The Magician
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Chapter Six
"How?!" Hiori's thoughts were running wild after witnessing what just happened to him and the rest of Team Z. "There's no way he is just a normal high schooler. Someone would have noticed him by now if he was." He watched as the person who had just systematically taken down everyone in his path to score walked back to his team. "Whatever just happened, I feel that we stirred a slumbering beast that is waiting for the day it can be released."
Naruto executed his plan precisely as he had informed Team V. After he passed the ball to Saramadara, he strolled around, allowing Karasu and Kiyora to collaborate with the gray-haired teen to advance slowly. Team Z's 3-5-2 formation was proving to be a formidable defense, even if they struggled to stop Saramadara completely.
He watched as Shidou didn't even try to play defense. Choosing to watch him instead as Naruto walked around the pitch. He knew why, though. Naruto has scored eight goals without even trying, instead testing his own team to see how he could use them in a strategy. He doubts Shidou realized this, but instead, he was watching him as someone to beat in terms of scoring goals. Naruto had met his type before. It didn't matter to Shidou if his team lost this match. He just wanted to outscore Naruto and become the top scorer in their stratum.
When Team Z stole the ball in the ninth minute, Naruto watched as Shidou moved. His fellow blonde didn't waste a moment to move up the pitch as a Team Z midfielder intercepted a pass from Saramadara. Shidou's erratic movements may have baffled any other footballer, but not Naruto. "That Italian bastard is leagues ahead of this, but it's enough to beat the rest of my team." Naruto watched as Shidou threw Team V players off and forced them to back away with how he moved.
Turning his head, Naruto watched as Karasu was doing as ordered. Team Z tried to use their 3-5-2 formation to get an advantage, but Hiori couldn't get much free space with Karasu keeping close. Yuzu Haruhiko was trying his best to use his position as a wingback to try to pull Karasu away, but it wouldn't work. When he couldn't find a way to get the ball to Hiori, the beige-haired player passed the ball to Shidou, who came back just in front of Team V's defensive midfielders.
Naruto tracked Shidou's movements as he drifted toward the middle of the pitch. His vision focusing, Naruto saw his fellow blonde's body tense. Just as Shidou was positioned in front of the gap between two of Team V's midfielders, he darted off, his first touch carrying him past the defenders.
"He's fast," Naruto thought. While he has yet to meet someone in Blue Lock who could match his speed, he couldn't deny that his opponent would be a challenge to outpace. There was no hesitation in his movements. Shidou had pure, raw instinct, the kind that couldn't be taught; you either had it or you didn't. "Oh?"
Team V's defenders surprised Naruto as they quickly moved to cover the mistake of the midfielders and began closing in on the Team Z striker. Two of them rushed in, hoping they could force him to go wide, while the third stayed a bit back to prevent Shidou from dashing past them all. But this quickly failed, and Naruto didn't need to be a genius to know why. Shidou's playstyle didn't depend on him playing it safe. He was only focused on scoring. His erratic movements came back into play, and Shidou pulled off a series of sharp turns and sudden stops. He was too unpredictable; Naruto didn't even think his friends could stop him unless they worked together.
"Typical, undeveloped striker," Naruto said to himself. If it hadn't been for him wanting to gather more information on Team Z, he would have stopped watching already. "He doesn't care about positioning or teamwork. He's forcing everyone near to react to him, not the other way around."
Shidou cut left before immediately darting to the right and fainting past the first defender with reckless abandon. Naruto didn't like what he was seeing as he assessed the situation, his lips tightening as he watched his team make mistakes.
"He's overcommitting." Naruto knew that if Karasu or Kiyora were near Shidou, they would see what he did. "If anyone were to read his movements right now, he's done for."
But no one saw it. The second defender lunged in, hoping to deflect any pass or shot he expected Shidou to make. But he was left in shock as the blonde striker instead chose to flick the ball over his head with a backheel, his body doing an insane twist midair to avoid the challenge. Shidou laughed as he left the defenders in the dust.
"The others better not keep calling me a showoff," Naruto muttered to himself as he continued to track his opponent's movements. "What I do is a beautiful art. This… this is uncontrolled chaos. He's playing like he's got nothing to lose—and maybe he doesn't. But that's what makes him dangerous."
The final defender backed off, his nerves getting to him after watching what Shidou did to his teammates. Naruto could see what was about to happen; anyone with a brain could. Shidou wasn't going to pass to his teammates, who were rushing forward after he drove through Team V's defenders. It wasn't in his playstyle to set one of them up. He was going to take the shot himself, no matter how tight the angle now was.
