Chapter 3: The Clash of Titans
The tension within Team Z reaches its peak as the game against Team X unfolds. Isagi, feeling the weight of responsibility as the forward, takes charge after winning the rock, paper, scissors game.
Before the game begins, Inside the locker room, tension filled the air as Team Z prepared for their match against Team X. Kuon, the team's strategist, tried to arrange the formation, but chaos ensued as everyone argued about their positions. The room buzzed with conflicting opinions until a figure entered, catching everyone's attention. It was Akashi Seijuro, the prodigious striker with an aura that demanded respect. He calmly announced that he would take on the role of the team's striker. Raichi, filled with pride, stood up, towering over Akashi. He questioned Akashi's authority, only to find himself brought to his knees as Akashi effortlessly placed his hand on Raichi's shoulder. With an intimidating presence, Akashi warned Raichi that only those subservient to him could speak without changing their line of sight. His eyes glowed with a mix of red and gold, sending shockwaves through the room. With Raichi on the floor, the team stood in awe, realizing the true power Akashi possessed. His commanding aura and unwavering confidence left no room for doubt. They understood that Akashi's words were not to be challenged. The positions are assigned, with Akashi as the striker, Kunigami and Bachira as wingers, Gagamaru, Naruhaya, and Isagi as midfielders, and Kuon, Raichi, Igarashi, and Chigiri as defenders, while Iemon stands guard as the goalkeeper.
As the game commences, Bachira swiftly passes the ball to Isagi, but Raichi intercepts it, showing his disregard for teamwork and claiming that the top scorer will pass the selection. Kunigami, agreeing with Raichi's sentiment, snatches the ball from him, triggering a chain reaction as the rest of the team abandons their positions, all vying for the ball.
Team X takes advantage of the chaos, but they too are divided among themselves, arguing about who should score. The game quickly descends into a free-for-all, leaving Isagi uncertain about how to proceed. Amidst the commotion, Shoei Baro, ranked 250th, seizes the opportunity, effortlessly maneuvering past Isagi with a heel flick. Even Kuon and Imamura fail to stop him as he smoothly nutmegs them and delivers a powerful shot that leaves Iemon helpless.
Baro proudly declares that the ball is not his friend but a servant that exists solely for him to shine, asserting his dominance on the field. Meanwhile, Team Z continues to bicker over their positions and selfishly pursue individual goals. Observing the disarray within Team Z, the players from Team X decide to support Baro, recognizing the value of playing as a united front rather than chasing individual glory.
Baro, skillfully evading the attempts of six Team Z players to surround him, passes the ball to his teammates who capitalize on the newfound coordination and score another goal. Isagi realizes that while Team X is playing as a cohesive unit, his own team is still consumed by internal conflicts. He reflects on Ego's words about creating football from scratch and wonders if Baro's approach, despite its individualistic nature, is what it means to start from "one" and build upon it.
As Team X scores two more goals, intensifying the frustration within Team Z, Isagi realizes that they cannot progress from "zero" to "one" if they remain self-centered. The situation seems bleak as the opposing team overpower Team Z's fragmented efforts.
In a moment of clarity, Isagi understands that they need to put the team above personal ambitions. He recalls Ego's emphasis on the importance of structure and teamwork. Determined to change the course of the game, Isagi makes a decision. He discusses his plan with Bachira, acknowledging that they need to work together to score a goal and rebuild the team's foundation.
The game resumes, and Isagi passes the ball to Bachira, who acts as a decoy to distract the opposing team's defense. As Bachira lures their attention, Isagi spots an opportunity and sprints towards the enemy goal. Just as Isagi prepares to take a shot, Baro confronts him, unwilling to let anyone outshine him, proclaiming himself the king of the field.
Caught in a dilemma, Isagi weighs his options. In that crucial moment, Kunigami and Raichi rush to Isagi's side, demanding the ball. Isagi contemplates his usual instinct to play alone as a survival tactic for a striker, but suddenly, Isagi, gifted with spatial awareness which he does not understand at the moment, felt a chill down his spine. His instincts kicked in, and he unconsciously passed the ball to Akashi.
Isagi makes a split-second decision and passes the ball to his right, finding Akashi in a favorable position. Akashi seizes the opportunity and takes a shot, successfully scoring a goal. Even though Raichi is angered by Isagi's choice not to pass to him, Isagi claims he intended to shoot, further provoking Raichi's frustration.
Kuon tries to pacify Raichi, pointing out that they scored as a team, but Raichi remains focused on his individual aspirations, driven by the desire to be the top scorer and progress further. Baro seizes the opportunity to approach Isagi, belittling him and claiming that nervousness in front of the goal is a sign of a lack of talent and unsuitability for a striker.
Isagi absorbs Baro's words, his determination intensifying. Despite the challenges and internal conflicts, Isagi realizes that he must overcome his doubts and prove himself as a striker capable of leading the team to success. The battle for victory within Team Z has just begun, and Isagi is ready to take on the challenge head-on.
The match between Team Z and Team X continued, with Barou, the star player of the opposing team, scoring 5 goals. He reveled in his superiority, proclaiming himself the king of the field. His gaze shifted towards Akashi, expecting a reaction, but Akashi simply ignored him. The play resumed, and Akashi seized the moment. He swiftly nutmegged Barou, causing the self-proclaimed king to tumble to the ground. As Barou looked up in disbelief, Akashi calmly declared, "Move." His words were accompanied by a sense of authority that left no room for argument. Akashi proceeded to score four consecutive goals, completely turning the tide of the match. The score shifted to 5-5, with Team Z in the lead. Akashi's display of skill and dominance left the opponents bewildered, while his own teammates marveled at his abilities. As the game reached its conclusion, leaving Barou in despair as the game ends with a score of 8-5 with Akashi scoring 5 goals, Kunigami, Bachira and Gagamaru with one goal each. Akashi stood over him with a mixture of superiority and indifference. Barou's frustration and despair were evident, but he vowed to become stronger, driven by the desire to challenge Akashi once more. Team Z celebrated their victory, acknowledging the immense contribution of their enigmatic striker. They realized that with Akashi leading the charge, their path to becoming the ultimate strikers at Blue Lock would be full of hardship and despair as they look at Akashi. And Barou, his spirit ignited by his defeat, was determined to rise from the ashes, ready to face Akashi once again.