The stadium lights had dimmed, and the echoes of the match still lingered in Kaito's mind. The loss against England stung, but it wasn't just defeat that bothered him—it was the gap.
Julias was stronger. Liam and Oliver were exceptional. Even Rin, despite his blunder, was a force to be reckoned with.
And Kaito?
He had scored, but it felt like he was barely grasping at his true potential.
After the match, Kaito sat alone on the empty training field, lost in thought. He replayed the game in his head—the movements, the positioning, the moment Julias had entered the Zone and crushed them with Emperor's Impact.
A familiar voice cut through the silence.
"Still thinking about the game?"
Kaito turned to see his father, Yoichi Isagi, standing beside him. The world's greatest striker had a knowing smirk on his face, his sharp blue eyes reflecting the field lights.
Kaito exhaled. "I lost, Dad. I thought I was ready, but Julias—he's on a different level."
Isagi chuckled, sitting down next to him. "That's how football works. There's always someone stronger. But the real question is—what are you going to do about it?"
Kaito clenched his fists. "I need to surpass my limits. I need to be able to enter the Zone whenever I want. I need to use Metavision like you do. And I need—" He paused, taking a deep breath. "I need to learn how to do the Left Direct Shot."
Isagi's smirk widened. "Good. Then let's talk about how you're going to do it."
Isagi stretched his arms, his tone becoming more serious. "The Zone isn't some magical state that happens randomly. It's complete immersion. No distractions. No doubts. Just pure instinct and execution."
Kaito listened intently.
"The key to entering the Zone whenever you want is triggering a flow state. You need to find what makes you disappear into the game. For me, it's Metavision—seeing everything unfold and staying one step ahead. For someone like Julias, it's pure domination—he controls the flow of the match."
Kaito thought for a moment. "For me... it's when I find the perfect moment to strike."
Isagi nodded. "Then you need to chase that moment every time you step onto the field. Focus only on that feeling. When you do, the Zone will come naturally."
Kaito leaned forward. "Metavision… I can activate it sometimes, but I can't keep it up for long."
Isagi grinned. "That's because you're using it wrong."
Kaito frowned. "What do you mean?"
"You think Metavision is just about seeing everything, right? But that's not it. It's about filtering out what's important. If you try to see everything at once, you'll burn out fast. Instead, you need to focus on key movements—your teammates' positioning, the opponent's weaknesses, the perfect passing lane."
Kaito's eyes widened. "So instead of trying to see everything, I need to focus on what matters most?"
"Exactly," Isagi said. "You don't need to see the whole game. You need to control it."
Kaito nodded slowly. This was something he could refine.
Finally, Kaito asked, "And the Left Direct Shot? I saw you use it today. I've tried it before, but I can't get the accuracy right."
Isagi smirked. "That's because you're thinking about it too much."
He stood up, motioning for Kaito to follow him.
"Your right foot is dominant, so your body naturally aligns with it. But to shoot with your left foot, you need to retrain your body's balance. Your left foot isn't weaker—it's just less coordinated."
Isagi placed a ball in front of Kaito. "The key to the Left Direct Shot is not hesitating. Just like your right foot, you need to trust it completely. Align your body properly, and let the shot flow naturally."
Kaito positioned himself. He took a deep breath, focused on the feeling, and struck the ball with his left foot.
It wasn't perfect. But it was faster. More controlled.
Isagi grinned. "Now, do that a thousand more times."
Kaito smirked. "Of course."
"As the night deepened, Kaito kept practicing under his father's watchful eye. The loss against England had hurt—but now, it was fuel."
He would enter the Zone freely. He would master Metavision. He would perfect the Left Direct Shot.
And next time—
He would win.