[97] A Narrow Stop

"Stop him!" Seeing the Blue Lock goalkeeper about to pass the ball to Shidou, Kunigami shouted in alarm.

But despite earlier declaring he would show off, Shidou showed no intention of holding onto the ball.

Without hesitation, he passed it away. "Hey, Blue-hair, give me a pass like that too!"

"With that arrogant look, I thought he was another self-obsessed maniac like Barou, but he's surprisingly willing to share the ball," Nagi said, blocking Hiori, who had just received the ball. "So, what step ahead do you see now?"

"Of course... everything!" Hiori, while facing off against Nagi, subtly shifted his positioning.

Just as Nagi grew impatient and prepared to press for the ball, Hiori suddenly made his move.

With a quick series of large feints, he created enough space to act.

Then, with precision, he launched a powerful kick.

The ball soared into the sky, a long cross that spanned almost the entire field, tearing through the opposing team's defensive line.

At the front of the field, a figure was already sprinting at full speed, chasing the ball.

"Man, you're insane. If I'd been a step slower, this pass would've been wasted!" Even Shidou, known for his endurance, was panting after the relentless back-and-forth sprints.

But now wasn't the time for hesitation.

He was closing in on the goal.

Standing in his way were Ishikari, who had abandoned defending against Nanase to intercept him, and Kunigami, still chasing him from behind.

"Pass me the ball!"

!

Though no voice actually called out, a sound seemed to echo in Shidou's mind. The sight of Shinichi charging forward suddenly filled his vision, consuming his thoughts entirely.

That unparalleled presence commanded everyone's attention. Even though Jyubei was tightly marking Shinichi, using his menacingly long limbs to disrupt him, Shidou knew that if he passed the ball, no matter who was defending, Shinichi would undoubtedly send it into the net.

It was an aura that could infect everyone around—a kind of absolute confidence that only an ace could exude. Though Shinichi hadn't spoken, everyone could understand the meaning behind his piercing gaze: "Give me that damn ball!"

"So, this is what a true ace looks like? Damn, that's cool... But... no way in hell!" Shidou forcefully turned his head away, refusing to let himself be drawn in by that strange, magnetic presence that almost compelled him to pass.

"I only pass the ball to set up my own explosive plays. I was born to score goals here and now. If you expect me to give up the ball, I'd rather drop dead right here!"

Shidou lifted the ball, his gaze fixed on its rising arc. His eyes burned with unyielding determination.

In his mind, phantom demon wings made of black flames unfurled dramatically from his back.

Without losing an ounce of speed, Shidou launched himself into the air and, in a wildly unorthodox motion, executed a mid-air bicycle kick.

Boom!

Team Shinichi: 3 Team Rebel: 0

The ball rocketed into the net, unimpeded by any defense. Even as Shidou crashed hard onto the ground, ignoring the pain, he rolled back to his feet with fiery energy. Leaping high, he roared in celebration:

"How's that for explosive power?! You bastards will never crush me! I'm the insane demon of the penalty area! Hahaha!"

But before his excitement could fully settle, a voice cut through the moment.

"Is that level of explosiveness really all you've got?"

Shinichi's calm voice rang out from the sidelines, cutting through Shidou's roaring celebration and reaching his ears. His indifferent gaze showed not a hint of anger at Shidou's defiance. Instead, he spoke with chilling clarity:

"Did you get so caught up in showing off that you lost focus? Stop relying on that useless little brain of yours and try using your pitiful excuse for a real one."

"Take a good look at the field and think again—did you really 'explode' as you think you did?"

Shinichi's words were like a bucket of cold water extinguishing Shidou's fiery passion.

Only then did Shidou take a moment to observe the field.

It wasn't the triumphant scene he'd imagined—where he heroically broke through the double team of Ishikari and Kunigami to score under pressure without passing to Shinichi.

Instead, Ishikari, Kunigami, and even the opposing goalkeeper had all been singularly focused on Shinichi.

They'd lunged toward him, their movements driven by an almost primal need to stop him at all costs.

Their stunned expressions as they turned to see Shidou scoring painted the truth clearly:

It wasn't Shidou's skill or explosiveness that had overwhelmed them. It was Shinichi's overwhelming presence.

Even the opponents, seemingly unable to resist the gravitational pull of his existence, had instinctively abandoned Shidou, leaving him unmarked to defend against Shinichi.

Compared to Shinichi, Shidou's "explosiveness" had been utterly insignificant.

"How does it feel?" Shinichi's lips curved into a faint smirk.

Mocking Shidou, he tapped his temple with his finger, mimicking Shidou's earlier celebratory gesture.

"Scoring in an empty net thanks to your teammates pulling the defense away—quite the 'explosion,' huh? Doesn't it just feel amazing, Demon of the Penalty Area?"

"My... my explosion... was just an empty net?!"

The realization hit Shidou like a crushing weight.

It felt like waking from a blissful dream only to discover it was nothing but an illusion, leaving him hollow and devastated.

The flames in Shidou's eyes extinguished, and the fiery black demon wings he imagined shattered and dissolved into nothingness.

In his mind, Shinichi stood before him, radiating divine light like a god reaching out his hand to judge him.

Shidou thought he had evaded Shinichi's grasp, breaking free of his control. But to his horror, he realized he had willingly thrown himself into Shinichi's inescapable web.

"This guy... he didn't just control the field—he even predicted my defiance," Shidou thought, his emotions a chaotic mess of frustration, disbelief, and reluctant awe. His face contorted as countless conflicting feelings churned within him.

Suddenly, Shidou couldn't hold it in any longer. He erupted into wild, uncontrollable laughter. "Amazing! Absolutely incredible, Shinichi! I've figured it out. You're the one who'll push me to the ultimate high. Defeating you—that feeling would definitely be so exhilarating it'd send me straight to heaven!"

A surge of flames, far more intense than before, engulfed Shidou as if trying to incinerate him. His eyes gleamed with an almost deranged light as he locked his gaze on Shinichi. "Even though this means I may never truly experience pure ecstasy again, I'll endure it... for the sake of that ultimate high..."

"One day, I swear, I'll completely obliterate you!"

Shinichi let out a bitter laugh and shook his head. To be honest, Shidou really was a certified lunatic.

Just being near him could make someone feel uncomfortable, like brushing against something unnerving.

And yet, Shidou might actually be the one who embodied the philosophy of Blue Lock most perfectly.

From the very beginning, he had unwaveringly pursued his own path.

Unlike so many others, he had never once been lost or unsure.

But it was precisely because of this... that he was worth crushing!

Shinichi's lips curled into a smile as he met Shidou's blazing gaze. Sparks of electricity flickered in his eyes. "If you're itching to experience death all over again, then bring it on."

"No matter who it is, the consequence of challenging me is always the same—becoming nothing more than a pile of bones beneath my throne!"

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