"From that distance, how could he possibly reach it?" Oliver was surprised. Even he, who always made the right choices, hesitated at that moment.
He thought the pass was too ambitious — Ryūsei surely couldn't reach it. That's why he didn't chase to defend; it would only risk being out of position!
But some instinct warning of danger made Oliver move a few steps in that direction.
At that moment, Ryūsei suddenly accelerated, moving even faster than before. The ball's arc was very high, and it seemed impossible to reach.
Yet he suddenly pushed off with his feet, leaping high while rotating his body in the air, completely horizontal and parallel to the ground.
"Kira! You're amazing for sure! But I won't let you take the protagonist role so easily!"
Ryūsei shouted excitedly, his right leg muscles tensing as he executed an incredibly difficult kick!
A powerful shot headed straight for U-20's goal!
"Has Shidō entered Flow as well?" Jinpachi muttered to himself.
Though it was just one move, he could sense that both Ryūsei's speed and power had risen to another level in that instant.
"Is it the competitive spirit after witnessing Kira's goal? No, there's more — Isagi's pass is testing his limits, unlike his usual style..."
While pondering this, Jinpachi glanced at Rin beside him.
He had a towel over his head, his expression hidden as he sat silently on the bench, seemingly disconnected from the match.
"Rin Itoshi cannot coexist with Shidō, but just now Isagi's soccer showed shadows of Rin... Has he somehow achieved a fusion of their two playing styles? Interesting. This is why I kept him on the field instead of having Kooragi Hitsuji organize—because only you can control that demon right now. Let me see just how far you two can go."
Jinpachi nodded and returned his attention to the field.
"Go in—!" Ryūsei shouted as he lost his balance and fell, his eyes still fixed on the shot he had just made.
Straight for the goal!
"Don't think you'll score!"
In that instant, Oliver lunged desperately, throwing himself in front of the ball! His toe made contact, deflecting its trajectory over the end line!
"Tch!" Lying on the ground, Ryūsei frowned in frustration.
"That was close!" Oliver stumbled but kept his balance.
He had cleared the ball successfully — but by the narrowest margin.
Those few steps he'd taken earlier, trusting his instincts, had made all the difference. Without them, he couldn't have stopped that shot.
And Ryūsei would have scored again!
A shot from that position, in that posture, should have been impossible. Yet he'd done it.
"This guy… it's like he suddenly awakened." Oliver wiped the sweat from his forehead, amazement in his voice.
"It's not because of him, but because of that person." Sae said quietly beside him, "It seems he has indeed succeeded in controlling this lesser demon."
On the other side, Yoichi's disappointment ran deep at Oliver's block.
He'd passed to a spot even Ryōsuke couldn't have reached in time, daring to do so only because Ryūsei was closer.
He'd bet everything on Ryūsei's abilities — speed, reflexes, instinct, and that burning desire to score.
"Just a little more! We haven't equalized yet — we need to push harder!" Yoichi's fist clenched until his joints cracked.
"Hey, Isagi!" Ryūsei walked over and patted his shoulder, "That last pass was pretty good, just missed by a bit. From now on, just keep up this kind of—"
"Shut up, genius! Your only job is to put that damn ball in the goal!"
Yoichi's sudden outburst caught even Ryūsei off guard.
Known for his vicious temper — committing fouls during matches and starting fights over trivial matters off the field — Ryūsei rarely faced such direct confrontation. Most in Blue Lock knew better than to provoke him, let alone speak to him in such a tone.
But now, Yoichi spoke to him this way, his gaze locked on U-20's goal, treating Ryūsei as insignificant. His burning desire to win had transformed him completely.
Ryūsei paused, staring hard at him. He'd seen Yoichi act like this before, during the starting member selection at Blue Lock.
In the past, Ryūsei would have lashed out without hesitation. But this time, he simply smiled.
"Got it, got it, my dear Yoichi!" Ryūsei truly appreciated the recent pass — it was exactly the kind that could maximize his attacking potential.
What he needed was someone who could let him play freely on the field.
"The ball went over the end line, so we'll have a corner kick." Ryūsei said, "Let me take this one!"
"What do you plan to do?" Yoichi narrowed his eyes.
"I'm planning to score directly from the corner!" Ryūsei said with a smile.
This was his style — using every possible method to attack the opponent's goal.
"Is that all you've got?" Yoichi spoke slowly, disappointment in his voice, "That approach will never score."
Ryūsei paused, struck by these direct words.
With monsters like Oliver and Ryōsuke present, scoring directly from a corner would be nearly impossible. Besides, direct corner kicks were the least efficient form of attack.
