The match raged on, both teams exchanging attacks like dueling swordsmen, each searching for an opening. The tension on the field was palpable—one mistake, one moment of hesitation, and the balance could shift.
Grand Fortuna High continued to press, but Arya's team responded with equal intensity. Reza and Farhan kept the midfield tight, while Bayu and the others worked tirelessly to close down passing lanes.
Then—
An opening.
Gilang, standing near the center circle, received the ball and instantly spotted an opportunity.
Kevin.
Instead of playing it wide, Gilang sent a short, sharp pass directly to Kevin's feet. But unlike before, Kevin wasn't in the attacking third.
This time, he started deep, near his own half.
Arya raised an eyebrow. That was new.
Kevin controlled the ball with ease, his touch soft, calculated. His teammates were all tightly marked, but that didn't matter. He had already made his decision.
He was going alone.
The stadium buzzed as he took his first few steps forward, tapping the ball lightly. He was in no rush.
Arya, positioned a few meters ahead, adjusted his stance. He knew Kevin's game. The elite winger relied on speed, agility, and quick footwork to slice through defenses.
But Arya wouldn't fall for it so easily.
He stayed composed, shadowing Kevin's every move.
Kevin advanced, his eyes scanning the path ahead.
Then—
A flick of his right foot.
Step over.
Arya's focus sharpened. Kevin's foot circled around the ball with precision, his body shifting slightly as if to feint.
Another step over.
Faster.
Then another.
Kevin's legs blurred as he repeated the motion, mesmerizing, unpredictable.
Arya didn't bite.
He mirrored Kevin's rhythm, shifting his weight accordingly, refusing to commit too soon.
But Kevin was patient.
He wasn't trying to beat Arya with a single move.
He was setting a trap.
One final step over—
Then—
A burst to the left.
Arya reacted, shifting his body to intercept.
But that was exactly what Kevin wanted.
BOOM!
With one swift motion, Kevin struck the ball with his left foot, firing a low shot—
Straight through Arya's legs.
The nutmeg was so quick, Arya barely registered it.
The ball skidded across the turf, spinning viciously as it cut through the defensive line.
Fajar, the goalkeeper, saw it late.
He dove—
But it was too fast.
The ball slipped past his outstretched fingers and slammed into the back of the net.
GOAL!
The crowd erupted.
Kevin clenched his fists and let out a triumphant roar, his teammates rushing toward him in celebration.
Arya remained frozen for a moment, his hands on his hips, replaying the sequence in his head.
A nutmeg.
A shot out of nowhere.
And just like that, Grand Fortuna had widened the gap.
3-2.
The crowd erupted in cheers as Kevin sprinted toward the corner of the field, surrounded by his teammates who celebrated his stunning goal. With a victorious grin, he turned to face Arya.
"Try and match that, pink guy." he taunted, his smirk filled with confidence.
Arya clenched his fists, his breath heavy—not just from exhaustion but from the frustration building inside him.
Without hesitation, Fajar quickly threw the ball to Reza to restart the game. The score was now 3-2—still trailing, but the game was far from over.
Standing tall in the center, Reza raised his hand and spoke with the composure of a true captain.
"Come on, guys. We still have time."
The whistle blew.
But this time, instead of passing the ball back, Reza did something unexpected.
BOOM!
A powerful shot straight from the kick-off!
The ball rocketed toward Grand Fortuna's goal, forcing their goalkeeper into action. With sharp reflexes, he barely managed to parry the shot away. It wasn't a goal, but it was a warning—this team wasn't just about Arya; it had Reza too.
The intensity escalated.
Reza's shot resulted in a corner kick, which Arya rushed to take.
A quick pass to Reza—
But it didn't go as planned.
Grand Fortuna intercepted, and in a flash, they launched a counterattack.
Dimas seized the ball and sprinted toward Arya's goal.
However, this time, Farhan wasn't about to let him through.
BAM!
A sharp, aggressive tackle stopped Dimas in his tracks.
The whistle blew.
"One foul," the referee declared.
Arya and the others, who had been attacking moments ago, quickly fell back into position after Farhan's tactical foul.
But Grand Fortuna wasted no time.
Dimas took a quick free kick, sending the ball to Gilang, who immediately fired a shot.
BOOM!
But Fajar was ready!
With a spectacular save, he deflected the shot away, earning gasps from the crowd.
Gilang gritted his teeth, clearly frustrated.
"A nobody goalkeeper like him can stop my shot?" he muttered in disbelief.
The game continued.
Grand Fortuna won a corner kick.
Dimas sent the ball to Reno on the right side—
But Reza stole it!
Cheers erupted as Reza, who had mostly been orchestrating plays, finally took center stage.
A solo run!
Reno and Dimas failed to keep up.
Now—
One-on-one with Gilang.
Gilang moved in to shadow him, but Reza—
Step over!
With a swift movement, he cut inside, slipping past Gilang.
"Damn it!" Gilang cursed, realizing he had been beaten.
Reza now had a clear path.
His eyes locked onto Arya, who was unmarked.
Kevin was too busy blocking Reza's shot to notice Arya wide open on the right.
With perfect timing, Reza feinted a shot—
And instead, sent a sharp pass to Arya!
Arya braced himself to strike, but—
His legs felt heavy.
His stamina was drained.
For the first time in a long while, he was exhausted.
Unable to use his left foot properly, he was forced to strike with his weaker right foot.
BOOM!
Off the post!
The crowd let out a mix of cheers and groans.
It should have been a goal.
It should have been 3-3.
Arya, breathless and frustrated, rushed for the rebound—
But Kevin was faster.
With a sharp turn, Kevin secured the ball, and Grand Fortuna launched another attack.
Arya?
He was left behind, unable to keep up.
Kevin, showcasing his deadly winger skills, now faced Reza, who had fallen back to defend.
Reza tried to stop him, but now Reno had taken Arya's position in defense.
Gilang pushed forward, adding pressure.
Arya's teammates fought to hold their ground, but—
A quick one-two between Kevin and Gilang broke their defensive line.
Kevin dribbled past Reza and sent a rapid pass to Dimas, who was marked by Farhan.
With a delicate touch, Dimas lifted the ball—a classic lob.
Reno, facing Bayu, seemed ready to shoot—
But a no-look pass!
Bayu was completely fooled.
And out of nowhere—
BOOM!
Kevin struck the ball into the bottom-left corner of the net.
GOAL!
4-2.
Kevin rushed toward the crowd, forming the letter "K" with his fingers, taunting the spectators.
Grand Fortuna was now two goals ahead.
On the Grand Fortuna half, Arya stood still, panting.
His hands rested on his hips, his eyes fixed on the ground.
Not just from exhaustion—
But from frustration.
"Damn it… why now?" he muttered under his breath.
Why was his body failing him now?
From behind, Gilang gave him a firm pat on the shoulder.
With a smirk, he whispered:
"Hey, Pink Guy. Don't act tough. We're on a different level."
Arya didn't respond.
He simply stood there, frozen.
Because those words—
Hurt far more than he expected.