"Just got lucky." Ryōsuke said with a smile, though of course no one believed such modest words.
The direct steal from their opponent's ace player had dramatically lifted the team's spirits.
He opened his system interface.
— — — — — — — — — —
〚 Host: Ryōsuke Kira 〛
〚 Current Competition Points: 0 〛
〚 Current Skills: 〛
〚 Skill: Thunder Breathing - Total Concentration | Level: 2 | EXP: 90.07% 〛
〚 Skill: Thunder Breathing - First Form: Thunderclap and Flash | Level: 2 | EXP: 77.16% 〛
〚 Skill: Thunder Breathing - Second Form: Rice Spirit | Status: Upgradable | Level: 1 | EXP: 100% 〛
〚 Upgrade Cost: 50 Competition Points 〛
— — — — — — — — — —
'Just as I thought, my proficiency in Total Concentration Breathing and Thunderclap and Flash has increased. As explained before, gaining proficiency isn't limited to offensive shooting — it extends to defense as well.'
He thought to himself, scanning the field and players.
'These skills are proving valuable for defense. The First Form lets me execute instant steals, while the Second Form enhances my ability to read opponents' dribbling rhythms. There must be even more potential to unlock.'
"Kira." Hyōma appeared at his side, nodding with a smile, "Thank you."
With that successful pass and score, the dark cloud over his spirit had lifted completely.
"Let's keep it up." Ryōsuke smiled and fist-bumped him, then turned to his teammates on the field, raising his right fist, "Stay sharp — we're taking this game in one shot!"
"Let's go!"
Team Z's members converged, their fists joining in the center as they shouted as one.
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
"Damn it..." Hibiki clenched his fists in frustration. His offensive mistake had led to the team conceding a point.
The irony stung — they had planned to counter-attack from defense, but Team Y ended up being scored against with their own strategy.
"Don't take it too hard, Okawa. Maybe Kira just got lucky." Ikki said consolingly as he approached.
Hibiki only grunted in response. He knew Ikki was trying to comfort him, but Ryōsuke's steal had been anything but luck.
'That guy... completely saw through my movements...' Hibiki couldn't deny the truth.
"Who was that just now?"
"Is that Hyōma Chigiri? How is he so fast?"
"Damn, they caught us off guard. Could he be Team Z's main attacking force?"
Team Y's players murmured among themselves. Ikki listened silently, aware that his teammates' limited perspective had missed the real threat.
While Hyōma's speed appeared to have shattered their defensive line, Ryōsuke had been the true architect behind the play.
It was Ryōsuke's shutdown of Hibiki that had led to Team Y's downfall. That precise long pass he'd delivered wasn't just skill — it demonstrated mastery.
A chill ran down Ikki's spine. Though Ryōsuke played defender for Team Z, he commanded the game's rhythm like a conductor.
If they couldn't breach his defense, Team Y was finished.
"Is defense really our only option?" Ikki bit his lip, his confused gaze fixed on the distant Ryōsuke, "This guy... shouldn't he be a forward? Why is his defense so terrifying too?"
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
In the monitoring room.
"Team Z doesn't look like they formed just a few days ago. They're already performing like a seasoned team." Anri said while watching the monitors, "In Blue Lock, no team has ever reached this level. They usually just rely on a few standout players to dominate the game."
"Team Z has transformed completely from zero to one, and even taken a step further."
Jinpachi stroked his chin as he opened a nearby computer screen displaying dense rows of data divided by a vertical line.
"Look, little Anri."
"What's this?" Anri asked curiously.
"This side shows Team Z members' previous match data, and this is their data up until before this match."
He pushed up his glasses.
"Every player on this team has shown remarkable improvement in both physical condition and on-field performance. I always thought Team Z would be impossible to control — Jingo Raichi's hot temper, Rensuke Kunigami's rigidity, Meguru Bachira's touch of 'madness'… Each has such a unique personality that should have been difficult to harmonize. Yet they've integrated successfully, producing chemical reactions beyond my imagination."
"Why?" Anri's eyebrows twitched, clearly surprised by this situation.
"It's all because of one person. I used to think that someone with outstanding abilities could turn a disorganized team into a unit serving themselves — they would be the sun, while others would be stars overshadowed by their light." Jinpachi turned to look at other screens showing matches in different buildings.
But his gaze quickly returned to the match between Team Z and Team Y.
"But this person not only possesses strength beyond my expectations — he can make his teammates better. I've never seen anything like this before." He narrowed his eyes, carefully observing someone on the screen, "Ryōsuke Kira, what other surprises can you bring?"
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
Outside the Blue Lock, at the Japan FA (Football Association) headquarters.
A young man with delicate features sat in a chair, glancing around with disinterest.
His name was Sae Itoshi, an eighteen-year-old midfield prodigy who had already made his mark on the international stage. With his exceptional passing control and offensive abilities, he was widely regarded as the strongest player in Japan.
Yet Sae felt nothing but disdain for Japanese football. Convinced there were no forwards worthy of receiving his passes, he yearned to play for university teams abroad. Only an expired passport kept him temporarily bound to his home country.
❖❖❖
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