[2] Crushing

The ball slammed into the net, creating a beautiful white wave, while the score on the screen beside it updated from 3:1 to 4:1.

"Goal! Player Shinichi scores again! This is his fourth goal of the match!"

The commentator on the sidelines couldn't help but stand up and shout excitedly: "Even with their entire defense line on the field, they still can't stop Player Shinichi's steps. It's hard to imagine that he only started playing soccer in his first year of high school!"

"What's your name again? Kira?" As they waited for the opponent to kick off, Shinichi walked up to the blonde-haired player, who was still in his memory, and instead of marking him, he started trash-talking. "Are you the so-called 'Crown Jewel' of Japan? That shot of yours was certainly beautiful, but what about that 'point'?"

Kira Ryosuke gritted his teeth, ignoring Shinichi's taunting, his eyes locked on the ball's trajectory.

Then, at just the right moment, he suddenly sprinted forward!

"Here!" Kira shouted as the ball was passed to him.

He stopped the ball and took a few steps forward.

At this point, the goal was only about 20 meters away.

The guy hadn't caught up yet—was he slacking off because of the score advantage?

Scoring now would make it 4:2. It was still early in the second half, and with a two-point difference, there was still a chance!

"Is that what you think?" A voice suddenly rang in Kira's ear, sending chills down his spine.

He turned his head in disbelief but only saw the black hair flying upward from the speed.

The moment Kira stopped the ball and prepared to take a shot, Shinichi swiftly hooked the ball away from him, slightly sidestepping Kira's attempt to win it back.

Then, with a couple of quick feints, Shinichi changed direction as Kira shifted his weight, easily bypassing him.

"You were already thinking about the next goal before the ball even stopped?" Shinichi glanced back disdainfully at Kira, who had been completely outmaneuvered. "You can't even focus on the shot at hand. Are you really a forward?"

"Shut up! I can't stop here!" Kira yelled through gritted teeth, charging forward once more, but Shinichi simply stopped and waited for Kira to block his path. "Talking won't solve anything. If you want to win, let me see your determination."

"Shinichi has stopped! It's a 1v1! The two star players are facing off!"

As the commentator screamed, Shinichi took the initiative and moved first, touching the ball and charging to the left.

'I already knew from earlier in the match that this guy is faster than me, so I have to challenge him before he gains speed. I absolutely can't let him accelerate.'

Kira's mind raced as he kept his eyes locked on Shinichi's every move, moving forward to block him. 'I've blocked his direct path, so next he'll have to change direction. Focus... Which foot? Which foot will he use to touch the ball next? Left? Right? Right foot!'

The moment Kira confirmed his judgment, he immediately lunged forward, but although Shinichi kicked with his right foot, he didn't touch the ball.

Instead, he faked a shot and swung his leg around the ball in a deceptive move.

'As expected, a stepover! If it were just any other player, a quick change of direction would be enough, but at our level, this kind of move doesn't pose much of a threat unless it's part of a tactical play. And he purposely waited for me to engage in a 1v1. In a situation without a sprinting distance, a more deceptive dribbling move is the better choice!'

'He started with a fake move using his right foot, and his weight is now shifted to the left. Based on the typical stepover movement, next he'll plant his right foot and either use his left foot for a second fake or simply change direction!'

'In other words, before his right foot lands, I'll have lost control of the ball! As long as I can see through the move he's about to use, I can intercept it at the most crucial moment!' Kira quickly analyzed Shinichi's next move, focusing intensely on the shift in his body and weight, "Now!"

But—

'Huh? No... did I even touch the ball? How? His weight was already... Could he have changed the laws of physics? No, no, that's impossible... then what...'

Kira watched in disbelief as Shinichi's right foot never actually touched the ground.

Just as Kira thought Shinichi was shifting his weight and moved in to intercept, Shinichi used his right foot to gently pull the ball back.

As he turned, the heel of his other foot lightly nudged the ball, sending it into a new, unexpected direction.

The ball danced like a fluttering butterfly, following Shinichi's every step as it spun between his legs.

