"GOAL!"
The ball is in.
Team Z extended their lead, 2:0 against Team Y. This goal was enough to push Team Y to the edge of a cliff. Because the difficulty of scoring in the second round of matches was more than double that of the first. All the teams had coalesced and preliminarily formed a fighting force; it was no longer the chaotic mess of the first round. A two-goal deficit was very difficult to overturn!
Did he surpass himself?
Tendou watched Isagi Yoichi, who was roaring at the sky after scoring his debut goal, and fell into thought.
Why does it feel like that guy, Satsuki.
"It even calculated the opponent's growth."
Tendou didn't celebrate the goal with Isagi. With his signature "old man stroll," he turned and walked back to the center circle.
He had found another golden combination.
Big Data Statistics and the Six Eyes!
Big Data Statistics would always tell him the most correct way to play. But this ability would only tell him where to kick the ball, whether it was a direct shot or a pass. Beyond that, it wasn't its responsibility. How Tendou would get the ball to that position, in what manner he would shoot—that was not under the purview of Big Data Statistics. It only gave the answer, omitting the process in between.
And this omitted part could be perfectly supplemented by the Six Eyes.
Tendou could see through the opponent's defensive loopholes with his Six Eyes and then deliver the ball to the most correct place. Just like with this assist. The dribbling and passing—most of that process was completed by the Six Eyes. But the final, decisive choice was the result derived from Big Data Statistics.
Tendou suddenly wanted to shout, "The me right now is terrifyingly strong." But to maintain his cool image, he silently returned to the center circle to wait for the opponent's kickoff.
He didn't say it, but Isagi said it for him.
"Just now, Tendou... he saw my potential!"
After the passionate celebration, Isagi calmed down and thought back. Although he was the one who scored, 90% of the credit for this goal belonged to Tendou. He had found him in a dense crowd, as if he had turned on God's-eye view, to find the hidden him.
And, his pass had the perfect amount of lead! That wasn't a shot he could have made before; it was a shot born only after he had surpassed himself.
"This is... a true genius!"
In the control room, Anri Teieri once again covered her lips. The young lady was already completely captivated by Tendou's "footwork." These two passes were just too artistic. A rainbow-like long pass, a fatal through-ball. Every pass was like a knife, accurately piercing the opponent's heart.
This kind of vision and passing talent couldn't be obtained through practice; it was something a genius is born with. These past few days in Blue Lock, she had seen many football geniuses. Itoshi Sae's younger brother, Itoshi Rin; the Abnormal Titan, Shidou Ryusei; the unmotivated Nagi Seishiro; the stylish Aryu Jubei; the visual-kei Otoya Eita, and so on.
None of these people could give her the same shock that Tendou did. That kind of talent could be felt even through a screen.
"Ego-san, maybe... maybe we can really cultivate a world-class striker!" Anri Teieri's heart was racing, which indicated her great emotional fluctuation.
"Ah, you're right. I also didn't expect to encounter such a monster," Ego Jinpachi replied, then felt a bit of a headache. The feeling Tendou gave him now was just too similar to Kaká. But Kaká's position was in the midfield. The world-famous coach, Ancelotti, to maximize Kaká's ability, had placed him in the center, giving him ample space to unleash his breakthrough ability. Although he was the absolute core of the team, an attacking midfielder, Kaká's position was indeed in the midfield.
"Whatever. We'll see what he chooses in the future."
There was no need to lock such a versatile player into a fixed position in the front or the middle of the field.
...
"Isagi! What were you doing just now?! Why didn't you pass the ball directly to me?"
The team was in the lead, but Kira Ryosuke was still dissatisfied. He felt that the useless trash in front of him had betrayed him. If Isagi had decisively passed the ball to him, he was confident he could have scored as well.
"S-Sorry." Isagi apologized, then rubbed his head and said, "I don't know why either. The moment Tendou spoke, my body just uncontrollably passed the ball to him."
He actually knew why. He was stunned by Tendou's aura, but saying that directly would be very embarrassing.
"Tch. Next time you have a chance, remember to pass the ball to me." Kira Ryosuke had completely forgotten that he had already retreated from his wing position.
But again, it was unrealistic to expect this group of forwards to be obedient. A forward's instinct drove them; when a counter-attacking opportunity arose, their bodies would charge forward uncontrollably. Bachira was like this, Kira was like this, and Isagi was too. Even Kunigami and Raichi, those two had also rushed past the halfway line just now, all the way to the edge of the enemy's penalty area. This habit couldn't be changed in a short time. Because once it was changed, they would no longer be forwards, but defenders or defensive midfielders, a different kind of creature altogether.
...
The match continued.
Team Y had no way out. At this moment, Niko Ikki could clearly feel his control over the team diminishing. If they were down by one goal, Team Y could still maintain their composure, focus on defense, and look for counter-attacking opportunities. But being two goals behind forced the players of Team Y to become aggressive.
Losing by two goals is a loss, losing by eight goals is also a loss. What they needed were points and advancement. Instead of waiting to die in frustration, it was better to go all out.
"Come back! Don't press too far forward!"
Niko reminded his teammates not to push their formation too far up. Their plan for this match was a defensive counter-attack. Abruptly changing their formation and tactics would be suicidal.
In response, Okawa Hibiki roared, "If we don't take the initiative, we're done for, Niko."
Hearing this, Niko also knew his teammate was right. It was clear that Team Z was now saying, "If you don't attack, we'll just waste time passing in our own half." This was the composure of having a two-goal lead.
But Niko knew even better that if their entire army pressed forward, their own defense would become even more vulnerable.
Sure enough.
In the 29th minute of the match.
Most of Team Y's players had pushed past the halfway line, constantly pressing Team Z. Team Z, with a two-goal lead, did not panic. Victory is the best catalyst for unity. For the sake of victory, for the sake of advancing to the next round, the members of Team Z were working hard to cooperate. They constantly passed the ball back and forth, not trying to engage in "bullfighting" with the opponent. When they encountered danger, they decisively passed the ball back to the goalkeeper and then continued to pass it around.
The players of Team Y were tormented by time, by the situation, and by Team Z's cowardly tactics to the point of almost losing their minds. And opportunities often arise when the opponent is irrational.
33rd minute.
Isagi Yoichi, who had scored in this match, became increasingly active. As the opponent grew more and more anxious, his spatial awareness ability became easier to utilize. He saw through the opponent's intentions. When Team Y's left winger was under oppressive defense, he immediately chose to pass the ball horizontally to Okawa Hibiki.
And this was Isagi's chance.
He burst out from between the two of them and intercepted the ball with a slide tackle. He was gradually beginning to have a clearer understanding of his own weapon.
Better late than never!
In the original story, his direct shot and spatial awareness had already shown promise in the first match, but he couldn't display them due to Tendou's rampage. But his talent wouldn't just disappear. After developing his direct shot out of a desire to surpass Tendou, he had now awakened his spatial awareness ability because of Tendou's genius-level pass.
Because only in this way could he understand Tendou, and only then could he surpass him!
...
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