The match was over.
Back in the locker room, the members of Team Z were still discussing the game they had just played, as well as their future match plans.
Players like Raichi Jingo, Kunigami Rensuke, including Isagi Yoichi, Bachira Meguru, and Kira Ryosuke—all of them longed to score goals themselves. After all, this place housed a group of egoists.
"But compared to scoring, winning is probably more important, right?"
Someone started calculating the points needed to advance. Only the top two teams in points could stay. Assuming all the teams were of similar strength and ended with 2 wins and 2 losses, then getting 6 points would be relatively safe. In other words, to ensure they advanced, they needed to get at least 4 more points—one win and one draw.
At this point, everyone instinctively turned their gazes in unison towards Tendou. This genius was the key reason they were able to defeat Team X today.
3 goals and 1 assist!
Without a doubt, Tendou was the MVP of this match.
"For the sake of victory, I think we should continue to have Tendou as the main forward."
"What?"
Raichi Jingo was immediately displeased upon hearing this. Before coming to Blue Lock, his position was center forward. Including Kunigami Rensuke and other taller, stronger players, their preferred position was also center forward. This meant that once Tendou's core position was confirmed, they would all have to leave their familiar positions, making it even harder for them to score goals.
"Then can you come up with a better arrangement?"
Igarashi Gurimu believed this was the best method at the moment. Their Team Z really didn't have anyone stronger than Tendou. That powerful central breakthrough ability... even now that the match was over, it was still vivid in his mind.
"I also think it would be better for Tendou to continue as the team's main center forward," Isagi also spoke up.
Tendou could score, he could hold up the ball, and he could also act as a pivot. He could dribble, he was strong, and he could pass. He was simply the perfect modern football center forward.
"I also feel it's better for Tendou to play as the main center forward, but if that's the case, Kunigami and Raichi's positions will need to be pulled back."
It was a team composed entirely of forwards. Playing a defensive counter-attack style was just asking for trouble. Only by defending and waiting for an opportunity to attack was the best choice. This way, the team's best formation choices were offensive ones like 4-3-3 or 4-3-2-1. A diamond formation like 4-4-2 was completely unworkable; it couldn't bring out the team's strengths.
Tendou could create breakthroughs in the center and also pass. Pairing him with two fast wingers could maximize the team's attacking power.
The players who played on the wings had no problem with this arrangement, including Kira Ryosuke. The only ones who were conflicted were Raichi Jingo and Kunigami Rensuke.
"I'm going to take a shower first. You guys can discuss it."
"Hey, Tendou, aren't you going to discuss it with us?"
"It doesn't matter. You can play however you want. I'll carry all of you to the next round."
Tendou dropped these words and ran off to take a shower, leaving a group of people in the locker room staring at each other. They wanted to retort that they weren't worse than Tendou, but faced with his performance of 3 goals and 1 assist, the words died on their lips.
...
On the other side.
As Tendou walked into the shower room, the system's voice, long unheard, rang out.
"Popularity value has met the requirement. Sixth Stage ability unlocked successfully."
"Big Data Statistics."
Big Data Statistics?
Tendou stopped his actions and looked carefully. He found that, once again, it was an ability without a description.
Big Data Statistics... is it what I think it is?
Tendou finished his shower with the fastest speed possible and then immediately went to the field again.
And then...
"So it really is like this."
As Tendou stood with his foot on the ball, facing an empty goal, a futuristic, tech-filled interface suddenly appeared in his line of sight.
[Big Data Statistics: Facing an undefended goal, direct shot success rate calculation results: Center 100%, Top Right Corner 90%, Top Left Corner 94%, Bottom Left Corner 98%, Bottom Right Corner 96%. Recommended shooting option: Center.]
It calculated all of his shooting success rates in the form of data.
"The success rate for the top right corner is the lowest. Is it because my left foot isn't sensitive enough?"
"But even with my stronger right foot, the chance of hitting the corner isn't 100%. My shooting technique is still not good enough."
Tendou had already gotten a preliminary grasp on how to use his Sixth Stage ability. He now had only one question left.
With this data statistics, the more data I collect, the more accurate the calculated data will be, right?
He communicated with the short-tailed cat in his mind. Because in Blue Lock, there were surveillance cameras everywhere.
"That's right. The more data you get, the more accurate the calculated results will be..."
"Can all results be calculated?"
"All results can be calculated, including players, coaches, even teammates, opponents, and yourself."
Understood.
Tendou knew he had unlocked a very remarkable ability. This meant that in the future on the field, whether it was a basketball court or a soccer pitch, the choices he made would be the most correct ones. But this also meant that to maximize the ability of "Big Data Statistics," he needed to spend a lot of time watching matches and players.
The more data he obtained, the more accurate the calculated results, and the stronger the ability would be. This was an ability that could continue to grow.
"It seems I need to have a talk with that four-eyed guy."
Tendou kicked the ball, and it quickly crashed into the net, spinning.
...
On the other side.
In the locker room.
Isagi was still trying to persuade his teammates. He explained his theory.
"In the match just now, everyone was initially just thinking about scoring for themselves, so it became a chaotic, swarming style of play, right?"
"I think that is the '0' of football that Ego Jinpachi was talking about."
His words made everyone fall into deep thought. Even Raichi Jingo was recalling the hints Ego Jinpachi had given them.
"The state of '0' was broken... starting with Barou. He used his own ability to briefly unite Team X and form a fighting force."
"And then it was Tendou. Our change began when Tendou scored a goal and provided an assist. The first person who wanted to cooperate with Tendou was Bachira."
Isagi turned his head to look at Bachira. "Bachira, what were you thinking at that time?"
"Me?" Bachira tapped his lips with his finger, thought for a moment, and then said with a smile, "The monster told me. It said that as long as I ran hard, Tendou would pass the ball to me."
A monster?
Everyone looked at each other, perplexed.
"Although Bachira's explanation is strange, that's basically it." Isagi spread his hands, trying to convince everyone. "The reason we were able to suppress Team X for the rest of the game was because Tendou showed us the hope of winning, so everyone temporarily put aside their selfish desires and fully cooperated with him."
"Tendou... he changed our Team Z from a '0' to a '1.' He turned us into a whole, and then we played with the effect of a '10' or even a '100.'"
...
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