Striker Genesis: E.O.S (Evolution of Strikers)

The pitch felt like a battlefield. Every breath Renji took was fire in his lungs. Sweat poured down his face, but he didn't care. The score was tied. 3-3.

And the match was far from over.

Koga Ren stood across from him, eyes blazing with fury. "You've got guts, Kurogami. But I'm done playing around."

The whistle blew — and the storm began.

Koga took off like a bullet, his speed warping the air. Renji rushed to intercept, but Koga was already past him.

"Damn it!" Renji snarled, spinning around to chase.

But Koga didn't go for the goal.

He passed.

Shiro Amani caught the ball with terrifying control. His dribbles were smooth — calculated. Kaede rushed him, but Shiro slipped through his defense like water.

Riku moved in. "Not this time."

But Shiro was faster. He flicked the ball over Riku's head — and Tetsuya Hoshino was there to catch it.

Renji's heart pounded. "No you don't!"

He charged.

Tetsuya smirked. "Too slow."

The shot came like a cannon blast. The ball soared toward the top corner — unstoppable.

Renji's body moved on instinct.

He leapt.

Fingers brushed the ball — but it was too strong.

3-4.

The stadium fell silent.

Kaede slammed his fists into the ground. "We can't keep up with them!"

Renji pushed himself up slowly, his vision blurred with sweat. "We don't need to keep up. We just need to surpass them."

Riku's eyes narrowed. "What are you thinking?"

Renji smiled — a sharp, dangerous smile. "We stop playing their game. We make them play ours."

The next kickoff was different.

Renji didn't wait. He attacked.

Kaede took the pass and fired a shot from midfield. It was reckless — impossible — and perfect.

The goalkeeper barely managed to punch it away — and Riku was already there for the rebound.

He didn't shoot.

He passed.

To Renji.

Renji's body moved before he thought. He spun, his leg whipping through the air in a powerful strike.

The ball curved like a missile.

4-4.

The crowd exploded.

But there was no time to celebrate.

Koga came back with a vengeance.

The final minutes were chaos.

Shiro and Riku battled like chess masters, their strategies colliding in brilliant flashes of movement.

Kaede and Tetsuya clashed like titans, power against power.

And Renji?

Renji chased Koga with everything he had.

The clock ticked down.

One minute.

Thirty seconds.

Fifteen.

Koga broke free. He sprinted toward the goal — and no one could catch him.

Except Renji.

He pushed his body past its limits.

Ten seconds.

Koga fired — and Renji dove.

The ball slammed into his outstretched foot, deflecting wide.

The whistle blew.

Draw. 4-4.

Renji lay on the ground, chest heaving. They hadn't won. But they hadn't lost either.

And this fight was far from over.