The goal felt more like a judgement than a reason to celebrate. Team V kicked things off with a move so calculated, it almost felt like they were breaking the rules of the game. As they got ready for the kickoff, the vibe on the pitch had totally changed.
On the Team Z side, you could practically smell the panic in the air. "What the hell was that?" Jingo Raichi growled, his fierce marking totally ignored by Yuto's long pass that sailed forty yards. "They totally just got lucky!"
Isagi Yoichi was sweating bullets, but it wasn't from working hard. His chest was rising and falling, but his mind was buzzing, going over the last ninety seconds again and again.
He didn't just pick off the pass... he totally read my mind. He totally knew where I'd be before I even showed up.
That hit me like a bucket of cold water. This was different from dealing with Barou's self-centred power or Bachira's wild creativity. This felt like going up against a computer in chess that had figured out every single move ahead of time.
Bachira wasn't smiling for the first time. He looked at Yuto with big, unblinking eyes, his head tilted like a curious bird checking out a new kind of predator. "The quiet one... he doesn't have a monster," Bachira said to Isagi, his voice a bit softer than usual. "He's the cage."
At the same time, Team V was going through its own subtle transformation. Reo Mikage's mind was a whirlwind of mixed feelings. Yuto's strategy got a thumbs up, showing that his usual way of doing things just wasn't cutting it.
He saw Nagi, who still seemed a bit uninterested, give Yuto a tiny, almost unnoticeable nod to show he recognised him. That was a move he usually got. Reo felt a tight knot in his stomach.
"Hey, don't get too comfy," Reo called out to the team, his tone a bit sharper than he meant. "It's just one goal."
"Let's stick to the plan." It was clear that the 'plan' now belonged to Yuto.
The game kicked back off. Team Z, driven by urgency, started to push back with a wild, physical energy. Kunigami pushed his way through challenges with sheer strength, while Chigiri started checking out Zantetsu's speed on the left side. But every time they started to gain some traction, it felt like they hit an invisible wall.
Yuto.
He wasn't around all the time, but he was always present. Right in the key passing lane. In the spot just left by a forward. He didn't rush around like a whirlwind; instead, he glided smoothly, saving energy while effortlessly covering a lot of ground on the pitch. His "Imperial Mimicry" started showing up in more subtle ways. He didn't just mimic techniques; he really got into the patterns.
As Chigiri went for one of his trademark explosive cuts, Yuto was already adjusting his weight. He wasn't trying to copy the move; he was ready for where it would end up, pushing Chigiri to take a safer route on the outside.
Bachira pulled off this tricky set of feints, but Yuto just didn't bite. He just backed off, guiding him into a packed spot where all those people made it tough for him to dribble. He was tackling them, one variable at a time.
Team Z was really feeling the pressure. A player was taking them apart piece by piece, treating their biggest strengths like just some annoying maths problems.
Then, in the 28th minute, things really kicked off.
It all kicked off with something that seemed hopeless. A weak clearance from Team V's defence went sailing up towards the midfield. Isagi, chilling in what looked like a pointless patch of grass, watched it drop.
For a quick moment, his sense of space, his top skill, showed a scene that everyone else couldn't see. He noticed the path, the rebound, and where each player was positioned. He spotted Yuto for the first time, not really looking at him, but just glancing over to see where Nagi was.
He's figuring out the next attack move. He's not on my radar at the moment.
It was a small window. A little hiccup in the flawless code.
Isagi didn't ask for the ball. He didn't exactly sprint dramatically. He just took three steps to his left, into a spot that was about to get really important. The ball bounced, and Team V's Tokimitsu, eager to get rid of the threat, headed it right to where Isagi had just moved.
That wasn't a pass. That was just a dodge. But for Isagi, it was a chance.
He grabbed the ball and, in one smooth move, did the unexpected: he turned and sent a first-time, no-look, chipped pass right over the whole defensive line. It was a pass that came straight from the gut, not from any kind of reasoning, but just a natural feel for the game. A pass to that player whose moves were always a surprise.
Meguru Bachira.
Bachira popped up out of nowhere, letting out a joyful shout. He controlled the ball with his chest and, with just two smooth touches, he was charging towards the goal. The custodian charged out, but Bachira just glided past him and tucked the ball into the open net.
GOAL. Team V 1 - 1 Team Z.
The equaliser was just as wild and stunning as Team V's goal was cool and spot-on.
The shout from Team Z was all about letting it all out. Isagi and Bachira shared a quick, intense hug, their eyes sparkling with the thrill of a challenge met.
Back at the monitoring station, Anri Teieri leaned in, her usual cool demeanour starting to slip. "He adjusted," she said softly. "Isagi Yoichi got the hang of the adaptation." She shot off a quick note: Yuto's system is strong, but it might have some weaknesses when it comes to unexpected, instinct-driven factors. The Isagi-Bachira connection brings a wild and exciting vibe to the game.
On the pitch, Yuto just took the goal in stride without any anger or frustration. He was completely frozen, eyes locked on Isagi. For the first time, there was a spark of something more than just numbers in his eyes. It wasn't really about being annoyed. It was... interesting.
The equation just brought in a cool new variable.
He strolled over to where Reo was giving Tokimitsu a hard time about the bad clearance. "The plan's still on," Yuto said, his voice steady but with a fresh, cutting tone. "So, the variable 'Isagi' just got bumped up to a higher priority coefficient."
Reo looked at him, totally shocked. "Is that really all you've got to say? They totally ripped us apart!"
"They took advantage of a quick moment when I wasn't paying attention," Yuto said, sounding pretty matter-of-fact. "That won't happen again."
He turned his head and locked eyes with Isagi from across the pitch. That was the first time he actually recognised him since the match kicked off. He didn't give a glare. He just didn't smile. He offered a measured, thoughtful nod.
It was a sign of acknowledgement. A commitment.
The game had evolved beyond mere victory.
A duel unfolded. The Emperor of Calculation had just received a notice from the Prince of Instinct.
The struggle for the essence of Blue Lock was genuinely underway, and the score stood even.