Tendou moved past Karasu, advancing twenty meters in one breath. Seeing him looking as if he were about to carry the ball into the goal, the other members of Team C hurriedly swarmed him.
Seeing this, Tendou, who was accustomed to breaking through the center, began to move towards the right side, starting to sprint along the wing.
In the control room, Anri and Ego were already used to this. This was the monstrous thing about a libero. This creature could play any position on the field; you couldn't predict his actions. It was very difficult to target him tactically.
"He's proactively moving to the wing, attracting most of the defensive attention."
"This way, the center becomes empty. He's creating an opportunity for Itoshi Rin!"
Even Anri could see this, so of course, the players of Team C could see it too. But they had no other choice. Karasu turned to chase the high-speed, advancing Rin, while the others crazily pursued Tendou.
A one-on-two. For Tendou, this wasn't too much trouble. But the data displayed in his mind showed that Rin's probability of scoring was even higher than his own.
Today's Itoshi Rin was in surprisingly good form. Perhaps the burden in his heart had disappeared, allowing him to be more fully invested in the match.
"If he keeps this up, this guy will step into the realm of Flow sooner or later."
Then I'll give you another push.
At the right side of the penalty area, Tendou, in a one-on-two, suddenly glanced at the monk on the other side, but his body moved at the same time, charging towards the two. Gagamaru's reaction was not slow, but Tendou had already used his body to block his position a step ahead. Yukimiya instinctively felt that he would turn, but Tendou didn't do so.
He first pulled the ball to the right with his left foot, and then quickly flicked it to the center with the heel of his right foot. The ball was thus sent to the center with his creative move, rolling to a position that was at the absolute limit for Rin.
Rin, after passing the ball, had immediately made a forward run and arrived just in time. Karasu was already chasing back at full speed, but Tendou's pass was too perfect, giving him no opportunity to get entangled with Rin.
Rin caught up at full speed and, without trapping it, lashed out with his foot. In fact, this pass from Tendou was so perfect that he could shoot directly without needing to trap it.
BAM!
The players of Team C watched the goalkeeper dive in despair, but this shot was too powerful, the ball speed too fast, to the point where it was almost hard to see clearly.
SWISH!
The ball crashed into the back of the net without any suspense.
"His left foot has become more flexible," Ego said, not complimenting Tendou's inspirational pass. He had seen too many similar balls and had already developed an immunity. What he noticed was Tendou's left foot. Compared to when he had first entered Blue Lock, it was at least a few levels more flexible. This was his progress. Although it was still not as flexible as his right foot, if he continued to train like this, Tendou would one day become a monster with no weak foot.
1:0!
Team A drew first blood.
"So, extraordinary people are just a hassle," Karasu sighed. Today was the first day he had walked a new path, and the experience was not as good as he had imagined, far from the ease of targeting the weak point. But he would not give up. Because Tendou had come this far by going head-to-head with the "strongest" all along, defeating one "strongest" after another.
...
Team C continued to kick off. Karasu did not plan to give the ball to Reo this time. During his time as his teammate, he had had enough of brushing his teeth every morning only to find that all the bristles on his toothbrush had been plucked out, leaving him with no toothbrush to use.
At this moment, Reo was fighting side-by-side with Nagi. In his eyes, there was only Nagi and no other teammates.
"Your story of challenging the strongest together is very interesting, but it has nothing to do with me."
"I also have things I want to do!"
Karasu would not fantasize about challenging Tendou head-on and defeating him. But football is not a one-on-one sport.
"It starts with you, Igarashi!"
Karasu targeted Igarashi, his expression looking as if he were distracted. However, with just such a simple, inductive move, Igarashi fell for it. The Crow-bro had seen through people's hearts. Besides the top six, the other players participating in the adaptability test were overly eager to show themselves.
Karasu extended his arm and kept Igarashi separated from himself and the ball. Before the monk could get close, he shook him off completely with an acceleration.
"I have arrived again!" The long-haired Aryu Jubei quickly moved to cover.
Karasu's pupils, like a crow's, quickly scanned the entire field. He saw that Tendou was still standing in the center. Although he was just standing, he had sealed off any possibility of using a pass to break through the defensive line. No matter who he passed the ball to, Tendou could complete the cover.
And this strange guy in front of him...
"With such long legs, even if I use my hand to keep him away, he can probably still touch the ball."
"What a hassle. Is this guy a spider demon?"
Although he complained like this, his feet did not stop moving.
Tap~
He passed the ball to the wing. There, Yukimiya Kenyu, wearing a different pair of glasses, easily received the ball.
This man had a remarkable nickname: the One-on-One King of Blue Lock.
Like Karasu, he had his own football philosophy. Karasu believed that finding the opponent's weak point and chasing it down was the easiest way to win... And Yukimiya. He believed that the foundation of a football match is 1-on-1. Therefore, since he started playing football, he had been polishing his one-on-one skills.
Itoshi Rin went to defend against him. This was a direct confrontation between No. 2 and No. 6.
The result was unexpected. Rin, who was ranked behind Tendou, was eaten alive by Yukimiya in a single face-off.
"The basis of football is 1-on-1. As long as it's a one-on-one, I believe I am the strongest in Japan!"
So strong! Reo's eyes widened. The great No. 2, Itoshi Rin, had actually been toyed with like a child. Body contact, instantaneous explosive power, footwork... everything seemed to be born for one-on-ones. No, it should be said that Yukimiya had walked the path of the one-on-one.
But...
Thud!
After getting past Rin, Yukimiya advanced twenty meters, and then Tendou's foot stomped on the turf. This was an extremely terrifying thing. It felt as if he had only taken one step, and he was already in front of Yukimiya.
"Even if Yukimiya's conditions are this outstanding, he won't be a match for Tendou," Reo immediately rushed forward to support. Because everything Yukimiya had, Tendou also had, and all of it was above Yukimiya's.
"His stats in every aspect, including technique, can be said to be a budget version of the General. But it's enough to contain troublesome guys like Rin," Karasu thought to himself. When Reo arrived, he had already appeared on Yukimiya's side to provide support.
This was the drama he had directed. From beginning to end, he had never thought that Yukimiya could defeat Tendou one-on-one. At this moment, as long as Yukimiya passed the ball out, he could, based on Tendou's actions, choose to cut inside and shoot himself, or give the ball to Nagi.
"Although that guy Reo is always 'Nagi, Nagi,' which is annoying as hell, but Nagi's talent... even I can't question it."
Thinking of this, Karasu directly raised his hand for the ball. "Glasses handsome, here!"
Yukimiya's gaze indeed swept over. The inside of his left foot also moved the ball, looking as if he were about to pass. But in reality, his right foot was already poised, ready to change the ball's trajectory at any moment. He wanted to use the same method to deal with Tendou; this was his pride as the One-on-One King.
But...
BZZZ!
Tendou's eyes suddenly snapped open, his resplendent Six Eyes shining like stars.
And then.
Without even waiting for Yukimiya to make his next move, Tendou had already stuck out his foot and kicked the ball away.
"You're still far from the strongest."
Under Yukimiya's astonished gaze, Tendou's body slightly squatted, briefly gathering power, and then with a swoosh, he disappeared from in front of him.
...
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