Captain Tsubasa: My Way

"Shit..." muttered Wakabayashi through clenched teeth.

"Nice work, guys. You did exactly what I asked." I said to Soda and Ide, clapping their hands.

"No worries." Ide replied.

We got back into position. The match resumed.

"Wasting no time, Nankatsu sends the ball straight to their ace! He gets past a player, everything looks good so far!" the commentator announced.

In the stands…

"That's not true." whispered Roberto, eyes narrowed."His movement is slower than usual. The effort he had to put in against Orochi has taken its toll. And let's not forget, just yesterday, he played against Misugi..."

On the field…

Tsubasa was sprinting forward, the ball glued to his feet. I moved directly in his path.

"I'm taking this ball." I muttered.

"I'll keep it." he replied.

"The two clash violently!"

"Whoa!" gasped the crowd.

"Argh!" we growled as our feet collided on the ball, locked in a fierce physical battle.

But I could feel it, my strength was winning out. "Tch!" With one final push, I broke through, sending Tsubasa crashing to the ground.

I surged forward.

"Shin Orochi wins the duel! Azumaichi is storming toward Nankatsu's goal!" the commentator shouted, voice rising with excitement.

"Mark Orochi!" Wakabayashi screamed to his teammates.

I felt fatigue creeping into my muscles, but I pushed it down.

I faked a pass toward Ide, he was wide open. Even he thought the ball was coming.

"Orochi's about to pass—No! He continues the run himself!" the commentator corrected, stunned.

'Sorry, Ide, but I live for the feeling of scoring goals.' I thought, glancing briefly at him.

Wakabayashi stood firm, more focused than ever, his eyes locked onto the ball.

"Oooh!" I exhaled sharply and struck the ball with everything I had left, curling it with deadly precision.

"Aaaah!" Wakabayashi roared as he dove. One hand got in the way, this hand pressed against the ball, holding it off for a few long seconds.

But then, finally…His resistance gave way.

The ball slipped past…

And into the back of the net.

"He did it!" shouted the commentator, but the crowd remained silent, stunned for a second.

Then—the final whistle blew.

"And there it is! The final whistle!" the commentator added.

This time, the stadium erupted.

"We did it!!" Kuramochi screamed, throwing his arms in the air.

"We're champions." Soda said, barely able to believe it.

"We've won the title!" The whole team began to shout in joy, running across the field, as colorful confetti rained from the sky.

"After seven grueling days, this tournament comes to an end, with Azumaichi FC crowned as champions!" the commentator declared proudly.

In the stands…

"You did it, Shin." said my grandfather, wrapping an arm around my grandmother in a warm embrace, both smiling proudly.

On the field…

The players of Azumaichi FC celebrated with pure elation, jumping, some falling to their knees in disbelief.

"Azumaichi FC truly lived up to the moment! This title is more than deserved!" the announcer beamed."And despite the loss, Nankatsu SC has nothing to be ashamed of, they gave it everything they had!"

Meanwhile, the players of Nankatsu stood still, some heads bowed, others sitting or collapsed to the ground, crushed by defeat. Tears welled in a few eyes.

"Nankatsu came so close to winning, but in the end, they finish as valiant runners-up. A brilliant performance from start to finish."

"Congratulations, Nankatsu! Runners-up is still something to be proud of!" voices from the crowd rang out, chanting.

"Bravo Nankatsu! Well played!"

In the stands, Roberto watched silently, arms crossed, then whispered.

"You fought well, Tsubasa."

"Tsubasa..." murmured Natsuko, his mother, her eyes filled with emotion.

I stood at the center of the field, taking in the roaring cheers of the crowd. The confetti still floated through the air like snowflakes. Amid the celebration, I heard footsteps behind me.

It was Tsubasa.

"Congratulations, Shin. I lost." he said, extending his hand. I shook it firmly."In our duel, you beat me. You truly deserve this title."

"Thank you, Tsubasa." I replied with quiet sincerity.

He turned to rejoin his teammates.

Then, Wakabayashi approached.

"Honestly." he said, "I was looking forward to facing Hyuga. I thought he was maybe the only one who could beat me with a long-range shot. But I was wrong. You showed me I still have a lot to improve. I've never conceded four goals in a single match, three from the same player no less."

I chuckled, a bit embarrassed by the praise, but honored. We shook hands.

Soon after, players from both teams began exchanging handshakes across the pitch, sharing respectful words.

"This is the true spirit of our beautiful sport, the true spirit of Football." the commentator said warmly.

"Yes, Azumaichi has won the tournament, but let's hope that all teams will preserve the bonds of friendship they've built throughout this competition."

In the stands, from all corners of the stadium…

"Congratulations, Orochi." said the Tachibana brothers.

"Well played, Orochi." added Matsuyama.

"I salute you, Shin." said Misugi, nodding with a smile.

Then, from the shadows of the stands, Roberto Hongo watched silently. He finally spoke to himself:

"My sincere congratulations, Shin Orochi. So you were right after all."

He paused, turning his gaze to the pitch where Tsubasa stood quietly, surrounded by his teammates.

"And as for you, Tsubasa… you've grown even more during this tournament. You learned so much from your rivals. You lost today, but truth be told, I had planned to take you with me even if you didn't win."

He let out a long sigh.

"But I can't. I just can't do it."

He stood still for a moment, then with his back turned to the field, he whispered.

"Farewell, Tsubasa."

And with that, Roberto walked toward the stadium's exit, disappearing into the crowd.

It was time for the closing ceremony.

All the teams from the tournament stood lined up on the pitch, shoulder to shoulder. Some wore smiles, others bittersweet expressions—but all stood with pride.

A commentator's voice echoed through the stadium speakers:

"The winner of the 6th National Football Tournament is... the representative of Osaka—Azumaichi FC!"

Applause erupted from the stands. My heart pounded. I gave a small nod and stepped forward alone, walking toward the center stage.

With every step, the cheers grew louder.Players from every team clapped.My teammates shouted my name.The entire stadium stood in ovation.

At the podium, an official awaited with the championship trophy gleaming in his hands.

"Congratulations, Shin Orochi." he said as he held it out to me."Thank you." I replied simply, my voice calm.

I took the trophy into my arms.

"The championship trophy has just been awarded to Shin Orochi, captain of Azumaichi FC!" called out the announcer.

And then—I lifted the trophy high above my head.

The stadium exploded.