"What?"
"This guy can copy others' weapons?!"
"If that's the case, we're in big trouble!"
The rest of the U20 team watched in horror, and Reo was about to head the ball,but-
Wait.
Just as Reo was about to head the ball out of the field, he paused.
If I head it out now, they'll get a throw. Sae's already calculating, once that throw happens, he'll take me more seriously. Not that I don't have more techniques up my sleeve, this is only the edge of my limitless potential.
Not to mention, isn't that exactly what the orignal Reo did? Even though it had no detrimental effect, wasn't the same guy the one who played assist to Nagi.
Iyyada. I came onto this field to become the #1 player in Blue Lock, no matter what I have to do for it. I don't want to win the World Cup, I wanna be the #1 Blue Locker from start to finish! And that starts by-
Reo adjusted the angle of his header, making it bounce off and fall next to his feet where he trapped it.
-becoming this match's MVP!
[Used Skill:Black Hole Trap!]
Reo looked around his right, and his eyes locked onto Otoya. He nodded and Otoya began a run. However that didn't go unnoticed. Cho and Sendo noticed immeadiately and moved to block Otoya.
Just before Otoya was blocked, Reo had already raised his left foot to shoot. Sendo bodied him and smirked, saying, "Whatchu gonna do now,#14?"
However, Reo's face betrayed nothing. Just as his foot was about to make contact with the ball, he pulled it back, and instead shot it in the opposite direction with his right foot, without even looking.
"...What?!"
"Wait, who's gonna...?" The U20 team looked towards Reo's left, almost afraid of what they were going to see.
"Thanks for the pass, Reo kun~"
The Monster of Blue Lock had barely got the ball, that he rushed down the field towards the U20 goal, dribbling through whoever stopped him.
I see! Aiku thought. We didn't know what this guy's dominant foot was, and he deliberately trapped the ball with his left foot to make us think that he was left footed. The eye contact with Otoya, the nod, it was all a trap! He never had any intention of passing to Otoya in the first place. He was always gonna-
Bachira dribbled through Hayate, nutmegging him, attracting shock from thousands of viewers.
- make a pass to Bachira!
The stadium exploded, cheers raining down like confetti, and the commentators went crazy.
"A No Look Pass! He pulled off a literal No Look Pass on Japan's U20 Team!"
"Man, I seriously thought it was gonna be a hat trick for Ryusei Shido back then!"
"Heh, if it was that easy, why would they even sub him in as a defender?"
"Yeah, talk about 'hidden weapons'. First, Japan pulled out a guy who scored twice, and once with a bicycle kick that raised him above the literal goal itself, and then Blue Lock responded with a guy who pulled off an impossible pass on 'Japan's greatest treasure'."
" That's right! Whatever you say, Blue Lock is definitely not an amateur team."
"Amateurs? I won't be suprised, no I actually expect them to get even crazier!"
**
As Reo landed on his feet, Aryu and Otoya came up, patting him on the back.
"Yo bro, what was that? I swear to God I was sure that was going in!"
"And that pass, dude! You humiliated me without even trying!"
"Heh, I'm sorry about that,"
Reo felt slightly guilty, but after all, if he hadn't pulled that off, the chances were really low that Bachira'd be able to break the midline before he got mobbed and snatched. However, that pang vanished as quickly as it came.
In the end, this was Blue Lock, where every person played for themselves. Reo's play right now had symbolised exactly that, using one's own teammates to get into the spotlight.
Bachira dribbled through Hayate before sending a short pass to Rin. Rin recieved, dribbled and faced off against Darai.
"You are not getting past me, little one," Darai began. Rin said nothing and instead toed the ball towards the right. Darai didn't bite though, he kept his distance, instead waiting for Rin to make the next move. He wasn't disappointed. Rin moved left, and attempted the same elastico that Sae had pulled off at the other end of the field.
But he had reckoned without the real star of the team, the policeman who'd snap up any attempt at goals, the Serpent himself...
Aiku Oliver.
"My style just got robbed, doesn't mean I've been replaced!"
Rin barely had time to look back, before a white streak whipped the ball from his feet. He tried to retaliate, but the chance was already dead.
Because in that moment, when Itoshi Rin attempted to copy his brother and prove him the more superior one on the field...
The Serpent of the Iron Wall had clamped its jaws.
Dammit,Rin and Isagi thought simultaneously. This guy, we seriously thought we got him, but he just pulled off another crazy move!
"At this rate-" Isagi groaned, as he looked down.
"-winning this match-" Rin said through gritted teeth, looking up at the bright stadium lights.
"is next to impossible!" they both thought, snapping their necks to look at Aiku who was high fiving Nio.
Japan U20 began another attack, as Aiku dished out the ball to Darai, signalling him to pass it on. Darai nodded and faced the front, only to be challenged by Yukimiya.
"I'm the best 1 v 1 guy in this entire country," Yuki warned. "I wouldn't contest if I were you."
"Is that so?" Darai asked, seeming to size down Yukimiya. He toed the ball with his leg, but instead of going for an elastico, he attempted to sprint off, and leave Yukimiya in the dust.
