032 Blue Lock: System Ten Years Early

"It's way too fast!"

Watching Shinichi charge over menacingly, Otoya Eita blurted out instinctively while constantly observing the situation on the field.

'That blue-haired guy is defending Aryu—cutting in front to defend? … Even if Aryu's touch range is big enough, passing there would still be very risky. And behind them is that monster— with him there, there's absolutely no chance to pass back to Karasu.'

"Since that's the case, I'll just do it myself!"

With his back to the defender, Otoya Eita suddenly nudged the ball between the opponent's legs. As the opponent turned his head to look for the ball, Otoya accelerated and spun around, using agile footwork to pull off a brilliant nutmeg and run-through, even turning the humiliated defender into a human post that blocked Shinichi's path.

But…

"Watch out, Otoya! That guy is very different now!" Karasu Tabito shouted frantically while struggling to chase Shinichi. However, in just that brief delay, Shinichi had already caught up and pinned the football under his foot.

"This guy… when did he get behind me?" Otoya Eita turned his head back in disbelief.

Shinichi had actually maintained high speed while accurately bypassing around the defender. During the detour, he even used the opponent's body as cover to slip past Otoya's backward glance, making him mistakenly think he'd been successfully blocked.

This was the perfect combination of Isagi Yoichi's use of blind spots in vision + Otoya Eita's off-the-ball movement!

"Damn it, it won't be that easy. Even if I have to foul, I'll stop you."

Knowing that it would be very hard to win the ball back from Shinichi by strength alone, Otoya Eita steeled himself and went for a bear hug.

'Aryu's tied up by that blue-haired guy, my speed can't match this bastard, and only Karasu is behind—there's no way he can defend him. I can only foul first and let us reset our formation.'

"Sorry, I'm not used to such passionate hugs from a man."

However, even such a humble request was flatly rejected by Shinichi. He raised his hand and pressed it against Otoya Eita's side. They were right next to each other, yet that tiny distance felt like an unbridgeable chasm.

After lifting his hand to control the distance, Shinichi immediately struck the ball. The football spun forward into the attacking half, a long pass that precisely found the forward-running Hiori Yo.

"You even copied my passing, Shinichi, you bastard…" Hiori Yo, who had shaken off Aryu Jyubei with consecutive reverse runs, caught the incredibly comfortable pass with a displeased look.

"Seriously— even though you're not forcing me to do anything, that rate of evolution of yours, that pressure… aren't you basically pushing me to never stop moving?"

"Fine, then I'll show you!"

Hiori Yo surged forward with the ball, Aryu Jyubei sticking to him like a shadow.

"Beautiful reverse run. You earned yourself space to receive the ball under my coverage. But glamorous me will stop you right here."

"Don't forget about me." Unexpectedly, Karasu Tabito, realizing he couldn't catch up from behind, directly changed routes to block Hiori Yo's path. "As expected— even though Shinichi is stronger than before now, his condition is still off!"

"When breaking through, he avoids turning movements as much as possible. The only time he did was that scoop move— a half-turn with his body sideways. Even when he stole the ball from Otoya from behind, he didn't turn to attack but chose a long pass. He's doing everything he can to avoid turning!"

"New data input— now it's time to output. I finally caught you!" Karasu Tabito and Aryu Jyubei blocked Hiori Yo's dribbling space from front and back.

"New data will bring a new situation to the pitch."

"One after another— how annoying!" Hiori Yo narrowed his eyes and started straight ahead. Just before his right foot touched the ball, it suddenly lifted, circling the ball counterclockwise from outside to inside. After the feint pulled both of their centers of gravity, he flicked outward with the instep.

'Instep flick outward— a pass? No, impossible! Shinichi hasn't arrived yet. Hiori wouldn't risk passing to someone else. It's a feint!'

Aryu Jyubei and Karasu Tabito realized it almost simultaneously and both stuck out a foot. However…

"I guessed it long ago— but you guys really thought I'd use such a stupid feint…" Hiori Yo said helplessly. At the same time, the toe of the foot flicking outward suddenly pointed down, slipping under the slightly lifted ball, then popping it up.

The football instantly took off, barely clearing the two crossed intercepting legs. Hiori Yo had already run around to wait at the landing point. "You really underestimated me completely."

"I… didn't say I lost!" Suddenly, a foot stretched out from behind. Aryu Jyubei roared as he poked the ball away from under Hiori Yo's feet. After rolling twice on the ground, he fell awkwardly.

"The one who'll shine on this pitch is me!"

"That's impressive. Even after all that, you still made it back. Your defensive range really isn't normal." Hiori Yo looked at the fallen Aryu Jyubei. In his eyes there was surprise, admiration— but not a trace of astonishment.

"What a shame. I expected you'd catch up too. You should be here by now as well."

"Nice work, Hiori." Shinichi flashed past Hiori Yo. The poked-away football was already at his feet.

"What are you all showing off for on your own!" Karasu Tabito burst out from the side, desperately bracing against Shinichi. The impact from his run-up even made Shinichi stall for a moment.

"Take me along too."

"So annoying!" Shinichi impatiently pressed a hand against Karasu's upper body, but the latter merely shifted slightly and swatted Shinichi's arm aside.

"Hey, don't get so arrogant, Genius!" Karasu Tabito gritted his teeth, constantly clashing with Shinichi.

"My own moves— of course I know them best. You think you can crush the original owner with stolen goods? What a big-shot attitude."

…

"Agreed. I'm also very unhappy with that superior attitude of yours." Otoya Eita circled behind Shinichi and suddenly kicked in for a steal.

"And you can't turn right now, can you? Got you!"

"Shinichi, here!" Hiori Yo shouted from the other side, but Aryu Jyubei spread his limbs wide, completely covering him. "Sorry, this path is blocked."

A complete blockade. Hiori Yo's passing, Otoya Eita's agile movement, Karasu Tabito's upper-body actions, Isagi Yoichi's use of vision— all of it was ineffective! As the copied weapons failed to work, two pairs of legs kept squeezing his dribbling space, sealing off Shinichi's last escape route bit by bit...

Yet even in this situation, Shinichi remained expressionless, only an overwhelming frustration boiling inside.

'What's still missing… I've been forced this far, yet I don't have that protagonist's ability to break through at the last moment? What is that one thing I didn't notice… who else... Aryu?!'

A flash of insight struck. Shinichi felt his whole self shatter into fragments and crumble apart. Immediately after, endless data surged from the minds of everyone on the field, recombining Shinichi once more.

"Stolen abilities, the someone I overlooked— piecing all of this together gives... that's it! Why? Why didn't I copy Aryu's ability? So that's how it is... I get it!"

With his path completely blocked, Shinichi was about to face the first interception of his career— yet he suddenly burst into laughter.

"Hahahaha, so that's how it is. Something this simple actually tortured me for so long."

"Haizaki Shogo, the secret of your 'Devour'— I've cracked it!"