章 5: [5] Epilogue

"Hm? Deliberately avoiding me?" Shinichi scanned around and finally spotted Isagi blending into the crowd on the other side. "Tsk—could it be that because of me, Isagi has now awakened the use of 'Vision'? Interesting. If that's the case, this match might not be entirely pointless after all."

"Then, let me see just how far you can go, Isagi." Shinichi watched their formation with intrigue.

Aside from Isagi's deliberate repositioning, there were almost no changes.

Shinichi didn't actively seek him out, remaining in his usual spot on one side.

"There are various ways to use the Vision, so if I can gain some insight from this, all my efforts won't be in vain." Shinichi briefly scanned the hesitant players on the field while subtly observing through his peripheral vision.

'Is he intentionally using other players' bodies as cover? Every so often, he disappears behind someone, but what's the point? Relying on others as a wall also restricts his teammates' passing routes… Wait! Where did he go?'

In Shinichi's line of sight, Isagi was moving through players one by one, but at a certain point, after being obscured by someone, he inexplicably vanished from Shinichi's view.

Without much hesitation, Shinichi decided to press forward and mark the player holding the ball.

It wasn't necessarily the most strategic move; in fact, he was intentionally creating an opening to see if Isagi would take advantage of it.

"So, what will you do next? An assassin hiding in the shadows only has one chance to strike. Where will you aim this single blow?" Shinichi advanced quickly on the ball carrier, his mind racing.

'Still not coming out? I'm about to intercept—Hm? Really coming out now?' In his peripheral vision, Isagi's figure flashed toward the goal.

Shinichi instinctively turned his head, creating a split-second opening!

The nearby player suddenly passed to the opposite side of Isagi. Even with Shinichi's superhuman reflexes, as he attempted a scorpion kick to intercept, he could only slightly alter the ball's trajectory.

The ball was ultimately received by another Ichinan High player, who had sprinted forward just as Isagi's movement diverted Shinichi's attention!

For the first time, Ichinan High had broken through behind Shinichi!

"He's not just avoiding me, but using avoidance as bait, with the true goal being to direct his teammates' actions out of my line of sight?"

"Impressive. Not only did he grasp the concept of using blind spots, but he also used his own presence to guide others' sight. Well played, Isagi Yoichi."

After breaking through Shinichi's defense, their team's formation fell into slight disarray.

The defenders instinctively moved to cover, leaving a tiny gap in what had once been an impenetrable line.

But for Isagi, that small opening was more than enough.

He instantly made a reverse run from the defender's blind spot, cutting through the crack.

Ichinan High's forward, remembering Isagi's instructions, passed the ball to him just as the opposing defender moved to cover. "Amazing, Isagi. Everything's going just as you predicted."

Isagi received the ball in a dangerous position, quickly changed direction to fake out the only defender in his way, and struck toward the corner.

Even though the goalkeeper reacted, he missed by an inch.

Initially driven only by frustration, the Ichinan players, following Isagi's guidance, had rallied for one last effort.

Under Shinichi's overwhelming strength, their previously dimmed eyes now sparkled with a renewed glimmer of hope. "Nice! We scored! With this, maybe this match isn't over—"

"You won't get another chance."

A calm voice echoed through the field, and Isagi's eyes widened in shock.

A figure descended like a god, charging into the goal with a bicycle kick to meet the ball just as it passed the goalkeeper's fingertips.

"Bang!"

The ball's trajectory abruptly shifted upward from the force, and Shinichi landed heavily on the ground before quickly rising with a bright smile—a look that, in Isagi's eyes, seemed utterly terrifying.

"So, like I said, how could you forget about the first goal?" Shinichi charged forward, claiming the ball's drop point, even taking the time to trash-talk Isagi. "Predictions are worthless. My real strength is my speed and reflexes. So what if I'm a step behind?"

To prove his point, Shinichi jumped, squeezed past his opponent to seize the ball, and charged straight toward Isagi.

This time, without any feints, he simply accelerated and blew past Isagi's defense with a single move. "Even if I give you a three-second head start, you still couldn't catch me, turtle."

In the end, the 'Strategist' trait was only of blue grade. How could it compare to his finely honed, multi-augmented physical prowess?

Furthermore, his control over the game only extended within his defense and offense range—within his 'Strategist.' As a 'Strategist,' he could anticipate his opponents' moves by analyzing his own 'moves' to manipulate the game.

It couldn't be helped; after all, in his previous life, he only watched matches casually.

His real immersion into training only began after entering high school.

Reaching this level was thanks to his gold-grade 'Genius' trait.

Now, much like Nagi, Shinichi had raw talent but lacked the deeper insights acquired by those who had been learning football since childhood. This gap in understanding was what he intended to improve in Blue Lock.

While Shinichi had mentioned that even Rin's current control couldn't help him progress, making it seem as though his command of the field was already strong, the truth was that early Blue Lock Rin was merely a copycat of his brother Sae's style.

In other words, Rin's level allowed him to control players of this caliber, but in the U-20 match, his control over U-20 defenders was ineffective.

Rin's soccer was, at its core, a style focused on destruction. The fact that he could perform at this level while forcing himself into an unfamiliar style was a testament to his exceptional talent.

On the field, Shinichi effortlessly regained possession, and before they knew it, another goal had been scored. For Ichinan High, this goal was the final straw that broke the camel's back.

"Beep—"

The whistle blew, and Isagi, in disbelief, pointed at himself. "You're subbing me out? This has to be a joke! Without my dribbling, how are they supposed to… I've already found Shinichi's defensive gaps! Sure, I failed this time, but if I can just do it a bit better, if the passing can be quicker, and if we can have someone delay Shinichi's recovery, then—"

"And how many tries will it take before you get it right? How many goals will they score before you manage it?" The middle-aged coach reprimanded him sternly.

Isagi opened his mouth to protest, but his lips quivered, and no sound came out, as though his voice had been taken from him.

Seeing Isagi's expression, the coach softened a bit, sighing as he gestured for him to sit down. "Isagi, you've done well. I can tell you never gave up, constantly searching for a solution. But… this game is already lost. Next year, you'll get another chance."

"But your seniors are in their final year. For most of them, this might be the last time they'll ever get to play in an official match."

"I know it feels unfair, especially after all your hard work. But those seniors who gave up their starting spots for you—now that the outcome is settled, let them experience these last moments on the field."

Isagi didn't respond.

His head hung low, and his vacant eyes no longer watched the field.

Instead, he fixated on his cleats. "If… if I had just taken that shot better, angled it a bit sharper… If that shot had gone in, would things have been different? Would my teammates… would the coach… still have hope for victory?"

"Damn it… This feels so unfair!" Isagi clenched his shorts tightly, his body trembling as large tears fell from his deep blue eyes.

Forward Isagi's last game before entering Blue Lock ended on the bench.