[40] Mediocrity

Hiori and Kurona executed a brilliant one-two play, completely outmaneuvering the muscle-bound Tokimitsu.

However, their path forward was swiftly blocked by Tanaka, who seized the opportunity to intercept them.

"Sorry, but I can't let you go any further," Tanaka declared.

'His defensive positioning is solid, and his spatial awareness is excellent. He's not being greedy by lunging for a steal and is deliberately cutting off my passing lane to Kurona. Seems like he's a well-balanced player, strong on both offense and defense.'

Hiori quickly analyzed Tanaka's strategy with a sweeping glance and smirked slightly. "Well, it's true we work together like a planet and its satellite, but don't get the premise wrong..."

Realizing something, Tanaka abandoned his focus on Kurona and charged forward to press Hiori directly.

But Hiori had already made his move.

With a perfectly timed, no-look long pass, he caught Tanaka completely off guard.

The ball soared as if guided by unseen hands, heading straight for the spot where Shinichi was positioned.

"Even planets eventually revolve around the sun," Hiori remarked with calm confidence.

"And so, Sun, show those who dare to gaze directly at you the brilliance of your light."

"OK..." The spinning ball stopped at his feet as gently as a tamed kitten the moment it touched the ground.

Shinichi looked ahead at the roadblock in front of him. "Rin, the audience is calling for a show. How about we give them a proper performance?"

"Sure..." Rin responded with a smirk. "But this story ends with the arrogant king dying in a gutter!"

Though his words were sharp, his actions remained composed.

He maintained a steady two-step distance from Shinichi, refusing to be provoked.

For players relying on speed, there are two main defensive strategies.

The first is to stick close, using physical contact to disrupt their momentum and prevent them from starting their sprint effectively.

The downside is that if the attacker breaks free from the physical pressure, the defender will find it almost impossible to catch up.

The second strategy, which Rin adopted, is to maintain a calculated distance.

When the opponent attempts to break through, this gap gives the defender enough reaction time to block their path.

"But the drawback is, if the speed difference is too great, giving the opponent space is like giving them a runway to unleash their full potential," Shinichi muttered as he lowered his center of gravity. "You're trying to give me space to exploit my speed, only to crush me at the height of my momentum, aren't you?"

"Rin, you talk about football being a battlefield, but isn't there still a bit of childlike stubbornness in the way you play?"

As he spoke, Shinichi suddenly sprang into action.

With his right foot, he pushed the ball forward, while his left leg explosively launched him into motion.

Like an arrow released from a bow, he closed the gap between them in an instant.

"But sorry, I wasn't even using my full strength before."

Somewhere in the blur of his movements, the ball unexpectedly veered to the left.

Rin's eyes locked onto its trajectory as he adjusted his body to follow.

However, the moment his center of gravity shifted, Shinichi intercepted the ball with the outside of his foot and swiftly nudged it to the right.

Who would have thought that Rin's shifted center of gravity was just a feint? His right leg suddenly burst into action, cutting off Shinichi's path before he could complete his direction change.

"Fall... down already!"

"Honestly though... you've left yourself wide open," Shinichi quipped, finding time to taunt Rin even amidst their intense duel.

Under Rin's sharply contracted pupils, Shinichi's right leg suddenly planted firmly, stopping the ball as it rolled off his foot and continued to the right.

Using his right leg as a pivot, Shinichi twisted his body and swung his left leg behind his right.

With his heel, he struck the ball with force.

In a surprising twist, Shinichi altered his move mid-direction change, executing a stunning elastico that sent the ball nutmegging Rin.

However, Rin's reaction was lightning-fast.

He didn't bother tracking the ball's position but instead charged directly toward Shinichi.

'A player-ball split move. If you block either the ball or the player, the threat is neutralized. The ball is already behind me. Even if our speeds were equal, turning my back to the ball would make it impossible to catch Shinichi. And with my speed disadvantage, that's even more true.'

'So, I'll stop you directly! I can't let you take a clear shot on goal.'

Rin spread his arms wide, trying to maximize his defensive coverage. In this situation, even committing a foul was an acceptable option.

"This situation feels oddly familiar…" Shinichi remarked calmly as he watched Rin reach out to grab him. "But my answer remains the same."

"A man's embrace? I'll respectfully decline."

With a swift motion, Shinichi lowered his center of gravity, pressing his hand against Rin's midsection to disrupt his balance.

Then, with a sudden dip, he slipped under Rin's outstretched arm.

His speed was so explosive that Rin, who instinctively grabbed at Shinichi's jersey, was left clutching nothing but a torn piece of fabric.

After the second selection, Rin had already been outmaneuvered once by Eita's off-ball movements.

But Shinichi, with superior attributes and a mastery of hand-to-hand tactics learned from Karasu, widened the gap between them within mere seconds.

By the time Rin realized it, Shinichi was meters ahead, in an unmarked position.

The next move was obvious.

Shinichi raised his leg... and unleashed a powerful strike.

Boom!

Gooooooooooal!

2:0

As the net rippled and Blue Lock's goalkeeper slumped to the ground silently, the scoreboard updated again.

Shinichi turned to look at Rin, whose expression was one of disbelief and frustration, and spoke in a calm, almost detached tone.

"I remember you saying that we were too carefree, treating football as if it were just a game."

A shadow fell over Rin as he looked up dazedly, only to meet Shinichi's indifferent gaze as he stood towering over him, staring down without a hint of emotion.

"It's understandable that you can't comprehend it. Smiling during battle is a privilege reserved for the strong," Shinichi said, his tone calm but cutting.

"Only underachievers treat every exam like a life-or-death struggle. Only the weak approach every battle as if it's their last stand."

"The sense of urgency you're feeling—it's nothing more than the psychological pressure of being unable to achieve your goals, isn't it? Isn't that why you're so desperate? Because no matter how hard you try, you can't keep up with your brother?"

"Honestly, I don't get it. Always so tense, always treating football like a battlefield, working so hard... and yet..."

"Why are you so weak?"

Rin's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared into Shinichi's. Those pitch-black pupils held no emotion, as if he were stating an undeniable fact. "I... I'm weak?"

"Yes," Shinichi replied without hesitation. "And combined with your disregard for everything else, it's honestly laughable."

A faint smirk curled at the corners of Shinichi's lips as he extended his right hand toward Rin. "So, our jester on this stage, stand up. Entertain me and help me finish this performance."

"The script is a classic cliché," Shinichi continued, his words laced with mockery. "The protagonist crushes a talentless fool who dares to step forward and mindlessly shout without the strength to back it up..."

"A mediocrity."

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