Blue Lock : Second Selection. Match 2: 4 vs 4.
Team White (Isagi, Rin, Bachira, Reo) vs. Team Red (Nagi, Barou, Chigiri, Kunigami).
KICKOFF.
The field was a digital expanse, larger than the previous stages to accommodate the 8 players.
The teams lined up.
Team White Formation:
Isagi and Rin as dual strikers. Bachira and Reo as midfielders.
Team Red Formation:
Nagi and Barou up top. Chigiri and Kunigami on the wings.
Isagi looked at the opposing lineup.
It's an offensive juggernaut, Isagi analyzed. They have no defense. They have four strikers who want to score. Their strategy is pure brute force.
The Chaos Engine
Team Red started with the ball.
Nagi stood over it. He tapped it to Chigiri.
"Go, Red Panther," Nagi commanded.
Chigiri didn't hesitate. He took the ball and exploded down the right flank.
Mach Speed.
Bachira tried to intercept. "Play with me, Chigiri!"
"Later, Bachira!" Chigiri didn't try to dribble. He simply kicked the ball 20 meters ahead and chased it.
Self-Pass.
He blew past Bachira in a blur of red speed.
"Fast," Rin noted, sliding over to cover the wing. "But predictable."
Rin positioned himself perfectly to cut off Chigiri's angle.
He has to slow down to cross, Rin calculated.
But Chigiri didn't cross.
He saw Barou making a run in the center.
"King!" Chigiri yelled, whipping a low ball into the box.
Barou received the ball. He was 25 meters out.
Reo Mikage was marking him. "I won't let you shoot!"
Barou's eyes glowed red. "Don't order me around, peasant!"
He performed a Chop Feint, cutting the ball sharply inside, shattering Reo's balance.
"Out of my way!"
Barou wound up his leg. Barou Impact.
BOOM.
The shot was a cannonball. It flew toward the top corner.
But the Blue Lock Man (GK) reacted. He tipped it onto the bar.
The ball bounced back into play.
"Tch," Barou spat. "Hard post."
The ball fell into the midfield.
Isagi moved to collect it. I'll start the counter.
But a shadow appeared.
Nagi Seishiro.
He trapped the rebound out of the air with his chest.
"You're watching the ball, Isagi," Nagi said. "But you forgot about me."
Isagi turned. Nagi was facing away from the goal.
He can't shoot from there.
Nagi leaned back. He lifted the ball over his head.
Overhead Kick.
But it wasn't a shot. It was a pass.
To the far post.
Where Kunigami Rensuke was charging like a locomotive.
"I'll take my pride back!" Kunigami roared.
He met the ball with a thunderous volley. Lefty Cannon.
GOAL.
Team White: 0 - Team Red: 1
"YEAH!" Kunigami screamed, pointing at Isagi. "We aren't dead yet!"
Isagi stared at the goal.
Nagi... passed?
The Nagi I knew would have tried to trap and turn. But he used an overhead kick to assist Kunigami.
He calculated the probability. He chose the most efficient option.
He really has learned logic.
The Friction of Egos
Restart.
Isagi took the ball. "Rin. Let's go."
Rin ignored him. "Don't talk to me. I'll do it myself."
Rin took the ball and dribbled forward.
He was immediately met by Chigiri and Kunigami. A double team.
"You can't pass both of us!" Kunigami yelled.
Rin's eyes narrowed. Annoying flies.
He used a Double Touch to slip between them.
But as he broke through, a massive figure slammed into him.
Barou Shoei.
The Villain had tracked back.
"I'll devour the Number 1!" Barou laughed, stealing the ball with pure physical strength.
"What?" Rin stumbled. "He abandoned his position to steal from me?"
Barou charged down the field.
"I am the King!"
But Barou was selfish. He didn't look for teammates.
He ran straight into Reo and Bachira.
He lost the ball.
Chaos, Isagi observed.
Team Red is powerful, but they are disjointed. Barou steals from teammates. Nagi tries to facilitate. Kunigami and Chigiri run wild.
But Team White...
Isagi looked at Rin. Rin was furious at losing the ball.
Isagi looked at Reo. Reo was confused about who to support.
We are too rigid. We are four geniuses trying to play 'correct' soccer.
They are four monsters playing 'survival' soccer.
Score: 0 - 2.
Minutes later, Chigiri broke through on a counter-attack initiated by Nagi. His speed was too much for Reo.
Team White was down 2 goals.
Rin glared at Isagi. "Is this your plan, Isagi? To lose to these rejects?"
Isagi stopped running. He stood in the midfield, the digital grass humming beneath his feet.
He closed his eyes.
Why are we losing?
Because Rin wants to be the General. I want to be the God. We are fighting for control of the same team.
Two heads cannot rule one body.
Isagi opened his eyes.
If I can't command him... I will use him.
I will force a chemical reaction.
"Rin," Isagi said calmly.
Rin turned, seething. "Shut up."
"You can't control the field because there are too many variables," Isagi analyzed. "Nagi, Barou, Chigiri... they don't follow logic. They break it."
Isagi stepped closer.
"Stop trying to order them. Become the Bait."
Rin's eyes widened in insult. "Bait? Me?"
"Draw their attention," Isagi said, his eyes glowing blue. "Make them look at you. And when they do... I will use your shadow to kill them."
Rin stared at Isagi. The idea was revolting. To be a decoy? Him? The Number 1?
But the scoreboard read 0-2. And Rin hated losing more than anything.
"Fine," Rin whispered, a dark aura erupting from him. "But if you miss, Isagi... I will kill you myself."
The Chemical Reaction
Restart.
Isagi took the ball.
He dribbled straight at Rin.
"What is he doing?" Nagi wondered. "Are they colliding?"
Isagi brought his defender (Nagi) toward Rin's defender (Barou).
He created a traffic jam in the center of the field.
Chaos created.
Isagi passed the ball.
Not to Rin.
He passed it through the confusion to Bachira on the wing.
"Thanks, Isagi!" Bachira laughed, receiving the ball in space.
The defenders turned to Bachira.
Rin, realizing the space was now open in the center, sprinted.
Isagi sprinted alongside him.
They were running parallel.
Two diagonal runs.
Crossing paths.
Nagi and Barou were confused. Who marks who?
The hesitation was fatal.
Bachira crossed the ball.
Isagi and Rin arrived at the penalty spot at the same time.
The ball was coming to Rin.
But Isagi was there too.
"Move!" Rin yelled.
Isagi didn't move. He used Rin as a screen to block the goalkeeper's vision.
Rin trapped the ball.
But before Rin could shoot, Isagi swept his leg through.
He stole the shot from Rin.
Direct Shot.
The ball flew past Rin's ear, past the blinded keeper, and into the net.
GOAL.
Team White: 1 - Team Red: 2
Isagi landed.
Rin looked at him, absolutely livid. "You... you stole my goal!"
Isagi smirked, looking back at the Number 1.
"I told you," Isagi said. "You make an excellent decoy, Rin."
Isagi pointed at Nagi and Barou, who were arguing about the defensive mix-up.
"We broke their logic. Now, let's break their spirit."