Blue Lock: Beyond Greatness

"A feast! I'm going to try everything!" The moment he stepped into the cafeteria and saw that all the food options were available for self-service, Bachira disappeared in a flash.

Meanwhile, Isagi and the others picked their meals and sat down.

"As expected, reuniting the original Z Team during the second stage is impossible." Raichi stuffed a piece of steak into his mouth, speaking with his mouth full.

"Yeah, it feels a bit empty without Naruhaya," Gagamaru muttered as he glanced cautiously behind him.

However, the boy who always snatched his food when he wasn't paying attention was no longer around.

"True, but what's more important is the current match." Breaking the melancholic mood, Kunigami spoke up.

Just then, the phones they had recently been issued all chimed simultaneously.

"A special adaptability experiment. The rules continue from the second selection round: a 5v5 format for three matches, with the final match being a 4v4 due to the limited number of participants. If the selected teams have unequal numbers, priority will be given to the preferences of the higher-ranked Blue Lock players." Chigiri read the message sent by Ego aloud from his phone.

"Tch, they talk big, but in the end, those ranked lower still don't get a say and are at the mercy of the higher-ups," Raichi grumbled as he stuffed a dumpling into his mouth, chewing it with frustration as if the filling were Ego's annoying face.

"Well, it can't be helped. Those rankings were earned through their abilities. If we're to blame anyone, it's ourselves for falling behind." Kunigami's expression was serious. "In Blue Lock, falling behind means you have no rights. But next time, I'll take a higher rank fair and square and claim control over my own fate!"

"Wow, Kunigami is so cool." Gagamaru clapped with his food-covered hands before turning to Raichi. "Compared to that, Raichi… you're so petty."

"Huh?! Say that again, you jerk! And stop eating with your hands and slapping things! You got crumbs in my food! Disgusting!" Raichi yelled, fuming.

"By the way, Isagi, before joining Blue Lock, you played against that guy... Kanzaki Shinichi, right? What kind of person is he? What's his playstyle?" Bachira asked curiously, returning with a large plate of assorted dishes after overhearing the group's conversation.

The playful squabble between Raichi and Gagamaru instantly ceased—or rather, the entire cafeteria seemed to fall silent.

Everyone instinctively lowered their voices and perked up their ears to listen.

Even those who had previously faced Shinichi, like Rin and Karasu, subconsciously leaned in, eager to gather more information.

"Uh, how about we make this a group discussion?" Isagi suggested, awkwardly scratching the back of his head as he noticed the sudden eerie quietness in the cafeteria.

After some thought, he continued, "But this won't come for free. You've all challenged Shinichi, right? I'll share what I know about him, but in return, you all have to share your insights as well."

"Oh, a brilliant decision. Information sharing is indeed the best strategy. I approve," Aryu said as he overcame his social anxiety to be the first to bring his tray over.

Following his lead, others like Karasu, Otoya, Nishioka, and even Rin and Hiori joined the group.

Eventually, everyone rearranged the cafeteria tables into one large setup.

Those who had firsthand experience with Shinichi sat in the center, while others took it upon themselves to fetch drinks and fruits to contribute to the discussion.

"Alright, I'll go first." Once everything was set, Isagi cleared his throat and began organizing his thoughts. "Hmm… I've only played against Shinichi once, during the finals of the prefectural tournament. At the time, his team used a park-the-bus strategy against ours."

"Wait, wait, wait—park the bus? As in that ultra-defensive tactic with a focus on counterattacks?" Karasu nearly spat his drink out in disbelief. "Are you talking about that Shinichi?! Are you serious?"

"Uh, actually, it's not entirely accurate," Isagi responded seriously, ignoring Karasu's skepticism as he began to explain. "Calling it 'parking the bus' isn't quite right. In reality, almost the entire team was positioned on one side of the field to defend, while Shinichi was the sole player guarding the other side. And during attacks, he was the only one advancing forward."

Everyone's minds seemed to be on overload.

What kind of formation was that?

And a single player guarding an entire side of the field—seriously?

Was such a formation even humanly possible?

Isagi nodded earnestly, confirming that no one had misheard. "That's right. At the time, Shinichi used this formation to play against us. His ability to singlehandedly guard one side relied on his incredible speed and reflexes to intercept the opponent's attacks, followed by swift counterattacks."

"Shinichi's reflexes are so fast that he can start moving almost the instant you make your move. As a result, anything within a five-meter radius around him is his defensive domain."

"Within this range, even passing the ball becomes impossible—he will intercept it without fail. And once he gets accustomed to your movements, Shinichi can predict your actions with near-perfect accuracy," Isagi said, his brows furrowing as he seemed to recall the despair of that moment.

"My strategy back then was to avoid any one-on-one situations against Shinichi at all costs. The team focused on wide-angle passing to prevent his interceptions, while I used off-the-ball movements to avoid direct confrontations. But I was still too weak at the time, and after failing, the coach subbed me out."

"In my opinion, Shinichi's greatest weapon is the combination of elite physicality, top-tier speed, unparalleled one-on-one ability, and exceptional reflexes," Isagi concluded.

Everyone remained silent as they processed the information they had just heard.

Nishioka and Karasu, in particular, found themselves recalling their encounters with Shinichi during the first stage.

Reflecting on it, they realized that while they initially managed to outmaneuver Shinichi's defense with various tricks, their strategies gradually stopped working as the match went on.

Shinichi intercepted their attacks with almost perfect precision, always at the most critical moments.

Karasu furrowed his brows before turning his gaze to Isagi. "But to think that this guy, after just half a game, could draw such deep conclusions that none of us even thought of... His game intelligence is something else. I guess it's no wonder he made it through the second stage."

