Chapter 230: Evenly Matched — Round 2
Bang!
Of course, no one except Shinichi had the ability to accelerate their own thinking.
To everyone else, Charles had sent out a long pass almost instantly, without the slightest pause.
At the same moment, Noa burst forward—his movements clean, sharp, and impossibly fast as he sliced through the players.
And the ball soaring through the air…matched his speed perfectly.
....
"As expected… it's here."
Shinichi reached the drop zone at the exact same time as Noa—he had predicted Noa's destination flawlessly.
He pressed his shoulder into Noa's, locking into a fierce contest for position.
"Looks like you still couldn't shake me. If you want to score… you still have to get past me first."
But Noa merely glanced at him.
He didn't fight for position.
He didn't push.
He didn't even try to overpower Shinichi.
This confused Shinichi—and then a sudden surge of danger shot through his nerves.
....
'Why is there such a long delay between Noa's run and Charles's pass? Why isn't Noa even trying to win the duel…?'
'Unless—'
A cold shiver shot down Shinichi's back.
....
"He wants me to think the target is here…He's been slowing me down on purpose!"
Shinichi instantly jerked his head upward, trying to re-track the ball's spin—suspecting Charles had added an extra twist.
But—
That moment was exactly what Noa had waited for.
The instant Shinichi turned his eyes away—
Noa suddenly slipped backward, escaping their clash.
Then—
He leapt.
And as Shinichi looked up—
The ball and the sun overlapped.
A blinding flash.
Tears involuntarily welled in his eyes.
And in midair, Noa lifted his leg—like an untouchable god delivering judgment to the mortal foolish enough to look directly at him.
.....
'So that's it…'
Shinichi finally understood.
The sun—the blazing sphere hanging nearly 150 million kilometers away—had been the ice spike he overlooked.
And Noa used it mercilessly.
In Shinichi's Ice World, that sun shattered—and every shard froze him in place.
....
"Your right-back was originally from the national U-20 squad. He has experience dealing with outdoor conditions."
Noa spoke coldly as he hung in the air.
"But you? You're just like the other Blue Lock kids—
inexperienced under real match variables."
"Once you adjust for the sun on one side…you start ignoring it as a threat altogether."
....
Then Noa twisted his body further—not for an easier right-foot strike, but for a harder left-foot shot.
He was avoiding the chance of Shinichi blindly blocking the shot.
Even with everything in his favor, even after using the sun to partially blind Shinichi, even with victory almost guaranteed—
Noa stayed perfectly rational.
Perfectly calculated.
Perfectly terrifying.
The ideal striker—the undefeatable wall of logic.
And Shinichi— blind, crying from the sunlight,
jumping like a "headless fly"—
still tried to block him.
But Noa had already accounted for that, too.
The difference in experience was overwhelming.
The commentator sighed—
"It appears Japan's new generation #1 still has a long way to go. The gap between him and the real world #1 is clearer than ever. After all, he's still just—wait… WHAT?!"
His voice spiked—
Because at that moment—
Noa, suspended in the air, unleashed a left-foot strike—
....
BAM—THUD!
A splash of red bloomed across the green grass.
Even though Noa had avoided Shinichi, even though Shinichi's eyes were shut, even though Noa's prediction was perfect—
Shinichi suddenly twisted his head midair.
The blazing shot struck him full force across the face.
A sickening impact.
Nose bleeding violently.
For a moment, Shinichi nearly blacked out—but before Noa landed—before consciousness could fade—He forced himself upright—and with a desperate swing of his leg—he cleared the ball out of bounds.
Only then did he collapse.
....
"Unbelievable!"
The commentator roared:
"Shinichi refuses to bow! Despite being blinded by the sun, he predicted Noa's shot trajectory—and blocked it WITH HIS FACE!"
"Who would've guessed? Even after the world's #1 used every trick he had, Shinichi still stopped the shot!"
The second commentator added, more calmly:
....
"This wasn't accidental."
"Shinichi exposed the shooting lane for Noa's right foot—on purpose. His sudden shift was bait."
"He planned to block the left-foot strike from the start."
"He used his own movements to FORCE Noa into a predictable shot angle."
.....
Another voice:
"Yes, though it seems he's injured—look, there's blood on the grass. That ball hit him hard."
"But here's the key detail— Shinichi only fell after clearing the ball out of play."
"That level of determination…you can't teach that."
....
Shinichi's vision slowly returned.
His head throbbed.
He tasted blood.
He raised a trembling hand—
his palm came away red.
He hadn't taken a hit this severe since reincarnating into this world.
He'd always been in control.
Always calculating.
Always prepared.
But this—
This was the first time someone had ripped away that safety.
The first time he was forced to bleed.
And something awakened inside him.
The stubborn, obsessive tenacity passed down from Kobe Bryant's spirit.
A need to fight back.
Right now.
....
Shinichi slowly rose.
Blood dripping from his chin.
Lightning flickering behind his eyes.
And with a calm, icy voice—
"All right. Let's start ROUND 2."
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