During this time, Ryōsuke had been leading tactical practice with the rest of the team. To everyone else, he seemed like an absolute training fanatic.
They truly saw him as the team leader, confident he could take them further.
"Yesterday's third match concluded with Team W defeating Team X with 4-1." Ryōsuke announced.
With an hour left before the match, everyone was in the locker room preparing. He was briefing the team on the current situation in Blue Lock.
Team X losing to Team W was no surprise. Shoei Baro was their only standout player, and the rest of the team couldn't hold up. After their crushing defeat against Team Z, their morale had completely collapsed.
Combined with the 'Ego King's' lackluster performance in the first match, the team had fallen apart entirely.
They were essentially doomed to elimination, and Shoei's only path forward was as the team's top scorer.
"Our next opponent is Team Y. They were crushed in the first round, but that doesn't mean they're weak. While Hibiki Okawa appears to be their main offensive threat, don't forget that Ikki Niko is the real key player." Ryōsuke explained, "They've already lost one match, and another loss would mean elimination. Team Y will fight with everything they've got, so we can't afford to slack off."
"Is Ikki Niko really worth worrying about?" Rensuke asked, puzzled, "In the footage, although he didn't score, every offensive threat came from Hibiki Okawa."
"That's true — Hibiki Okaw is the attacker. But the one orchestrating their counterattacks is Ikki Niko." Ryōsuke replied, "For this match, we'll adjust our tactics. I'll take responsibility for guarding the back line. I won't give them a single chance to counterattack."
"Kira, you're taking the back line?" Wataru asked, surprised, "Then who's handling our offense?"
Ryōsuke's gaze shifted to the corner of the locker room, where Hyōma sat silently.
"I'll leave it to the Young Master."
"Huh?" The team was shocked, and even Hyōma hadn't expected it.
"Can the Young Master really handle it?"
"He was basically slacking off in the last match."
"It seems a bit risky—but if it's Kira's call, I'll trust it."
Everyone was talking among themselves, and Hyōma, caught completely off guard by the sudden situation, was at a loss for words.
"I believe in the Young Master. The opponents will likely take a fully defensive stance against us in the first half, so you can launch attacks freely." Ryōsuke said with a smile, "If the team relies entirely on me to push forward, no one else will have the chance to improve. Plus, it wouldn't be fair to the players who always stay on defense. Who knows, maybe I'll even play goalkeeper later."
They were a team, and to keep winning, every aspect needed improvement. Future opponents would only become stronger — especially Team V, whose strength was on a completely different level from the others.
Advancing from the group stage wasn't particularly challenging, but Ryōsuke had a 'greedy' desire to learn and improve himself during this time. The stronger the opponents and teammates he faced, the more Competition Points he could earn, allowing him to enhance his abilities even faster.
Not just as a Forward, Ryōsuke also wanted to test whether his newly unlocked abilities could be effective in other positions. According to the system's earlier explanation, using skills for tackles, assists, and similar actions could earn him significant Points.
"But can I really do it?" Hyōma murmured, his eyes still clouded with doubt.
"Don't worry. Just focus on increasing our firepower and attacking freely." Ryōsuke reassured him, "In the first half, work on creating gaps in their defense and wearing down their stamina. If the score isn't settled by the second half, I'll move up front and join you to completely break through their defense."
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In Team Y's locker room, Ikki gathered his teammates to discuss their strategy for the upcoming match.
"We must win this match!"
Although heavy bangs obscured his eyes, everyone could sense the intensity of his expression.
"Team Z is strong, but they aren't unbeatable. The key difference between Team Z and Team V is clear — Team V has three players with excellent offensive abilities, which stretches our defense thin. Team Z, on the other hand, only has Ryōsuke Kira worth defending against; the others pose no real threat."
As Ikki finished speaking, he clenched his fist, his tone growing even more resolute.
"I will use these eyes to completely shut down all his offensive routes! I won't let him score! We must win this match!"
"Yeah!"
Ikki's words ignited Team Y's morale.
They had no choice but to prevail — elimination in this match would leave them with virtually no chance of advancing.
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An hour later, both teams arrived at the match venue as instructed by the broadcast.
The energy between the teams was palpable — momentum was at an all-time high. Even before the match officially began, a fierce competitive spirit had already ignited.
Ryōsuke could feel the weight of the opponent's gaze fixed on him, but he paid it no mind. Instead, he calmly opened the system interface.
— — — — — — — — — —
〚 Host: Ryōsuke Kira 〛
〚 Current Competition Points: 0 〛
〚 Current Skills: 〛
〚 Skill: Thunder Breathing - Total Concentration | Level: 2 | EXP: 88.07% 〛
〚 Skill: Thunder Breathing - First Form: Thunderclap and Flash | Level: 2 | EXP: 75.11% 〛
〚 Skill: Thunder Breathing - Second Form: Rice Spirit | Status: Upgradable | Level: 1 | EXP: 100% 〛
〚 Upgrade Cost: 50 Competition Points 〛
— — — — — — — — — —
After days of consistent training and focused practice in the Competition Space, he had pushed the proficiency of his newly unlocked Rice Spirit to its maximum, ready for an upgrade to Level 2.
After this match, he expected to earn enough Points.
At the same time, Ryōsuke was eager to test whether his unlocked skills could prove effective in other positions.
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