Blue Lock: Beyond Greatness

The ball soared high into the air, and with it, the hopes of the resistance team followed its trajectory.

They all understood that Reo, whose weapon had been taken and whose muscle memory had yet to fully recover, had pushed himself too far by mimicking Shinichi once more.

It was clear to everyone that he wouldn't return to full form before this match ended.

With another teammate effectively out of the game, their defense would crumble entirely under Shinichi's relentless attacks.

They knew in their hearts—this play, no matter the outcome, would be their final attack in this match.

"Incredible. He didn't simply go for a high lob based on Kyohei's height. From the ball's trajectory, it'll actually be at a relatively low height when it reaches its drop point..."

"Is this based on the earlier clash where Kyohei managed to overpower Taiga? Even though Kyohei is slightly taller, what truly gave him the advantage was his more stable lower body. Was this pass tailored specifically for that?"

Standing on the sideline, Isagi, who wasn't rushing forward due to their numerical advantage, widened his eyes and observed every movement on the field.

Their energy feels completely different now.

With this shift, how will the field's future unfold?

What is Reo's true objective?

And more importantly... what can someone like me, who can't even step into the battlefield of those three monsters, actually do?

As the ball descended, Kyohei predictably gained the upper hand in the clash.

Using his strong lower body, he boxed Taiga out and sent the ball toward Akira on the wing.

But just as Kyohei was about to connect his foot with the ball, Taiga suddenly maneuvered around Shio's back, stretching his leg out and managing to touch the ball at almost the same moment. He barely disrupted the pass.

"Your lower body may be stable, but I noticed your footwork lacks flexibility!" Taiga taunted.

"Fight for the second ball!" someone shouted, as the loose ball became the next target for all players nearby.

The ball's trajectory had clearly been disrupted, rolling off course far from Akira's position. Behind him, Zantetsu was closing in, eyes locked on the play like a predator stalking its prey.

"This is the final chance—what reason is there not to give it everything we've got?!" Akira shouted, showing no complaints about the poor pass.

He charged toward the ball's landing point, but Zantetsu quickly gained on him. "Don't underestimate me. When it comes to the desire to make a difference, we're no less hungry!"

"Then let's see who wants it more!" Akira roared as he lunged forward with reckless abandon, throwing his entire body toward the ball.

He dove headfirst, his forehead making contact with the ball just before Zantetsu could intercept.

Unconcerned with the risk of landing face-first, his fearless momentum sent the ball forward. "Don't waste this chance I've risked my face for!"

"This… this is the kind of football I've been looking for, where everyone comes together as one…" Kira said softly as he trapped the ball and faced the defender in front of him. "It's not that everyone made me who I am. It's that we achieve greatness together!"

"A troublesome guy, huh," Haruhiko muttered, a bead of cold sweat dripping down his forehead.

Despite knowing he might embarrass himself or hurt his chances of impressing Ego and securing his spot, he steeled himself and charged straight at Kira without hesitation.

Haruhiko knew full well that at this moment, he was nothing more than a sacrificial pawn.

All he needed to do was delay the opponent for even a single second, long enough for his team's disrupted formation to recover.

If he could manage that, the undermanned rebel team would lose their final chance to score.

Perhaps, from a rational perspective, this wasn't the wisest move. But as a player, doing what needed to be done was the right choice. "Come on, then!"

"Out of my way, you scrub!" Kira's eyes blazed with fire, sparks exploding around him as he suddenly accelerated.

He flicked the ball forward with his foot and then swiftly pulled it back, using a deceptive scoop feint to lure Haruhiko into a tackle.

The hasty attempt left a massive gap in Haruhiko's defense.

Seizing the moment, Kira slipped the ball through Haruhiko's legs, executing a perfect nutmeg to bypass him completely.

"Here it is, right?" An unexpected voice rang out.

Isagi, his hollow eyes betraying no emotion, appeared out of nowhere, perfectly timing his slide tackle toward the ball just as Kira completed his move.

