Ryōsuke used his lightning speed to steal the ball from right under Meguru's feet.
The entire field fell silent.
"Now that's what I call stylish defense." Jūbē wiped the sweat from his forehead, gazing at Ryōsuke with admiration.
"Y-you've got to be kidding me!" Even Ikki, his teammate, couldn't help but marvel.
He had witnessed this guy's defensive prowess before, but what he just displayed was on another level entirely.
Neither their former Team Y nor yesterday's squad with Shoei and Reo could have matched him. Yesterday's match hadn't even pushed him to get serious.
Only now was Ikki seeing Ryōsuke's true capabilities.
Meanwhile, Rin stood frozen, as if his mind had short-circuited.
He had orchestrated everything perfectly, manipulating everyone on the field like puppets, including Ryōsuke, all according to his script...
But in the end, that guy had shattered it all.
Rin had crafted what seemed like an impossible choice — one where the red team would score no matter what decision was made.
But Ryōsuke had carved out a third option through sheer ability. When Rin passed to Meguru, Ryōsuke's speed let him chase down and destroy their attack.
'What kind of monster is he?' Even the usually arrogant Rin felt daunted.
This feeling reminded him of facing his brother Sae.
For a moment, Rin's resolve wavered. But after that brief doubt, his expression hardened as he muttered through gritted teeth:
"If I can't defeat this guy, I'll never beat Sae. No matter what, I have to win! I must win!"
He immediately dropped back to defend.
Meanwhile, Ryōsuke and his team surged forward!
He dribbled ahead, charging toward the Red Team's goal.
Rin's eyes never left Ryōsuke, refusing to give him any opening. After being beaten in the previous play, he was determined not to let it happen again.
Aoshi and Jūbē tightened their formation, ready to provide swift defensive support. Having witnessed his incredible abilities, they couldn't allow him another breakthrough.
"I won't let you score again." Rin's focus locked entirely on Ryōsuke.
He had marked him as his primary threat.
Rin was a soccer prodigy — his brother Sae the only one who had ever bested him. On the field, he dominated everyone else.
Yet now, despite being down by just one goal, Rin felt like he stood at a precipice. Ryōsuke's presence loomed as large as his brother's had.
But Ryōsuke's expression remained composed.
"Oh, is this supposed to be difficult?" As he spoke, he accelerated suddenly, charging toward Rin's side.
Rin's mind raced as he deliberately leaned to one side, creating an apparent opening, 'Pure speed or feinting moves — whatever he tries, this play will shut him down!'
Ryōsuke shot past his adversary like an arrow released from a bow.
This was exactly what Rin had planned. He had intentionally created that opening to guide Ryōsuke's attack!
With his all-seeing eyes, Rin had spotted Aoshi and Jūbē falling back behind him, with Meguru nearby.
If Ryōsuke took that path, they could trap him with three defenders and shut him down completely!
This was Rin's trap.
But for Ryōsuke, this was an opportunity. As he broke past his opponent, Aoshi emerged from his hiding spot.
"I... I won't let you through!" Aoshi's voice trembled with apparent nervousness.
But this was merely an act — Aoshi possessed incredible physical strength, having even managed to overpower the mighty Shoei before.
As Ryōsuke passed, Rin immediately turned to follow.
In his calculations, Aoshi's powerful physique would prevent an easy breakthrough.
If Aoshi could make proper body contact, he could not only stop Ryōsuke's attack but potentially throw him off balance.
Even if Ryōsuke attempted any feints, as long as Aoshi delayed him for half a second, Rin could seize the opening and steal the ball.
The trap set by Rin and Aoshi was like a beast's jaws, ready to devour Ryōsuke whole.
"I see." The moment Ryōsuke spotted the introverted player, he understood Rin's trap.
For any other player, this attack would be doomed.
But for him, these tactics were useless. A trap meant for hunting wild dogs cannot contain a lion.
Without hesitation, Ryōsuke charged straight at Aoshi.
"That's too reckless!" Ikki shouted anxiously.
He had witnessed Aoshi's terrifying strength earlier when battling Rensuke, where even his muscular opponent was at a disadvantage.
Ryōsuke must have known this, yet he chose a head-on challenge. Using dribbling moves would have given Rin time for a double-team, making passing difficult.
Could he be confident enough to overpower Aoshi directly?
Though puzzled, Ikki had witnessed this guy's incredible abilities and lost to him twice — he knew Ryōsuke could create miracles.
Using his keen observation skills, he began running, anticipating what would happen next.
"Is he really trying to force his way through?" Rin was surprised, though not worried.