Naruto's mind was racing with the possibilities of what shot Shidou might make. "If it were me… I'd probably drive it in the near post… lower, the better. The keeper has already started shifting his weight."
Shidou took one more step, and for a split second, everything seemed to slow down for Naruto. His analytical mind snapped to attention as his vision focused even more than his Eagle Eye ever had before. He could see it all unfolding in even greater detail—Shidou's foot drawing back, every minute spin the ball made.
Naruto's eyes narrowed in recognition of what he was seeing. "He isn't going for placement. No, he's going for power." As he finished his thought, Shidou unleashed his kick. The ball rocketed off of his foot like a bullet, soaring toward the goal with incredible velocity.
The keeper did his best and dove to the near post, but he was too late. The ball sailed mere inches past his outstretched fingers and slammed into the top right corner of the net.
(Team V) 0 - 1 (Team Z)
Shidou Ryusei - Goal - 18'
Naruto let out a breath as his vision returned to normal, but he couldn't forget the feeling that new insight gave him. "That… was calculated chaos." He knew what to do now, but he felt he was missing something before he could make his move in the match. "I don't know what made me see those details, but that feeling I got… I want to feel it again!" Naruto gained an intense look in his eye as he tried not to lose the new sensation he had just felt.
His eyes shifted to Shidou's form as the striker jogged back toward midfield. His grin was wide and feral, matching the look that took over Naruto's face as he moved back into position.
"What are you thinking," Karasu asked as he and Kiyora walked up to Naruto. "I haven't seen that look in your eyes in a while. We ain't gonna have to tell your mom, will we?"
"Don't worry, you crow," Naruto snarked. "I ain't gonna go all out, but I felt something during Shidou's goal. And I want to feel it again."
"What do you want then?" Kiyora was looking at his friend in curiosity. He could tell Naruto wasn't acting like they were told to look out for. But that didn't mean that Naruto wasn't acting differently compared to what they knew.
"Well… I don't want to ask this, but I got a favor." Naruto turned to look at his friends, and they could see the new focus his eyes held. "I need Shidou to score again."
Both Team V players were shocked at what their friend was asking them. The Naruto they knew would never willingly allow a goal if he knew he could stop it. While they wanted to ask him why, they had learned not to question their friend when he had crazy ideas.
Naruto began to calm down his body as he placed the ball down at midfield. With the rest of Team V in position, he took a chance to examine his team. While Naruto wasn't one to get rattled by an opponent scoring, he knew that some of his team would be after Shidou scored his amazing goal. Looking back at them, he could see them exchanging nervous looks, clearly thrown off by Shidou's playstyle.
"Calm yourselves," Naruto yelled out. He knew his team needed to hear something from him to refocus themselves. "We continue to play the game we play, not conform to his."
When the whistle blew, Team V moved. Naruto tapped the ball to Saramadara before resuming his slow stroll across the pitch. He was once again scanning the field, watching the movements of every player—how they shifted positions, gaps between players opening and closing, and how they linked up with one another in preparation for a play.
It didn't take long for Saramadara to pass the ball to Karasu before running past Shidou. The purple-haired teen quickly turned and threaded a pass between two Team Z defenders to get past them. As the attack pushed forward, Naruto stayed back and watched as his team moved without him. They had the necessary structure and discipline to go on while he slowly moved around. Any outcome would be fine with him as long as they gave him the time to gather the needed data against Team Z.
"They're pressing high, trying to suffocate us before we can get too far," Naruto thought as he observed Yuzu and Hiori of Team Z rush to meet his teammates. "They've opted for a 3-5-2 trap. If Karasu and the others have noticed the space on the flanks, we can switch this formation to work in our favor."
As if mirroring his thoughts, Karasu noticed everything Naruto did. He looked to the right wing, where Kiyora was moving. A cross sent the ball sailing toward the sideline. Kiyora was just ahead of Yuzu as he rushed to beat the Team Z winger.
Naruto brought his pace up to a steady jog as he watched his team's attack unfold. "Kiyora might get down the line, but Team Z will collapse on him before he has a chance to cross the ball into the box." His calculating eyes flicked from one person to the next as he used his Eagle Eye. "Someone needs to reset the attack, or this will get nowhere."
Kiyora controlled the ball expertly, using his quick first touch to maneuver past Yuzu, but he couldn't see what Naruto had. Himizu and Hiori had already shifted over, anticipating the cross.
Karasu saw the gap between his teammate and the Team Z defenders closing fast. Calling for the ball, he realized he was a moment too late to alert Kiyora. "Dammit! I should have called for it earlier." Karasu cursed as Hiori closed the gap in an instant and cut off Kiyora's passing lane.
