GNS: A Rising Striker

Chapter 8: A Narrow Victory

The tension in the room is thick as we wait for the game to start. This isn’t just another match - it's our first test in Project Genesis, our debut as Team V against Team W.

Everyone sits in silence, the hum of the artificial lights above the only sound breaking the stillness. We’re not playing in some packed stadium, but in this enclosed, sterile space.

There’s no crowd, no roaring fans, just us, the opponents, and the echoes of our footsteps against the hard floor.

I lean back against the wall, watching as Nadruk and Kinagase quietly discuss the strategy again. They’re ready - focused. The rest of us look on, listening to the captains’ final instructions. My mind, though, is elsewhere. I haven’t been able to shake the feeling. I can’t find my rhythm.

The whistle blows, and the game begins. The confined space amplifies every sound: the thud of the ball, the shuffling of feet, the calls for the ball.

Right from the start, Team W presses hard. I try to make runs down the right side, but something feels off.

Every step is a fraction too slow.

Every pass I make feels rushed or poorly timed.

The game moves faster than I expected, faster than I’m prepared for.

Meanwhile, Kinagase is playing like he’s been here his whole life. His passes slice through Team W’s defense with pinpoint accuracy.

In the 25th minute, he controls the ball in midfield, surrounded by Team W’s Yukie and Senji. I’m just behind him, but before I can even make a move, he launches a long ball down the line. It rockets past me at such a high pace that I barely react.

Nadruk, already on the run, controls it effortlessly. Sadmag and Tetas close in on her, but with a smooth stop and a roulette, she spins past them like they’re standing still.

She’s free on goal, and without hesitation, she drives it past Beba, their keeper. 1-0.

I watch as she celebrates, fists raised, and a gnawing feeling builds in my chest. I should have been there. I should have been involved in that play. But instead, I was just... watching.

That’s when it hits me - I’m not good enough. Not yet. Nadruk, Kinagase, even Sancha on the other team... they’re operating at a different level. I feel it every time I touch the ball. Their vision, their speed, their control - it’s like I’m a step behind everyone. And that scares me.

Team W doesn’t back down after our goal. In fact, it only makes them push harder. Sancha, their winger, is a nightmare to defend against. His speed is unreal.

In the 32nd minute, after a quick series of passes with Erwin, Sancha breaks down the left side. Nadruk tries to intercept a long ball by curving a pass back toward Kinagase, but Charles from Team W appears out of nowhere, cutting it off with a perfectly timed foot.

He quickly sends it to Sancha, who accelerates past our backline in a blur. Before I can even think of catching up, he fires the ball into the net. 1-1.

We head into halftime with the game tied, and I’m sitting on the bench, replaying every mistake in my head. It’s not that I’m not trying - I am. But every time I try to match the pace of the game, I fall short. My passes lack precision. My runs are a second too slow. I’ve never felt so out of sync.

When we come out for the second half, Team W starts strong, but we strike first.

In the 52nd minute, Dark plays a clever through ball to Jink. Jink takes it in stride and slots it past Beba to give us the lead.

I should feel some relief, some satisfaction, but instead, all I can think about is how little I’ve contributed. I’ve been running, pressing, but I’m not making an impact.

The game wears on, and in the 68th minute, we pull ahead again. Kinagase, ever the playmaker, spots Nadruk making another run. His pass is a thing of beauty, curving just right to meet her feet. She doesn’t miss. 3-1. But as they celebrate, I stand on the sideline, feeling like I’m watching from behind glass.

Team W gets one more goal back in the 79th minute, with Erwin blasting the ball into the top corner after a quick counter. The goal sends a ripple of tension through us.

The final minutes are a barrage of attacks from them. Mihix and Deeko make crucial blocks to keep us alive, while GGS1 in goal pulls off a string of saves that keep the score in our favor. The echoes of the ball hitting his gloves reverberate in the enclosed space. I want to help, but by the time I get into position, the ball is already gone.

When the final whistle blows, the scoreboard reads 3-2 in our favor. We’ve won. But as the others start to gather for a debrief, I feel no sense of triumph. Nadruk, Kinagase, Jink... they were the stars today. And me? I might as well have been invisible.

I sit alone in the corner of the locker room, head in my hands. I need to figure this out. If I keep playing like this, I won’t last long in Project Genesis. I’ve got to find a way to match their level - to fit in.

Before it’s too late.