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Igarashi erupts with delight at having baited Rin into fouling him, drawing praise from Raichi and Gagamaru. He explains that Noa told him to weaponize his Malicia against Rin's reckless charges, and Noa urges him to keep answering the opponent's brute aggression with cool cunning. Heartened that Rin has weaknesses, Isagi takes courage while Rin vows to destroy the so-called monk at their next meeting.

At the restart Noa orders Kaiser to trail him, brushing off pressure from Shido and Charles before nutmegging a pass to his student. The pair trade rapid one-twos upfield, and though Isagi tries to link with them, Noa uses him purely as bait to cross to Kaiser. Noa admits he joined the tournament not for the squad but to ignite Kaiser's ego, craving a rival strong enough to push his own evolution.

Noa reveals that his goal is to awaken Kaiser so a genuine threat will force him to keep evolving. Tokimitsu hauls Noa down by the collar to halt a scoring run and is booked for the cynical foul. Noa then hands Kaiser the ball for a free kick roughly twenty-nine meters out, while Isagi realizes he was only ever a tool and fears the world sees him as a second-rate stepping stone.

The second chapter of Volume 32 and the 278th overall, published in Japan on October 9, 2024 and in the United States on October 8, 2024. Part of the Neo Egoist League arc, it spans twenty pages with the scoreline still level at two apiece.