"Rin Itoshi from Blue Lock made a reckless attempt to break through U-20's defensive line alone, only to be stopped by Ryōsuke Kira!"
The commentator's excited shout was met with thunderous cheers from the crowd, celebrating Ryōsuke's masterful defense.
"Thank goodness you were there, Kira." Oliver wiped sweat from his forehead, sighing with relief.
Even as the ace defender, he couldn't have stopped Rin — yet Ryōsuke had managed it.
There were no flashy moves, just what seemed like ordinary defensive plays. In reality, they contained multiple battles of technique, speed, and power between the two players.
Ryōsuke had emerged utterly victorious.
Just moments ago, Rin had shown the strongest offensive capability on the field, even surpassing Sae for an instant!
Yet he still couldn't overcome the mountain that was Ryōsuke.
"Looks like the genius older brother just lost to the genius younger brother." Oliver quipped, turning to look at Sae.
Though Sae had seemed relaxed throughout the match, his recent clash with Rin had clearly shown him in a serious state.
The younger brother had truly surpassed the older one!
"You're only seeing the surface results." Sae said coolly, his expression unchanged as he turned his gaze toward Ryōsuke.
He knew it was because of him that his brother had entered that state.
Even though Rin's displayed limit had slightly exceeded his expectations, that was all there was to it — nothing particularly worth noting.
Meanwhile, Rin sat exhausted on the ground, breathing heavily as sweat dripped from his face.
He had just entered the Flow state, unlocking his physical potential and achieving intense mental focus — but this had taken a massive toll on his body. Though the first half wasn't even over, he was already completely drained both mentally and physically.
Ryōsuke's last clearance was the final blow. If that shot had gone in, perhaps Rin could have found renewed strength to continue playing.
But that man had destroyed all hope of that.
"Rin, you were so close, and you did surpass Sae!" Though Yoichi found Rin's actions unreasonable, he still stepped forward to comfort him.
"Shut up! Without beating Kira, none of it means anything!" Rin pounded the ground in frustration.
When Yoichi tried to help him up, he pushed his hand away.
"Meaningless... meaningless..." Rin repeated these words, his face clouded with gloom.
With only one possession remaining in the first half, Blue Lock prepared for their throw-in. The stakes were high — equalizing before halftime would give them crucial momentum for the second half.
Blue Lock committed all their forces to this final attack, desperate to score. For U-20, defending these last moments was equally vital.
The field grew crowded as Jūbē stepped up for the throw-in. Using his superior height and reach, he launched the ball precisely to Ikki.
Ikki's arrival strengthened Blue Lock's tactical options. He and Yoichi shared the Metavision ability, giving them both an exceptional understanding of the game.
Scanning the field, Ikki quickly formulated his strategy. 'We need to avoid Kira's side. Create a diversion to draw him away — pull him to the opposite sideline. Then we'll strike from another position!'
His tactical thinking perfectly aligned with Yoichi's. Together, they could read the entire field.
Ikki surged forward, exchanging quick give-and-go passes with Meguru while advancing toward the goal line.
"Not letting you through, shorty!" Teppei blocked his path.
But this was exactly what Ikki wanted — drawing in the defender was part of his plan. He'd already read everyone's movements perfectly.
Instead of keeping possession, he passed to where Yoichi waited, ready to combine.
Their identical abilities, techniques, and game sense allowed them to coordinate instantly. Yoichi had immediately understood Ikki's tactics and moved into position.
They executed another give-and-go, finding perfect passing lanes that neither Miroku nor Kazuma could defend against. It was like watching two players with complete field vision working in perfect sync.
"The Blue Lock players are mounting one final all-out attack in these closing moments of the first half! Even their defender has pushed forward! These two players are displaying extraordinary coordination!" The commentator shouted excitedly.
"Have those two practiced this combination before?" Tabito asked in amazement.
"What incredible teamwork!" Meguru beamed from the sideline.
The purpose of Ikki and Yoichi's fluid combination play was clear — to draw in Ryōsuke!
No one could defeat him alone, not even Rin in his Flow state.
Ikki and Yoichi were trying to lure him to the sideline, creating better shooting opportunities for their teammates. Even if he stayed back, they'd still have a chance to shoot.
As expected, Ryōsuke now stood blocking their path forward.
