004 Blue Lock: System Ten Years Early

Shinichi looked at the somewhat dazed Isagi and couldn't help frowning. According to Ego Jinpachi's theory, when a goal is set too high, anxiety cannot balance with boredom, and it becomes very hard for a person to reach their optimal state—what is known as FLOW.

"Am I putting too much pressure on him? No, I can't think like that."

Shinichi quickly rejected his own thought. He had already been holding back as much as possible. If he eased up any more, it would indeed allow Isagi Yoichi to enter a FLOW state, but the talent displayed when facing a goal of that level would not be worthy of the effort he was putting into devouring him.

Shinichi had to admit that he had been a bit presumptuous. Isagi's current strength was simply too weak, and he had no understanding at all of his own "weapon."

Even the Isagi Yoichi who, in the story, evolved once and learned to correctly use spatial awareness had no value whatsoever to someone like him, who possessed the "Chess Player" trait.

"According to my own estimation, my current level of control over the pitch should be second only to Meta Vision. It's even possible that Rin, as he is now, wouldn't satisfy me. After all, Rin's current control of the pitch is barely different from a just-awakened Isagi, and in the end he could only rely on luck to win."

Shinichi shook his head.

"A miscalculation, huh. Then let's not waste any more time—end all of this as quickly as possible."

After having his long-held expectations crushed, Shinichi irrationally prepared to vent his anger on Isagi Yoichi.

"What happens next will depend on your toughness. Don't get destroyed by me just like that, Isagi Yoichi."

...

"The gap in individual combat power is far too obvious. On top of that, the tactical setup has completely locked down our possibilities. And it's not like beating Shinichi's defense would mean we have nothing to worry about afterward."

Isagi Yoichi clenched his teeth as his brain spun at high speed. In a daze, pieces of a puzzle flew toward him, but just as they drew close, they shattered midair again and again.

'The half is only so big. Even though most of the defenders are concentrated on one side, with that many players piled up, in the end you'll still run into defenders who have tracked back...'

'There's absolutely no way to break through. At the end of the day, even top teams don't find it easy to break down a low-tier team that plays defensively...'

"Isagi! What are you thinking about?!"

The sudden roar yanked Isagi Yoichi out of his thoughts. At some point, the football had already been passed toward him. Isagi instinctively received it, but at the same time, Shinichi was already closing in.

'Damn it! I shouldn't have spaced out at a time like this. No, I can't carry it past him from this distance—I have to pass. Increase the power this time?'

Isagi Yoichi swung his leg hard to send in a cross, but Shinichi—who had been feinting a lunge to intercept—suddenly stopped his forward momentum at the exact moment Isagi kicked the ball. He immediately repositioned, leapt up, blocked the passing lane, and easily intercepted it.

Again! Every time I pass the ball he—

No, wait!

"This one is different from the previous ball. On the previous one, after seeing me pass, he used that almost cheating-level physical ability to stop instantly and change direction to chase the ball, and in the end arrived at the same time my teammate received it. But this time, he started moving at the exact moment I passed the ball, which is why he could directly cut it off."

"But I clearly decided to pass on the spur of the moment... It was his forward-charging motion, and the impression left by his overwhelming individual strength, that scared me. I judged that if I carried the ball myself I would definitely get intercepted, so I passed instinctively!" A flash of inspiration struck Isagi.

Shinichi's movements induce reactions from his opponents—and by predicting those reactions, he can predict the opponent's actions with 100% certainty and act accordingly!

"Shinichi predicted our actions and completely controlled the entire pitch!" Isagi stared in disbelief at Shinichi, who, after scoring yet again, jogged back into this half.

That face seemed to carry a hint of mockery in Isagi's dazed vision. One by one, illusory puppet strings descended from the sky, connecting to the limbs—and even the heads—of everyone on the field.

And yet, those puppet strings constantly emitted fragments that combined piece by piece, assembling a vision of victory! Isagi widened his eyes, continuously observing Shinichi's movements.

"Shinichi isn't all-powerful! Before he can predict, he really is one step behind the pass. Although once the prediction succeeds, not only the attacking routes near him but even the passes get locked down, looking at it the other way around, as long as his prediction fails, his interception movement will become a mistake!"

"In other words, as long as we can break free from the control of the puppet strings, Shinichi—who manipulates us through them—won't be able to make immediate corrections!"

Shinichi only wanted to finish things quickly, so he stopped holding back and went all out. However, an even more aggressive Shinichi than on the previous goal did not crush Isagi Yoichi. On the contrary, Isagi had to climb, step by step, up along those puppet strings falling from the heavens—climb all the way into the sky!

