019 Blue Lock: System Ten Years Early

"Next time, I will definitely stop you."

Nishioka Hajime forcefully shook his head, yet Shinichi's words from just now kept replaying endlessly in his mind.

"Impossible, how could something like this happen? He's only watched a few times, how could he already understand it!"

But…

I really can't break through! Every single time I feel like I can find an opening, feint past and create a chance, yet this guy always appears at the exact spot that hurts me the most, blocking my sprint.

'My weapon has really been seen through by this guy!'

"No good, Messi, how can you not stay focused on the pitch?"

Along with that voice full of mockery and disgust echoing leisurely by his ears, Nishioka Hajime's consciousness began to blur. In a daze, he seemed to glimpse Shinichi's figure flashing past like a ghost, quickly vanishing from his field of vision, the distance between them growing wider and wider.

"Be… behind me… could it be… did I really manage to shake him off?"

Even though there was clearly no longer any sense of the ball at his feet, Nishioka Hajime kept deceiving himself, running, struggling, until he finally collapsed to the ground in a sorry state.

'So I was tackled after all…'

No longer continuing the chase, Nishioka Hajime lay there powerlessly on the cold, hard ground, his eyes hollow and lost, his gaze fixed tightly on that figure growing farther away, swift as the wind.

"If… I hadn't come to this Blue Lock, would everything be different? Maybe I wouldn't be completely destroyed like this… I could still be that 'Messi' shining in Aomori, I…"

"But why, why do I not regret it at all… why am I actually this happy?"

Lying on the ground, Nishioka Hajime raised his arm to block the dazzling lights. Tears slipped out despite himself, yet a brilliant smile was clearly on his lips.

"What Aomori's Messi… just like he said, clinging to such a meaningless title— I really was… unbelievably stupid."

"Ah— coming to Blue Lock was really great!"

Shinichi surged forward like a bolt of lightning, his unstoppable momentum throwing the defenders into panic as they hurriedly filled positions to defend. At that moment, Shinichi lightly flicked the ball away.

Before the defenders could even react, Shinichi had already blown past him like the wind. At the same time, Hiori Yo's return pass arrived perfectly in sync. This almost delay-free, ultra-speed one-two left the defender helplessly reduced to a wooden post, standing there dumbfounded as he watched Shinichi dribble straight toward the goal.

Bang… swish!

3:0

"Phew… Hiori, that pass just now was really nice— probably the best one so far."

After scoring, Shinichi excitedly pointed at Hiori Yo. If the previous coordination was a Chess Player moving one step at a time by the book, then that goal was like moving one and a half steps at once— the speed of action was on a completely different level.

Not only was the receiving position extremely comfortable, but after passing the ball, his run didn't need to slow down to wait for it at all. While sprinting at full speed, the ball would naturally arrive at his feet. That lightning-fast combination dribble across the pitch was simply a Blue Lock version of a "monster fast break."

"Yeah, I think it was pretty good too." Hiori Yo nodded in agreement. "I've always been thinking about improving myself, wanting to catch up to you, but I realized that's not enough. It's not just that my physical abilities can't keep up— even if I barely manage to, compared to you, Shinichi, I'm still holding you back."

"So I have to be one step faster, prepare myself in advance for the future. Only then can I coordinate with you properly. That's what I was thinking with that pass just now, so without realizing it…"

Could it be that by setting 'keeping up with me' as his goal, he unconsciously entered a FLOW state, and by chance touched the threshold of 'over-limit vision'?

"It's fine, let's score two more and find the rhythm." Thinking this, Shinichi smiled and patted Hiori Yo on the shoulder to comfort him, but as he started walking back, a figure blocked his path.

"Shinichi!"

"Yo, Messi? What's up?"

"Don't call me that." Nishioka Hajime slapped Shinichi's hand away irritably and took a deep breath.

"Shinichi, thank you. If it weren't for you, I might still be immersed in past glory. This time I lost, but I won't keep losing."

"No matter how long it takes, I'll keep chasing you, surpassing you, surpassing everyone, and become the world's number one striker… that will be me!"

The curve at Shinichi's lips slowly disappeared, his gaze sharpening like twin blades as he looked Nishioka up and down.

"Unfortunately, in my entire life, I've never tasted what it's like to be surpassed. And those who fall behind will only be left farther and farther behind by me, until they're completely out of sight."

"Then let's try it. Don't think you're the only Genius."

