The first half ended with a score of 3:1, and given the vast skill gap between the team captains, the second half devolved into a one-sided affair.
Just as Ryōsuke had anticipated, Shoei abandoned teamwork entirely in the second half, refusing to pass while his teammates could only trail helplessly behind him.
Despite his impressive individual skills, Shoei struggled against Team Z's disciplined defense. Though he managed to score, he squandered valuable possession time. His teammates grew increasingly reluctant to pass to him as he continued berating them for their supposed incompetence.
"Can't you guys be of any use!"
"Pass the ball! Pass it to me!"
"You're all just servants, understand?! I'm the king of this field!"
The atmosphere within Team X turned toxic, with Shoei's relationship with his teammates deteriorating to an all-time low.
His teammates' patience finally snapped. While they might have tolerated his behavior if winning, their significant deficit changed everything.
With the match slipping away and future games uncertain, each player fixated on an alternative path to qualification: becoming the team's top scorer.
Since Shoei had already scored, they needed to surpass his goal count to have a chance.
They began ignoring him completely, each attempting solo runs at the goal. Their limited abilities and desperate competition for scoring chances plunged the team into chaos.
"You bunch of useless servants!" Shoei raged at their defiance, powerless to regain control.
Meanwhile, Ryōsuke's Team Z only grew stronger.
After a well-earned rest, he dominated the second half — scoring twice more with Thunderclap and Flash in his Total Concentration state while creating brilliant opportunities for his teammates. His leadership united eleven strangers into a cohesive unit in mere days.
The match's final minutes became mere formality, ending decisively at 8:3.
At the final whistle, veins bulged on Shoei's forehead, his face flushed with exertion and fury. He stormed off the field without a word, though it was clear he had plenty to say.
His teammates dispersed in heavy silence, avoiding each other's eyes.
On Team Z's side, players swarmed around Ryōsuke.
"That was amazing, Kira! How did you make that shot!"
"So incredible! That Baro guy scared me to death when he equalized, but you stepped up just in time!"
"Long live Kira! King Kira!"
Everyone hugged him and cheered — this was their first official match in the Blue Lock, and the outcome was crucial.
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"8:3 — an unexpected score." After the match, Jinpachi reviewed the match details repeatedly.
He hadn't expected Team X to lose by such a large margin.
"When the Blue Lock project first started, I thought Baro's team would defeat Team Z, but this outcome is surprising." He leaned back in his chair, gently stroking his chin.
As anticipated, Shoei had initially united Team X with his excellent abilities, transforming them from nothing into something cohesive. But their unity crumbled when he became obsessed with individual play.
Though unconfirmed, Jinpachi had formed a bold theory.
Throughout the match, Ryōsuke had masterfully guided Shoei's actions, baiting him into endless attacks while reorganizing his own team's offense and supporting his teammates.
The contrast was stark: Team Z grew stronger while Team X disintegrated.
Ryōsuke had orchestrated it all like a puppeteer, each pass to his teammates calculated for purposes beyond mere scoring.
"This is just speculation — it can't be proven..." Jinpachi pushed up his glasses, muttering to himself, "If it's true, then a truly terrifying monster is imprisoned in Blue Lock... He's been hiding his fangs all along, and even I was fooled."
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"You're incredible, Kira!"
Ryōsuke returned to Team Z's room amid cheers and celebration, with Jingo shouting the loudest.
"That pass was amazing! Let's keep winning like this!"
"Yeah." He nodded, responding with a smile.
〘 Congratulations! Earned Competition Points: 80! 〙
'As expected, official matches yield far more Competition Points than the previous Tag game, with substantial bonuses for match performance.'
He then opened the system interface.
— — — — — — — — — —
〚 Host: Ryōsuke Kira 〛
〚 Current Competition Points: 110 〛
〚 Current Skills: 〛
〚 Skill: Thunder Breathing - Total Concentration | Level: 2 | EXP: 38.07% 〛
〚 Skill: Thunder Breathing - First Form: Thunderclap and Flash | Level: 2 | EXP: 35.17% 〛
— — — — — — — — — —
Combat experience provided Ryōsuke with massive skill proficiency gains that regular training couldn't match — though consistent practice remained essential.
Neither Total Concentration Breathing nor Thunderclap and Flash had reached 100% proficiency yet, preventing their upgrade. His gaze continued downward.
— — — — — — — — — —
〚 Skill: Thunder Breathing - Second Form: Rice Spirit | Status: Locked | Cost: 100 Competition Points 〛
〚 Skill: Thunder Breathing - Third Form: Thunder Swarm | Status: Locked | Cost: 150 Competition Points & Rice Spirit Unlocked 〛
〚 Skill: Thunder Breathing - Fourth Form: Distant Thunder | Status: Locked | Cost: 200 Competition Points & Thunder Swarm Unlocked 〛
〚 Skill: Thunder Breathing - Fifth Form: Heat Lightning | Status: Locked | Cost: 250 Competition Points & Distant Thunder Unlocked 〛
〚 Skill: Thunder Breathing - Sixth Form: Rumble and Flash | Status: Locked | Cost: 300 Competition Points & Heat Lightning Unlocked 〛
〚 Skill: Thunder Breathing - Seventh Form: Flaming Thunder God | Status: Locked | Cost: 350 Competition Points & Rumble and Flash Unlocked 〛
— — — — — — — — — —
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