MTLNOVEL Chapter 6: Chapter 5: The Clash of Egos
The stadium was silent. The scoreboard still flashed their victory: 4-3. Renji Arata stood on the field, his heart pounding. Sweat dripped down his face, but he couldn't stop smiling. They won — but the real challenge had just begun.
The loudspeaker crackled.
"Congratulations to the 50 remaining players. You have passed the first elimination. But there's no time to rest."
The massive screen flickered. New rules appeared.
"Next round: Survival Battle. 10 teams. 5 matches. Only the top 3 teams will move forward. The rest… are eliminated."
The stadium erupted into noise. Players whispered and shouted, panic rising.
Renji's chest tightened. "Top 3 teams… that's only 15 players."
The competition was getting even harder. But he didn't care. His eyes burned with determination.
"I didn't come this far to lose now."
Forming a New Team
Renji's old team gathered, but Kaede shook his head.
"We need more firepower. Our last game was too close."
Riku nodded. "We need someone strong. Or we're finished."
Renji scanned the crowd. That's when he saw Reo Kisaragi — a midfielder with insane speed and control. He'd dominated his last match.
Renji walked up to him. "Join us."
Reo's eyes narrowed. "Why should I?"
Renji smiled. "Because we want to win. And I know you do too."
For a second, Reo said nothing. Then he grinned. "Fine. Let's destroy them."
With their team set, they stepped onto the field.
The whistle blew. Their opponents charged like wolves. The speed was intense — faster than anything Renji had faced before.
Kaede passed the ball to Reo. But a defender was already on him.
Reo didn't panic. He flicked the ball over the defender's head, spun around, and caught it on the other side.
The crowd gasped.
Renji grinned. "He's good."
Reo passed the ball to Renji. But before Renji could move, two defenders closed in.
No time. No space.
But pressure didn't scare him. It fueled him.
Renji twisted his body, dragging the ball back. The defenders lunged — and missed.
"Too slow."
Renji sprinted forward. The goal was in sight. He pulled his leg back — but a third defender appeared.
No choice. He passed to Riku.
Riku shot — but the goalkeeper blocked it.
"Damn it
Their opponents counterattacked fast. A tall striker stormed forward — Tetsuya Igarashi, known for his powerful shots.
Kenta tried to block him, but Tetsuya bulldozed through. He fired a cannon of a shot.
The ball slammed into the net.
0-1.
Renji's fists clenched. He refused to lose.
Kaede placed a hand on his shoulder. "Stay focused. We'll get it back."
Renji took a deep breath. Stay calm. Stay sharp.
The next play began. Reo zipped through the midfield, cutting past two defenders. He passed to Renji.
This time, Renji didn't hesitate. He drove forward, full speed. The defenders tried to close in — but he was faster.
He reached the edge of the box. Tetsuya charged toward him.
Renji smiled. "Let's see how fast you are."
He flicked the ball forward, leaping over Tetsuya's sliding tackle.
One-on-one with the keeper.
Renji kept his cool. He chipped the ball gently — and it sailed over the keeper's head into the net.
1-1.
The clock ticked down. Both teams fought like wild animals. The score stayed even.
But Renji wasn't done yet.
In the last minute, Kaede stole the ball and passed it forward. Renji sprinted, heart pounding.
Tetsuya came at him again. This time, Renji didn't dodge. He challenged him head-on.
Their bodies collided. Pain shot through Renji's side — but he didn't stop.
He pushed forward. Forced his legs to move. One more step. One more chance.
Renji broke free. The goal was right there.
He shot.
The ball flew like a missile — straight into the top corner.
2-1.
The whistle blew.
They won.
Renji collapsed to the ground, his body shaking. The crowd roared, but he barely heard it.
Reo walked over, grinning. "Not bad, Arata. But don't think you're better than me."
Renji laughed. "We'll see about that."
The screen updated. Only 3 teams remained. They were one of them.
But the hardest battles were still ahead.
Renji looked up at the night sky.
"I will keep winning. No matter what."