The summer sun blazed over the countryside as Jim, Alex, and Volt finally arrived at the quiet village where Master Kenzo lived. Birds chirped lazily above the trees while the scent of earth and rice fields filled the air.
As they entered the familiar grounds of Kenzo's house, the old master stood at the gate, sipping tea casually.
"Welcome," he said without turning his head. "First, go take a bath. Weather's too damn hot. Come back when you're actually clean."
Jim, Alex, and Volt looked at each other, a bit surprised by the casual command.
"Well," Jim muttered. "He hasn't changed."
They nodded and headed to the small outdoor bath behind the house. Steam rose gently from the warm water. The boys relaxed into it, the fatigue of travel washing away with every splash.
"So..." Volt stretched his arms. "Master Kenzo, huh? Still feels weird calling him that."
Alex turned his eyes toward Jim. "Hey, last time you trained here… what exactly did he make you do?"
Jim gave a weird smile, somewhere between proud and traumatized. "Well… he tested my basics. Passing, dribbling, shooting…"
Volt leaned in, interested. "Yeah? How did he 'test' it?"
"He gave me a challenge," Jim replied.
"What kind of challenge?" Volt's eyes lit up.
Jim looked at the sky dramatically. "He said, 'Steal this ball from my feet.' That's it."
Volt laughed. "Pfft, that's it? That's gonna be so easy! The dude looks like he's in his 60s!"
"Seventies," Jim corrected. "And trust me, I thought the same. But his dribbling? It's like he's a national-level player. I couldn't touch the ball for minutes."
Alex nodded. "I expected no less from him."
Volt scoffed. "Control your expectations, genius. You guys just got tricked."
Just then, there was a knock at the bathhouse door.
"Are you girls done?" Master Kenzo called. "We don't have all day."
"We're coming!" the three shouted in unison, quickly splashing out and throwing on their training kits.
By the time they reached the ground, Master Kenzo was already standing there like a stone pillar.
"We're present, sir!" Jim saluted.
Kenzo stared at them. "Good. One match. Me versus all three of you. Whoever scores first wins."
Volt blinked. "Uh, Master… shouldn't you be resting at your age?"
Kenzo's eyes narrowed. "Confidence is fine. But overconfidence ruins careers. That's your first weakness, Volt."
"Oh yeah?" Volt stepped forward. "Then let's play. Let's see who really needs rest, Grandpa."
Kenzo tossed the ball to Volt. "You start."
Volt grinned and passed the ball straight to Kenzo. "Let's see you score."
"What are you doing?!" Alex hissed.
Kenzo smiled and said, "Now steal it from me."
The match began. Volt tried to block him first—confident in his dribbling. But Master Kenzo glided past him like a phantom.
Volt stood frozen. What just happened? I'm the best dribbler in my club!
Kenzo moved toward Alex. Alex focused, predicting Kenzo's movements. For a moment, he managed to slow the master down.
"Volt!" Alex called for backup.
But Volt was still shaken, stuck in his head.
Kenzo took advantage of Alex's hesitation, cutting through and now only Jim stood between him and the goal.
Jim's eyes flashed green. Predator Instinct activated.
The field felt slower to him. Every tiny movement—Kenzo's shoulders, his feet, his breathing—painted a picture of his next move. Jim kept up with him, step for step. It was a true battle.
Alex recovered and joined Jim to block him—but even with both of them together, Kenzo faked one last move… and scored.
He didn't cheer. Just turned around with that ever-serious face.
"Match over."
The three of them collapsed on the ground, breathing hard.
Kenzo crossed his arms. "You two," he said, pointing at Alex and Volt. "Your techniques are excellent. Better than Jim's, honestly. But…"
They looked up.
"You both have flawed mindsets. Volt—you underestimate your opponents. That's your weakness. Alex—you overthink too much. That delays your decisions. And in football, every second counts."
Alex's eyes lowered, processing every word.
"Now, let's test something. Alex—you first. Summon your sprite."
Alex nodded. "Blue Dragon."
The majestic, scaled beast roared behind him. Kenzo raised his sync meter. It blinked.
Sync Level: 89%
"Impressive," Kenzo nodded. "A royal sprite. Perfect for long-range passes and sharp shooting."
"Next. Mr. Overconfident."
Volt snapped out of his daze. "Yes, Master!" He summoned his sprite. "Griffin!"
A great winged beast emerged, majestic and fierce.
Kenzo scanned it.
Sync Level: 86%
"As expected. You're suited for dribbling and aerial combat."
Finally, it was Jim's turn. Ravyn appeared, cloaked in shadows and wind.
Sync Level: 79%
Kenzo looked surprised. "Well done, kid. That's some serious progress."
Alex raised a hand. "Master… why couldn't we even stand against you for two seconds, but Jim could match you beat by beat… even though our sync levels are higher?"
Kenzo smiled. "Good question."
He walked toward Jim. "It's because of his special ability. His sprite granted him Predator Instinct."
"Predator… Instinct?" Alex asked.
Kenzo nodded. "It allows him to read an opponent's movement and predict their next move—about a second in advance."
Alex's eyes widened. "So that's how he read the Tri-Attack technique. Even that pattern didn't faze him."
Kenzo smirked. "Exactly."
The next four days were filled with intense training. Kenzo drilled them not only in technique but in mindset. Each boy faced his inner weakness: Volt stopped mocking, Alex learned to act without doubting himself, and Jim honed his Predator Instinct even more.
On the morning of the fifth day, they packed their bags and returned to the academy.
As they walked back, laughing and sweaty, they encountered a man on the path.
He didn't say a word—but his presence froze them in their tracks.
His aura felt… powerful.
Too powerful.
Jim's heart skipped a beat. Who… is he?
Before they could even ask, his eyes locked with Jim's, and he smiled coldly.
"You three… I'll see you soon."
And just like that, he vanished into the woods.
When they returned, Coach Tenjo gathered them quickly.
"Listen up," he said. "Your next match is against Crusher 11—champions of the Type 1 Tournament two years ago."
Volt gulped.
Tenjo continued, "They lost early in Type 2, but don't let that fool you. They're still one of the most dominant teams in the region."
Jim looked at Alex.
Alex nodded. "Let's crush the Crushers."
Jim smiled. "Yeah… this time, we're ready."