The idea was nice, and Darai could've definitely pulled that off against any low level striker. But not against Blue Lock's #5. Yukimiya smirked, and in response, swiftly heeled the ball through Darai's leg mid sprint.
Darai froze. His entire body short circuited, and he could only look back in disbelief at Yukimiya as the latter dribbled down, which the commentators quickly picked up on.
"Damn, Darai got smoked harder than the U20 defense when Seishiro Nagi scored!"
"I know right? I guess those are the consequences of underestimating a Blue Locker, after all."
Yukimiya looked back and was about to smirk at Darai, when he suddenly bumped into someone else. He looked up, expecting Nio or someone else who he could nutmeg again and score, tying the scoreboard. However, he hadn't even done so, when the ball vanished from his feet, and he felt like a huge, venomous snake was binding him, paralysing him completely.
"You might be the country's best 1 v 1 guy, but I'm the best defender. And I, have had enough." Aiku muttered, before vanishing behind Yukimiya.
Rin was the first to react, instaneously blocking Aiku, probably trying to get back his dignity, but Aiku simply swept right, then left. Rin didn't bite, and was prepared for him to go right, where he'd intercept the ball and send it to Isagi, who'd give him another assist.
But Aiku didn't go right. Instead, he dragged the ball with toe bone towards the right, baiting Rin to bite, which the Itoshi did, creating a nice gap between his legs in the process. Aiku's brow was covered in sweat, his eyes betraying utmost concentration, as his foot stopped suddenly and instead pushed it between Rin's legs.
Nutmeg.
"Not everyone can become Itoshi Sae, #10", was the last thing Rin heard from Aiku before he got clowned.
The crowd went crazy, the national flag back up again. The commentators were almost drooling as they saw that crazy move.
"WHAT A MOVE! What a move!"
"Blue Lock seemed to be on top for a second, especially after #5 nutmegged Darai, but Aiku got his revenge! The Captain stole the ball, and then nutmegged the Genius' little brother!"
"Yeah, the Snake is definitely dancing!"
On the sidelines, Ego adjusted his glasses. Although his expression remained neutral, if one focused closely, they could see beads of sweat forming.
"Oliver Aiku," he muttered. "Your Flow is... truly extraordinary."
Back on the field, Isagi and Nagi attempted to guard Aiku, Nagi attempting to sweep the ball away, but Aiku retaliated. He turned 90° with his back to Nagi, foiling the genius' plans. Hiori attempted to make a diagonal run and block off Aiku's rush route, having the Blue Lockers corner him, but Neru had latched onto him like an inescapable leech. Plus, Neru's superior speed allowed him to completely outclass Hiori's attempts at breaking free of the marking.
Isagi and Karasu were the only ones who were blocking Aiku's path. Both tried to read his dribbling style, and calculate his next movements. But this wasn't any ordinary, average dribbling style. This was the dribbling style that Aiku had perfected in his several years playing for Japan, which had been honed against opponents who would dominate him completely, like Spain and France.
" I'm tired of these games, honestly,"
Isagi's pupils widened as he realised Aiku's intentions. He tried to block Aiku's crossover, but the Serpent simply tanked Isagi's kick with his other leg's calf. He swept the ball underneath Isagi, and broke free of Karasu's grip.
"You all might be hungry,"
Nutmeg.
"but satisfy my hunger as well!"
Aiku recieved the ball, flicked it up and sent a pass up to the other side, where a magenta haired midfielder began to run.
He grinned crazily at the bewildered players across the field. "Show me that you're different, Blue Lock!"
This guy, Isagi could only stare. What is up with this guy?
I came here expecting Sae and Shido, but this guy...
Is this what the captain of a National Team looks like?!
Karasu, on the other hand, was far more practical. He turned instantly and yelled at the defense, "Sae! Cover Itoshi Sae! If Sae gets it, he'll set up another attack! And this time, we've got no suprise weapons!"
But it was already too late. The ball touched Sae's shoe, and he looked at Aiku coldly. "Your passing is below average, Captain,"
Aiku could only smile in return. "Just set me up already, genius."
Sae scoffed, and turned his attention to the defense. Aryu had pinned Shido, and Otoya was helping. Bachira had began to rush at him. Karasu had Sendo blocked, and even if Sendo did get the ball, Karasu would probably troll him, shut him down and send the ball forward, and create another attack in favour of Blue Lock.
Sae prepared to pass, and the defense around the two tightened, the whole pitch waited for his next action.
"No!" Isagi shouted. "Its neither Shido nor Sendo! The true attacker is-"
Almost everyone on Blue Lock's entire team widened their eyes, as they realised. After Sae's recieve, everyone had tightened around the two most likely strikers, Shido and Sendo. They hadn't bothered marking the others, because their shots wouldn't be enough for Goat Gagamaru to miss. And someone on the field had taken advantage of this, slipping through the defense and set themselves up in the perfect spot for Sae's pass. Someone who no one'd have expected to score, especially considering his performance during the last 70 minutes.
"Unfortunately for you, I happen to be a former striker."
That someone was Oliver Aiku.
AN-
Should I have him score?