"Kira is so cool!"
"He completely turned the game around when Bastard München was on the back foot!"
"That 1v1 victory against Sae Itoshi was flawless! Amazing!"
After Ryōsuke's goal, social media erupted with excitement. The clip of his 1v1 against Sae went viral instantly.
That single moment proved his abilities had surpassed even the New Generation World XI!
Major clubs worldwide were watching the match as a scouting opportunity.
The previous U-20 match had already put Ryōsuke's name on club owners' radars, and this performance only cemented his reputation—
Had he participated in last year's World Tournament, Michael likely wouldn't have made the New Generation Stars at all.
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On the field, FC Barcha stood stunned.
Veterans like Meguru were accustomed to Ryōsuke's fearsome abilities, but for the rest of the team, he had shattered all expectations.
Though they'd studied his footage, witnessing his performance in person left them awestruck.
Even Sae, a world-class New Generation Star destined for top-league stardom, couldn't contain Ryōsuke.
"His ball control is unreal..."
"And that speed—the videos don't do it justice."
"No wonder he claimed Michael's center forward spot..."
"Kira's reached another level." Meguru said, wiping sweat from his brow with a smile, "I've grown stronger too, but the gap keeps widening."
"Don't worry, we're just getting started!" Tsubasa clapped his shoulder, "It's because Kira's so strong that defeating him means something!"
"Right." Meguru nodded, determination blazing in his eyes.
Once, he had silenced the 'monster' within, choosing to heed only his own voice. But since joining FC Barcha under Lavinho's guidance, Meguru had found a new perspective:
"Let the monster within run free and evolve to higher levels!"
"Are you ready?"
'I can't wait.' The monster's voice echoed in his mind.
Soon, FC Barcha kicked off and launched another attack.
Meguru had the ball first. Seeing Ryōsuke guarding the center, he avoided forcing a breakthrough there and instead advanced down the left wing.
Ashito was defending that position.
"I-I'll definitely stop you!" He said, clenching his fists to bolster his confidence.
Facing an opponent like Meguru, he felt anything but confident.
"We met earlier in the hall, right? Were you invited here?" Meguru narrowed his eyes, studying the young boy. His small stature made it clear he wasn't a player who relied on physical abilities.
'Get past him.'
The monster's voice echoed in his mind, and a smile crossed his face.
"Well then, let's begin."
In the next moment, he accelerated and easily slipped past Ashito with a simple cow-tail dribble.
"Huh? That was too easy?" Even Meguru was surprised by how effortlessly he'd gotten past his opponent.
Theoretically, players invited by Blue Lock should all possess considerable skill, but Ashito seemed ordinary, with basic defensive abilities at best.
But just as he was about to push forward, he caught a glimpse of a figure charging from behind!
'Watch out!'
As the monster's voice rang in his mind, Meguru instantly hooked the ball back with his right leg and leaped—
Just avoiding Ashito's slide tackle.
"That was close — so it was a trap?" Meguru said with surprise.
This was a technique Ashito had been practicing lately. Though he had improved significantly, he still faced considerable gaps in experience, physicality, and technique compared to others, making one-on-one defense challenging.
To compensate for these weaknesses, he developed creative solutions.
His strategy was to deliberately let opponents pass him, then attempt a steal from behind. Though risky — and ultimately unsuccessful against a skilled ball handler like Meguru — his tactics proved effective in other ways.
But Ashito's actions had their intended effect.
"Well done, Ashito!"
The sudden attack forced Meguru to make defensive maneuvers, slowing his pace enough for Yoichi to arrive as support!
Using his Metavision, Yoichi had already read the opponent's attacking route and positioned himself to block. All thanks to Ashito's assistance.
From the beginning, Ashito had deliberately guided Meguru toward his predicted position. Even if he couldn't complete the steal himself, he could force his opponent into a dead end.
Before joining Blue Lock, he had studied Yoichi's play style and absorbed his way of thinking — this was the key to his transformation.
Observe, then think! This was how he could maximize his natural insight!
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"Ashito's moves were risky — good thing Isagi was there to clean up..." In front of the TV, Nozomi Date shook his head watching the movements.
"No, Nozomi, you're wrong." Beside him, Tatsuya smiled while watching Ashito on the TV screen, "None of this would have been possible without Ashito's contribution. His growth has been faster than I imagined. Sending him to Blue Lock was definitely the right choice."
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At this moment, though Yoichi had blocked Meguru's attack route, Meguru was the type of player who could create possibilities from impossibilities.
He feinted a breakthrough, then suddenly turned and back-heeled the ball!
Sae received the pass at his side!
But Michael had already rushed to confront him.
