After evening training, Ryōsuke discussed tactics with his teammates. They planned their defensive matchups based on their opponents' expected formation.
Ikki would mark Meguru — a good match given their similar builds. His strong defensive skills would challenge the trickster's plays.
Rensuke, with his robust physique, would match up against Aoshi and his monster-like physical abilities.
Seishirō's natural athletic talent made him the perfect counter to Jūbē.
And Ryōsuke himself would handle their strongest player, Rin.
Of course, these matchups were just the initial plan — the actual situation would evolve during the match.
At this moment, Ryōsuke opened his system interface.
— — — — — — — — — —
〚 Host: Ryōsuke Kira 〛
〚 Current Competition Points: 130 〛
— — — — — — — — — —
Today's match yielded 80 Competition Points — surprisingly high considering the match's smaller scale, fewer players, and shorter duration.
Tomorrow's opponents, however, possessed perhaps the strongest collective abilities yet, even surpassing the former three aces of Team V.
Aoshi and Jūbē boasted extraordinary physical prowess, while Rin's overall skills had earned him the top spot in Blue Lock. Beyond his excellent shooting technique, he possessed remarkable spatial awareness like Yoichi and Ikki — reading the entire field's movements and manipulating players like a puppeteer.
Yet Ryōsuke remained confident in victory.
"We're facing Rin Itoshi tomorrow. Are you nervous?" He looked at each teammate, awaiting their response.
"A little." Rensuke admitted firmly, "But that's exactly why we need to beat someone like Itoshi Rin fair and square."
"I've tasted bitter defeat once before." Seishirō said, his expression calm but eyes intense, "I won't experience it again."
"Same here. I won't lose again — and his arrogant attitude pisses me off." Ikki nodded.
"Then let's take them down tomorrow in one go." Ryōsuke said with a smile.
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
Meanwhile, Meguru and Rin trained on another field on the same floor.
"Hey, Itoshi, do you have monsters in your heart?" Meguru asked, sitting on the grass to catch his breath, sweat dripping from his brow as he turned to his companion.
"What nonsense are you spouting, kappa-head? What kind of half-baked question is that?" Rin turned, eyeing him with disdain.
{T/N: Google Kappa and then the image of Meguru, you'll laugh too.}
"They aren't real — just football fantasies that match your ideals. I think all great players have them."
"Whatever. It's because you're controlled by such childish things that you're weak and boring on the field. Go spend your life playing with monsters — I'll become number one in the world."
Rin turned to leave, having no interest in further conversation with the kappa-head.
But Meguru called after him, "There's one exception though — Kira. The monster in my heart fears him. Or rather, he's something even more terrifying than a monster. We can't underestimate him."
"Nonsense. He's just another stepping stone on my path upward, and I'll crush him mercilessly beneath my feet." Rin said over his shoulder as he strode away from the training ground.
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
The next day, Ryōsuke and his team arrived early in the floor's main hall.
Rin and his team had been waiting for some time.
"In a hurry to die?" Rin narrowed his eyes, fixing his gaze on Ryōsuke with contempt.
"I could say the same to you." Ryōsuke replied casually while looking around. Besides their teams, another unfamiliar team had arrived.
Fear was written across those four players' faces — they had all heard of Rin's name and witnessed his terrifying abilities during the assembly. Some had even faced him in the first round of selections.
They shared one thought: challenging Rin Itoshi was nothing but a death wish.
Fortunately, this round's rules required both teams to agree before establishing a match, giving them hope. Even if challenged, they would refuse.
"Is he suicidal? Taking on a monster like Itoshi? Even though I've heard of him, he can't possibly match that monster..."
"This is definitely a dead end... They'll drop right back to the 3rd district."
"Good for us! We can avoid that monster!"
The others remained utterly pessimistic about Ryōsuke's team. Despite his reputation and the number one ranking showing he'd completed the 100-goal task before Rin, they still couldn't believe he could defeat the arrogant player.
In their eyes, victory was impossible...
Meanwhile, Rin ignored the other team completely, staring at Ryōsuke with utter contempt.
"Fine, I'll send you on your way."
"Let me tell you something — when I win, I won't choose you. Go back to the previous stage and start over. Let everyone witness the mighty Itoshi's miserable defeat." Ryōsuke said with a smile.
"What a stylish guy. But I'll still end this match my way." Jūbē ran his hand through his hair, wearing an indifferent expression.
"Um... can we really win? I'm nervous... so nervous... but excited..." Though Aoshi seemed negative, he was actually impatient to start.
"Little Kira, and you too Kunigami, we're fighting to the death this time — I'll give it my all!" Meguru said with a smile to Ryōsuke.
"What a pain. Let's just get this over with." Seishirō said slowly.
"Victory will definitely be ours." Ikki added.
