Jinpachi Ego sat with his legs crossed and said,
"Exactly. That's also part of improvisation—"
"When people chase their goals, things almost never go according to plan."
"What textbooks and manuals say might be correct in theory, but on a constantly shifting battlefield, they're nothing more than empty words."
"When planned tactics fall apart, ordinary people panic."
"They calm themselves by identifying the cause of failure and then spend time trying to fix the plan. That's a loser's mindset."
"But winners switch straight into Challenge mode!"
Ego glanced at Anri Teieri.
"Anri, what's the purpose of this match?"
"Eh? Um…" Caught off guard, Anri blinked before answering,
"To win!?"
"Correct." Ego nodded, satisfied.
"Being able to switch to that mindset immediately is crucial."
"Even if the plan fails, even if the execution is different from what you imagined—as long as you don't lose sight of your goal…"
"Then whatever's happening now simply becomes your next challenge."
As she listened, Anri finally began to grasp the meaning behind his words.
"That's the mentality needed for improvisation!"
Ego pushed his glasses up and continued,
"You're starting to get it, Anri."
"Blue Lock doesn't need ordinary people waiting for instructions. What I want are—"
"Egoists who can actively discover the challenge they need for themselves!"
"Rin Itoshi was the first to face this challenge, and Yoichi Isagi followed his lead—"
"Rin's awakening really couldn't happen without Yoichi!"
...
On the field, Yoichi Isagi crouched, staring at Rin Itoshi's back as he thought:
(That shot just now—considering Yukimiya, Otoya, Nagi, and Rin's shooting ability, any of them could've scored.)
(But that required the U-20's formation to be disrupted, letting them use their Weapon just like in practice.)
(And without a doubt, the one who cracked it open was Rin!!)
(I didn't fully understand his whole idea, but after he said that line—)
[You only need to watch me!]
(I could focus completely on syncing with him. Rin gave me a new challenge!)
With that, Isagi hurried toward Rin.
"Hey, Rin!"
"That shot earlier was insane—using the blind spot in his vision to catch Ryūma off guard. Classic you!"
"And because of your play, we were able to break through their defense step by step."
Rin gave him a strange look and cut him off.
"Tsk, you talk too much."
"Sounds nice, but during the buildup you were tailing me like some sidekick."
"Yet in front of the goal you suddenly got greedy and tried to steal the spotlight."
"Is that a problem?" Isagi asked, embarrassed but refusing to shrink back.
Rin didn't care about Isagi's tone. His eyes burned as he answered,
"No. That's how it should be."
"This twisted relationship is what's normal for us."
Watching Rin walk away, Isagi thought,
(Yeah… that distance between us is what created that unexpected play—)
(We're threats to each other now!!)
(No cozy teamwork—fight!!)
(Fight for my own goal alone!!)
...
Meanwhile, Ryūma walked toward the center circle with his hands behind his back, staring at the sky, not even glancing at Sae Itoshi beside him.
He knew exactly what he'd messed up. Three goals in a row had gone to his head—
And that moment of carelessness let Rin Itoshi fire one past him.
"I don't want a next time."
The moment Sae finally spoke to him, Ryūma nearly melted with relief. The last thing he wanted was Sae freezing him out—if Sae didn't cooperate in attack, he'd be doomed.
"Don't worry, Sae! There won't be a next time!"
He hurried his pace toward the center circle, eager to prove himself.
In the commentary box, Harutaro Natsuki and Atsuto Tereasa updated the match clock:
"Ten minutes left in the first half! Can Blue Lock withstand this U-20 offensive?"
"Or maybe even pull one back!"
"The tension is electric!"
"Score is 3–1. The match resumes!"
U-20 kick-off. Ryūma taps the ball to restart play.
"We're on, Sae!" He immediately sent the ball to Sae Itoshi on the left side of center.
But before Sae could even advance a few steps—
Rin Itoshi cut in front of him.
"Hey, hey! It's already the thirty-fifth minute, you know."
"After all this time, you don't even say hi? You fossil!"
"This isn't your match—it's the match where I surpass you!"
Rin closed in fast, stretching his leg to take the ball.
But Sae didn't panic. He pulled the ball back, slid it left with the inside of his right foot—
Then accelerated sharply past Rin's left.
Unfortunately, Sae Itoshi was already prepared. As Rin Itoshi closed in, he executed a double step-over.
The instant Rin was about to reach the ball, Sae slipped past with the move—
not only dodging the tackle but also carrying the ball to the right, looking as if he were about to completely beat his younger brother.
But Rin, finally able to face his brother head-on, wasn't about to be passed that easily.
He spun around at lightning speed and used his right arm to block Sae's forward momentum.
"Sae! Pass it here!" Ryūma shouted.
"Rin! I'll back you up!" Isagi called.
"Stay out of this, Yoichi!!"
"All of you, back off!! The two of us are just getting warmed up!"
Hearing Rin roar like that, Ryūma couldn't help feeling he was being told to get lost.
(Alright, alright, that's how you wanna play?)
(So this is a brother-vs-brother showcase now?)
Ryūma grumbled internally, but he still drifted away from the two.
He knew Sae wouldn't pass the ball either—
Because Sae Itoshi was about to teach his dear little brother a lesson.
...
(Full Series)
p@treon com / GhostParser