Chapter 35: The Bet
Team Z Video Room
"Seishiro Nagi. Team V's top scorer—but the way he scores is… unusual," Kira said, his voice carrying a hint of intrigue.
He clicked the remote, and the screen lit up with a detailed slide on Nagi—his positioning, strengths, unreal ball control in the air, and his Goal Formula on display. Team Z leaned in, eyes locked on the screen.
Chigiri tilted his head, catching something odd. "From this, it looks like Nagi just… strolls around the opponent's half during normal play. Kinda like Team Y's Okawa."
Kunigami nodded, adding, "Exactly. And he barely goes for the ball himself. He waits for Reo Mikage to spoon-feed him passes before he strikes."
Kira smirked inwardly. Team Z was getting sharper—their observation skills were on point.
"You're both spot-on," Kira said. "But the craziest part? Nagi's trapping ability. No matter how wild the pass, he tames it like it's nothing."
"And he's, what, nearly 190 cm tall and jumps like that?" Iemon gaped. "His physical talent's just unfair."
"No one can stop a guy like that, right?" Naruhaya muttered, a flicker of doubt crossing his face.
Team Z exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of facing Nagi sinking in.
Raichi, however, wasn't having it. "What's there to fear? Leave that lanky freak to me!" he barked, slamming a fist into his palm. "I'll mark him so tight he won't breathe!"
Kira had been waiting for that fire. Truth be told, he hadn't cracked a perfect defense against Nagi either. At that height, with that aerial dominance, Team Z lacked a direct counter. Raichi's endless stamina was their best bet—relentless pressure to wear Nagi down.
"Alright, Raichi, their ace is yours," Kira said with a nod. "Make sure he doesn't score a single goal."
"No problem!" Raichi grinned, brimming with confidence. "He's got no chance against my sexy football!"
Kira clapped his hands, shifting gears. "Tomorrow, we stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation. I'm the lone striker, with Chigiri, Kunigami, and Bachira as the attacking midfielders. Isagi and Iemon hold the midfield. Back four: Naruhaya, Raichi, Igaguri, Imamura."
…
Training Room
Kira, fresh from a quick cafeteria meal, hustled to the training room. The past few matches had leveled up his passing, shooting, and dribbling, each Attribute Trial Card leaving a lingering spark in his mind and body.
He'd been analyzing what gave players like Isagi and Niko Ikki their seemingly superhuman vision. It hit him: they constantly turned their heads, scanning the pitch to track teammates and opponents. Kira decided to incorporate this head-turning habit into his own game for future matches.
Dribbling was next. The muscle memory for the Rainbow Flick and Marseille Turn, unlocked through Attribute Trial Cards, was still vivid.
"Let me try!" Kira said to himself, visualizing defenders in his path. He started dribbling, weaving through his imaginary opponents.
He clamped the ball between his feet and flicked it forward. Rainbow Flick! A perfect replication.
"And the Marseille Turn…" Kira tried the drag-back and spin. At first, it was a bit clumsy, but after a few attempts, he executed it smoothly.
Kira's mind wandered to another elegant football move, one that radiated flair. After all, looking cool was a lifelong pursuit. He began experimenting with the technique.
"Yo, Kira! So early!" A tall figure appeared at the door—Kunigami, steaming with sweat from the gym.
"Hello, Kunigami. Hit the gym again before coming?" Kira greeted, wiping his brow.
"Mmm… Match is tomorrow. Gotta keep my body in peak condition," Kunigami replied. "Wanna practice?"
"Wouldn't have it any other way!"
The two began one-on-one offense and defense drills. Kira intercepted one of Kunigami's shots and pointed out, "Kunigami, you know, you rely too much on your left foot. Even if your right foot proficiency improves, you'll subconsciously use your left foot to shoot."
"Shut up, I know!" Kunigami snapped, fully aware of his habit. He just needed a bit more time to adjust, but Blue Lock didn't give you time.
…
Evening, Team Z Room
Kira and Kunigami didn't practice too late, mindful of the match tomorrow. Having sufficient energy was crucial—weak legs on the pitch meant you couldn't perform. Sure, there was that one World Cup where samba stars partied all night at a club and still thrashed their opponents the next day, proving that absolute skill could trump form. But for most, rest was key.
After showering, they returned to the dorm. The room was quiet—everyone had gone to bed early, saving energy for the showdown with Team V.
Kira was preparing to crawl into his futon when he noticed Isagi sitting in front of his bed.
"Isagi? Shouldn't you be sleeping? What are you doing sitting here?" Kira asked, keeping his voice low, slightly exasperated.
"Huh? Ah? I wanted to ask you something, but you weren't here, so I decided to wait for you to come back," Isagi said, looking troubled.
Kira was baffled. "What is it?"
"It's… I've discovered my 'weapon,' but I've realized that on my own, I can't use this 'weapon' to score goals by myself!" Isagi said, his frustration clear. He felt his vision and passing ability couldn't make him the world's number one striker—he lacked the ability to score solo.
Kira, eager for sleep, sighed but answered. "Isn't your weapon Spatial Awareness? Since you can find teammates making runs into space, surely you can find the space for yourself too! Really, just figure it out yourself. I'm going to sleep."
Two seconds later, soft snores echoed from Kira's futon.
Isagi's eyes lit up, a revelation hitting him. 'That's right!' His ability wasn't just for assisting teammates—it could guide him to the goal too. 'Kira, thank you!' He looked at Kira, already deep in sleep, and marveled inwardly. 'This guy's always so far ahead of me.'
…
The Next Day, Blue Lock Cafeteria
The cafeteria was charged with tension as the top scorers from the eliminated teams crossed paths: Niko Ikki, Barou Shoei, and Junichi Wanima, the older twin.
Niko grinned, spotting Barou. "Yo, King. Long time no see. A king who hasn't won a single match is quite rare, you know!"
Barou's veins bulged on his forehead. "Shut up, you maggot! I'll kill you!"
Junichi, usually silent, spoke up. "You two are the top scorers of your teams?"
Niko sounded confused. "Huh? Who just spoke?"
Barou looked puzzled too. "Not sure. Can this Wanima guy actually talk?"
Junichi's face reddened with anger. "Of course I can talk. My brother just usually speaks for me."
Niko and Barou fell silent, stunned. Someone who preferred to let another speak for them? 'That's unusual.'
Junichi continued, "But who do you think will win today? I think it's Team V."
Barou acted indifferent but answered, "I also think it's probably Team V." Team V's trio—Nagi, Reo, Zantetsu—had left too strong an impression. Team Z, relying heavily on Kira, didn't seem like enough.
Niko, however, had a different take. He paused, then smirked. "Want to make a bet? I think Team Z will win!"
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For every 100 total Power Stones, I'll drop another +1 bonus chapter!
If you're enjoying the story and want to read future chapters early, just search "Demonic_Fiction" on "P4trƐon" (link in the synopsis)