Blue Lock: Beyond Greatness

"Alright, dear viewers, there are 10 minutes left in the first half, and the current score is 1-3, with the Blue Lock team in the lead."

"That's right! Who would have expected this situation before the match? The genius Itoshi Sae is being completely suppressed by Shinichi. Right now, both players are engaged in an intense off-the-ball positioning battle, neither willing to give an inch. This means the outcome on the field will depend on how the other players perform."

"Exactly! Whichever team gains control of the midfield will grant their ace more opportunities. Now, we see Hiori dribbling the ball. Although his last two passes didn't result in goals, he consistently finds teammates in weak spots of the opponent's defense. His passing ability is truly remarkable—it's no surprise he was able to immediately replace a member of the U-20 national team. Let's see what approach he'll take this time!"

...

As the commentator's voice echoed through the stadium, Hiori advanced with the ball while constantly analyzing the situation on the field.

'Shinichi is being held back by Sae on the left side. That means the left wing has essentially become a no-go zone, a battleground reserved for the elite. Shidou and Isagi are making their runs, but the defenders are tightly marking them. Meanwhile, Zantetsu and Reo are constantly shifting between attack and defense—are they planning to exhaust themselves to a certain point before making a substitution?'

To be honest, the entire U-20 team's movements felt stifled.

While Shinichi had returned to form and was now locked in a head-to-head duel with Sae, their offense had to completely avoid that area.

On the other hand, when Blue Lock attacked, they were forced to actively cut off passing lanes to Shinichi.

The physical disparity between him and Sae was just too significant—Sae could barely manage to block passes aimed at Shinichi, but if it came down to a physical duel, Shinichi would undoubtedly come out on top.

This was precisely why Ego was so confident in securing victory in the second half. While the gap wasn't immediately game-changing, over the course of a full match, that difference would only grow, eventually determining the outcome.

And there's no way Shinichi would leave victory in the hands of others. He's definitely going to go all out in the final moments. That's when the real battle begins.

The more Hiori thought about it, the more frustrated he became. On paper, the two teams seemed evenly matched, yet the opponent had the luxury of rotating fresh players to wear them down.

In contrast, their own team couldn't afford to lose either Isagi or Shidou—even if just one of them was taken out, their attacking capability would plummet drastically. And looming over them all was Shinichi—a ticking time bomb, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

"There's no other choice… Looks like this is the only way…"

Taking a deep breath, Hiori locked eyes with the approaching Karasu, flames dancing in his pupils.

"This is a special broadcast just for you! Whether you can catch my pass or not—it's all up to you!"

The ball soared into the sky, arcing over Karasu's head and flying straight toward the front line. Almost instinctively, Shidou and Isagi exploded into motion, sprinting full speed ahead.

"Stop them!"

The sudden long pass threw Blue Lock's defensive line into disarray. Jyubei and Kurona immediately moved to intercept Shidou and Isagi.

Meanwhile, Rin followed Jyubei's lead, choosing to double-team Shidou, who he deemed the bigger threat.

"With my height, I can intercept it… wait! No, it's a backspin pass?!"

Jyubei reached the ball first and leaped to cut off Hiori's pass. But just as he thought he had it, the ball, spinning fiercely, suddenly dipped mid-air—changing trajectory at the last moment and slipping past his outstretched foot, landing perfectly at Shidou's feet.

"Wuhu! Not bad, you little blue-haired brat!"

Shidou grinned wickedly, spreading his arms like devilish wings as he controlled the ball. But before he could make his move, Rin—engulfed in the monstrous aura of his Restrictive Destroyer Mode—was already at his side. With perfect timing, Rin positioned himself just one step ahead of Shidou, cutting off his space.

"Keep dreaming, you disgusting pink-haired cockroach!"

"Tch, you're such a pain in the ass!"

Frustrated, Shidou was about to force a shot despite Rin's tight marking—when suddenly, a voice called out from behind him.

"Here!"

At some point, Sendou had slipped into an open position behind Shidou and now called out loudly, "I don't like you one bit, but if it's for U-20's victory, I'll do whatever it takes!"

"Hah! Now you're talking, you little suckerfish!" Shidou showed no hesitation, ignoring Sendou's unfriendly gaze as he smoothly passed him the ball.

Then, he quickly sidestepped away from Rin's physical pressure and spun around to make a reverse run.

"!?"

Rin immediately wanted to follow Shidou, but seeing the ball land at Sendou's feet, he clicked his tongue in frustration and forced himself to hold his position.

