Soccer System: All the Skills, One Player!

Hidefumi's role as Wushia College's main defender was to keep an eye on the ball at all times and coordinate the defense, deciding whether or not they should advance the line of scrimmage. In addition, his secondary role in this game was to keep a close eye on Luke Ivanov's movements.

However, there was something about the Ivanovs that unsettled even the most experienced players. Luke, for most of the time, wasn't even trying to dribble; his relaxed body and almost disinterested eyes made it look like he was just waiting. And then it happened.

With a simple sideways touch, Luke passed the ball to Klaus without even looking. It looked like a harmless move, but the whole pitch seemed to tilt at that moment. The ball moved as if it had a life of its own, flowing from Luke's feet to Klaus', and Hidefumi hesitated for a fraction of a second, just long enough for the twins' almost perfect synchrony to take over.

Luke watched the scene from a distance, his heart racing. He tried to calculate, to process how the Ivanovs managed to move so quickly and so precisely. No obvious skill, no mystical power, just a harmony between the two that made the game look like a ballet, elegant and lethal.

"Go on, Hidefumi, don't let him through!" shouted Kenji.

But it was too late.

Klaus was already ahead. In the blink of an eye, he dribbled past Yuuga and was face to face with Toshinori.

The Wushia goalkeeper prepared himself, positioning himself with his knees bent and his arms ready to react to the shot that seemed inevitable.

'I'm ready. I can do it... I'll defend again.' Toshinori thought, feeling sweat trickle down his temples.

Klaus lifted his leg and, instead of a direct kick, made a soft touch to Luke, who came running like a bullet from the side. Their plan was clear: confuse the defense, disorganize the lines, until it was impossible to predict their next move.

Luke received the ball from Klaus and, without hesitation, shot low and hard, aiming for the left corner of the goal. Toshinori stretched as far as he could and his fingers grazed the ball, but it went into the net.

The muffled sound of the ball hitting the net was followed by an explosion of shouts from the fans in favor of Nishikawa College. The Ivanov twins greeted each other with a quick high five, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Damn!" Toshinori punched the ground angrily.

Lucas looked at Nishida, who stood with his hands on his hips and his gaze fixed on his own goal.

"Let's not keep our heads down! We still have time!" shouted coach Yamamoto from the sideline, clapping his hands as if he could energize the team with his own willpower.

They were still in the first half, and a goal wasn't the end. But the psychological impact of seeing the Ivanovs dominate the field so easily was hard to ignore. Lucas knew that if they didn't find a way to contain the twins, the match could quickly spiral out of control.

"What do you think, Lucas?" Nishida asked, approaching him as they walked back to the halfway line to restart the game. "They're good, but they're not unbeatable. What can we do?"

Lucas looked at Nishida and then at the twins. He clenched his fists, because this time he didn't have the answers. Enjoy new chapters from empire

"They play in sync, as if they were one. But... what if we break that synchrony? Force them to act individually?" Nishida asked.

Luca raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"If we focus on one of them, just one, the other won't be able to maintain the same fluidity. They depend on each other for those quick moves. If we force one of them to play alone, maybe we'll find a way through."

Lucas smiled. "That's an idea. But which one do we target?"

Nishida hesitated, looking at the two of them. Luke was the main striker, the playmaker, but Klaus had shown surprising defensive ability. Both were dangerous in different ways.

"What about Klaus?" asked Luke. "He drops back to help defend, but when he gets forward, he's more predictable than Luke. If we can isolate him, we can destabilize the pair."

Nishida nodded, patting Lucas on the shoulder. "Okay, we'll do that. But I'll need you up front, ready to receive the pass. If we manage to steal the ball, you'll be the one to score, because they'll be watching me very closely. I can see that."

Soon, the game resumed and Wushia College seemed more focused. Kuwabara and Kenji moved closer to Klaus, following Lucas' plan. They pressed the striker whenever he touched the ball, forcing him to make quicker and consequently riskier passes.

Klaus, surprisingly, showed no discomfort with the extra pressure. It was as if it came naturally. But, as Lucas predicted, the twins' synchrony began to break down. Without the time to react in perfect harmony, the passes were no longer as precise, and Luke began to move forward more to help his brother, which limited his role in defense.

Even so, the first big chance for Wushia College came in the 38th minute. Kenji received the ball, passed it to Tsukada and then the ball fell to Yukihiro on the left wing.

Yukihiro ran on. The sound of his feet stomping on the grass, and the roar of the crowd as he advanced, was heartening for the boy who was coming back from a mid-season injury.

His peripheral vision caught Nishida running down the middle between the defenders, already prepared for the cross. Yukihiro had to be precise. He couldn't waste that opportunity. He slowed down for a moment, lifted his left foot and, with the inside of it, launched the cross.

Nishida jumped with all his might, the ball seemed destined for his head, but at the last moment it sailed over him. He fell back to the ground, turning his body to follow the movement of the ball.

Behind him, Lucas was ready, his eyes fixed on the ball, his body stretched in the air, as if that jump was his only mission. He rose higher than anyone expected, using <Star Boost> of course.

The Nishikawa College defenders, taken by surprise, tried to react, but it was too late. The ball met Lucas' forehead and produced a satisfying sound, the kind of sound that any footballer would recognize as a good header.

"GOOOOAAL!"