"Bring it on!" Rensuke stepped forward, fist-bumping with Meguru, his face showing an eager smile.
Though nervous inside, he was longing for this match.
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
Soon, all eight players arrived at the field, and after fingerprint verification, the match was officially established.
White Team for Ryōsuke's group, Red Team for Rin's group.
The match begins, with Red Team attacking first!
Meguru quickly dribbles past the halfway line, while Ikki, defending him, immediately closes in, refusing to give any opening for a breakthrough.
"You're such a troublesome guy with those thick bangs — didn't expect to run into you here!" Meguru says with a smile, simultaneously passing the ball sideways to his teammate.
"Such boring players, you're really just nobodies after all." Standing at midline, Rin stopped the ball smoothly, then raised his head, looking down at everyone before him, including his own teammates, "Your companion was my stepping stone in the last round, and you're no different. I wish you'd all just disappear from my sight. The field is a battlefield, and I'll personally eliminate each of you."
He suddenly lifted his foot, shooting directly from midfield!
The ball blazed between Ikki and Rensuke, heading straight for the goal!
"What a tricky curve!" Ikki exclaims.
This shot combines incredible speed with a wicked curve aimed for the corner, making it impossible to defend!
The ball rockets toward the upper right corner of the goal!
"Just quietly let me finish you off." Rin says calmly.
But his words trail off as his expression turns serious. His spatial awareness ability — which allows him to observe the entire field — alerts him to an unusual presence.
Just when everyone believes this shot will surely score, a swift figure appears in front of the goal.
❖ First Form ➠ Thunderclap and Flash! ❖
Ryōsuke channels explosive power into his legs, leaps high, and uses his head to forcefully clear what seemed a certain goal.
"That was a stylish shot, but this clearance was even more impressive! The jumping power and timing control were truly remarkable." Jūbē praises.
Rin's mouth twitches; he can't comprehend how Ryōsuke reached that position.
At the moment of the shot, he had tracked everyone's positions — Ryōsuke should have been too far from the goal to interfere.
But after the shot, he witnessed Ryōsuke charging toward the goal at an absurd speed. His route was direct, as if he'd perfectly read the ball's trajectory.
Indeed, that's exactly what happened — Ryōsuke's Thunder Swarm ability had allowed him to judge the curve of the shot perfectly, enabling his last-moment save!
"This annoying guy." Rin mutters.
After Ryōsuke's header, the ball lands at Seishirō's feet, who immediately passes it forward.
Ryōsuke, still in front of his goal, suddenly sprints forward and receives his teammate's pass.
"You know, after talking big just now, you should at least back it up with action." He charges at incredible speed straight toward Rin.
Rin retreats immediately, tightening his defense while carefully observing his opponent's movements and the positions of others on the field.
He guides Ryōsuke along a predicted route, deep into his half, where the attacking lanes narrow. There, the recovering Aoshi and Jūbē can close in for a double-team, while Rin can read and intercept any passing lanes!
This is what makes him so terrifying — invisibly controlling the flow of the entire match.
"Are you trying to predict my movements?" Ryōsuke asks, "Your ability to observe the entire field is indeed exceptional, an ability I don't possess."
"Good that you understand. This is the difference between me and you insects. I can see things that mediocre players like you could never see…"
"However…" Ryōsuke's eyes narrow slightly, a smile crossing his face, "That ability of yours means nothing against me."
"What are you saying?!"
"So what if you can see my attack route?" As Ryōsuke finishes speaking, he suddenly accelerates again!
❖ Thunderclap and Flash ➠ Straight Run! ❖
His sudden burst of speed catches his opponent off guard — this acceleration seems even faster than before. Rin's body instinctively moves, shifting his weight backward to try to match his opponent's speed.
At that instant, Meguru's warning rang out:
"Don't be fooled! It's a feint!"
"What?" Before Rin could react, Ryōsuke suddenly decelerated, standing perfectly still before him as if frozen in time.
His ability to stop so abruptly from such high speed while maintaining flawless ball control showcased his extraordinary physical abilities, balance, and technique.
Caught off guard by Ryōsuke's sudden change in rhythm, Rin's body lurched forward. With his balance disrupted and ankle unable to stabilize him, he stumbled and fell to his knees.
He stared in disbelief — this was the first time another player had beaten him one-on-one. On defense, no less, he had been utterly humiliated.
"On your knees now — looks like this is the first time you've learned what manners are."
Ryōsuke's voice cut through the air as Rin fell.
Like a gust of wind, Ryōsuke accelerated again, charging straight for the goal. Though Jūbē and Aoshi sprinted desperately to catch up, they couldn't match his speed.
Strike!
Shot!
The Red Team's BLUELOCK MAN dove desperately but couldn't stop the shot!
[ Scoreboard ]
[ 1:0 ]
❖❖❖
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