He knew that an off-ball Shidou in this situation was extremely dangerous.

Right now, no one on their team could handle Shidou alone in his FLOW state.

However, if he abandoned his position to chase after Shidou, he'd be giving Sendou a completely unguarded shooting opportunity. It was a classic lose-lose situation. But if he had to choose between two poisons, he'd go with the one that wouldn't kill him instantly.

At this moment, Sendou was using his abilities to pin down Rin—but that was his limit. He wasn't greedy.

The moment Rin adjusted his defensive stance to attempt a steal, Sendou immediately sent a return pass to Hiori, who had already pushed up into the attacking third.

"I knew it. In the end, it all comes down to you."

Reo had been watching the battlefield carefully. Now, as Hiori prepared to take his next step, Reo moved to intercept, his presence exuding the same icy composure that belonged to Shinichi.

"Come on," Reo challenged, blocking Hiori's path before he could make his move. "I'll use this ability to completely shut you down!"

"Get out of my way, you second-rate knockoff!"

Hiori's eyes burned with an intense blue flame as he coldly dismissed Reo. "You don't even come close to Shinichi's level of pressure. A counterfeit like you—whether you exist or not makes no difference to me."

"You're just another disposable piece of trash."

Just as he declared, Hiori completely ignored Reo's attempt to block him. With a lightning-quick touch, he sent the ball flying before Reo's interception could fully take shape.

"Without Shinichi's monstrous reflexes, copying his defensive style is nothing but a death wish!"

The ball arced beautifully through the air, heading straight toward the charging Shidou.

But—someone was keeping up!

"Give it everything…"

Zantetsu sprinted alongside the ball, his every muscle firing at maximum speed. Watching from a distance, Isagi's eyes widened in shock.

"No, this isn't good! This pass is brilliant—it precisely targets the weakest point in the defense…"

"But the moment the ball reaches a height where Shidou can control it—three… no, just one second! If he has even a single second, Zantetsu will catch up and delay him! Based on our practice sessions, the time Shidou needs from first touch to a completed shot—it's not enough!"

Realizing this, Isagi clenched his teeth and took off toward Shidou.

"I have to be there for him! If I can support him, we can reorganize the attack—we still have a chance!"

...

"I can feel it—everyone around me. My teammates… my opponents… and even the exact position of the ball! I haven't even seen it directly, but I know it's all there! Hahaha, what is this feeling…?"

"Every cell in my body is buzzing! My body—my entire life—exists for this very moment!"

Shidou sprinted at full speed, never once glancing back at the ball. He only ran forward, pushing himself to the absolute limit.

The only changes were the growing, manic grin on his face and the demonic wings of destruction unfurling from his back.

"The world doesn't recognize me yet. It doesn't know who I am. But this shot—this shot will change everything! I'll carve my name into history with my explosion! The ultimate challenge—this is what I live for!"

"Isagi Yoichi… you're coming too, huh? But you're not needed here. Forget about reorganizing the attack—that's not even a thought in my mind! And don't expect a pass from me. This place—this moment—is a stage designed for my explosion! And… that blue-haired brat definitely thought the same thing!"

The ball was still midair, just shy of the perfect height for Shidou to control it. But at that very moment, he stopped abruptly.

Then, with all his might, he leaped into the air.

"The shooting spot isn't the ground—where anyone can chase me down. It's the air—this untouched, unguarded space. That's where he set up the perfect strike for me!"

Shidou soared high into the air, his body twisting with astonishing agility and control.

Though he never once looked at the ball, his instincts guided him flawlessly. With his body fully inverted, he executed a textbook-perfect bicycle kick, striking the ball with pinpoint accuracy.

"World—watch closely and witness my explosion!"

Massive Explosive Backspin Shot!

BOOM!

The ball rocketed toward the goal, an unstoppable force descending like a meteor.

Even the lightning-fast reflexes of Gagamaru couldn't react in time. Before he could fully extend for a save, the ball slammed into the ground, bounced violently upward, and blasted into the net.

GOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!!

U-20 Japan 2 – 3 Blue Lock!

"...!"

In the stands, the commentators were left speechless, mouths agape.

Their throats bobbed as they struggled to find words, but before they could, the deafening roar of the crowd shattered the stunned silence.

"This is unbelievable! Simply unbelievable! Even I lost myself for a moment!"

