"Stay resolute... on my path..."
Ignoring the murmuring Reo, Shinichi stepped forward to take the free kick with confidence.
His eyes darted sharply toward the goal, causing Rin's heart to skip a beat.
Realizing the danger, Rin dashed toward the goal, but at the same moment, Shinichi's raised right leg swung powerfully—
Boom!
A thunderous roar echoed through the field as the ball rocketed forward after an exaggerated deformation.
However, Rin was already nearing the goal.
"Catch it!" Rin silently roared, his fiery determination practically bursting from his eyes as he stretched his right leg toward the ball.
Smack—Thud—
Two sharp collision sounds rang out in succession.
Rin's right leg had slammed painfully into the goalpost in his desperate attempt to block the shot.
"Don't think I'm someone you can play with so easily!"
Despite the searing pain radiating from his leg, the impact with the post gave Rin just enough strength to barely deflect the powerful strike.
The ball rebounded far away, and to everyone's surprise, someone was already in position, waiting for it.
"Amazing... He saw my positioning and immediately understood my intent, even going so far as to use a method far beyond my imagination..." Isagi marveled as he watched the descending ball, lifting his right leg. "This play was built off my idea, but he twisted it with his genius to take the credit. Impressive... But this goal—I'll claim it!"
The ball rocketed toward the net once more.
Rin, lying on the ground, gritted his teeth and pushed himself up, diving forward in a last-ditch effort.
He used his head to deflect Isagi's shot, sending the ball ricocheting off the goalpost before it was scooped up by the oncoming Blue Lock goalkeeper.
"What?! He blocked that too?! This guy..." Isagi stared in disbelief at Rin, who was sprawled on the ground.
From such an awkward position, Rin had still managed to make the play. How strong are you, really?!
"You think you can beat me with someone like that?!" Rin growled, his face dark with fury as he got back on his feet, shooting a death glare at Shinichi. "Don't underestimate me, you bastard!" With that, he sprinted forward.
"Second ball!"
Chaos erupted on the field.
Kyohei, with his taller frame, was the first to reach the loose ball.
However, he lost possession after a physical clash with Taiga, who used his brute strength to wrestle the ball away.
Zantetsu seized the moment, darting forward with impressive ball control, but his charge was cut short when Kira slid in to intercept the ball.
The now-ownerless ball rolled toward Reo's feet.
"My... path..." Reo muttered as he stared blankly at the ball in front of him. "I refuse to go back to a life where everything is decided for me. I will... carve out my own future."
"Even if the outcome ends in failure, even if I gain nothing in the end, I swear—I won't leave Blue Lock until I find what I'm looking for!"
Mikage turned swiftly, evading Haruhiko's aggressive challenge with a deft maneuver before charging forward.
With each sprint, his momentum grew, and sparks of determination seemed to ignite in his eyes, eventually erupting into a blazing inferno of resolve.
'I'm not like Nagi, with his overwhelming, obvious talents—his perfect genius. All of my attributes are high, but they're only around 90 points each. Even at my limit, I'll only reach 99 points. That level of ability won't cut it in a place filled with monsters wielding perfect, unstoppable weapons.'
As defenders closed in on him, Reo's mind raced with urgency.
'I need to push my versatility to the absolute limit if I want to compete against these prodigies who have weapons that ordinary people couldn't dream of mastering in a lifetime! But how? What should I do—'
'Wait... isn't there already a perfect example right here?'
Reo's pupils shrank as his heart pounded wildly.
Someone with evenly distributed abilities, who can seamlessly integrate them into a cohesive whole.
Someone who's several levels beyond even the ultimate template I've envisioned—Shinichi Kanzaki!
His thoughts accelerated.
But can I?
Can I truly reach that level?
No! It's not about whether I can—it's about the fact that I must! To survive in Blue Lock, I have to surpass my limits!
"Let's test my theory on you all!"
Under the astonished gazes of everyone on the field, Reo's demeanor began to shift.
The way he moved, the way he handled the ball—it was eerily reminiscent of the terrifying presence that dominated the field.
Bit by bit, his actions began to mirror those of Shinichi, as if he had embodied the very essence of his inspiration.
"Reo Mikage is imitating Shinichi!" Tanaka couldn't hold back his shock, jumping to his feet as he watched Reo effortlessly execute a series of feints to misdirect the retreating Zantetsu.
Following up with a high-speed Marseille turn, Reo spun past his opponent, leaving the latter completely outmaneuvered. "Isn't this invincible? Who other than that monster could possibly stop him?"
"No, that's not quite the case." After a brief moment of astonishment, Reiji was the first to regain his composure. "Although I don't have precise data on Shinichi, it's clear that while Reo has grown stronger by replicating Shinichi's style, he's still significantly weaker than even Shinichi's most half-hearted, unmotivated efforts."
"If it were Shinichi, he would have bypassed Zantetsu on the second feint alone, even without putting much effort into it. Any additional moves would have been purely for the purpose of completely throwing off the defender. Moreover, you can clearly see the differences in finer details—his turning speed, acceleration, and the time it takes to stop and start again. These subtleties reveal a noticeable gap."
"Reo has only copied Shinichi's playstyle, but his physical attributes and abilities remain his own. While Shinichi might be the best in Blue Lock at seamlessly combining various skills to create an all-around game, it's not just that versatility that gives him his unmatched dominance. There's more to it than what Reo is showing."
"Exceptional speed, incredible strength, outstanding dribbling, and a shot as terrifying as a cannon blast... Every single attribute and skill Shinichi possesses is top-tier. To others, any one of these abilities could serve as a decisive weapon, but combining all of them at the highest level is what creates the invincible Shinichi."
"If each of his abilities were merely excellent, then even as a top player, Shinichi wouldn't be unbeatable," Chigiri was the first to grasp Reiji's point. "So right now, Reo is just a significantly weakened version of Shinichi."
"Exactly," Reiji nodded. "But this is just based on what I've seen from videos. The true test will be when this imitation faces the original head-on."
Despite Reiji's reasoning, no one in the group felt at ease.
Shinichi's overwhelming presence had left too deep an impression on them.
At the same time, Reo's potential was undeniable—his ability to replicate Shinichi's style hinted at boundless possibilities.
If he could improve his own attributes, he might come closer and closer to Shinichi's level.
"This guy… we'll need to keep a close eye on him moving forward." This thought flickered through everyone's minds. For now, though, their attention was fixed on the unfolding events on the field.
Reo's Shinichi-inspired playstyle was about to face off against the real Shinichi in a direct confrontation!
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