Blue Lock: Beyond Greatness

The situation on the field shifted multiple times, leaving even the two professional commentators momentarily speechless.

After stumbling over their words, the overwhelming excitement finally surged through them, and they announced the final outcome of the match with the most passionate and high-pitched voices of their lives.

"Isagi... Isagi Yoichi blocked Shinichi's shot! He then launched a swift counterattack, and the ball ultimately landed at Itoshi Sae's feet. However, instead of taking the shot himself, Itoshi Sae passed the final opportunity to the one who had reclaimed possession—Isagi Yoichi! Unfortunately, under the relentless pursuit of Shinichi, his shot was denied by the goalkeeper, Gagamaru Gin!"

"What a pity! Luck was not on Isagi's side this time. But at the same time, we must congratulate Shinichi! Although he was unable to extend the lead further, he managed to maintain the goal difference until the very last second. With Gagamaru Gin restarting play, the final ten seconds ticked away, and the referee blew the final whistle—there are no more surprises left."

"Shinichi, in his debut appearance in an official match, single-handedly dominated a U-20 representative team that featured none other than Itoshi Sae!"

"The final score—U-20 Representative Team: 3, Blue Lock Team: 7! Shinichi alone scored six goals! Let's give a thunderous cheer for this rising star of the football world, because we are witnessing the birth of yet another prodigious superstar!"

"At the same time, congratulations to all the players of Blue Lock! Who would have thought that a group of high schoolers, after just a few months of training, could form a makeshift team of strikers and go head-to-head with the U-20 representatives like this? There's no doubt that soon, the name 'Blue Lock' will spread throughout the football world!"

"Now, let's all shout the name of the victors!"

"BLUE LOCK!"

A deafening cheer erupted like a tidal wave, nearly making people's ears ring.

Even Rin found himself momentarily swept up in the overwhelming celebration. But he quickly snapped back to reality, clenching his fist as he gazed at Shinichi's back.

"So this... is victory... Now, at this moment, I finally understand what you meant... No matter what, winning always comes first."

"But this kind of victory isn't what I want. Whether it's Itoshi Sae or you, I haven't surpassed either of you. I still need to become stronger... Not just victory—I want to satisfy my own ambitions as well. That is my goal now!"

...

With so many eyes on him, Shinichi didn't notice Rin watching him. Instead, he jogged away, dodging Bachira's incoming punches.

"You bastard! You wasted my perfect pass just to mess with Isagi! Damn it!"

"Haha, sorry, sorry." Isagi knew he was at fault, but there was no helping it.

Just as Isagi had pointed out, there were too few players on their side who had unlocked Meta Vision and could keep up with their pace.

Compared to the U-20 team—who had Isagi, Hiori, Sae, Aiku, and even Shidou, who, despite lacking Meta Vision, could instinctively position himself at that level—on their side, only Shinichi and Rin could properly match the rhythm.

For Shinichi, not having Hiori by his side, combined with the losses of his "pieces" like Zantetsu and Kurona one after another, significantly weakened the tactical advantage he gained from his strategist playstyle.

Even with ZONE activated in the second half, he found himself in a more reactive position.

At that moment, even if Shinichi had scored, his personal goal tally compared to the U-20 team would still have been just 3:7.

Meanwhile, Isagi had already found a way to break through him and wouldn't fall for the same one-on-two trap again.

It was highly likely that Isagi would exploit a new opening and score in the final moments, making the score 4:7, preventing Shinichi from achieving his declared goal of doubling the U-20 team's score.

Thus, Shinichi had no choice but to make a one-for-one trade-off. Of course, if he could have scored, he absolutely wouldn't have deliberately missed just to create despair.

Having copied Isagi's direct shot weapon, he had fully intended to score. His plan at that moment was to score while subtly disrupting Isagi's shot, ensuring that the final individual tally between him and the U-20 team ended at 3:7—just enough to fulfill his twofold goal.

But things didn't go exactly as Shinichi had anticipated.

Although he had a more powerful shot option that would have guaranteed a goal, at that moment, Isagi had indeed managed to block his shot.

Shinichi wouldn't make excuses for it, but fortunately, he still achieved his ultimate goal in the end.

"Shinichi."

Sae's voice cut through the playful scuffle between Shinichi and Bachira. He approached with a cold demeanor, his gaze locking onto Shinichi's eyes.

"You're stronger than I expected."

"Of course," Shinichi replied with a smirk. "So... does that mean you're accepting my invitation?"

"My agent will get in touch with you soon," Sae said flatly. "Since you claim you're aiming for something big, let me see what your plan is." With that, he turned and walked away without even sparing a glance at Rin.

Trailing behind him was Aiku, who let out a sigh. "Man, you really don't let up, do you? I have to admit, I didn't expect you to actually pull this off."

As he spoke, Aiku removed the captain's armband from his arm and handed it to Shinichi. "I'll give you this one—I lost fair and square. Since you managed to lead a team of newcomers to defeat us, I trust that you'll take U-20 even further."

"Don't worry," Shinichi said, accepting the armband with a rare sense of gravity. "Just follow my lead. I'll take you all to the very top—to bask in the glory of a championship."

"Hah, bold words," Aiku chuckled, shaking his head. But then, with a firm pat on Kou's shoulder, he added, "Still, I believe you."

"Now, get going. The post-match interview is waiting for you. You're the star of the show—don't keep them waiting too long."

...

Standing before the hastily assembled backdrop, Shinichi faced a barrage of cameras and flashing lights, their relentless bursts failing to elicit even the slightest reaction from him. His youthful yet strikingly composed face remained unshaken as he calmly met the gaze of the reporter holding the microphone.

Despite his vast experience, the journalist couldn't help but feel a flicker of nervousness under Shinichi's commanding presence.

Nevertheless, his professionalism held firm as he cleared his throat and launched into the prepared interview script.

"Ahem… As you can all see, we are honored to have with us today the standout player of this match—Kanzaki Shinichi!"

"Kou secured an astonishing six goals in this game. Could you share with us your immediate thoughts after the match?"

"This outcome was expected."

"Ah? … Ahem! It seems Shinichi is brimming with confidence! Of course, for an athlete, having an unshakable belief in victory is essential. Now, given your exceptional performance today, there's a high chance you'll be selected for the U-20 national team, and possibly even the World Cup. What are your goals moving forward?"

"…To become the best in the world."

"Excuse me? I might not have heard that clearly. Could you repeat it?"

"I will become the best in the world. Then, I will dominate world football and claim every single trophy."

"Ahaha! What a grand and ambitious vision! I'm sure many players share that as their ultimate dream. But what we're curious about is your next step—something more immediate and tangible."

"I just told you. Do you need me to repeat it? My goal is—"

"Ahem! And that concludes today's interview! Thank you all for watching!"

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