'It's not just Isagi — Niko's movements have changed too. Could he have also gained the Metavision ability?' Ryōsuke analyzed the situation.
This seemed the most likely explanation. In the original story, Yoichi hadn't gained Metavision until much later, but now he had already mastered it. Even Ikki possessed it. This team had become far more formidable.
If his theory was correct, these two could track his position perfectly and predict his movements. Yet Ryōsuke remained unfazed. Even if they could predict his actions, he would simply overwhelm them with superior speed and power. Their foresight wouldn't matter if they couldn't react in time.
With the ball at his feet, Yoichi suddenly sensed a fierce predator charging toward him!
It was Ryōsuke, his speed like lightning across the field!
"Here he comes!" Yoichi's heart raced.
Though this monster hadn't reached him yet, the pressure was already crushing. One wrong move would spell disaster!
But for Yoichi, this was the perfect opportunity — he had successfully drawn Ryōsuke's attention!
Across the field, Seishirō stood unmarked. If they could get him the ball, they might score! This was Yoichi's plan.
As Ryōsuke charged forward with frightening speed, Yoichi seized his chance and launched a long pass toward Seishirō. He had used himself as bait, drawing his opponent's attention to create an opening!
Yoichi could see clearly that his teammate faced the weakest defense.
The instant he kicked the ball, Blue Lock's chances of equalizing soared!
"Nagi!" Yoichi called out.
Having successfully played his role as bait to lure Ryōsuke in, now...
"Such a simple trap isn't worth mentioning!"
Suddenly, Yoichi's eyes widened. Through his Metavision, he witnessed an incredible sight — Ryōsuke, who had been charging toward him, abruptly changed direction and darted straight after the ball with astonishing speed!
"What?" He exclaimed, "Is Kira going after that ball?!"
Ryōsuke's speed, enhanced by Level 4 Thunderclap and Flash, completely surpassed Yoichi's earlier calculations, throwing off all his predictions.
"Don't let him through!"
Just then, another crimson figure swept past Ryōsuke — Hyōma Chigiri!
Though he lacked Metavision, Hyōma immediately grasped Yoichi's tactics. As Blue Lock's fastest player, he had to intercept Ryōsuke to create an opening for Seishirō!
Even if his legs gave out, victory would be worth it!
Hyōma had been sprinting at top speed almost constantly, and his legs showed clear signs of fatigue. His old knee injury, in particular, throbbed with pain.
But he ignored it — he had to stop his target, if only for a second!
Hyōma reached Ryōsuke's side and lowered his center of gravity to block him. But then, he heard a calm voice beside his ear:
"Kunoichi, you're fast... But not fast enough! This level of speed won't stop me!"
Just as Hyōma moved to block Ryōsuke, his opponent suddenly changed direction.
❖ Thunderclap and Flash ➠ Sixfold! ❖
His legs rapidly alternated the First Form in quick succession, creating seamless multi-stage sprints that increased his range and made his movements unpredictable. Though this placed tremendous strain on his body, he could now handle it.
Ryōsuke activated Thunderclap and Flash with his right foot, instantly changing direction and creating distance between himself and Hyōma.
"What?! He can change direction at that speed?!" Hyōma stared at him in disbelief.
Changing direction without slowing down was practically impossible. Yet Ryōsuke had done it — he truly was a monster beyond common sense!
Having broken free from his opponent, Ryōsuke sprinted unobstructed toward where Yoichi had passed the ball!
"Stop him!"
Tabito and Kenyū instinctively reached out to intercept him, but it was futile — they couldn't catch him! Ryōsuke was like lightning, cutting across the field from sideline to sideline.
"No, I have to catch it." Seishirō had broken free from his defender and was racing toward where Yoichi's pass would land.
If he could receive the ball, he could use his unparalleled control skills to shoot.
It was a race of speed — but when it came to pure velocity, no one could match Ryōsuke, who reached the spot first!
Though he lacked the Metavision of Yoichi and Ikki, his Thunder Swarm let him see exactly where the ball would land!
Ryōsuke had nearly matched the speed of the pass!
Both young men jumped simultaneously, but Ryōsuke used his final Thunderclap and Flash for the leap. The explosive power gave him the advantage in mid-air. His head made contact first, clearing the speeding ball away!
The clearance was successful!
At that same moment, the whistle blew for halftime!
❖❖❖
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