"Show some imagination. This level of thinking is meaningless. Just follow my instructions and act accordingly. Don't waste any more chances!" Yoichi's tone carried an undeniable authority.
Ryūsei studied him carefully. In that moment, he saw shadows of Sae in him — that same arrogance that placed oneself above others, that same ability to deliver excellent passes to teammates...
No, though similar, they were completely different.
Sae's passes set traps for defenders while finding the best positions for teammates to provide support.
But Yoichi was different. His passes were like commands, forcing teammates to appear in specific positions and compelling them to execute precise actions.
This was nothing like Sae's style — Yoichi maintained complete control. It resembled Rin's approach more closely.
"Yeah, yeah! Got it, OK!" Ryūsei said with a smile, immediately giving up his chance at the corner kick.
Next to them, Kenyū and others who heard their conversation were surprised.
Yoichi was typically a kind person, well-liked within Blue Lock. But today, they witnessed a different side of him. During halftime, he had confronted Jinpachi aggressively, and now he was being harsh with Ryūsei.
It was unusual to see Ryūsei take it so calmly.
"No disrespect intended, but are we really letting Isagi take the corner?" Kenyū came over and asked doubtfully.
Although Yoichi had scored earlier, his overall abilities ranked among the lowest in Blue Lock. Someone else might be better suited for this.
"It has to be Isagi! He's the perfect choice!" Ryūsei didn't give anyone a chance to object, pushing Yoichi toward the corner.
"Blue Lock team, corner kick!"
As the referee made the announcement, Yoichi walked to the corner position.
"Just now, Ryūsei Shidō attempted a difficult shot, but thankfully Oliver Aiku managed to clear it. What a shame — will Blue Lock be able to create more miraculous shots?"
The commentator's voice was excited, and the crowd had started chanting Blue Lock's name.
"They're all chanting Blue Lock... Just as Ego said, we've reached the world stage. For Blue Lock, we've already won..." Yoichi muttered to himself as he surveyed the stadium, the crowd appearing like ants from his vantage point.
Gone was his earlier nervousness. Now, only one thought consumed his mind.
Victory! Whatever happened to Blue Lock afterward, Yoichi didn't care!
Nothing mattered more than winning right now. For victory, he would give everything.
He activated his Metavision, surveying the field. The goal area was crowded — U-20 members in defensive formation, while Blue Lock's forwards searched hungrily for scoring opportunities.
Ryūsei stood among them, eyes fixed on Yoichi, eager to see his tactics unfold. One look at his teammate's determined expression told him he wouldn't be disappointed.
'Kira is U-20's strongest player. If it's Isagi...' An intuition sparked in Ryūsei's mind.
Yoichi had devised his strategy — to bypass Ryōsuke and Oliver's defense and score, there was only one path...
To deliver the ball where only Ryūsei could reach it!
Though Ryōsuke's individual skill was extraordinary, with precise judgment of where passes would land, Yoichi's Metavision gave him the edge.
He had to capitalize on this!
Like activating a divine perspective, he saw every player's position and every space on the field with perfect clarity.
There it is!
Yoichi stepped back, then lunged forward, targeting a specific spot and striking hard! As everyone instinctively rushed toward the goal area, one player broke formation!
Ryūsei, instead of charging inward, darted to the outside!
With his razor-sharp instincts, he'd instantly grasped Yoichi's intention. The pass would come to a spot only he could reach!
"The outside?!"
Oliver, spotting Ryūsei's movement, immediately sprinted to defend, but his opponent's preparation gave him a crucial head start!
That single step's advantage gave Ryūsei significant distance.
Everything unfolded exactly as Yoichi had foreseen, like a masterfully orchestrated play.
"Big talk earlier! Work on your passing!" Ryūsei's face blazed with excitement as raw power surged through his body.
❖ Flow! ❖
Though Yoichi's pass lacked Sae's perfection, its trajectory pushed Ryūsei to his absolute limits.
"Watch this, Isagi! Here's my true introduction!" Ryūsei soared skyward, channeling every ounce of power into his right leg.
Shot! Despite the distance, it was still within striking range!
"Don't think you'll score, you thief!"
Oliver thundered, charging toward the ball's path, leaping high with his foot raised to block it!
But just before he could make contact, the ball swerved dramatically!
A reverse curve ball!
"What?!" Oliver's eyes widened in shock.
"You've got it all wrong, old man!" A wolf-like grin spread across Ryūsei's face, "Life has countless ways to prove your worth, but for me, it's just football! Watch carefully — this is my performance on stage!"
The ball curved wickedly, sailing straight into the net!
Ryūsei's clever positioning had forced U-20's defensive line to spread thin!
[ Scoreboard ]
[ 3:3 ]
The score is tied!
❖❖❖
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