Blue Lock: Beyond Greatness

"Ohhhhhh!!"

"Itoshi Sae! Itoshi Sae!"

Click! Click!

As soon as they stepped out of the players' tunnel, cheers, screams, flashing cameras, and countless noisy sounds flooded their ears.

The entire stadium was packed with spectators, waving support items enthusiastically for their favorite players.

"So many people," Bachira marveled as he scanned the surroundings. He had only seen such scenes on TV, but now, they were standing right in the middle of it, becoming the focus of the roaring cheers. "Looks like there are people cheering for us too!"

Following Bachira's pointed finger, they noticed a small group of spectators in one corner of the stadium.

Although not many, they wore what appeared to be self-made, slightly shabby Blue Lock jerseys and waved banners with "Kanzaki Shinichi" printed on them with great enthusiasm.

"All the matches from the first stage of Blue Lock have been uploaded to social media," Shinichi calmly explained while waving toward the small crowd of fans. "A lot of people are curious about this unconventional training system. While there aren't many here today, people from all over the world are watching us online."

"In other words, messing up means embarrassing yourself in front of the entire world?" Karasu joked with a smile. "That makes this a fight where failure isn't an option."

Rin, however, remained as cold and indifferent as ever. "Crushing them—that goes without saying. The only thing that matters is how to make the world remember me."

"I will change the world with my goals!"

...

"My, how exciting! After all, this is the first match for Itoshi Sae since joining the U20 national team. No wonder so many fans have gathered here," remarked Harutaro Natsuki, whose receding hairline was rather noticeable.

"That's right! But the opposing team, Blue Lock, has also recently attracted massive attention in the football world. Particularly their ace, Kanzaki Shinichi—his brutal playing style and undeniable talent have captured the eyes of fans worldwide. This match is truly one of global significance!" The live commentator, Atsuto Tereasa, nodded in agreement.

Natsuki eagerly chimed in again, "Indeed! According to insider information, Blue Lock wasn't initially taken seriously by the Football Association. When they faced difficulties continuing the project, it was actually Kanzaki Shinichi, the nephew of the soon-to-be-appointed Prime Minister Kanzaki, who personally invested and participated in the program. We must praise Prime Minister Kanzaki's remarkable foresight—he recognized the untapped potential of the Blue Lock project when the former Football Association president dismissed it..."

"Ahem, let's take a look at the formations of both teams!" Seeing that Natsuki was veering further into blatant flattery of the influential figure, Atsuto quickly cleared his throat and interrupted.

"As expected, the highly anticipated player Itoshi Sae is positioned just behind the forwards, controlling the entire field. The U20 team is utilizing a standard 4-3-3 formation. And perhaps some fans have already noticed—there have been changes to three starting players besides Itoshi Sae."

"That's right. Reports say the U20 team temporarily recruited three players from Blue Lock. On the left midfield, Itsuki has been replaced by Blue Lock's Hiori. As for the two wingers, Kento and Teru have both been swapped out. Taking their places are Shidou as the left winger and Isagi on the right," the commentator explained seriously after realizing he'd gone off track.

"Almost all offensive players have been switched out!"

"So, with the addition of the genius midfielder Itoshi Sae and the revamped offensive lineup, what tactics will this U20 team employ? It's something to look forward to!"

"Exactly. Their defensive line remains unchanged, still as solid as a fortress. But with deliberate changes in their offensive lineup, it's likely aimed at improving the efficiency of their counterattacks," the live commentator nodded. "Now, let's take a look at Blue Lock's formation."

"Though this might be a bit unprofessional to say... apart from Shinichi, I don't recognize any of the players."

"Well, they're all high schoolers from various regions, after all. Blue Lock is a program specifically designed to develop forwards, so the entire team seems to be a temporary assembly of strikers. Their 4-5-1 formation suggests they plan to use Shinichi as the spearhead to tear through the opponent's defense."

"Alright, the match is about to begin. Let's set aside our doubts and dive wholeheartedly into the game!"

Beep!

The whistle blew.

Shinichi passed the ball to Reo beside him.

Immediately, both Shinichi and Itoshi Rin surged forward.

Meanwhile, defenders Bachira and Kurona dashed toward the front together with several wingers.

'During attacks, Karasu, the defensive midfielder, falls back, while two quick and skilled defenders push up alongside the forwards. The formation shifts from 4-5-1 to 3-6-1. This is a unique strategy only Blue Lock can pull off—every player capable of initiating an offensive.'

Reo recalled the tactics explained by Ego before the match. Determination filled his chest.

No need to hold back.

I'll unleash my full strength from the start and crush the opponent with overwhelming offense!

"And the best player to fully unlock Shinichi's potential doesn't even need much discussion!"

With that thought, Reo's aura shifted dramatically. In that fleeting moment, his presence seemed to dissolve and reconstruct into Hiori's image.

"It's you, Hiori!"

Reo struck the ball fiercely, delivering a sudden long lob toward the front despite it being the early moments of the match. "Go for it! You can get it, right, monster?"

The ball soared through the air, heading toward the opponent's half.

Shinichi sprinted forward at full speed, closing in on the landing point. However, before he could fully position himself, a blue figure leapt into the air ahead of him and intercepted the ball mid-flight.

"You really dared to pull that move right in front of me, huh?"

"But you're still far from good enough!" Hiori had seen through Reo's familiar pass the moment he initiated it. Anticipating the trajectory, he positioned himself perfectly to intercept the ball.

Shinichi quickly caught up, smirking slightly. "Looks like you've improved a lot without me around, Hiori."

"Can't let you leave me too far behind, right?" Hiori retorted, though beads of sweat were already forming on his forehead.

Despite his confident words, facing Shinichi as an opponent was an entirely different experience from being his teammate.

The overwhelming pressure Shinichi naturally exuded, which once seemed harmless as a teammate, now bore down on Hiori like a suffocating force. His thoughts froze, his mind went blank—he had no idea how to break through Shinichi's defense.

"Nice work!" Aiku's voice cut through the tension as he stepped up to support Hiori. With their teamwork, they barely managed to evade Shinichi's relentless pressure, passing the ball forward toward the front line.

It's time to counterattack!

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