'This is ridiculous, a stepover into a Marseille turn? And the transition between them was so quick! But...!' Kira, who had been completely outmaneuvered, gritted his teeth and yelled, "Cover him!"

'It's not just me! My teammates are already closing in! As long as I can block his steps, I can double-team him from behind and look for the chance to steal the ball!'

"Football isn't just about 1v1. With everyone's help, I still have a chance! Even though I lost this duel, my team still has a shot!"

"Are you really going to place all your hope on these mere ants? If this is your resolve, then it's just too…"

"Boring."

"Huh?" Kira widened his eyes as he chased after Shinichi, but Shinichi had already begun his show.

"Shinichi has cleverly bypassed Kira! But the opponents are closing in. Is he about to be surrounded? No! Shinichi uses a series of quick direction changes to create space! Kira tries to steal from behind, but Shinichi keeps the ball firmly under control. He pulls the ball back, using the opponent's defenders as a wall to block Kira's pursuit!"

"Shinichi is accelerating!! He's sprinting! The others are desperately chasing, but it's no use! He's too fast, too fast! Shinichi has surpassed everyone! This time, no other skills are needed—his sheer speed is his strongest weapon!"

"Shinichi is on a direct path to goal! It's just the goalkeeper left! From this position, is Shinichi going to shoot? A change of direction! Another feint! The goalkeeper is completely fooled! This time, no one can stop him! He shoots!"

"Goooooooooooal!!!"

"Matsukaze Kokuo High's all-out attack is a double-edged sword, leading to their defense being caught off guard when Kira's shot was blocked, leaving them unable to recover in the sudden shift from attack to defense!"

"5:1, the match can be considered over! Shinichi has been substituted, and even the 'Crown Jewel of Japan' has fallen to the absolute talent of the 'genius'! The steps of 'Genius' Shinichi are now aimed at the national stage!"

"I lost? I didn't even make it to the national team... What... was that goal even...?" Kira Ryosuke sank to his knees on the lush green field, his teammates' expectations, his own mistakes, and the exaggerated scoreline all crashing down on his nerves, leaving him breathless.

"Are you giving up just like that? As a striker, are you really going to despair over this kind of score difference? Shouldn't your job be to score more goals and turn the game around for your team?" As Shinichi walked off the field, he passed by Kira and spoke, "I thought you'd at least excite me a bit, but this is just boring. This so-called the 'Crown Jewel' of Japan is only at this level."

Kira weakly lifted his head, his gaze locking with Shinichi's eyes, cold and sharp. The words, so piercing and real, repeatedly struck his heart.

"I am... a striker..." he muttered under his breath.

....

"After you left the field, that guy scored three more goals! It was terrifying! We had already stopped attacking and retreated to our own half, and you really just walked off like that. Aren't you worried about being overturned?"

The football club president chattered on about the aftermath of the match, but Shinichi simply put down his phone. "Evolving under pressure, huh... but either way, if a team can turn things around that easily, then there's no need for us to even bother with the national tournament. Do you think this team would be nothing without me?"

"Ah... well, that's true..." The president, somewhat awkward, was at a loss for words.

Ignoring the awkwardness, Shinichi opened the tournament schedule, and his eyes landed on the next opponent: Ichinan High School, the school where the main character of Blue Lock, Isagi Yoichi, was from.

The master of the field, Isagi... In the later stages, surpassing the limits of vision became almost a given for everyone.

Those who couldn't keep up with the pace of the game couldn't even participate in the competition.

Even if they worked hard to improve their stats over the year, their growth was almost negligible.

The system had only provided a single opportunity for evaluation before entering the Blue Lock.

"That means the next match is my last chance to improve before the main storyline begins. I need to fully master so-called space control abilities and ideally evolve them into surpassing vision."

"If I don't, my advantage from unlocking the system's attributes early will gradually be erased by the monstrous abilities in the later stages. If my performance is mediocre, I won't gain any good traits from the evaluation, and I'll fall further behind. I can't completely rely on the function that hasn't even been unlocked yet."

"So... Isagi, let me see the hidden talent beneath that rough exterior of yours."

"Then... I'll devour it all!"