Chapter 12 – The Demon Striker Awakens
Another area within the Blue Lock's labyrinthine Building 5…
Team X vs Team W.
The atmosphere was tense, thick with the weight of expectation.
Inside the locker room, Hanegami Zeya sat silently, lacing up his boots. His expression was calm, unreadable—as if the upcoming match was just a formality.
Beside him stood Hiori Yo, adjusting his training jacket.
"Zeya," Hiori said softly, "today feels different."
Zeya gave a small nod. "We've only got one mission."
Dominate.
Kickoff
The moment the whistle blew, Team X sprang into motion—but unlike before, their energy was sharp, structured.
It didn't take long.
Boom!
A long ball from Hiori Yo pierced through the midfield, curling perfectly to the left flank.
Zeya's first touch was soft—a velvet trap.
Two defenders closed in.
Step-over. Heel flick. Gone.
He left them trailing dust.
20 meters from goal. He didn't hesitate.
Bang!
The ball arced in a perfect parabola—a falling-leaf shot.
GOAL.
1–0.
The crowd in the observation room erupted.
"W-What kind of striker is that?!"
"He's just… unstoppable!"
Team W's Counterattack
Team W tried to reset, pinning their hopes on a high press strategy.
It worked. Barely.
In the 18th minute, they stole the ball from a misstep at the back and capitalized.
1–1.
The Shift
Zeya exhaled softly.
"Enough playing around."
Hiori knew what that meant.
From that point on, Team X stopped passing to anyone except Hiori and Zeya.
They didn't need anyone else.
Pass. Sprint. Dribble. Goal.
Zeya scored three more goals in the span of 12 minutes, each more brutal than the last—a hat trick executed with surgical precision.
But it wasn't just the goals.
It was how Zeya moved.
As if he saw the field seconds ahead of everyone else.
As if he were dancing with the monster in his soul.
Final Blow
In the 39th minute, Hiori received a pass under pressure and didn't look up.
He didn't need to.
Zeya had already sprinted into the pocket behind the defenders.
Through ball.
Zeya arrived first, volleyed mid-air—
GOAL.
5–1.
Team W collapsed. Confidence shattered.
After the Match
Zeya wiped sweat from his neck and gave a rare smirk.
"That's five."
Hiori walked over, tossing him a towel. "What happened to saving energy?"
Zeya glanced toward the camera in the corner of the room.
"He's watching."
Hiori blinked. "You mean…"
Zeya's smirk sharpened.
"My brother."