Blue Lock - Conqueror!

A few minutes before the Kick-off.

The crowd inside the stadium buzzed with excitement, a sea of colors and voices blending into a deafening roar. Somewhere in the stands, seated amidst the throng of fans, Isagi's parents marveled at the grandiosity of the event. They were simple folk, unaccustomed to the flashing lights and booming announcements of a stage like this. Their hands gripped the edges of their seats as their eyes scanned the field nervously.

"Yoichi's really playing here"

Isagi's mother whispered to his father, her voice tinged with awe. She adjusted the scarf around her neck, which bore the Blue Lock emblem, a last-minute purchase from the merchandise stand.

His father nodded.

"I never thought football could be this big," he murmured, leaning forward to get a better look. His gaze fixed on the figure emerging with the Blue Lock team.

"There he is!"

Isagi's mother whispered, her voice trembling with pride as she clutched her husband's arm.

"Yoichi... he looks so grown up."

As the Blue Lock players filed into the stadium, their sleek uniforms gleaming under the harsh stadium lights, the sight of their son leading the line made Isagi's mother gasp.

"Look!"

She grabbed her husband's arm, pointing.

"He's wearing that band on his arm. Isn't that...?"

"That's the Captain's band"

Isagi's father confirmed, a wide smile breaking on his face.

"Yoichi... he's the captain of this team."

They both fell silent for a moment, letting the realization sink in. Their son, their little boy who used to kick a ball around the backyard, was now standing on a big stage, leading a team.

Behind them, however, not everyone shared their focus. A group of fans seated nearby, clearly more invested in the U-20 team, were engaged in a spirited conversation.

"Man, I can't wait to see Sae Itoshi in action,"

One of them said, practically bouncing in his seat.

"He's the whole reason I bought these tickets."

"Same"

Another agreed, waving a small flag with Sae's name printed across it.

"I don't even know who any of these Blue Lock guys are. Isn't this match just for them to lose and give Sae a highlight reel?"

"I heard they're all strikers or something"

The first fan replied with a dismissive shrug.

"But come on, none of them can compare to Sae. He's a prodigy—like, the best Japan's ever had."

The words stung a little, but Isagi's parents didn't let it dampen their spirits. Instead, they glanced at each other, sharing a knowing look. They did not need to defend their son with words, Even if Isagi loses today, they would still support Isagi for what he wishes to do.

As long as their son is happy, They wouldn't want anything more than that.

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Present

The atmosphere in the stadium was electric. Bachira, now in full control, had danced past Hayate, leaving the defensive midfielder in the dust. The crowd held its collective breath, their eyes fixed on the play unfolding before them. As Bachira surged forward, his eyes scanned the pitch, and just as he'd done countless times in training, he spotted Rin on the right—a perfect opportunity that he knew his teammate would seize.

But in the next moment, Bachira froze. He was sure that Nagi, Rin, and Isagi had created a triangle between them, but the triangle broke when Isagi passed the ball to him. Bachira couldn't find Isagi in front of him anymore. His instinct urged him to search for the missing piece of their strategy, but there was no time to hesitate. The defenders were closing in, and the game waited for no one. Trusting his instincts, Bachira sent a lofted pass to Rin on the right.

Rin, moving forward, created space for himself as he received the pass. He was ten meters away from the penalty box. The crowd roared in anticipation as Rin advanced, ready to unleash his fearsome precision. However, the moment was interrupted by a sudden challenge. Oliver Aiku, the U-20 captain, leapt into action. With impeccable timing, Aiku intercepted the ball mid-air, trapping it against his chest with a graceful yet commanding presence.

Rin's sharp eyes narrowed as he watched Aiku move. He had anticipated some resistance but hadn't expected Aiku to react with such speed and authority. The ball barely had a chance to touch the ground before Aiku, in one fluid motion, directed it toward Darai on his left.

The Blue Lock players hesitated for a fraction of a second as the tide of the game shifted. The crowd, sensing the turn of events, erupted in cheers for their U-20 captain. Aiku's presence on the field was undeniable, his composure and skill earning the admiration of fans and teammates alike. He had singlehandedly diffused Blue Lock's dangerous attack, asserting the U-20 team's control over the game.

Darai, positioned on the left, received Aiku's pass. Before Otoya could put pressure on him, he passed it to his defensive midfielder, Wakatsuki. Wakatsuki surged forward but was immediately pressured by Chigiri. Chigiri had run from his right-back position to join the attack, but the sudden change in play stopped him momentarily. He was planning to retreat, but seeing the player near him get the ball, he chose to mark Wakatsuki for now.