Following this, Nishioka and Reo shared their own insights. When Mikage mentioned how Nagi's abilities mysteriously failed during their match, Karasu raised his hand to interject.

"Let me explain this part," Karasu said, his expression unusually grim. "Shinichi… has the ability to devour others' weapons."

The room fell silent as everyone turned their attention to him. "And he awakened this ability during our match."

"Wait, what do you mean by devouring weapons?" Isagi interrupted, clearly puzzled.

"It's exactly what it sounds like," Karasu replied with a shrug. "When Shinichi sees your weapon, he can replicate it. And once he does, you can no longer use your weapon effectively."

"He… can even do something like that?" Isagi asked in disbelief. But with so many others confirming the story, there was no room for doubt.

Raichi then chimed in, "So, if that's the case, doesn't that make him invincible?"

"Not quite," Karasu explained. "From what we analyzed afterward, when Shinichi replicates a weapon, he seems to make subtle adjustments based on his own physical capabilities. These changes optimize the weapon for him, making it even more effective. The problem is, those of us who are most familiar with our own weapons subconsciously try to mimic his version—but because our physical abilities are inferior to his, we end up failing."

At this point, Aryu interjected with a smug grin. "By the way, my glorious weapon wasn't something Shinichi could devour."

"Yes, that's correct. Weapons tied to static physical attributes are probably beyond Shinichi's ability to devour. Additionally, if you can resist the influence of his movements and stick to your own playstyle, you should be able to counter his devouring ability," Karasu explained.

"Also, having your weapon devoured isn't permanent," he added. "Both Otoya and I had our weapons taken during that match and couldn't use them no matter how hard we tried. But afterward, through our own training, we were able to recover our muscle memory, and our weapons returned."

Karasu then turned his attention to Rin and his group. "Now it's your turn. You were Shinichi's teammates—you should know him better than anyone else."

"He can enter a state where all his attributes are enhanced," Rin said briefly before picking up his empty plate and walking away.

"A Super Saiyan-like ability… seriously?" Karasu muttered with a bitter smile, noticing that Rin's expression wasn't joking. "By the way, aren't you worried about betraying him by sharing this information?"

"It doesn't matter," Rin replied indifferently, not even turning back. "He wouldn't care if others knew about his abilities. Besides..."

"You won't have the chance to see that state anyway, so whether I say it or not makes no difference."

...

After the intense discussion, instead of lifting the veil of mystery surrounding Shinichi, everyone felt even more puzzled.

Isagi, conflicted, pulled out his phone. He desperately wanted to defeat Shinichi, but logic told him that the best way to showcase his own abilities might be to become Shinichi's shadow. Still, his personal desire to challenge Shinichi lingered.

"The deadline for joining a team is tomorrow, right? Have you all decided which team you'll join?" Raichi asked as he glanced at the group before bed.

Bachira was the first to respond, straightforward as ever. "I'm teaming up with Shinichi. I want to see just what kind of monster he really is."

"Yeah, I think I'll do the same," Gagamaru though he couldn't provide much reasoning. "It's just a gut feeling, really."

Bachira then turned to Chigiri. "What about you, Chigiri?"

"Hmm…" Chigiri paused for a long moment, deep in thought, before finally making up his mind. "I think I'll team up with Shinichi as well. I don't believe that going against him is the only way to showcase your ego. Isagi, you mentioned that he's incredibly fast, right?"

"Yeah, he is," Isagi confirmed.

"Then I want to see if my speed can still shine under his shadow, to carve out my own path. That will be my way of challenging him," Chigiri declared with determination.

"!"

Chigiri's words struck a chord with Isagi, suddenly enlightening him.

That's right—standing on the opposing side isn't the only way to challenge someone.

Setting a goal for oneself in the present is what he should be focusing on.

"If I let this opportunity slip by, Shinichi might become someone I can never catch up to again. That's why I need to stay as close to him as possible, to stand by his side, and then… surpass him!"

Having made up his mind, Isagi hesitated no longer.

Watching everyone finalize their decisions, Raichi grew increasingly frustrated, scratching his head in anger. "Argh! Are all of you seriously teaming up with that guy? Fine, I'll join that side too. By the way, Kunigami, which side are you choosing?"

"Huh?" Kunigami froze mid-step, clearly caught off guard as he had been trying to sneak out unnoticed.

Resigned, he turned back to face the group. "Sorry, everyone… Before we even discussed it, I had already chosen to go to the opposing side."

"What?! You messed up the formation? You traitor!"

"Sorry! I'm really sorry!" Kunigami apologized, bowing repeatedly.

...

Ignoring the noisy Raichi and the others, Bachira turned to Isagi. "By the way, where's Kira? I haven't seen him around."

"Uh… not sure. I don't think he was even there during dinner," Isagi replied, only now realizing Kira's absence.

Thinking back to some disagreements during the second selection, he shook his head. "He's probably avoiding us for now."

"Yeah… that makes sense," Bachira nodded.

Meanwhile, on one of Blue Lock's training fields, Kira Ryosuke, drenched in sweat, unleashed a powerful shot from 30 meters away, sending the ball straight into the goal.

"Damn it, Isagi, Bachira... Those two don't even try to cooperate with me. A bunch of selfish idiots, only thinking about themselves!"

He clenched his fists, his frustration boiling over. "Teammates? Trusting others? What a joke. These guys are nothing but stepping stones. I should be like Shinichi—focused solely on improving my own skills."

"It doesn't matter. It's not too late… I will be the one who rises above everyone else. I'll make it so that everything revolves around me. 'It takes a team to achieve greatness?' No… It's all about you all making me great!"

That night, each player, carrying their own thoughts, emotions, and calculations, sent their team choices to Ego via their phones.

Tomorrow, in the adaptability experiment, all questions would be answered.

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