Taking on Aoshi directly seemed like the worst choice — his teammate's physical prowess could easily disrupt the attack.
If they succeeded in stealing the ball, the Red Team could quickly counter-attack and threaten the White Team's goal.
Meanwhile, Aoshi lowered his center of gravity, preparing for physical contact.
In the next moment, Ryōsuke had positioned himself to protect the ball, his body colliding with Aoshi's side. On the field, reasonable physical contact was allowed, and fierce body contact was a common offensive and defensive tactic.
The moment they made contact, surprise flashed across Aoshi's face.
It felt as if he'd hit not a human but a boulder rolling down a mountain, sending sharp pain through his shoulder.
With just one collision, Ryōsuke's speed and rhythm remained completely unaffected, while Aoshi lost his balance and was knocked back a full body's width.
"How is this possible?!" The pursuing Rin was dumbfounded.
Although he typically showed disdain for both opponents and teammates alike, he knew well that Aoshi's physical strength far exceeded everyone else's.
Yet now, Ryōsuke was completely overwhelming him with raw power.
What was going on with this guy? He'd already shown extraordinary speed and refined technique — and now this terrifying physical prowess too?!
After knocking Aoshi aside, Ryōsuke continued charging toward the goal!
"I stand guard here — you shall not pass!"
After his teammate's fall, Jūbē rushed out. His long limbs and superior motor skills gave him impressive defensive capabilities.
Unlike Aoshi who relied on physical contact, Jūbē could use his reach to interfere — his long legs made it easy to steal the ball, and his arms gave him an advantage in positioning.
But just as Jūbē rushed out, he heard Rin shout:
"Fool! It's a trap!"
Rin realized what Ryōsuke's series of breakthrough moves had led to.
Their defensive formation had been completely torn apart! His goal was the same as Rin's own in the previous play — to draw the defenders' attention to himself—
Jūbē didn't understand what he meant, and when he came to his senses, he discovered that the ball at his adversary's feet had vanished.
Shortly after getting past Aoshi, Ryōsuke had already passed the ball.
The recipient was Ikki!
"As expected, Kira, you really are a monster who can create miracles!"
Ikki hadn't expected Ryōsuke to actually overpower Aoshi head-on — he didn't think anyone could accomplish such a feat — but his body had moved instinctively.
Because he knew better than anyone that this monster could use his overwhelming strength to make the impossible possible.
So when Ryōsuke made his charge, Ikki immediately cut in from the side.
And Ryōsuke had noticed him too!
"I won't let you through!" Shortly after Ikki received the ball, Meguru rushed in to defend.
Meguru had initially planned to help defend against Ryōsuke, completely missing Ikki's presence there, but still managed to reach his position with all his might.
However, with his keen observation skills, Ikki knew Meguru's defensive move was the worst possible choice.
Three players were already tied up defending against Ryōsuke, and now Meguru stood before him.
This left both Seishirō and Rensuke completely unmarked!
Without hesitation, Ikki stepped forward and distributed the ball.
Rensuke was in the closest position!
"Nice pass, Bang Boy!" Rensuke channeled power into his left leg and fired off a shot!
Like a shell from a tank, the ball blazed past the red team's BLUELOCK MAN and into the net!
[ Scoreboard ]
[ 2:0 ]
The White Team scores again!
"Well done." Ryōsuke approached to high-five his teammates.
"I never expected you to appear in that position with such a pass." Seishirō regarded Ikki with interest.
Back when his Team V faced Team Y, he'd dismissed Ikki as unremarkable — someone without particular talent who, even chosen by Ryōsuke, would contribute little to the team.
But Ikki's recent performance had truly surprised him.
"It wasn't my achievement — it was all because Kira drew three defenders." Ikki said, turning to Ryōsuke, "I didn't think he could break through so directly, but my body moved on its own, somehow knowing Kira would make it happen."
"Is that so?" Seishirō nodded thoughtfully.
He'd never understood why people without talent kept pursuing soccer, but after facing Ryōsuke in matches and becoming his teammate, he began to grasp the meaning behind those words he had once told him.
Ryōsuke possessed the remarkable ability to elevate his teammates' potential through his overwhelming strength, dramatically improving their performance.
While this might seem similar to Rin's field-controlling technique, it was distinctly different in nature.
Seishirō's curiosity about Ryōsuke grew, reinforcing his conviction that joining forces with him had been the perfect choice.
Meanwhile, a heavy atmosphere settled over the Red Team.
Never before had any of them faced such a challenging situation in a match.
❖❖❖
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