Wakatsuki didn't take much time to send the ball to Sae at the front.

"Show us what you got, Prodigy!"

Sae received the pass and was already mid-turn when he took off with the ball. As Sae advanced, Bachira made his run to block Sae's path. This was the strategy set for the match: once Chigiri or Bachira moved up for offense, the other one moved back for defense. Since Chigiri was pushing up, Bachira moved back to stop the counterplay.

Before Bachira could even get close to Sae, the U-20 prodigy, with an almost effortless flick, sent a powerful lofted pass from the midfield toward Kento Chou, the U-20 left-winger.

"Seriously...?"

Bachira muttered under his breath, taken aback by Sae's rapid decision-making. The pass had been so quick, so precise, that it seemed to completely bypass Bachira's defensive plans. In that brief moment of shock, Bachira scanned the field to track the ball's path.

"Wonderful"

Kento Chou muttered to himself, his feet already in motion. He controlled the ball beautifully, the pass landing at his feet like a gift. He felt the surge of momentum and began to move forward, eager to exploit the opening.

But just as he started his run, the space ahead of him vanished. Aryu, who had covered for Chigiri's absence in defense, stepped in front of Kento, blocking his path with a commanding presence.

"Take it, Fox"

However, Kento didn't have to even think as he passed the ball quickly to his right, sending it toward Teru, the U-20 right-winger.

"Nice One! Kento!"

As Teru received the pass, He moved forward.

"As expected, Try getting past me, Fox-face"

Though before Teru could move far ahead, His path was blocked by Karasu.

Karasu saw it coming from a mile away. He had been tracking Teru's movement since the moment Sae made the pass. Karasu, sensing the danger, moved swiftly, stepping into position to block Teru's path.

But Teru, undeterred, sent the ball back to Sae with a smooth pass, trusting the U-20 ace to handle the next phase of the play.

Sae, receiving the ball about 17 meters from the goal box, didn't waste a second. He was already charging forward, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the space ahead. The defense was scrambling to adjust, but Sae, with his lethal combination of agility and awareness, was already closing the gap. His speed increased, and he moved toward Niko, the center defender, who stood poised to halt his advance.

Niko, calculating his position, shifted slightly to block Sae's shooting lane. He wasn't looking to steal the ball; his role was to stall, to force Sae into making a decision.

Sae came closer, nearing the moment where he would either make his move or be thwarted. As he approached Niko, the tension reached its peak—Sae's foot hovering over the ball, ready to break the defensive structure with a sudden shift.

But then, in a split-second, Sae felt a shift in the pressure on his shoulder. Chigiri—having sprinted from his position up front—was there to disrupt Sae's momentum. His hand was on Sae's shoulder, not giving him a moment's peace as he closed in for the steal.

Sae, always thinking ahead, saw his plan unraveling. He felt the defensive press from both Niko and Chigiri, and with perfect foresight, he made a swift decision. Without breaking his stride, Sae used his left foot to loft the ball to the right—an intricate, precise touch that sent the ball sailing towards the center of the penalty box, where Sendou Shuto, the U-20 center forward, was waiting.

"Gagamaru!"

Chigiri shouted, His eyes were wide with urgency as he saw the lofted ball heading straight toward Sendou Shuto, who stood alone, unmarked at the front of the goal.

The ball hung in the air for a brief moment, a perfect arc toward the man at the heart of the U-20 attack. Sendou's eyes locked onto it, his instincts telling him that this was the moment to pounce, to finish what Sae had started. The crowd held their breath, knowing this pass could change everything.

The stadium was filled with a sense of inevitability. Sendou Shuto, the U-20 striker, had positioned himself perfectly at the edge of the penalty box, eyes fixed on the incoming pass. His timing was impeccable. As Sae Itoshi lofted the ball toward him, the crowd braced themselves for what seemed like a guaranteed goal. Sendou prepared to volley the ball into the net, the net rippling in their minds as the fans were ready to erupt in celebration.

But then, in an instant, everything froze.

Just as Sendou swung his foot to strike the ball, a flash of blue appeared in his peripheral vision. The ball, mere inches from the striker's boot, was halted mid-flight by a foot. The interception was precise, the movements calm and calculated, a direct challenge to the certainty of the U-20's attack.

