But just as Ryusei Shido was speaking, a cold voice suddenly cut in beside him.
"Hand over the ball, you Blond cockroach."
"Oh? The annoying eyelash sprite is here."
Just as Ryusei Shido prepared to counter, he was stopped dead in his tracks by Rin Itoshi.
Rin didn't rush in to tackle him either. Ryusei assessed the situation, then just as he leaned toward Rin's left side—
Kudo Tōya shouted from the opposite flank:
"Pass it, Shido! Over there!"
With no better option, Ryusei Shido listened to him and sent the pass—but not toward Kudo Tōya, instead firing it toward Kyohei Shiguma on the left side of Team A's frontcourt.
The moment he passed, Ryusei Shido sprinted toward Team A's side. Rin Itoshi turned as well, keeping pace right beside him.
On the other side, Ryūma and Kudo Tōya started moving at almost the same moment. Using their vision-based abilities, they both saw what might happen next.
Unfortunately for Tōya, his speed couldn't match Ryūma's. Within seconds, he had fallen several meters behind.
(Damn it! No good. By the time I get there, Ryūma might already have the ball!)
(I need a shortcut. Let's see… what's Yoichi Isagi going to do next?)
Moments later, Tōya's eyes lit up, and he abruptly changed direction, sprinting to the opposite side.
Ryūma didn't catch this movement—he was fully focused on Ryusei Shido's positioning. Although the ball was at Kyohei Shiguma's feet, Ryūma felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
(Why does this feel so familiar? This formation…)
Instinctively scanning the field, he froze at what Slow-Motion World revealed.
Kudo Tōya had already sprinted to the center of his own half. Ryusei and Rin were entering the right defensive lane. Kyohei Shiguma held the ball on the left midfield line.
(This setup… is Tōya planning to use that tactic?)
(No—that play needs communication and training beforehand. Today's the first time he's even met Kyohei Shiguma.)
(How can he be sure Kyohei will sync with him?)
The next second, Kyohei Shiguma indeed returned the ball to Kudo Tōya. Ryūma immediately dashed in.
But his movement was predicted by God's Eye—and the closer player, Tōya, secured the ball.
Seeing this, Ryūma felt a surge of dread. He knew Tōya's relentless passing sequence was about to begin.
(Damn it, he predicted me again!)
(Is he really going to feed Ryusei? No point intercepting Tōya now.)
(If that's the case, then I'll block Ryusei's shot lane!)
Tōya wasted no time, firing off a pass—but not toward Ryusei Shido.
It went straight toward Team A's goal. Ryūma's heart clenched.
(A shot? No… a pass! A pass meant for Ryusei!)
Within Slow-Motion World, Ryūma saw Ryusei Shido suddenly explode forward, breaking free from Rin's mark and bursting toward the goalmouth.
Rin wasn't about to let him go, pushing and locking positions with him until both reached the incoming ball.
At that instant, Shōei Barō lunged in from the other side.
"Pass it! Tentacle freak!!"
"Passing?"
Ryusei Shido flashed a wild, arrogant grin. With Rin pinned to his back, he twisted his entire body into an impossible posture.
His left foot planted as an anchor—his right leg whipped horizontally!
[BOOM!!]
Naturally, Team A's keeper—our proud Blue Lock representative—missed completely.
GOAL!! Team A 1 : 1 Team B
Yoichi Isagi, halfway through his run, stared in disbelief.
He had planned to help Rin steal the ball, or intercept Ryusei's pass. But who could have predicted that Ryusei would shoot directly instead?
(No way?!)
(What kind of posture was that?!)
(Wait… hold on!)
(Did he even LOOK at the goal?!)
(So this is the insane physicality that beat Kunigami!)
After scoring, Ryusei Shido flushed bright red, kneeling down in a trance. In his quintessentially twisted tone, he murmured:
"Every cell in my body divides for the sake of scoring goals."
"Thud!"
"Hehehe… hahaha…!"
"Hehehe~"
Massaging his temples, Kudo Tōya walked up to him with a disgusted look.
"Cut the heatstroke act already, Ryusei. Get up."
"You just don't understand, little Tōya-chan~"
Meanwhile, Ryūma stroked his chin, thoughtful.
(Interesting… Tōya really has changed. Before, he would've gone for a nonstop passing chain.)
(But now he chose to send the ball straight into the box.)
(Heh. Is that confidence in Ryusei… or in himself?)
Still thinking, Ryūma headed for the center circle, glancing at Rin Itoshi.
"Rin, try to keep Ryusei from running Off the Ball freely—especially when Tōya moves. As long as you restrain—"
Rin cut him off coldly.
"Are you giving me an order?"
"Uh—no, I'm asking for your help."
"Switch with me. You deal with the Blond cockroach. I'll take Kudo."
"Huh? But you were supposed to—"
Rin didn't bother listening and walked back to his position.
Ryūma let out a helpless smile, then looked toward Ryusei Shido, who was grinning smugly in the distance.
(Fine, fine. Let's switch opponents. Time to see just how strong this so-called 'strongest creature in the penalty area' really is.)
Team A's ball. Ryūma kicks off from center circle.
"Slow down… world."
As he spoke, Ryūma passed to Yo Hiori on the right side of the circle. Immediately, he and Rin Itoshi swapped opponents with perfect understanding.
Across the field, Yo Hiori received the ball and wisely held back from charging into Team B's inner field. The battlefield wasn't clear yet.
Beyond the four top players, everyone else's duels were just as important—each was a fight to express their "self".
Hiori shielded the ball calmly, instinctively drawing on his Transcendent Vision to gather information faster.