Blue Lock: Beyond Greatness

"You idiot, lower-lash freak! If you're going to be so stubborn, then at least beat him!"

From behind, Karasu couldn't help but grimace as he saw Sae intercept the ball.

At the same time, he braced himself for defense.

However, Shinichi, who had already anticipated the outcome, reacted first. Seizing the moment before Sae could fully control the ball, he quickly lifted his foot and managed to barely pass it forward to the awaiting Kurona.

"You made a mistake too."

Even though the ball had been intercepted, Sae showed no signs of panic. Instead, he cast a quick glance at Shinichi and said, "Our team still has someone with a sharp mind."

Before his words had even fully landed, Isagi stepped in with his vacant, piercing gaze, cutting off Shinichi's passing lane and intercepting the ball just before it reached Kurona.

"As expected, I was right... Shinichi, as a decoy, draws attention, but Kurona, as the gravitational center, is the true key. You are the crucial lubricant that allows Shinichi to seamlessly coordinate and transition plays with these guys!"

"Disaster! Shinichi's pass has been intercepted by Isagi Yoichi! We can see Shidou Ryusei already sprinting forward—is this a counterattack? No! Blue Lock's offense isn't over yet!"

Just as the commentator's voice shifted, the game on the field flipped once again. Bachira, now grinning with excitement, rushed toward the ball. Almost simultaneously with Isagi, he lifted his foot to make contact.

"I see it... The field is overflowing with monsters!"

"And I'm one of them too!"

Bachira's eyes widened with exhilaration.

His battle against Shinichi had already made him realize—the kind of football where he merely chased after monsters' footsteps was meaningless.

His past loneliness, his fixation on following monsters, had all stemmed from his own narrow vision.

"So that's it... This world has never lacked monsters willing to fight alongside me!"

"That's why—I can't just be a follower anymore. I have to become a monster myself, to stand among them as an equal! Only then can I truly share the field with these guys... Only then can I avoid being left behind by you monsters!"

As Bachira shouted excitedly, he and the monster in his mind gradually became one. He had fully transformed into a monster on the field.

Suddenly, the strength in Bachira's foot increased once more. Compared to Isagi, who was trying to gain control of the ball, Bachira, who only wanted to send it flying, naturally had the upper hand.

As the ball ricocheted from their clash, it soared into the air, wobbling as it drifted toward the front.

"So go! The biggest monster on this field, the one who excites me the most!"

Thrown off balance from the duel, Bachira collapsed onto the ground, barely propping himself up with his hands. His eyes gleamed as he watched Shinichi sprint toward the descending ball, with Sae following closely behind, like a shadow.

"You've been suppressed for a long time, haven't you?"

Sae and Shinichi jostled for position, both dashing toward the ball. A fiery determination began to burn in Sae's eyes as countless calculations flooded his mind.

"Did you anticipate that little monster's awakening too? Because even though you couldn't control the ball, you still had the angle to pass it to that knockoff."

"As if. I just saw a spark of something, so I gave him a chance."

Despite the increasing physical battle at his side, Shinichi's expression remained relaxed. "Losing one opportunity doesn't mean much to me. I'll just make up for it twice over in the second half. But you… looks like you're finally getting serious. If you kept playing like before..."

"That would be so boring!"

With those words, Shinichi suddenly pushed off the ground with explosive force, as if propelled by a jet engine.

He surged forward in a burst of speed, overpowering Sae purely through acceleration.

In the blink of an eye, he had gained two body-lengths ahead, reaching the falling ball first.

"Don't you dare forget about me, you bastard!"

Just as Shinichi was about to take off at full speed, Kazuma rushed in, raising his hands to completely block his path.

"If we just let a guy like you waltz into the goal, then what's the point of me being the watchdog?!"

"For your level, that was actually not bad. But… have you all forgotten about someone?"

With a casual flick, Shinichi pulled the ball back, smoothly evading Kazuma's physical pressure. Then, with a sharp sweep of his foot, he sent a horizontal pass to the last remaining forward of Blue Lock—Yukimiya!

"You sinking ship, you better get it right this time."

Under Sae's rapidly constricting pupils, the ball skimmed just past his outstretched right leg—an interception he had predicted but barely missed—before soaring toward Yukimiya, who was positioned on the opposite flank.

"I know the world doesn't revolve around me… but in this story, I have to give it my all!"

Yukimiya stopped the ball with precision, momentarily easing the strain from his relentless sprint. Then, lifting his gaze, he found himself facing the final challenge in front of him.

"They're leaving me to take care of the captain, huh…"

"What's wrong? Getting nervous?"

Aiku showed no signs of underestimating his opponent. He lowered his stance, muscles taut, ready to step in and intercept Yukimiya at any moment.

"As long as I stop you here, this attack is as good as shut down. The final burden falls on me, huh…"

"Just the way I like it!"

Almost simultaneously, both players sprang into action. Yukimiya poured every ounce of his offensive ability into his footwork, constantly shifting Aiku's center of gravity.

Yet, Aiku remained an impenetrable wall, firmly dictating the rhythm of the duel. His relentless physical pressure chipped away at Yukimiya's stamina, gradually slowing down his sprint.

No… I can't stop. If I stop, this guy will take me out immediately. Damn it… right now… I can't beat him!

Gritting his teeth so hard he nearly shattered them, Yukimiya struggled but couldn't shake Aiku's suffocating presence.

"Then do better!"

"Forget about scoring. Focus only on the present. In my story, I need to do what I can do. And right now, my challenge is you! I have to enter that state… and take you down!"

At that moment, Yukimiya's vision lost all sight of the goal. There was only one thought dominating his mind—

Break through Aiku's defense!

"What's going on? His dribbling… it just leveled up again."

The sudden shift disrupted Aiku's defensive rhythm. Yukimiya, sensing the hesitation, instinctively weaved past him like a street performer dodging obstacles.

His sharp feint threw Aiku off balance, causing him to stumble slightly.

"I did it! I beat him!"

Only when he had truly left Aiku behind did Yukimiya snap back to reality. Excitement filled his eyes as he looked toward the goal.

"I did it! Now for my shot! The one who will become the hero of this match… is me!"

"You little thief, what the hell are you bragging about?!"

Just as Yukimiya raised his foot to strike, an overwhelming force crashed into him from behind.

His eyes widened in shock as Aiku, eyes burning with intensity, surged past him, his foot making contact with the ball at almost the exact same moment.

This guy… he's entered FLOW too!

BOOM!

With Aiku's interference, the ball's trajectory shifted. The goalkeeper lunged and managed to deflect it onto the goalpost, sending it bouncing toward the sideline.

"You sinking ship, your passing is as trash as ever."

In the midst of the stadium's stunned silence, a cold, indifferent voice suddenly drew everyone's attention.

At the ball's landing point, Shinichi was already in position. Using sheer force, he kept Sae behind him and leaped into the air.

"But for me, it's more than enough."

Like a whale breaching the ocean's surface, Shinichi twisted his torso midair, sending a powerful ripple through the hushed stadium.

GOOOOOOAL!!!

U-20 Japan 2:4 Blue Lock Team

As deafening cheers erupted from the stands, Shinichi, having landed his hero's entrance, slowly rose to his feet. He glanced at his right hand, then closed his eyes, spreading his arms as if embracing the entire world.

"So this is it… I think I'm starting to understand the true essence of an official match."

"It's time… to reach the world's number one spot!"

The balance of the game had been completely shattered.

Because from start to finish, Shinichi had remained in his natural state—yet through his control over the entire field, he had led Blue Lock to defeat U-20.

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