"Miss me?"

Isagi's voice broke the silence, cutting through the tension in the stadium. It was as if the entire world had held its breath, only for Isagi's words to shatter the anticipation like glass.

The ball, which had seemed destined to break the net just moments ago, now lay motionless at Isagi's feet as he calmly turned and controlled it. He made it look easy, effortless, as if he'd known this moment would come all along.

The crowd, expecting to see a goal from Sendou, was stunned into silence. The entire momentum of the match had just shifted in one masterful interception. It was a play that no one had seen coming—except, of course, Isagi.

From the moment he passed the ball to Bachira earlier in the match, Isagi instead of rushing forward like the others, he had made a decision to pull back, watching Sae carefully and staying out of his line of sight. It was a move designed not for glory, but for a moment just like this. As Chigiri pressed Sae, Isagi knew exactly where the ball would go.

When Sae passed the ball to Sendou, Isagi was already there, ready to disrupt the perfect play. His interception came as a complete surprise to the U-20 team, who had anticipated a clear shot at goal. But not today.

"Counter attack!"

Chigiri's voice rang out like a battle cry, igniting the field as Blue Lock surged forward. Isagi, standing at the edge of his own goal box with the ball at his feet, wasted no time. The adrenaline coursing through his veins sharpened his focus. He didn't hesitate, didn't dwell on the moment. Instead, his eyes scanned the field, calculating trajectories and movements in an instant.

With a fluid motion, Isagi stepped into the ball and launched a long, arcing pass, the likes of which echoed Sae's precision and audacity. The ball rocketed forward from Isagi's position deep in Blue Lock's half, slicing through the air with a force that caught everyone by surprise. It wasn't just a clearance—it was a calculated missile, aimed directly at Blue Lock's left winger, Yukimiya Kenyu.

Yukimiya blinked in surprise, his gaze snapping toward the ball hurtling through the air toward him. He hadn't expected a pass from so far back, let alone one with this kind of precision. Realizing the opportunity, he burst into a sprint, racing up the left flank to intercept the ball. The power behind Isagi's pass made it cover the distance in no time, forcing Yukimiya to quicken his pace to stay ahead of the defenders.

The crowd erupted into a mix of gasps and cheers. The sight of a 70-meter pass from deep in Blue Lock's half to the attacking front left everyone stunned. Even the commentators couldn't contain their amazement.

"Incredible! Isagi Yoichi with an absolute bullet of a pass! That's a 70-meter precision strike, setting up Yukimiya Kenyu for the counter!"

One of them exclaimed, their voice rising with excitement.

The ball landed perfectly at Yukimiya's feet, as though it had been magnetically drawn to him. The weight, direction, and timing of the pass were flawless, leaving Yukimiya in an ideal position to advance. Without wasting a second, Yukimiya controlled the ball and glanced upfield, his mind already visualizing the next move.

Yukimiya was beyond impressed with Isagi's audacious pass. Yet, there was no time to dwell on admiration—the opportunity demanded immediate action. The U-20 defense line, stunned by the sheer brilliance of the pass, hesitated for a split second too long, giving Yukimiya just enough time to exploit the gap.

Without wasting a moment, Yukimiya surged toward the goal box. His eyes burned with determination, his every movement fueled by the chance to capitalize on Isagi's vision. However, as he approached the edge of the penalty area, Niou, the U-20's steadfast center-back, stepped forward to block his path.

Niou didn't make a move for the ball; instead, he focused on stopping the player himself. His physicality disrupted Yukimiya's rhythm, making every dribble and feint a battle. Yukimiya attempted a drag scissor, his feet weaving over the ball, but Niou's imposing presence made it difficult to break through cleanly.

Just as Yukimiya adjusted his stance to regain control, another threat appeared—Neru, the U-20's left-back and a speedster known for his sharp defensive reads, charged in to double-team him.

Yukimiya's mind raced. He was boxed in, the walls closing around him. But rather than panic, he relied on his instincts. With a swift drag-back, he pulled the ball away from Niou, letting the defender's momentum carry him forward. Neru, rushing in from the side, lunged to intercept, but Yukimiya's sudden movement caused him to overextend and miss the ball entirely.

Now free from the immediate threat, Yukimiya found himself at the left edge of the penalty box. His instincts screamed to shoot. The angle wasn't ideal, but with his technical ability, it was possible to curve the ball toward the far post. He planted his foot and prepared to strike—but he hesitated for a fraction of a second.

