047 Blue Lock: System Ten Years Early

"Nagi..." Reo Mikage stared blankly at the figure of Nagi Seishiro gradually walking away. He had never known that Nagi could also show that kind of unwilling expression.

"I... what on earth am I doing?"

...

"Did they get into a fight?" Ranze Kurona pointed at the two people opposite and asked Hiori.

Hiori shrugged. "Things were going too smoothly, then they suddenly hit a setback and couldn't adjust their mindset in time, I guess."

"Stop chatting. Hurry up and take them out and move on to the next stage." Itoshi Rin coldly cut off the idle talk between the two.

"They've kicked off."

Nagi Seishiro carried the ball forward at a slow pace. Ever since he first touched ball, this was the first time he personally kept the ball under his feet, personally initiating and organizing an attack. This novel experience made him feel both fresh and confused.

"Organize an attack... what am I supposed to do again?"

"For now, I'll just try taking it forward." Thinking that, Nagi Seishiro faced the first opponent blocking his path.

"Mm, the first stage..."

"I'll take you out first."

Nagi Seishiro clamped the ball between his feet, flicked it up from behind with his heel, and tossed it forward. The ball sailed right over Ranze Kurona's head, while he himself turned and sprinted ahead.

"The move's too obvious." Just as this rainbow flick was about to succeed, Ranze Kurona tapped the ground with his toes and suddenly retreated. He saw through Nagi Seishiro's move, and the ball failed to get past him.

As the ball's momentum gradually ran out, it dropped straight down toward Ranze Kurona. Nagi Seishiro, instead, was pinned behind him. This dribble attempt seemed to have backfired.

"Yeah, I figured you'd be able to see through it." Nagi Seishiro was still expressionless. Propping himself up with both hands, he forcibly twisted his body sideways and, under Ranze Kurona's obstruction, extended his right foot. With a ground move like street dance, he managed to touch the ball first.

Nagi Seishiro's toes seemed to be enchanted. Even in such an awkward posture, he still controlled the ball precisely. As he flicked it up with his toes, the ball flew into the air once again.

The second flick-over dribble—but this time, offense and defense switched roles. Nagi Seishiro, who had originally been pinned behind Ranze Kurona, now blocked Ranze Kurona's recovery run instead. Catching the falling ball, Nagi Seishiro advanced again.

"First round, cleared. Next is..." Nagi Seishiro reexamined the situation on the field, but then his pupils suddenly shrank. A figure that shouldn't have been here barged into his vision.

"I suggest you go properly learn how humans use their eyes, you white-haired idiot."

"How is this guy here?" Nagi Seishiro raised his eyebrows slightly, his mind in chaos.

'What should I do? If it were Reo, what would he do in this situation?'

No—don't think too much. I should consider the next step now. No matter how I think about it, I should pass it out first.

Nagi Seishiro lifted his right leg and kicked hard. Itoshi Rin, as if foreseeing it, stepped sideways to block Nagi Seishiro's passing lane. However, just before Nagi Seishiro's right foot—seemingly meant for a powerful long pass—touched the ball, he suddenly pulled back his strength and instead gently rubbed across the bottom of the ball.

The ball jumped straight upward. Nagi Seishiro had faked the pass but actually juggled the ball to slip past Itoshi Rin. At this moment, there was nothing left blocking him. Nagi Seishiro's pupils shrank to their limit. A completely unobstructed route seemed to be highlighted, clearly projected into his mind.

"After everyone reaches the same conclusion, go against it—that's what my intuition tells me." Nagi Seishiro twisted his body sharply, drove power through his hips, and kicked the ball with all his strength.

"I'm going to... surpass you all!"

...

"I have to admit, I misjudged you."

It was as if an electric current instantly surged through Nagi Seishiro's entire body. A strange sense of palpitations welled up from his heart along with Itoshi Rin's words. But at this point, the arrow was already on the bowstring and had to be released. Nagi Seishiro could only give it his all and finish his shot as quickly as possible.

Faster! Even faster! Fast enough that he can't catch up!

Nagi Seishiro kept shouting in his heart. However, Murphy's Law tells the world that often, the thing you least want to happen is the one most likely to come true.

There's no denying that Nagi Seishiro is indeed a top-tier genius. Even with success right in front of him, he could still rely on his intuition to keenly sense danger. Unfortunately, that also meant that the bad thing he foresaw truly happened in reality.

To block Nagi Seishiro's passing lane, Itoshi Rin—who had been shaken off by some distance—lifted his leg from behind and, in a twisted scorpion-kick posture, positioned himself in front of Nagi Seishiro. As the ball was blasted out, the radiant path in Nagi Seishiro's eyes instantly dimmed.

Bang—thud!

Two collision sounds, so rapid they almost merged into one, echoed across the field. After all, Itoshi Rin was defending with just one leg, and in such a twisted posture at that. The ball still broke through the obstruction, knocking away the heel of the blocking foot and continuing toward the backfield—but at the same time, its trajectory was completely altered.

"I overestimated you. I didn't expect that after losing that mediocre talent, you wouldn't even have the most basic ability to think." Itoshi Rin landed in a half-crouch, paused slightly, then charged straight toward the frontfield without sparing Nagi Seishiro a glance.

"What you consider a rather ingenious move is nothing more than kindergarten-level imagination in my eyes."

"You should first learn how to break free from your 'parents'' care before thinking about how to play football."

The landing point of the ball was accurately predicted by Hiori, who had been constantly observing the field. He intercepted this spinning, powerless, and inaccurate ball on the sideline, then immediately sent a long, high-quality lob pass.

"The pass—beautiful." Ranze Kurona used his stronger kicking ability to receive the ball. Itoshi Rin was also about to catch up from behind. In this rapid offensive–defensive transition, the only one blocking them was Reo Mikage, who hadn't participated in the previous attack.

"Damn it, damn it! Why are you forcing yourself, Nagi, you idiot!" Reo Mikage kept muttering as he stood in front of Ranze Kurona.

"Come on—if you've got it, then take me out!"

"One-two, one-two." Seeing the aggressive Reo Mikage, Ranze Kurona immediately twisted his head to locate Itoshi Rin. Just as he lifted his foot, Reo Mikage suddenly stepped forward and blocked his side.

"As expected, you were going to look for this guy, right!"

"Got it—wha?!"

Ranze Kurona, who had been half-turned to pass, now wore a smug expression as if his scheme had succeeded. He pulled the ball back under his foot, spun around, easily breaking free from Reo Mikage's restraint, then fired off a powerful shot.

"Sorry about that... after all, I'm an egoist too."

2:0 → 3:0