"Sae, this is our first showdown, isn't it?" He narrowed his eyes, studying his fellow renowned player.
He desperately wanted to prove himself. With Ryōsuke having already scored, Michael needed to find a way to catch up.
"I have no interest in you or your pathetic followers. You're just a boring side character trying to steal the spotlight." Sae replied coldly.
"Then what are you supposed to be?" Michael's veins bulged as rage coursed through him.
Despite them both being among the New Generation World XI, Sae's arrogance was unbearable.
Unforgivable!
In the next instant, Sae burst forward, attempting to break past.
Michael dropped his center of gravity, readying his defense.
In a one-on-one situation, the attacker typically has the advantage. Moreover, defense was Michael's weak point — he struggled to contain even moderately skilled opponents.
Sae executed a reverse behind-the-leg nutmeg, slipping past Michael while using his arm to maintain position!
In this exchange, he clearly had the upper hand!
"Don't think you're getting past, you emotionless face!"
Michael chased after him with all his might. Benedict came in to double-team from the other side, but Sae remained completely calm, simply kicking the ball away with his left foot.
His target was Tsubasa!
Rensuke and Gin, knowing Tsubasa's formidable strength, immediately moved to defend.
But their defense proved useless against the star!
Tsubasa burst forward with pure speed, blasting past Rensuke. Then he turned, using his heel to guide Gin's center of gravity before spinning in the opposite direction — completely leaving him behind.
On the field, he moved like a dancer.
"Good, good! That's it!" Roberto leaped to his feet on the sidelines, shouting with excitement.
The other Bastard München defenders rushed forward to block Tsubasa, but instead of holding the ball, he immediately passed it to the side.
Sae made an instant forward run, appearing at Tsubasa's side!
"Let your imagination run wild, I'll work the magic."
Sae stepped forward, ready to execute a give-and-go with Tsubasa.
But suddenly, a figure burst between them — Ashito!
Though covered in mud from his recent sliding tackle, he paid no attention to it, charging straight between Sae and Tsubasa.
When Tsubasa made his run, Ashito had already noticed the changes on the field.
Observe, then think!
He instantly deduced that Tsubasa might attempt a combination play with Sae. His only option was to rush along the shortest path between them, hoping to intercept their pass.
Though his stamina was too limited to complete the interception before Sae received the ball, he still positioned himself to intercept the return pass — it was all he could do.
Without hesitation, he leaped, desperately trying to position his body in Sae's passing lane.
If he could block the opponent for even a second, preventing the pass, his teammates would have time to double-team!
Sae's eyes narrowed slightly; he had noticed Ashito's movement from the start but hadn't expected him here.
Yet such effort was futile. He had no intention of stopping his pass. With a slight adjustment to his kick, he made the ball spin and curve through the air, passing perfectly around his opponent's side!
Ashito's limit meant nothing to him — he simply needed to 'step over' it.
"Damn it!" Ashito fell to the ground, unable to intercept the ball.
"So a clown remains just a clown." Michael stood to the side, looking down at his "teammate" on the ground with contempt.
The ball traced an arc through the air, right above Tsubasa's head!
He planted his right foot and jumped powerfully, rotating his body in the air — an Overhead Kick!
"Sorry, but I can't let my teammates' efforts go to waste!"
But at that instant, Ryōsuke appeared in front of Tsubasa.
If Sae had chosen a through pass, Tsubasa might have already completed a dangerous shot. Though Ashito couldn't stop the pass, his presence forced Sae to adjust the trajectory, making Tsubasa attempt the bicycle kick instead!
This seemingly small delay gave Ryōsuke just enough time to get back!
He leaped with all his might, kicking the ball away — a perfect clearance!
"Kira, you can even do that?" Tsubasa's eyes widened in surprise.
The ball soared high into the air, now falling with increasing speed as everyone prepared to fight for possession.
"It's closer to me!" Michael looked up, having secured the best position nearest to where the ball would land.
With both Tsubasa and Sae in the attacking half, no one could stop his attack now! If he could score this goal, he'd still have a chance to outshine Ryōsuke!
Just thinking about it made his lips curl into a smile.
"Get lost, clown."
An icy voice rang out behind him, sending a chill down his neck.
It was Ryōsuke, who had used his Thunderclap and Flash technique to instantly appear behind Michael, ready to contest the ball.
"You bastard, how could I possibly let you have the ball? I'm the protagonist here!" Michael shouted, preparing to jump.
But Ryōsuke was faster!
He jumped up first, while extending his arm to block Michael's position, preventing him from jumping.
"Watch and learn — you're looking at the real protagonist here. Your time in the spotlight ends now." Ryōsuke declared.
He reached the ball first!
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