Just as the ball was about to reach Mii Hisakawa's feet, Rin Itoshi sprinted back into his own right defensive lane.
Yet Kudo Tōya's tactical setup still proved effective. Three Team Y players locked Rin down, buying Mii a split-second opening.
Without hesitation, Hisakawa lofted the ball toward the left side of Team V's backfield.
"Shoot it now—"
The Y-team right attacking midfielder, ready to strike, froze speechless as Ryūma suddenly charged in front of him.
With no time to think, he panicked and shoved the ball left.
"We'll take that pass!"
By coincidence, the ball flew straight toward the triplet brothers.
"Kobayashi, I'll block them—you take it from here!"
Kageaki Matsutani shouted at Shima Kobayashi before sprinting ahead to block the triplets' path.
Sliding in at an odd angle, Kobayashi hooked the ball backward with his left foot, redirecting it to his right rear.
At this point, Team Y was acting entirely on instinct. They all knew Kudo Tōya couldn't guide them forever. He too would face moments of confusion, times when he didn't know what to do. And when that happened, it was up to them—all of Team Y—to carve a path forward for him.
Whether illusion or not, Tōya felt every eye on Team Y fixed on him in that instant.
Even Kobayashi, usually composed, cried out with uncharacteristic passion:
"Tōya! You've always helped us all—now it's our turn to help you!"
[Thud]
As Kobayashi shouted, the left back returned the ball, sending it toward Tōya just outside the penalty area.
Staring at the pass, Kudo Tōya felt his eyes sting with moisture. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
(Hmph… so that's why these idiots snuck off to the training ground at night. They were planning to help me when I hit a wall.)
(But your passing intentions are way too obvious, you fools! You could've just told me.)
(If I had trained you myself, your practice would've been far more effective.)
(And this nonsense about me helping you, so now you'll help me—idiots. Helping you win is the same as helping myself.)
(Still…)
"Playing with you fools is actually pretty fun. Thanks for trusting my tactics!"
Kudo's crimson flames roared in his eyes. As the ball reached him, he spun sharply and unleashed a shot!
"Don't think you'll score that easily!"
Yo Hiori suddenly appeared, sliding in at full speed to tackle him.
Meanwhile, Rin Itoshi, still pinned by three Y players, pushed in from the right flank into his own box.
"Still got room for improvement, you sheep."
Kudo met Hiori's interception with an unchanged expression, muttering coldly. Then, shifting mid-motion, he brushed the ball with the inside of his right foot, dodging the slide tackle.
(This guy… too calm! He actually feinted me in this moment?!)
Slipping past Hiori, Kudo swung for a direct shot!
Though Rin had rushed into the box, the three Y players clung to him relentlessly.
Which meant—right now—Kudo Tōya stood one-on-one against the V-team goalkeeper.
The keeper locked onto him, praying silently. He hadn't saved a single shot in the past matches. If he could just stop this one, he'd have no regrets—even if he was eliminated from Blue Lock.
(I have to stop this shot!)
Kudo let out a sharp "Hmph" and struck—
"Watch me… huh?"
Diving, the keeper froze in shock. Because Kudo hadn't shot—he'd passed.
And in the very next instant, the smile on Kudo's face twisted into terror.
From his left side, where he'd aimed the pass, came Ryūma's cold, scornful voice:
"So that's how it is. You never shoot yourself."
"Even with a clear chance, you'd rather pass for an assist."
"Hmph. No matter how sharp your Anticipation is—if you abandon shots and only pass—"
"You're not worthy of being a striker!!"
Ryūma's violet eyes blazed as purple flames engulfed him. His entire body coiled with explosive power, every fiber focused on his right leg. He slammed his foot through the ball with brutal precision.
[BOOM!!]
The ball rocketed off Ryūma's strike, flying straight toward midfield where no one from Team Y was positioned.
"What?! Quick, press up! Take the ball back—he passed it into empty space!"
"Match time's nearly over! Foul if you have to, just win it and waste the clock!"
"At least then we can tie this game! Move it!"
Kudo's composure collapsed. He had never once imagined Ryūma would anticipate his pass.
He had accounted for countless outcomes—that Rin might read it, that Hiori might cut it off. He had outplayed both of them.
But never—never—had he considered Ryūma.
"A draw? Let me show you my limit!"
Kudo barely caught half the words. All he could hear was the roar of wind left behind as Ryūma exploded past him.
His mind froze. In the next instant, Ryūma was gone from before his eyes.
Just as two Y players closed within three meters of the dropping ball, Ryūma's arrogant roar rang out—followed by a deafening crack.
"On a perfect straight line—my shot is invincible!!"
[BOOM!!!]
GOAL!! Team V 8:7 Team Y
Seconds later, the mechanical female voice announced:
Beep beep!! Match over!
Blue Lock Building 5, Seventh Match: Team V wins 8–7!
At that very moment, Ryūma dropped to his knees in a grass-slide celebration, bellowing:
"AAAAH!!!"
The rest of Team V rushed him, voices overlapping:
"That was insaneRyūma! That shot must've spanned the entire field!"
"What's so surprising? Is there any shot Ryūma can't pull off?"
"Ryūma, that goal—ten, twenty years from now, I'll still remember it. It was unforgettable!"
Ryūma sat down in the grass with a wide grin, basking in the praise.
But after a while, he realized he hadn't heard the one voice he was waiting for.
"Huh? Hey, Rin—how was that shot? Left you too shocked to speak, right?"
"Shut up, idiot. For a fool who only knows brute strength, reaching that level is nothing unexpected."
"What's so impressive about it?"
Ryūma, still in a great mood, tilted his head and beamed mischievously at Rin.
"I think you, Rin~"
"Are just jealous, huh~"