"Each team's top scorer will definitely advance" - Jinpachi deliberately set this rule to spark selfishness and attacking desire among the forward players.
The teams had been hastily formed just three days ago, with overlapping positions and no time for coordination or training.
Under this rule, he predicted that a temporary team of eleven forwards would descend into chaos fighting for possession. Being the first match of the Selection Round, he expected the opening to be as disorganized as children's soccer.
Jinpachi's vision was for someone to demonstrate absolute attacking prowess on the field, allowing their hastily assembled team to rally around them and transform from chaos into unity.
In his mind, Shoei Baro would have been the perfect candidate.
But what Jinpachi hadn't anticipated was that before the match even began, Ryōsuke Kira had already achieved this. Every member of Team Z was now operating in their designated area without conflict.
From his surveillance of the Blue Lock facility — except for private spaces — he had witnessed everything that happened with Team Z.
Ryōsuke had used his abilities to prevent conflicts before they could emerge. In the entire Blue Lock, he alone had foreseen and addressed this situation.
Yet having a brilliant mind and broad perspective wasn't enough — commanding a team's complete loyalty in such a short time required an ability that demanded respect.
Ryōsuke Kira possessed all these qualities.
"Was he always this impressive?" Jinpachi wondered.
Despite Ryōsuke's early fame, Jinpachi had dismissed him, even expecting him to be among the first eliminated. Only now did he realize how severely he had underestimated this player.
"Still, I'm looking forward to your performance on the field. No matter how well you do, matches in the Blue Lock are nothing like normal games."
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Ryōsuke charged towards the opponent's penalty area with Yoichi and Meguru covering him. His goal was simple: break through the defense and score as quickly as possible.
With careful management of his stamina, he could unleash Thunderclap and Flash's true power four times per match. But first, he needed a scoring chance early in the first half!
Successfully executing the First Form in Total Concentration during the first half would give him enough time to recover and adjust his condition.
An early goal also would crush the opponent's morale while energizing his team.
In the original story, Shoei had led Team X to score five times against Team Z. Now, Ryōsuke would defeat them even more decisively.
Defeating the "King" would be enough.
"So fast!"
The defenders exclaimed in amazement once again.
Though Ryōsuke had displayed incredible speed during the one-on-one segment, actual matches were different — physical condition, mental state, and tactical formations all affected performance.
Yet for him, these limitations seemed nonexistent.
"Damn, what kind of speed is this!"
Team X's players watched in shock as Ryōsuke blazed past their ranks. They tried to contract their formation quickly, but he had already slipped past several players in the blink of an eye.
"Damn it! Double-team him!"
"We absolutely can't let him score!"
"I know, don't fucking tell me what to do!"
Three players rushed at Ryōsuke aggressively, blocking every breakthrough route.
"You can't get past this kind of encirclement no matter how fast you are! Their formation contracted too quickly, we should reorganize the attack!" Yoichi shouted from behind.
Despite Ryōsuke's incredible speed, breaking through as first-round attackers would be extremely difficult with the opponents contracting in their own half. The wisest move now would be to pass back, regroup, and wait for another opening.
Upon hearing his words, Ryōsuke slowed down and turned his head toward Yoichi's direction.
"This guy's going to pass!"
One of the players, seeing his movement, instantly shifted his weight and rushed toward the potential passing lane, ready to intercept.
But in that instant, Ryōsuke burst into motion again.
The head turn had been a feint — a clever trick to make the defenders misposition themselves. In high-level matches, even a split second's mistake could be fatal.
❖ Thunderclap and Flash ➠ Straight Run! ❖
Ryōsuke channeled power into his legs, unleashing explosive speed that tore straight through the three-man defense. Despite their numerical advantage, their lack of defensive coordination made them easy prey.
"This guy's even faster than before?!"
"He can still accelerate?"
"Is he even human?!"
Team X stood stunned by his display.
From Team Z's half of the field, Hyōma Chigiri watched Ryōsuke's figure with a mix of awe and nostalgia. Once, he too had been a speed demon on the pitch — until a career-threatening injury stripped him of his greatest weapon, leaving him cautious and slower than before.
Now, Hyōma's eyes widened as he realized Ryōsuke's speed matched — no, perhaps even surpassed — his own at his peak.
"What is this guy... made of..." His pupils trembled as memories of his former glory rushed back.
Yet as he tracked Ryōsuke's blazing form, a familiar fire began to rekindle in his heart.
At the far end of the pitch, Ryōsuke had shredded Team X's defensive line and was bearing down on goal.
The goalkeeper's heart raced — who could have predicted that barely a minute after kickoff, his goal would face such a terrifying threat?
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