something else—a spark of something more calculated in the way he looked at Sakuraba.
---
Kovac stepped forward, a slight frown on his face. "Barou," he said, his voice commanding yet calm. "You've got raw talent, but it's not enough to rely on instinct alone. You need to read your teammates' movements just as you read the opposition. Don't let your ego blind you to the team's potential."
Barou cocked an eyebrow at Kovac, clearly not thrilled with the criticism. "What, you want me to pass? You think I'm gonna trust them with my ball?" His tone was defiant, but there was a hint of doubt in his voice.
Kovac didn't back down. "I'm not asking you to pass for the sake of passing. I'm asking you to think. If you're in a tight spot and the defense is closing in on you, can you trust your teammates to be in the right position? Can you be more dangerous as a unit?"
Barou's gaze flickered for a moment, but he didn't speak. Instead, he turned back to the ball, his mind swirling with Kovac's words.
---
Ryuu stepped forward, a slight smirk playing on his face as he approached Barou.
"Look, Barou. I get it. You're the king of your own game. But we're a team now. And I don't know about you, but I want to see how strong we can become together."
Barou shot him a look of irritation. "Don't think for a second that I'm gonna change for you. You play your game, and I'll play mine."
But there was something in Ryuu's expression—an openness, a challenge in his eyes. It wasn't just a request for teamwork, it was a dare. "You're right. We'll play our game, but only if you stop being a lone wolf and start being a part of something bigger. You don't have to change. But imagine what we could do if we could pull it off together."
---
Kovac watched the exchange between the two, his eyes glinting with approval. "Good. That's the spirit I like to see."
---
Later that day, after the drill, Barou sat off to the side of the field, leaning back against the bleachers, his legs crossed. He was exhausted, but his mind was still running on overdrive. His body had learned a lot today, not just from his own instincts but from watching his teammates, especially Ryuu. There was something to the way Ryuu moved, how he always seemed to know when to make the right pass.
"I'll show them," Barou muttered to himself. "I don't need them, but I'll show them what I can do. I'll play my game—my way."
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the practice field. Barou wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to fully trust his teammates, but one thing was clear: as long as he had the ball at his feet, he'd keep playing his game—his way.