Thunderclap and Flash gave Ryōsuke extraordinary explosive power in his legs, while Rice Spirit significantly enhanced his dribbling skills.
His original abilities were excellent, with ball control and dribbling skills at an above-average level, though still considerably behind top ball handlers like Meguru. Previously, he was able to defeat Meguru mainly by relying on his superior physical attributes and speed.
The same applied during matches. With Thunderclap and Flash's enhancement, Ryōsuke possessed speed that could easily tear through defensive lines, and he also used this explosive power to dribble past opponents and shoot.
Speed rather than technique was the most important factor in accomplishing all this.
At the same time, Team X's defense was completely disorganized, with no coordination between players, which allowed him to easily break into the penalty area.
The next team they would face, Team Y, was completely different. Their coordination was orderly, and they placed great emphasis on defense. Creating suitable shooting opportunities wouldn't be so easy, and the opponents had likely watched recordings of his match against Team X.
Knowing his superior speed, they would probably set their defensive line further back and more compact, making breakthrough attempts more difficult and blocking long-shot opportunities.
With Rice Spirit, Ryōsuke gained another offensive weapon.
Generally, street soccer moves are too flashy with too many unnecessary motions, resulting in a high error rate — but the dribbling techniques the Second Form gave him contained no superfluous elements and could better shift defenders off balance.
This was exactly the kind of ability Ryōsuke needed, giving him more opportunities to score without using Thunderclap and Flash.
Unlike the First Form, Rice Spirit was pure technique, so in the Total Concentration Breathing state, it wouldn't see dramatic enhancement. However, it allowed him to have improved dribbling abilities even in his normal state.
This Second Form could also work in combination with the First Form, enabling elegant dribbling moves at high speed that ordinary defenders absolutely couldn't keep up with.
"Rice Spirit can combine with Thunderclap and Flash to provide excellent dribbling ability even in normal state. Although it isn't greatly affected by Total Concentration Breathing, if I combine it with Thunderclap and Flash in that state, I should be able to create some unimaginable dribbles and goals."
Ryōsuke muttered to himself.
"However, if I use all three skills together, energy consumption will certainly increase. Training in this space should help build endurance as well."
With no time to waste, he immediately focused on training.
He opened the system interface, placed several moving dummies in front of him to simulate defenders, then quickly dribbled the ball forward.
❖ Total Concentration ➠ Thunder Breathing! ❖
❖ Thunderclap and Flash ➠ Straight Run! ❖
❖ Rice Spirit ➠ Play Time! ❖
Ryōsuke advanced toward the goal at ultra-high speed, gently caught the ball between his feet, then flicked it up into the air—
❖ Thunderclap and Flash ➠ Volley Kick! ❖
Then fired a shot! The ball rocketed into the goal with cannon-like precision!
"It works indeed!" He clenched his right fist and nodded vigorously.
Using the Breathing Technique to increase his strength for physical confrontations, Rice Spirit's nimble footwork for dribbling and changing direction — and finally Thunderclap and Flash to deliver the finishing blow.
The Second Form made his shooting opportunities more flexible, enabling him to create shots that defenders couldn't anticipate.
This combination proved viable, so he immediately resumed practice.
Just as he told Jinpachi Ego, victory was his only pursuit, and defeating Team X was merely the beginning.
Ryōsuke wanted to keep winning, relentlessly.
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
An hour passed quickly.
Without physical limitations, Ryōsuke's skill improvement efficiency multiplied several times over. In just one hour, his Thunderclap and Flash and Total Concentration Breathing proficiency increased by over 20%, while Rice Spirit proficiency exceeded 40%.
〘 Time's up, returning to the real world! 〙
The moment the timer above the field reached zero, the scene around him transformed. In an instant, he returned to the training grounds of Blue Lock.
Ryōsuke quickly took out his phone. As the system description indicated, time in the Competition Space operated independently — no matter how long he spent inside, to others, it appeared as if he hadn't moved at all.
'If I upgrade Rice Spirit, I should be able to further improve my dribbling proficiency and enrich my techniques. In a sense, this is what they call "ball sense".' He thought, while preparing to try the skill combination again in real life.
After executing the skill combination, intense muscle soreness hit him again, even more severe than what he experienced after using Thunderclap and Flash during the match.
Ryōsuke had to rest briefly and do some stretching exercises.
'As expected, using all three skills simultaneously intensifies the soreness... Improving their proficiency and enhancing my physical condition remains top priority. I'll add some extra training later.'
Just as he was about to continue training, someone approached from behind.
Hyōma Chigiri.
Although Blue Lock contained only male players, Hyōma possessed a delicate beauty surpassing that of women. With his long hair, he looked just like a real girl. Somewhat solitary and independent, he was known as "the young lady" within the team.
"Still practicing, Kira?" He asked curiously as he walked up beside him.
"Yeah, planning to do some specific physical training before bed." Ryōsuke replied, noting from Hyōma's expression that he seemed to have something to say.
"Is that so? Kira, you really are talented and hardworking." Hyōma pursed his lips, wanting to say something but hesitating.
He had once been the star player of his high school, possessing unparalleled speed, but after an injury, he lost the courage to run again, his heart overshadowed.
Although he believed he had lost his love for soccer, he ultimately responded to Blue Lock's invitation, preserving that tiny flame in his heart.
During matches, Hyōma neither competed nor strived, planning to just hide in the back of the defensive line and pass the entire game without participation — but after seeing Ryōsuke's racing figure, the flame in his heart seemed to grow stronger.
❖❖❖
T/N: If you want more chapters like this, check out my Patreon! Take a look at my other translations too, you might like them!
For just $1.50 you can access all the extra content, and descriptive images, costs only $2!
That's it and happy reading! (-‿◦)
https://www.patreon.com/collection/1305258