BOOM!
The ball crashed into the net like a missile, spinning fiercely.
"GOAL!!"
The four English words simultaneously appeared on the screens on the wall.
1 goal and 3 assists. Tendou had single-handedly created 4 goals in this match. In two matches, he had a total of 4 goals and 4 assists. All of Team Z's goals were related to him.
What is a genius?
This is a genius!
"He didn't pass to his better-positioned teammate, but shot directly." Anri Teieri was surprised. She exclaimed, "I thought Tendou was that kind of team-type player."
Team-type?
Ego Jinpachi scoffed. After the first match, he had thoroughly researched Tendou, including his basketball career.
In two summer national tournaments, Tendou had averaged 39.8 points, 10.3 assists, 12 rebounds, and 10 steals per game. In the eyes of others, these stats belonged to an unprecedented basketball genius. In fact, in Ego's eyes, Tendou was indeed a genius. But talent alone couldn't produce such numbers.
Without enough shooting rights, how could he average nearly 40+ points? Without enough ball possession, how could he average 10.3 assists?
It could be said that the creature known as Tendou Kageyoshi was an absolute tyrant on the court. An out-and-out ball hog. He used his gorgeous stats to cover up the fact that he took up the vast majority of the team's shots and possession.
Ego didn't dislike this kind of guy. Because Tendou indeed had the ability to handle that many shots and that much possession. On the contrary, Ego was very fond of such a character. This was the egoist he was looking for.
The world of football is like this: as long as you can score goals and help the team win, I don't care how you do it.
The winner is justice!
"That bastard... he used all of us." Kira Ryosuke's opportunity just now was definitely better than Tendou's. He was completely unmarked. As long as Tendou passed the ball, he was 100% certain he could score. Kira also believed that Tendou could make the pass; after all, Tendou had made even more difficult passes than this.
However, Tendou didn't do it. He chose to shoot himself. He let his teammates draw the attention of the defenders and the goalkeeper, and only when the opponent reacted did he send the ball into the net.
From the very beginning, Tendou had no intention of sincerely passing to them. This was just groundwork to make it easier for him to score goals in the future.
"He used everyone, including me, his old teammate, as a pawn!"
Isagi Yoichi stared blankly as Tendou turned and walked away.
Tendou's several brilliant passes in this match would definitely attract the attention of Team W and Team V. In their upcoming matches against Team Z, they would be extremely cautious of Tendou's passes and make adjustments accordingly. But passing was not Tendou's goal; his objective was always to score.
Once the opponent becomes wary of Tendou's passes, the defensive pressure he has to bear will be greatly reduced, and his probability of scoring will increase. This was an open conspiracy. Because if the opponent didn't pay attention to Tendou's passes and continued to defend his shots tightly, then Tendou would really pass the ball.
"That guy, Tendou... he foresaw from the very beginning that the matches in the second, third, and fourth rounds would be like this..."
Isagi searched through his memories. He realized that football matches were just like this, especially in a cup competition format. Take the World Cup for example. The initial group stage is often the period with the most goals. At that time, everyone is not that familiar with each other. They don't know the opponent's tactical deployment, and they don't understand the opponent's key players. Plus, they need to grab points to ensure qualification, so the first round of matches can often result in high scores, or even devastating blowouts.
But by the second round, with data and video support, targeted deployments can be made. Never underestimate the coaching staff in the world of football. This is also one of the reasons why many casual viewers who don't understand football think the World Cup is fixed. Teams that could treat their opponents like balls to be kicked in the first round often see their number of goals plummet in the second and third rounds, sometimes even leading to a goalless draw. It's because others have made targeted preparations, using every means possible to stop you from scoring.
Of course.
Even though Tendou had displayed such artistic passing skills, he would still be the opponent's main focus in the next two matches. But at least they wouldn't just recklessly swarm him, so his chances of scoring would naturally increase.
"Not bad, huh?"
"What do you mean, not bad? That guy, Tendou, is completely using us like tools."
Isagi heard Bachira's感慨 and felt indignant.
It's one thing to do that to others, but what about me? We were old teammates, for crying out loud!
...
More importantly, he had originally thought that he had begun to understand Tendou's world a little. In the end, he discovered that it was all just a deliberate act by Tendou. He still couldn't understand the world of a genius. This made him feel frustrated!
"To be used by Tendou, at least it proves we have that kind of value, doesn't it?" Bachira, on the other hand, was optimistic, or perhaps he saw things more clearly. A worthless guy doesn't even have the right to be used. And both he and Isagi had scored goals in this match.
Hearing this, Isagi was stunned for a moment, then woke up as if from a dream.
"You're right. In the end, we're all forwards!"
And a forward's duty is to score goals. What's more, wasn't the goal he scored today also a result of him using Tendou's pass?
...
It was just that the protagonist who orchestrated all of this was Tendou, and not him.
"Figured it out?"
"Yeah, I've figured it out."
Isagi clenched his fists. He had to work even harder to understand the world of a genius, then surpass that genius and become the one and only protagonist!
Mutual exploitation... such a relationship wasn't so bad. At least in this process, he could understand Tendou better. Only then could he get closer to, and surpass, him.
Tendou looked at these people and felt they were overthinking things a bit. His way of thinking was still within the realm of a normal person, unlike the bunch of soccer maniacs in Blue Lock.
In this match, he did have the intention of "beating the grass to scare the snake," to prevent others from recklessly targeting him in future games. But more than that, he was actually just testing his Sixth Stage ability.
Now, he had finished his test. It could form a perfect chemical reaction with his Six Eyes. In the upcoming matches, he would be even more unstoppable. This was his greatest gain from this match, not the assist hat-trick.
...
Team Y came to the center circle to kick off for the fourth time. But at this point, Team Y had long since given up on the idea of winning. Their minds were now completely filled with scoring for themselves. How could such a disorganized team possibly break through Team Z's defensive line?
Raichi Jingo and the other defenders vented all their frustration from not being able to score on the attacking players. Let alone scoring, the players of Team Y barely had any chances to even take a shot.
After scoring his one goal, Tendou returned to his familiar position, standing at the midfield with his hands on his hips, watching the show and passing the remaining time of the match.
"BEEP---!"
...
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