Blue Lock: Phantom Striker

The air inside the Blue Lock facility was charged with intensity as Team Z stepped onto the pitch for their critical match against Team W. Every player was aware of what was at stake. There was no room for hesitation. They had to win.

At the center of Team W's lineup stood the Wanima brothers, Junichi and Keisuke, identical in both their fiery red hair and their aggressive playstyle. They weren't just skilled; they were dangerous. Their synergy on the field made them one of the deadliest duos in Blue Lock. They moved instinctively, like twin predators hunting in perfect sync. Isagi had seen their match footage before. Team W thrived on quick, relentless counterattacks.

But Isagi wasn't worried. Not yet.

The moment the whistle blew, Team Z attacked.

Kunigami surged forward with his muscular frame, pushing back defenders with sheer force. Bachira danced past opponents with his signature flair, keeping the ball glued to his feet like a magician. And Isagi? He read the game, waiting for his moment.

The opportunity came fast.

Bachira, spotting an opening, flicked a quick pass toward Isagi. Without breaking stride, Isagi shifted the ball past one defender and lined up his shot. His foot connected perfectly. The ball soared past the goalkeeper.

GOAL!

The scoreboard flickered: 1-0.

Team Z had drawn first blood.

Team W barely had time to recover before Team Z struck again. Kunigami, ever the powerhouse, received a pinpoint pass from Chigiri. Without hesitation, he launched a devastating left-footed shot. The goalkeeper barely reacted before the ball ripped through the net.

GOAL!

2-0.

Team Z was dominating. Their attacks were crisp, their chemistry perfect. For the first time in the match, the Wanima brothers looked rattled.

But then, everything changed.

At first, it was subtle. Passes that didn't connect, movements that felt a little off. Isagi felt it immediately. The rhythm had shifted.

Team W tightened their formation. The Wanima brothers, instead of rushing forward recklessly, started waiting. Observing. Lurking.

And then, they struck.

A loose ball in midfield.

A rapid counterattack.

Junichi Wanima broke past Igarashi like he wasn't even there. In one smooth motion, he powered forward and fired a ruthless strike into the net.

GOAL!

2-1.

Team Z barely had time to react before it happened again.

Keisuke Wanima stole the ball from Naruhaya, dashing down the flank like a wild beast. He delivered a cutback pass straight into the penalty box, where his brother was already waiting. Junichi barely took a second to aim before blasting the ball past Gagamaru.

GOAL!

2-2.

The equalizer.

Panic rippled through Team Z.

How had Team W suddenly become so effective? Why did it feel like they knew exactly where to strike?

Isagi's brain worked at lightning speed. He rewound every play in his head.

And then he saw it.

The mistakes. The misplaced positioning. The openings that only one player had consistently left open.

Igarashi.

A cold realization gripped Isagi.

Igarashi was deliberately messing up their defense.

That wasn't all. The way the Wanima brothers played. Their precise target selection, the way they exploited Team Z's weaknesses....they had inside knowledge.

They knew Team Z's tactics before the match even started.

Isagi turned to look at Igarashi.

His movements were sluggish. His eyes avoided contact. His every action screamed guilt.

Then it happened.

Team W passed the ball to Igarashi.

In front of Team Z's stunned players, Igarashi hesitated for half a second, before deliberately taking the shot.

The ball rolled past Gagamaru into the net.

GOAL!

2-3.

The stadium fell silent.

Igarashi had scored against his own team.

The Wanima brothers laughed as they high-fived each other. Keisuke playfully ruffled Igarashi's hair. Junichi whispered something into Igarashi's ear, making him flinch.

Isagi understood everything now.

The Wanima brothers had made a deal with Igarashi.

They promised to help him score goals so that he could advance in Blue Lock. In return, Igarashi had sold out Team Z.

The halftime whistle blew.

The locker room was suffocating. The second the team stepped inside, the weight of betrayal crushed down on them.

Kunigami was the first to explode.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, IGARASHI?!" His voice thundered across the walls, his massive frame looming over the trembling Igarashi. His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles had turned white.

"You were passing like an idiot out there! That goal, was that on purpose?!" Bachira's usual playful tone was gone, replaced by something dark. His golden eyes gleamed with something close to rage.

"You sold us out, didn't you?!" Raichi's voice was venomous. "That's why they knew all our weaknesses! That's why they let you score, you piece of--"

"I...It's not like that!" Igarashi stammered, his entire body drenched in sweat. "I—They said—"

"Shut up!" Chigiri snapped, his fiery red hair framing his sharp glare. "Just admit it. You cut a deal with them. You betrayed us, didn't you?"

Igarashi dropped his head, his hands shaking at his sides.

"Why?" Naruhaya asked, his voice low, filled with bitter disappointment. "Why would you do that?"

Igarashi's breath hitched in his throat.

"Because...." His voice cracked. "Because I had to."

Silence.

The team stared at him, waiting for an explanation.

Igarashi clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. His voice trembled.

"Because I'm the weakest one here," he whispered. "I don't have your talent. I don't have Isagi's instincts, Bachira's dribbling, Kunigami's power—I have nothing! If I don't find a way to stay in Blue Lock, I'll disappear!"

His breathing was ragged now. His desperation reeked.

"You all think I'm pathetic, right? Always tripping over my feet, always screwing up! I know that! That's why I took the deal! At least this way, I get to move forward!"

"By selling us out?!" Raichi growled, stepping forward, his veins popping in his neck. "You're disgusting!"

Igarashi flinched.

"More than disgusting," Kunigami said, his voice a deep rumble. "You're a traitor."

The tension in the room thickened.

And then, Isagi moved.

He had been quiet this entire time, standing in the corner, listening. But now, he stepped forward, his cleats tapping against the cold floor, echoing in the silence.

The temperature in the room seemed to drop.

Everyone turned to look at him.

Isagi's expression was unreadable.

His blue eyes, normally filled with fire, were now hollow, calculating.

He looked at Igarashi. Not with anger, not with disgust, but with something far worse.

Indifference.

"You're right, Igarashi," Isagi said finally. His voice was calm. Too calm.

"You are the weakest one here."

Igarashi's breath caught in his throat.

"But you don't understand something," Isagi continued, stepping even closer. His voice was softer now, almost a whisper, but it coiled around the room like a snake.

"You think Blue Lock is about surviving?" Isagi chuckled. Low, cold, and empty.

"No. Blue Lock is about devouring."

Igarashi shuddered.

Isagi leaned in, his lips barely an inch from Igarashi's ear.

"You're not a player here," Isagi whispered, his voice venomous. "You're just meat waiting to be eaten."

A chill ripped through everyone's spine.

Igarashi took a step back, his entire body trembling, his eyes wide in terror.

The room felt smaller, as if Isagi's presence alone had swallowed the air.

"Listen carefully, Igarashi." Isagi's voice was eerily steady, controlled. Dangerous.

"If you ever pull something like this again…"

His gaze darkened, his smile widening into something twisted.

"I will end you."

The room froze.

Igarashi staggered backward, tripping over his own feet.

For the first time in his life, he felt something worse than fear.

He felt insignificant.

Isagi turned away, his cold expression returning to one of indifference.

He looked at the rest of the team.

"Forget about him," he said. "We fix this ourselves."

He glanced at the scoreboard, his lips curling into a smirk.

"We're winning this match."

The fire in his eyes burned brighter than ever.

And everyone in that locker room knew, at that moment...

This wasn't just about winning anymore.