Blue Lock: Beyond Greatness

The U20 national team resumed play, but with little time left on the clock. Even Sae could only attempt a forced long pass to the sprinting Shidou. However, before the ball could reach its target, it was intercepted midair by Reo, who had replicated Aiku's defensive abilities. At that moment, the halftime whistle blew.

The first half of the match had come to an end.

"That concludes the first half! The U20 national team vs. Blue Lock ends with a score of 2-4. Blue Lock leads by two goals as we head into the second half. Toward the end of the first half, both teams managed to break through each other's defenses. Mr. Natsuki, what are your thoughts on the match so far?"

"Watching this, I can only describe my feelings with one word—shock. This match isn't just about the highly anticipated performances of Sae Itoshi and Kanzaki Shinichi; the other Blue Lock players have also showcased exceptional skill. It's hard to believe that a training camp established so recently has managed to cultivate so many players with such distinct styles." Natsuki wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"But of course, the biggest highlight remains the battle between the genius, Itoshi Sae, and Blue Lock's ace, Kanzaki Shinichi. I don't think Itoshi Sae will go down so easily. In the second half, he will surely unleash his abilities as a world-class midfielder to dictate the attack. However, to be honest, I don't see the U20 national team pulling off a comeback."

"Oh? Why do you say that?"

"For the U20 team, the biggest challenge isn't just the two-goal deficit—it's that they don't have a single defender capable of containing Kanzaki Shinichi. As long as he's on the field, the U20 team will have to allocate significant resources just to track his movements. At the start, I thought they had a chance, but that last goal of the first half made it clear—Kanzaki Shinichi isn't just a lethal finisher, but also an exceptional playmaker. If the U20 team focuses too much on marking him, he'll punish them immediately with his passing."

"Understood. Thank you for your insights, Mr. Natsuki. Let's take a short break, and we'll see if the second half unfolds as you predicted."

...

As they stepped into the locker room, those who hadn't played—such as Tokimitsu and Nanase—immediately handed out sports drinks and towels to their exhausted teammates.

"That was incredible! The opposing team isn't just the official U20 national squad—they're led by Itoshi Sae, yet we still managed to take a two-goal lead into the second half."

"Yeah, it's amazing! It wasn't just Shinichi—everyone played a crucial role in that last goal!"

Despite wanting to share in the excitement, the players coming off the field were too drained to fully engage in the cheerful atmosphere.

Fatigue weighed heavily on them, and most simply drank water in silence.

Occasionally, someone like Igarashi would flash a victory sign at his teammates, but for the most part, the room was filled with nothing but the sounds of heavy breathing, swallowing, and the occasional spit of rinsed water.

"Everyone, great work in the first half. Coach Ego will now go over the halftime analysis and outline our strategy for the second half."

After allowing the team a brief moment to catch their breath, Anri and Ego entered the locker room, tactical board in hand.

"Alright, my raw diamonds, let's have a quick meeting during this halftime break. Stay seated and rest—you don't need to respond. Just nod or shake your head when I require an answer."

"First, I need you all to clearly understand why we were able to score. The first two goals? We don't need to analyze those. Even Shinichi himself might not be able to replicate them, so they hold no reference value—let's just skip them. Our focus is on the last two goals."

"For this match, we devised numerous strategies—formations, positioning, teamwork. But at the start, we struggled to execute any of them. It wasn't until Shinichi scored twice, drawing the majority of the opponent's defensive attention, that we finally saw Rin's goal happen."

"Tch." At the mention of his name, Rin clicked his tongue in annoyance and turned his head away. So basically, I just picked up Shinichi's leftovers? Damn bowl-cut bastard…

"Of course, it wasn't all thanks to Shinichi. The key was the awakening of Kurona and Rin. Kurona became the glue that connected everyone, while Rin used his destructive ability to take down the opposing captain head-on. And that was the secret behind our final goal."

"Everyone reached their best 'practice' form under Shinichi's leadership and guidance. Because he took on the pressure for you, you were able to showcase your technical skills without any mental burden. At the same time, some of you even managed to enter a FLOW state."

At this point, Ego's gaze turned sharp, his voice suddenly taking on a severe tone.

"But don't think for a second that this means you've done well. Remember—you haven't accomplished anything yet! It was Shinichi who shouldered all the pressure, and in the process, he was the only one who truly showcased himself to the world."

"Are you really satisfied with that? Yukimiya, when you broke through and took that shot for the final goal, weren't you thinking about making yourself the protagonist?!"

Yukimiya panted heavily, then nodded firmly.

Ego adjusted his glasses, and in that moment, his usually dull, dead-fish eyes gleamed with an intensity none of them had ever seen before.

"That's right. I told you all before the match—you didn't fight your way into the lineup just to be Shinichi's lackeys. Your goal should be to make the world see you, to become the protagonist of this stage."

"Be greedier! The moment you clear one challenge, set your sights on an even higher one. If you don't have an insatiable hunger, if you're not driven by a relentless ambition, then you'll forever remain as nameless extras in Shinichi's shadow!"

"!"

Ego's speech sent a surge of adrenaline through the team.

Fatigue was momentarily forgotten—backs straightened, legs no longer ached, and they felt an overwhelming urge to charge back onto the field and fight another 300 rounds.

They would become the main characters.

Meanwhile, Shinichi was rolling his eyes so hard he might sprain something.

'Praising me? Cool, I appreciate it. But using me as a damn motivational punching bag for these guys? Yeah, not cool.'

...

"Alright, now let's go over our second-half formation. Kurona, can you keep going? Keeping up with Shinichi must have been a huge burden on you."

"Ugh… probably… no, I don't think I can."

Still struggling to catch his breath, Kurona didn't even dare to drink water. He could only rinse his mouth and spit it out like a marathon runner.

It was no surprise. For the last goal, he had to track Shinichi the entire play while also serving as the link that adjusted everyone's positioning.

On top of that, he had been running non-stop throughout the first half. His stamina wasn't particularly outstanding to begin with, and now that he had rested for a bit, his condition had worsened.

His calf muscles were already on the verge of cramping.

"Then how about you, Reo Mikage?" Ego continued calling names.

Reo, with a towel covering his face, let out a pained sigh as he straightened his posture and looked at Ego. "I… I can still go."

Compared to Kurona, Reo was in much better shape. He had superior physical conditioning and hadn't run as much.

However, he had been maintaining his Copy ability for an extended period, which left his brain feeling like it had pulled an all-nighter.

On top of that, U20 still had Shidou and Isagi—two relentless runners—constantly shifting their positions. That alone had drained him significantly.

"Alright, if you say you can keep up, then you'll stay in for now. But if your performance drops, I'll sub you out immediately. As for Kurona's position…" Ego paused for a moment before pointing at a player with striking red hair.

"Chigiri Hyoma. You'll be replacing Kurona. You won't be able to replicate his role in linking up the team, so instead, I want you to use your speed to contribute in a different way. Additionally, you'll have to take on even more defensive responsibilities than Kurona did."

"Yes!" Chigiri immediately shot to his feet, excitement flashing in his eyes. Finally! I get to play!

"..."

For some, this news was exhilarating; for others, it was bitter.

In the corner, Barou sat with a dark expression, watching in silence.

Meanwhile, an equally frustrated Rin had buried his face under his towel. But his eyes, burning with competitive fire, remained locked onto Shinichi—who, unfazed, simply took another casual sip of water.

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