Aiku.

Blue Lock's captain had anticipated the move. Oliver Aiku, the U-20's defensive leader, read Yukimiya's intention like an open book. He began to close the gap with calculated precision, his timing impeccable.

"Here, Four-Eyes"

Nagi called out, his voice calm yet commanding, as he moved into a dangerous position just in front of the goal box. He was perfectly placed, an ideal target for a pass that could end in a decisive strike.

Yukimiya, pressed for time and options, realized he had no choice. Wasting this counterattack wasn't an option. With a quick flick of his foot, he passed the ball to Nagi, hoping to keep the momentum alive.

Aiku, watching the play unfold, was one step ahead. The moment the ball left Yukimiya's feet, Aiku shifted his position toward the center, preparing to block Nagi's shooting lane. His defensive instincts were sharp, and he was already calculating how to neutralize Blue Lock's next move.

But Nagi wasn't interested in taking the obvious path, He wanted to shoot the ball but Neru, The speedster defender of the U20 got onto him.

Both Aiku and Neru were now focused on him and all the shooting course up ahead were blocked by them.

With his usual nonchalant brilliance, Nagi didn't even bother to control the ball. Instead, he let it roll past him, his body subtly shifting to sell the illusion of an imminent strike. The U-20 defenders, Aiku included, hesitated for a fraction of a second, caught off guard by the unexpected decision.

And that's when Rin Itoshi came into view.

Positioned on the left, Rin had been lurking just outside the action, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. The ball, untouched by Nagi, rolled smoothly into his path.

Rin's intense gaze locked onto the goal, his every step radiating purpose. With the precision of a sniper lining up his shot, he adjusted his stance, ready to unleash a devastating strike. The crowd, realizing what was about to happen, erupted in anticipation.

This wasn't just a counterattack anymore—it was a masterpiece in the making.

Boom!

Rin unleashed a blistering shot toward the top-right corner of the net, a strike so precise and powerful it seemed almost inevitable. Aiku, positioned slightly to the left, could do nothing but watch as the ball sailed past, perfectly placed out of his reach.

The U-20 goalkeeper, sharp and reactive, saw the trajectory and leaped with everything he had. His outstretched hand reached desperately for the ball, but the raw force behind Rin's shot was overwhelming. The ball sliced through the air, brushing past his fingertips before slamming into the back of the net with a satisfying thud.

Goal!

Blue Lock had scored first.

The stadium fell into a stunned silence for a moment, as if the crowd needed time to process what had just happened. Many had expected the U-20 team, bolstered by Sae Itoshi's brilliance, to dominate their inexperienced opponents. But now, in the opening moments of the match, Blue Lock had delivered a statement.

The stands erupted into chaos—some in shock, others in awe. Cheers and gasps mingled with the rising energy of the game.

The commentators could barely contain themselves as they scrambled to articulate the brilliance of the goal.

"Unbelievable! Blue Lock strikes first! What an outrageous sequence! From Isagi Yoichi's pinpoint, 70-meter pass that set up the counterattack to Yukimiya's composure, Nagi's genius dummy, and finally Rin Itoshi's unstoppable shot—this is football at its finest!"

The Blue Lock players rushed to celebrate, their unity and hunger palpable as they rallied around Rin. Meanwhile, Rin remained composed, his expression unflinching as he walked back toward the center circle. His eyes met Isagi's who was standing near the Mid-Field, Rin had scored from a play Isagi set up, It felt like his win over Isagi for now.

'Well, time for me to get involved'

Isagi thought, a determined gleam in his eyes.

He wasn't here to simply observe or play a supporting role; he had a mission and a bet to fulfill. His gaze wandered toward the Blue Lock bench, where the substitutes sat alongside Ego and Anri. His eyes locked with Anri's for just a brief second. Though fleeting, the moment carried weight—Anri's expression was a mixture of encouragement and silent expectation.

Isagi smirked.

'Wait for it'

He whispered under his breath, turning his focus back to the pitch.

As the Blue Lock players concluded their goal celebration, the excitement still buzzing in the air, Isagi positioned himself on the field, waiting for the game to start. He could feel the momentum shifting. The U-20 team would come back hard after conceding the first goal.

Though Isagi didn't feel pressured by that, he had already made up his mind for this match before even stepping onto this stage.

The next goal would be his.

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