One of the commentators, too excited to wipe the sweat from his forehead, shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Shidou Ryusei has just scored with an outrageous long-range bicycle kick!"

"The U-20 Japan team has closed the gap! The game is far from over!" The broadcaster was so fired up that he stood from his seat, voice booming through the stadium. "This match has taken a wild turn!"

"And most importantly, the balance has been shattered! Neither Shinichi nor Sae can ignore this moment. The battle between two geniuses—and the other incredible players on the field—is reaching its climax!

"Who will seize this opportunity and become the true hero that breaks the deadlock?"

...

"Ohhhhhhhhhh!!!"

Shidou roared in exhilaration, dodging past Teppei, who had rushed over to celebrate. Like a madman, he charged straight toward Hiori.

"Hahahaha! You bastard, that was insane! What kind of pass was that?! How the hell did you even come up with it?!" His eyes sparkled with unrestrained excitement. "Hey, how about you team up with me from now on? I have this feeling—as long as we're together, I can keep scoring those thrill-inducing goals forever!"

"Get away from me! You exhibitionist freak, putting on a full-blown explosion show in front of the entire world!"

Hiori recoiled in pure disgust, dodging Shidou's attempted flying tackle. "That's gross! And besides, your whole 'I just wanna satisfy my primal urges' mindset is so ridiculously lowbrow."

"I have zero interest in partnering up with a disgusting lunatic like you."

Hiori gave Shidou a complicated look as he lay sprawled on the ground, chest rising and falling with heavy breaths.

Honestly, even in Blue Lock—where monsters ran rampant—Shidou stood at the very top. His raw instinct was blindingly brilliant.

But after witnessing Shinichi's grand, almost incomprehensible vision, Shidou's self-centered desires just felt… so low-tier.

And honestly? Disgusting.

It couldn't be helped—Hiori was naturally wired for a world-class ego, making it nearly impossible for him to understand someone like Shidou, whose entire existence revolved around his own fleeting moments of pleasure.

"Haha! Isn't that guy the one you care about?" Shidou suddenly grinned, his sharp teeth glinting. "If I take him down, how about you come team up with me?"

"If you can pull it off," Hiori replied flatly.

"Wuhuuuu! Then it's a deal!" Shidou cackled, stretching his arms out like a wild beast preparing to tear into its prey. "Doesn't matter anyway—I'm gonna crush every single bastard who stands in my way!"

...

"Incredible… Just now, in that single play…"

"There was a chemical reaction between Shidou and Hiori… No, it wasn't that simple. Was it reflex? Neither of them hesitated or communicated—they just instinctively made the best possible decision in an instant."

A short distance away, Isagi stood gasping for breath, still catching up from his frantic sprints.

His gaze was locked onto the two players, whose chaotic energy didn't seem harmonious at all—yet had just combined into something unstoppable.

"No… this isn't just reflex. Even if I factor that into my thinking, it still doesn't explain how they pulled off that goal."

"Those two… they've stepped beyond that. They've entered some kind of state I don't understand. Is it something like Shinichi's special condition? And when two players in that same state overlap—does it create a synergy like this?"

Gritting his teeth, Isagi wiped the sweat from his face.

"I want to change the world with my goals too…!"

"I need to watch them—study them—then integrate that state into my own thought process."

"Because the one who will become the hero of this match… the one who will revolutionize world football—"

"IS ME!"

...

"You're just going to ignore it? Your little follower seems like he's about to be stolen away."

On the sidelines, Sae, who had been relatively uninvolved in the last few plays, spoke casually to Shinichi.

Despite his seemingly relaxed demeanor, the creases in his jersey and the bruises on both their arms told the real story—their battle had been anything but idle.

"Hmph. Only those who lack true charisma worry about someone stealing their people," Shinichi scoffed before turning his sharp gaze toward Sae.

"But what about you? Are you interested in joining me?"

"Not for some meaningless exhibition match—I'm talking about a real opportunity to change the world of football."

"Don't you think it's time to redefine the global football hierarchy?"

"Hmph. Anyone can talk big." Sae remained expressionless, calmly adjusting his jersey. "But your performance so far isn't enough to convince me… At least deliver on the bold claims you made before this match first."

Shinichi's lips curled into a smirk.

"Heh… So basically, you're saying, 'I'm willing to join you—no conditions attached'?"

As he stretched his body, the electric light in his eyes reignited.

"Alright then—I've rested enough."

"Now, let me show you exactly why I have the confidence to say all this."

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