So first, he had to shake off Shinichi's predictions. But how? Or rather, what exactly does Shinichi rely on as the basis for his predictions? Habits? But before this match, I mostly carried the ball and broke through on my own. There has to be something I didn't notice... What is it?

Thinking that, Isagi simply took the initiative to receive the ball, then unexpectedly sent a long pass with one kick. The teammate who received it even had a defender marking him at the time and had to struggle hard just to avoid losing the ball.

No movement at all? Not even the usual step up to pressure the ball carrier? Even after I made such an outrageous move? Then that means it's an instantaneous judgment. But would a person really trust their split-second judgment that much? Change their actions without even a hint of hesitation?

But he already took a step forward! If Shinichi really is making instantaneous judgments, then I'll change my instantaneous actions. It might work!

But I don't know exactly how Shinichi is judging. Leg movements? The ball carrier's line of sight? Body orientation? Which change would deceive him? But no matter which one it is, if I don't try, there's no way to prove anything!

"Here!" Thinking that, Isagi shouted for the ball and ran back toward the center line, stopping it cleanly.

"As expected, even Shinichi can't defend all the way to the center line. And based on the timing of when he stepped up before, if I calculate it, center line plus ten meters—once past that distance, Shinichi will come forward to press."

So as long as I stay around this distance, I can keep probing and learn the secret behind Shinichi's predictions. Then—

Isagi carried the ball forward, suddenly lifted his foot as if to shoot, but stopped immediately upon touching the football.

'No reaction? Then how about this?'

Isagi feinted a lateral pass again. This time his motion was even more exaggerated, his center of gravity shifting dramatically—but Shinichi still didn't react at all.

It seemed Shinichi saw through what Isagi Yoichi was trying to do. He spoke helplessly,

"It looks like you've figured out my defensive zone and want to do some probing, but you're not even far from the center line, and your teammates' positions aren't good either. A shot from that far or a pass with no opportunity poses no threat at all. What kind of reaction do you want from me? Praise your clown act for amusing me?"

Isagi felt a bit awkward. He had been too focused on his own conclusion. Thinking about it, it made sense—those previous two times, they were trying to break through with multiple players. In that situation, whether continuing to carry the ball inside or passing would be dangerous, which was why Shinichi took the initiative to defend.

"So that means I can only probe it through a riskier sprint. No choice then. With the score so heavily against us, I can only go for it!" Isagi gritted his teeth and carried the ball forward. Sure enough, as long as he passed that range, Shinichi stepped up. So now—

Isagi lightly tapped the football with the instep of his left foot, feinting a change to the right, but his right foot immediately followed to control the ball as it tried to escape. While keeping the football between his legs, Isagi made his left-right feints as exaggerated as possible.

Come on! No matter what, you have to react now! As long as I see through the mystery of your prediction, I can—

To Isagi Yoichi's surprise, Shinichi didn't hesitate in the slightest. No matter how Isagi changed his dribbling method—contact points on the ball, shifts in center of gravity, movements of the waist—Shinichi could accurately judge Isagi's true intent and make the corresponding response, blocking his path forward.

The distance between them kept shrinking.

Five meters... three meters... two meters!

No good. For now, I'll try one more elastico—

"Isagi Yoichi, you really are... unexpectedly single-threaded. Did the brilliance of the second goal make you forget the first one?"

Shinichi lifted his foot and instantly ruined Isagi Yoichi's clumsy move, knocking the football out of Isagi's control. Shinichi deftly slipped past Isagi. Before Isagi Yoichi could even finish turning around, Shinichi was already carrying the ball across the center line.

'Damn it, I couldn't probe anything at all. What on earth is this guy using to judge? And I thought I was fairly agile, but in front of this guy, my turns are as clumsy as an aircraft carrier trying to turn.'

"Beep—"

2:0 → 3:0

"Ah~ this won't work. He's a complete monster. Really unlucky to end up on the same field as a guy like that."

'What are you guys...'

"Yeah, there's nothing we can do. For us, making it this far is already pretty good, right?"

'What are you saying...'

"Exactly. After all, he's the opponent who even defeated Kira Ryosuke. Losing is normal."

'You guys—are you trying to run away? The match has only just started. Wait... run away?' Isagi Yoichi subconsciously propped his chin with his hand and fell into deep thought. Puzzle pieces gathered one by one, his eyes empty yet focused. If Shinichi saw this, he'd probably complain instinctively,

"Classic Blue Lock puzzle eyes."

"That's it! As long as it's instantaneous judgment, it can't be separated from the reactions of the five senses—and among them, the most important is vision! I still haven't figured out exactly how Shinichi judges, but I don't actually need to deceive him. I just need to 'run away' so his 'vision' can't observe me!"

At this very moment, Isagi Yoichi smelled it for the first time in this match... He smelled the scent of a goal!