The final whistle blew.
The scoreboard displayed 9–0, an even more decisive victory than Team Y's previous 8–0 loss.
Once Ryōsuke scored the first goal, the match was effectively over, becoming little more than a formality.
Team Y's morale crumbled completely. Their stamina depleted, they could barely maintain any defensive formation, their fighting spirit utterly shattered.
Team Z controlled the second half masterfully, with Ryōsuke unleashing his full potential to score 5 more goals. He had contained Team Y with ironclad defense in the first half, then overwhelmed them with relentless offense in the second.
After the match, Team Y's players collapsed on the ground in tears — two consecutive losses meant their inevitable elimination.
In Blue Lock, survival of the fittest remained the iron rule.
Hibiki and Ikki stood dazed — the skill gap was so vast they couldn't even process their sadness. The entire match had been nothing but a nightmare for them.
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Meanwhile, Ryōsuke entered the locker room to his teammates' thunderous cheers.
"That was amazing Kira, that triple dribble was brutal!"
"I think those earlier interceptions and clearances were the key!"
"Did you see Okawa's face? He thought it was a sure goal but Kira cleared it!"
Everyone celebrated jubilantly, and Ryōsuke smiled along.
At the same time, the system's voice chimed in as expected.
〘 Congratulations! Earned Competition Points: 130! 〙
— — — — — — — — — —
〚 Host: Ryōsuke Kira 〛
〚 Current Competition Points: 130 〛
〚 Current Skills: 〛
〚 Skill: Thunder Breathing - Total Concentration | Level: 2 | EXP: 94.07% 〛
〚 Skill: Thunder Breathing - First Form: Thunderclap and Flash | Level: 2 | EXP: 82.53% 〛
〚 Skill: Thunder Breathing - Second Form: Rice Spirit | Status: Upgradable | Level: 1 | EXP: 100% 〛
〚 Upgrade Cost: 50 Competition Points 〛
— — — — — — — — — —
'I earned more points than last time.' He pondered, 'Team Y was stronger than Team X overall, and my performance improved in the second match.'
Though Team Y had conceded 17 goals across two matches — 8 against Team V and now 9 against Team Z — they weren't actually weak. They had simply faced overwhelmingly strong opponents.
Ryōsuke had performed excellently in both matches, but this time he had also showcased formidable defensive abilities not seen in the first match.
The entire team's strength was steadily growing as well.
Hyōma had overcome his mental demons, Jingo had learned to control his temper, and the others had made significant strides through daily training.
These factors explained why Ryōsuke had earned more Competition Points. If this trend continued, he would earn even more points in upcoming matches.
Meanwhile, the system's voice hadn't stopped, and new information materialized before him.
〘 Achievement Unlocked 'Iron Defender': First time playing as defender in an official match and achieving victory! Earned Competition Points: 40! 〙
〘 Achievement Unlocked 'Interception King': First time making at least 5 interceptions in an official match! Slightly reduces skill-related stamina consumption! 〙
〘 Achievement Unlocked 'Absolute Defense': First time completing a clearance against a high-threat shot in an official match! Skill proficiency growth rate slightly increases when in own half! 〙
After completing the match, Ryōsuke unlocked three achievements with valuable rewards that would significantly improve his abilities.
With an additional 170 Points earned, his Rice Spirit skill had reached maximum proficiency and was ready to upgrade to Level 2, promising more diverse techniques and better ball control. His other two skills were also close to 100% proficiency, soon to reach Level 3.
The time before his next match would give him plenty of opportunities to upgrade these skills.
What intrigued him most was that these achievements primarily focused on the defender position — a direct result of his defensive role in this match.
Though the Blue Lock Project aimed to create the world's best forward, Ryōsuke realized he wasn't limited by this goal. Consistent victory mattered more than position.
'If playing as defender unlocks specific achievements, other positions must have their own.' He considered, 'Goalkeeper, midfielder — each role might offer unique achievements and rewards.'
The system's rewards sparked new possibilities in Ryōsuke's mind — he could experiment with different positions in future matches.
Like his current skills, these new abilities could be developed and refined to become more effective on the field.
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Team V's locker room.
They had just easily defeated Team W.
While other Team V members were drenched in sweat, Seishiro Nagi sat dry in his chair, playing games on his phone.
For him, the match was meaningless — he had scored a few goals to secure the lead, then coasted through the rest. Victory was inevitable, and unlike his celebrating teammates, he felt nothing.
[Fellow raw gems, the fourth match between Team Z and Team Y has already finished.]
The big screen lit up, projecting Jinpachi's face.
"Reo, wasn't Team Y the one we beat 8–0?" Seishiro asked lazily, glancing at Reo Mikage beside him.
"That's right, but your memory is terrible, Seishiro — though they're hardly worth remembering anyway." Reo shrugged dismissively. To him, Team Y was just another forgettable opponent.
But Team Y or any other team made no difference. He was confident none of the other four teams could challenge them.
Not just because they had his own excellent all-around abilities, or Zantetsu Tsurugi's explosive power.
Most importantly, their team had the genius Seishiro Nagi.
Reo turned to look at Seishiro, who had already returned to his mobile game, and smiled.
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