Chapter 234: A Highlight-Reel Defense
"Go, Barou!" ×2
The shouts of Reiji and Nishioka echoed from behind, but the ferocious-looking Barou Shouei only snarled as he raised his right leg:
"You don't need to tell me—I KNOW!!!"
"Do you have ANY idea…how long I've been waiting for this moment?!"
Unstoppable—Barou, using Predator Vision on his former teammate Aiku to adjust his run, rushed forward with zero defenders left in his path. His sudden pause before shooting even tricked the inexperienced goalkeeper Tokimitsu into diving early.
Who would've expected that a guy famous for being hot-headed and selfish would pull off such a crafty fake?
And so, to the commentators' shock, the ball screamed toward the goal, spinning violently as if carrying Barou's raging defiance—ready to tear through anything in front of it.
But then…
That all-too-familiar pressure weighed onto Barou's shoulders.
A streak of black lightning ripped through the suffocating air.
By that moment, everyone already understood how this attack would end.
The ball, as if in a superhuman world, became subject not to physics but to absolute power—and against such force, every rebellion looked laughable.
BAM!
In truth, Shinichi wasn't as godlike as the narration implied.
He had sprinted back at full throttle—but still couldn't fully catch up in time.
So he threw his entire body forward, abandoning all chance of cushioning the fall, sacrificing everything for a single desperate leap.
At the final instant, he barely scraped the ball with the top of his head, and then crashed onto the turf.
The would-be goal altered direction reluctantly, bouncing off the goalpost before flying back out.
"DON'T STOP MOVING!!"
A desperate yell from Hiori snapped everyone out of their trance, breaking the intimidation caused by Shinichi's play.
But—another figure was already stepping in, raising his left leg toward the rebounding ball.
Of course.
If Shinichi appeared, then Noa—that man—would also be there.
Facing an undefended net, Noa shot ruthlessly.
Even though he prioritized speed over perfect form just to strike before Shinichi stood up, the ball still carried power exceeding Barou's original shot—roaring like a second charge of war.
BAM!
But again—
Shinichi, still on the ground and barely managing to push himself up with one hand, launched forward—
CLANG!
With a crisp, metallic thud, he headed the shot into the opposite post!
But the angle was off—the spinning ball was about to bounce inward!
Time slowed.
Shinichi, stealing a heartbeat more of time by planting his left foot, ignored the very real risk of smashing his head into the post, and leapt again.
He slammed his forehead against the ball, pinning it between his skull and the post—physically trapping it, stopping it from bouncing into the net.
Finally, Tokimitsu managed to scramble up and scoop the ball into his arms, ending this insane sequence of attacks.
....
"WTF?! WTF?! NO WAY!!! A chain of saves—a MIRACLE header saves the Blue Lock team!"
One commentator practically jumped out of his chair, yelling without a shred of restraint.
"Barou's deadly run—Reiji's perfect through ball—Barou's clutch fake and cannon shot—ALL stopped by Shinichi alone! Even Noa's follow-up strike was headed away! And the ball he pinned to the post—
he prevented Sendou from finishing the rebound!!
Honestly, if he had gotten one more touch, Shinichi might've been unable to stop it!"
The other commentator, still seated but just as emotional, shouted:
"ABSOLUTE IRON WILL!.Shinichi—still a month from turning sixteen—just showed a level of passion even seasoned veterans may never reach! Football is round—no one knows what will happen until the whistle blows—and Shinichi proves he will NEVER give up defending until the very last second!"
"He literally threw himself into the post! Blocked a point-blank cannonball WITH HIS FACE earlier!
This guy is a f***ing monster—an absolute HARDCORE defender! Nobody beats him easily—
not even the damn World No.1!!"
No one blamed the commentators for losing control—chat was already full of profanity-laced screams from viewers worldwide.
This play would instantly enter highlight history—one of those defensive clips that gets replayed for years, becoming a symbol of a player's career.
Even the President of the World Football Federation, secretly watching the match, couldn't help regretting:
"If only this happened in the World Cup…the entire planet would've exploded."
But even here, it was enough.
Even Noa—cold and stoic—had to acknowledge Shinichi's determination.
Yes, his posture was messy.
Yes, it was reckless.
Yes, it was ugly.
But when he stood there…
He was an immovable fortress, crushing the hearts of every striker on Bastard München.
As long as Shinichi existed—they could not score.
Meanwhile, the Blue Lock players felt as if someone injected pure adrenaline into their veins.
If that guy is with them—so what if the opponent is the world's number one?
Even Noa's shot was stopped!
"Unbelievable… this feeling…"
Ness clutched his chest watching Shinichi rise calmly.
That indescribable emotion—that heat—that thrill, like watching football for the first time.
"This is magic. Shinichi's magic. Even defense can make the whole world explode with excitement."
While Ness basked in admiration, Hiori and Barou both clicked their tongues.
They were furious—Hiori because Nishioka created chemistry against his marking.
Barou because if he had shot half a second faster, Shinichi wouldn't have been able to block it.
"You're pulling farther and farther ahead of us, bastard!!" ×2
Under everyone's mixed emotions, the trembling Tokimitsu finally restarted play.
The match began again.
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