The match began.
Tendou's team was in black jerseys. The three members: Tendou Kageyoshi, Chigiri Hyoma, Mikage Reo.
Karasu Tabito's team was in white jerseys. The three members: Karasu Tabito, Otoya Eita, Hiori Yo.
Don't be fooled by the fact that Karasu's and Otoya's current rankings are fifth and sixth, lower than Aryu Jubei's and Tokimitsu Aoshi's. In the original story, after the second selection ended, Karasu's and Otoya's rankings were second only to the number one, Itoshi Rin, and the number two, Shidou Ryusei.
In other words, Karasu's and Otoya's true rankings are higher than the current No. 3, Aryu, and No. 4, Tokimitsu. This is definitely one of the strongest three-man teams among all the current trios.
A 3-on-3 match.
There wasn't much to be hesitant about. Just attack.
Hiori kicked the ball off to Karasu. Karasu received the ball and took a step forward. Reo immediately closed in. This was the first time the two sides had met; there were no previous match recordings to study, and both lacked intelligence on their opponents.
But Karasu! He was very good at observing.
With an inductive change of direction, he baited Reo into sticking out his foot to tackle.
"Hmm, I didn't expect you to be the impulsive type of player."
Karasu gently pulled the ball, moved it to his other foot, and then tapped it out, easily shaking off Reo.
"This guy... he's deliberately baiting me into sticking out my foot."
Reo wasn't usually the impulsive type. It was just that being abandoned by Nagi not long ago had made him eager to catch up, to "prove himself." The world of "Nagi's man" was just that simple and direct.
"Sorry, I don't fight battles I'm not confident in winning."
"Don't challenge the opponent's strengths; target the opponent's weaknesses. That's my strength."
Play to strengths, avoid weaknesses. This was Karasu's football philosophy.
He took a step with the ball and got past Reo. The latter still wanted to fight for it, but Karasu had already shielded the ball with his body. Karasu extended an arm, and no matter how hard Reo tried, he couldn't get close to the ball.
"That four-eyed kappa (Ego Jinpachi) has pretty good judgment. On your team, the weakest person is you, Mikage Reo!"
Hearing this, Reo felt extremely humiliated. But his opponent's ball-shielding technique indeed made it difficult for him.
"Don't get passed so easily, you idiot young master!"
Seeing Reo in trouble, Chigiri immediately rushed over to help defend.
Reo was unwilling, but his mind was exceptionally clear. This was a good opportunity for a front-and-back pincer attack.
Karasu saw this but remained calm. His brain spun rapidly. "He was just at that position... I see. It seems you're the type with very fast speed."
Putting aside the possibility of making a judgment in advance, just by calculating from the distance, Karasu deduced that Chigiri was a speed-type player.
Faced with the pincer attack from Chigiri and Reo, he didn't panic. He stepped on the front of the ball with the tip of his foot, and then, the moment he pulled the ball, his body turned with it.
"A Marseille Turn?"
Chigiri and Reo made a judgment instantly. However, just as the ball was halfway through the pull, Karasu, in the middle of his turn, flicked the ball with his heel. At the same time, he swung his arms out to the left and right, and in a one-on-two, he held off both Chigiri and Reo, not letting them get close.
"This guy... he's so strong!" Chigiri gritted his teeth, held in place by an immense force, unable to get near the ball at all.
"Using a Marseille Turn to make us shift our center of gravity, combined with overwhelming feinting technique!"
This was the No. 5 of Blue Lock!
Reo once again felt deeply how vast the world of football was. He, who had once thought he could dominate the world just by being with Nagi, was too naive.
Swoosh!
Karasu used the force from both his arms, like a crow spreading its wings, and broke out from the two-man pincer, chasing after the ball he had flicked out.
And then.
"As expected of No. 1. Still so calm at a time like this."
Karasu's gaze was focused on Tendou in front of him. The other's expression was as calm as if nothing had happened. He hated this kind of opponent who always remained calm!
Adhering to the football philosophy that playing to strengths and avoiding weaknesses makes victory within reach, Karasu chose not to challenge Tendou head-on, but to pass the ball.
"You're lucky, pretty boy!"
BAM!
The ball instantly lifted off the ground, drawing a graceful arc as it flew to the left wing. There, Otoya Eita was making a rapid forward run like a shadow. In the blink of an eye, he had reached the half-space near the goal. His running speed was very fast, and his posture was like a ninja.
However.
Just as Otoya received the ball and was about to finish this one-on-one opportunity.
...
Tendou, like a bolt of lightning, flashed in front of him. In a daze, Otoya could even see arcs of electricity in the white vapor exhaled from the other's mouth.
"This is No. 1?"
"Having that kind of body and running faster than Eita... are you kidding me?!" Karasu, who had watched the whole thing from behind, had an unnatural smile on his face.
He shouted to remind his teammate, "Pass it quickly, Eita!"
Tap!
Otoya did as he was told. Before Tendou could get close, he poked the ball forward with one touch. There, Hiori had already made a run. Facing a goal with only a goalkeeper, he blasted the ball into the net with a furious shot.
"GOAL!!"
The projected goalkeeper made a save attempt but was unable to stop the opponent's goal. After all, these were players who had passed the first stage. Even with a smaller goal, facing such a one-on-one, the success rate of scoring was still very high.
1:0!
Karasu's team scored first. However, the three of them didn't completely relax.
"How was it, Karasu?" Otoya asked. He was asking for intel on their opponents. Since entering Blue Lock, Otoya had been teammates with Karasu and had great trust in his brain.
"One is a guy whose abilities are all outstanding but not prominent. The other is a speedster who, at full burst, can defend a large area with his speed. Neither is troublesome to deal with. The trouble is that No. 1."
Karasu pointed to his own head. "I've never seen a guy like that before. You don't even need to test him to feel the terrifying power contained in his body."
It wasn't something as simple as great strength. It was speed, strength, explosive power, all combined. A person like that, he would usually describe as... a talent freak!
"I've made it to the national tournament for two consecutive years, so how come I've never known there was such a figure among high school students?"
This was Karasu being completely modest. At least in Hiori's mind, Karasu had done more than just make it to the nationals. On a national level, he was a "star"-level genius player.
"Everyone be careful, Eita, Yo. That No. 1 over there is not... What?!"
BAM!
Before Karasu could finish his sentence, the ball had already lifted off the ground again, whistling towards them like a cannonball.
...
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