So he didn't destroy him after all— or rather, the one called 'Aomori's Messi' was already destroyed, but he rebuilt himself. Forget it, if it were that easy, it wouldn't be interesting. Or rather, this is exactly what Blue Lock is.

Shinichi clenched his fist excitedly. Just one Nishioka Hajime was already like this— then what about Rin, Isagi, and even more 'monsters'?

Thinking of this, Shinichi let out the same sigh as Nishioka.

"Coming to Blue Lock was really great."

From here, the match resumed. Nishioka Hajime completely gave up solo play and instead used flashy dribbling to activate his teammates, but it was still no match for the duo of Shinichi and Hiori. After all, not everyone is a monster like Isagi Yoichi, who can instantly destroy himself and then rebuild.

Final score: 9:0. Team X wins.

As the female announcer's voice rang out, the match was officially declared over. Shinichi and Nishioka exchanged a distant look.

"It's not over yet. Next round, I'll come back."

Shinichi shoved Hiori Yo away in disgust.

"Don't just casually voice-act for other people."

"Eh— but that's exactly what he's thinking. It's so easy to understand, you can tell at a glance."

...

Leaving aside Shinichi and his group's cheerful harmony, shifting our focus to Isagi Yoichi's side— inside the silent locker room, everyone was gasping for breath, and on the screen was displayed the score of this match, the number glaringly reading 3:2.

"Damn it! A collective counterattack in the final minute— that kind of tactic is impossible to stop!" Naruhaya Asahi gulped down a mouthful of water and complained loudly.

"Damn it, that bastard with the long bangs actually passed the ball. Isn't he a striker? Passing at a time like that?" Raichi Jingo roared unhappily. Being drawn away by Niko at the last moment and missing Okawa left him furious.

"By the way, Niko was already blocked, so why was the goalkeeper still staring over there? If he could've saved that shot…"

"I already said it— I only became goalkeeper because I lost the draw."

Because of the defeat, the team's meager unity vanished in an instant, everyone blaming and dumping responsibility on each other.

'I… lost again. I couldn't even win in this bottom-tier Building 5. How am I supposed to catch up to that bastard up above?'

Kira Ryosuke had a towel over his head, staring blankly at his feet, and beside him, Isagi Yoichi was the same.

This was the butterfly effect brought by Kōken Shinichi. He woke Kira Ryosuke up early, preventing him from being eliminated in the first round, but at the same time, Team Z's overall stronger strength caused everyone, including Isagi Yoichi, to lose the sense of urgency that came from being weak and on the brink of elimination, resulting in delayed evolution.

In fact, they still didn't win their first match either. Against Baro's Team X, the score was a 5:5 draw. Currently, Team Z's strongest overall player, Kira Ryosuke, could not surpass Baro Shoei in individuality. Under King Baro's individuality, Team X evolved from 0 to 1, but Team Z remained a scattered mess.

Kira Ryosuke, who excelled at team football, initially coordinated with Isagi Yoichi to score amid the chaos, and thanks to the goal and his fame, barely got everyone to follow him. But as Baro's individuality and strength emerged, integrating Team X and gradually overtaking the score, Team Z also descended into confusion.

"If we can't break it open, then we'll win with my sexy goal!" With Raichi Jingo's furious shout, Team Z returned to the primitive 0. Kira Ryosuke, who preached "only with everyone do I exist" and specialized in team football, gradually lost his way as well. If not for Isagi Yoichi scoring a last-second goal by exploiting blind spots in vision to secure a precious draw, Team Z would already be confirmed eliminated.

The root cause was that everyone on Team Z possessed extremely distinct talent and individuality. Just by looking at how many passed the second selection, it was clear— though called Team Z, it was actually packed with talent. In such a team, whether it was Kira Ryosuke or Isagi Yoichi, their weapons were not absolute enough. Without a truly decisive, overwhelming weapon, it's impossible to tame this group of reckless beasts. At least for now, none of them could become that decisive 1.

"A beast without hunger won't risk its life to hunt. Win or lose, live or die— lose one more match and you're eliminated. Only at the brink between life and death will a striker awaken."

Glancing casually, Ego Jinpachi turned his head to observe Shinichi, who was practicing.

Only in matches that decide life and death will these guys change. Whether they awaken or sink into oblivion will all be determined by the next victory or defeat— and only then will it be worth his time to watch.