"If I can stop your attack here, your last chance will be gone!"

"Stop... getting in my way!" In this moment of crisis, the fire in Kira's eyes burned even brighter.

Ignoring the risk of a direct tackle to his shin, he stretched out his right foot, using the tip of his boot to hook the ball back just before Isagi's sliding tackle could reach it.

Then, with the ball in control, he leaped into the air, evading the sliding challenge entirely.

"How can they still react like this?! These damn geniuses!" Isagi's pupils contracted sharply in shock.

But in mid-air, Kira was just as startled—not only by Isagi's ability to seize the opportunity so precisely but also by the immense pressure radiating from Shinichi, who was closing in on him.

Shinichi stopped three meters away from Kira, positioning himself in a spot that was exceptionally calculated.

The distance was perfect—right between Kira and Rin. It was a position that gave Shinichi multiple options, a tactical sweet spot.

Whether Kira decided to take the ball forward himself or tried to bait Shinichi into pressing him, only to pass to an unmarked Rin, Shinichi had the time and space to respond effectively and recover defensively.

'Damn it, what should I do?'

'If I pass, Shinichi's already prepared for it. Should I try to take it myself? No! It looks like Shinichi is trying to cover both options, but in reality, he's forcing me into one choice.'

'Because I'm still in the air, and during the time it takes me to land and adjust, Shinichi could easily steal the ball. His positioning isn't random—it's his way of telling me, "If you don't pass, it's over." He's forcing me to pass!'

Kira, constantly evolving, finally understood part of Shinichi's thought process.

But this realization only deepened his despair.

Still, just as his teammates had given everything to get the ball to him, trusting him to break through and lure Shinichi away, all Kira could do now was trust his own teammates.

While still airborne, Kira kicked the ball toward Rin. Shinichi, as expected, turned and rushed back.

Rin, watching Shinichi close in, remained calm.

'By the time I trap the ball and adjust for a shot, Shinichi will definitely be in position to defend. But he can only block one path—my shooting lane.'

'I've mastered both straight and curved shots. In this situation, even Shinichi—no, as long as he's still human—can only cover one side.'

"Straight or curved? Well, Shinichi, make your choice. I've done everything I can, prepared for every outcome, and whatever happens, I'll accept it," Rin muttered, staring intently at Shinichi's movements, ready for the decisive moment.

But what happened next froze Rin's thoughts for a split second.

Why?

He stopped?

What does this mean?

Is he guarding against both my pass and a curved shot?

But the goal in front of me is wide open. Does he seriously think that ridiculous virtual goalkeeper can stop me?

Rin couldn't make sense of Shinichi's actions.

It was as if they were playing a game of rock-paper-scissors, but Shinichi had deliberately revealed his move first, giving Rin the freedom to counter.

It defied logic. Yet, with no other choice, Rin ignored Shinichi's smiling face and decisively took his shot.

"Sigh… You never learn, do you? Haven't I told you before? When you focus too much on one thing, your vision narrows," a calm voice spoke near his ear.

In Rin's contracting pupils, he saw the image of someone diving toward the ball—blocking his shot with his head.

It was Isagi.

Despite Shinichi going to defend Rin, conventional logic dictated that the most dangerous player would be Kira, who no one on the opposing team could handle one-on-one.

Normally, Isagi should have been marking Kira alongside Haruhiko to prevent a pass back to him.

But instead of focusing on the threatening Kira, Isagi had run straight toward the goal after failing his earlier slide tackle.

In an astonishing move, he reached the goal just in time to intercept Rin's decisive shot with a well-timed defensive header.

"I can't fight alongside you, but… I'm the only one on this field who can follow your strategies. So all I can do is cover the gaps for the team!"

"As expected... Isagi, your mind really is sharp," Shinichi said, catching the deflected ball. His eyes sparked with lightning as he turned to Rin. "I told you before, didn't I? I don't rely on luck or coincidence. What I aim for… is absolute certainty."

"Now then, it's time to end this farce!"

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