Chapter 233: An Unexpected Chemical Reaction
"I've never heard that his arsenal includes ground-level heavy shots."
Always obsessed with analyzing numbers, Hiiragi Reiji narrowed his sharp eyes, staring at Shinichi—who was now being lifted and crushed in a celebratory hug by his teammates after that insane goal.
"And he can fire off that kind of cannon even with a low shot? How is he controlling it?"
A low driven shot is never supposed to be that powerful. Even with perfect form, too much force usually causes the ball to bounce off the grass instead of staying level.
But Shinichi's strike had shattered Hiiragi's understanding.
With that ball speed, even if he hadn't jumped and gotten baited, he wasn't sure he could have stopped it.
"On the pitch, the last play is the last play."
While Bastard's players were still stunned from Shini's 35-meter missile, Noa—cold and unreadable as always—finally spoke.
His voice sliced clean through their daze.
"Do NOT dwell on what already passed. Reviewing mistakes is something you do after the match."
"Right now—put EVERYTHING into the match in front of you. Into scoring the next goal."
"YES SIR!!!" ×10
....
"Amazing… they're still full of spirit."
Shinichi grinned as the Bastard players straightened their posture.
"That's better. So then…"
"World Number One—now that you're behind, what's your next move?"
Noa answered with the simplest method possible:
He ran.
The moment Charles kicked off, Noa exploded forward like a fired arrow—blitzing past everyone and spearing into Blue Lock's defensive heart.
"What are you flailing around for?!"
Shinichi cut directly into Noa's path, locking him down. Even without entering the Ego–Vision or Stage 2 ZONE, the muscle buildup from Snuffy's training allowed him to go toe-to-toe with Noa's normal state without falling behind.
Noa didn't respond to Shinichi's taunt.
His off-ball movement simply accelerated—a mix of sudden stops, sharp reversals, and deliberate dives into crowded areas, using teammates and defenders as moving shields to block Shinichi's pursuit.
For the first time in a football match, the entire stadium's attention wasn't on the ball.
Everyone's eyes were glued to the two monsters weaving across the field.
Fans and current pro players alike were struck silent.
Noa's movement was surgical—every step chosen with impossible precision.
And Shinichi?
He was matching that brilliance step for step, refusing to fall behind.
Countless pro players watching secretly on their phones couldn't help thinking:
If it were me, could I push Noa this hard?
No… I'd lose him in the first two feints.
But they also sighed.
Even if they fell behind, their teammates would rotate and cover.
That's how a real defensive system works.
But Shinichi?
He didn't have that luxury.
Blue Lock's defenders were nowhere near his capability.
He had to follow Noa every step, no matter what, or Bastard's attack would explode through the gap.
So when Noa dragged him all the way to the sideline…
Shinichi had no choice but to follow—leaving their team's defense in shambles.
And that's when Charles struck.
A long ball—not to Noa—but across the left side.
"Blue Lock's formation has been shredded by Noa's movement, and Charles sends the ball to Nishioka—who returns today after his injury!"
The commentator shouted, burning through his oxygen.
"This dribbling prodigy earned twenty million from just one match in Stage One, and Noa bought him for four million despite his injury! Let's see what light he shines with now!"
Nishioka did not disappoint.
Like Messi possessing a nimble child's body, he danced through defenders with tight steps and sharp feints, shifting his tiny frame unpredictably. His steps were so small, so controlled, it was impossible to tell which one would be a touch or a trap.
Yukimiya hesitated.
Otaya tried to cover the gap.
Both were fooled.
A shoulder drop—
A tiny hop—
A sudden acceleration—
Nishioka burst through the seam.
"That's as far as you go."
Hiori cut in with perfect timing.
He'd been marking Charle's off-ball run, but his attention had never left Nishioka.
As someone Nishioka once lost to at the start, Hiori would never underestimate him again.
His body check crushed Nishioka's dribble.
But Nishiokq didn't waste a second.
He passed.
A perfect cross.
"During the time you guys were playing," Nishioka yelled, voice raw, "I wasn't sitting around doing nothing!"
Hiiragi Reiji—normally the anchor at the back—suddenly surged forward.
"In terms of raw numbers, this pass increases your threat the most. Isn't that right?"
A calculated gamble.
A former king—now rising again.
Boom!
In a play with zero pause, three men who had never once played together created a perfect chain reaction.
The ball flew upfield—Slipped through Zantetsu's last-second block attempt—And met Barou's foot.
The spinning ball popped up lightly from Barou's instep—
The rotation died—And the ball hung in the air, waiting.
"Go get it!!!"
----------------
If you want to read 20 advance chapters ahead.
Visit my patreon: patreon.com/Kinglass