Kiyora, seeing this, tried his best to force the ball back inside towards Karasu, but a lunge from Hiori deflected the ball. It didn't take long for Himizu to recover the ball and start moving down the side, looking towards the middle.
Naruto sighed at what he saw. "They read their movements. Kiyora must have seen something to try forcing that pass. He usually plays it safer." He turned away from Himizu, instead focusing on what he knew was coming. "There you are… Shidou."
As the words left Naruto's mouth, there he was. Shidou didn't bother waiting for any of his teammates to move into position; he was already sprinting into open space. The moment Himizu gained possession, Shidou had already broken away from anyone near him and received a cross that Team V knew was coming.
Picking up his pace slightly, Naruto kept his distance as he watched Karasu and Saramadara catch up to the erratic Team Z striker. But their defense didn't last as long as he thought it would, as Shidou tore past them with a series of quick turns and sudden bursts of speed. "So that's why Kiyora forced that pass. You guys are also testing Team Z, aren't you, Karasu."
Naruto wanted to be surprised by what he saw, but he couldn't be. Someone who played like Shidou didn't think about what he could do; he just did what he wanted to. "Typical. He doesn't trust his team to do anything but get him the ball the instant they touch it. He'd rather fail on his own than succeed with his team." Naruto let that thought run through his mind before speaking with a deadpan. "Ego-san must love watching him play, then."
Kiyora got back, trying to stop him, but Naruto knew it wouldn't work. Shidou was fast, faster than anyone here except for him. But that wouldn't be enough to get by his friend. No, it was Shidou's unpredictability. While Kiyora could try his best to stop the striker, it wouldn't matter. Shidou would react as any predator chasing his prey would. "He'll draw Kiyora in before using his pace to break through," Naruto assessed. "But how far will he go to get past my team?"
As Shidou reached the edge of the box, Kiyora lunged, trying to poke the ball free. As Naruto guessed, Shidou flicked the ball past him and swerved around him as Kiyora lost his footing. A defender who came to back up Kiyora hesitated to commit to Shidou, and that was all the blonde striker needed to see.
With a burst of speed, Shidou cut past the defender, who tried to stop him but was too late. Naruto felt his vision focus just as it did last time Shidou scored and read his opponent's body language. "Going to the near post again, you antenna-haired freak? I guess if it ain't broke, don't fix it." But as Shidou entered the penalty area, Naruto saw something he wouldn't have without this increased vision to his Eagle Eye. "He isn't going to the near post. It's a disguise. He's going to the opposite post!"
And just as he saw, after Shidou's foot connected with the ball, it rocketed toward the top left corner of the goal. The keeper, who anticipated a near post shot, was caught off guard as the ball went opposite of where he thought it would. He could only watch in shock as the ball smashed into the back of the net.
(Team V) 0 - 2 (Team Z)
Shidou Ryusei - Goal - 18', 25'
Naruto let out a deep breath as he watched Shidou celebrate. "He isn't just reckless," Naruto thought as his mind raced. "He's learning as he goes. He's adapting to everything he sees as he plays." A feral grin took over Naruto's face as he strategized. "If I want to stop him, we will need to destroy any confidence his team has."
As Shidou jogged back toward midfield, he refused to acknowledge the frustrated gazes his teammates sent him. Even Himizu, who assisted his goal, couldn't stop his frustration from showing.
"Naruto," Karasu called out. "I'm ready."
"What do you mean?" Naruto had an idea of what he meant but wanted to be sure.
"Shidou might be strong, but his ego will lead him to his downfall. Eventually, he's going to hit a wall he can't get past."
Naruto smirked at what his friend said. "So you three were analyzing Team Z like I was?" Karasu smirked until he heard what Naruto said next. "Just don't forget that a cornered animal is almost as dangerous as a wounded one. The further he is pushed into a corner, the more unpredictable he is going to become."
He left his friend with those words and walked to midfield, his eyes locking onto Shidou's form. He let the feral grin appear on his face again as his mind started racing again. "But until that moment… let's see how far you can push yourself, Shidou."
Naruto stood back at center field as the whistle blew for the match to resume. He had no urgency to get involved in the next play as he trusted Karasu's plan. As he passed the ball to Saramadara, it was quickly sent back to the purple-haired teen. He walked slowly up the pitch as his team set up their attack.
"Shidou's too aggressive, and Karasu knows this," Naruto thought. He glanced at Team Z's forward, who looked out of place in their defensive formation. "He's hungry for a goal. He'll most likely try to poach a steal instead of actually playing defensively."
His gaze shifted to watch the rest of Team Z as they tried to prevent Team V's attack. Yuzu was struggling to hold his position as he failed to prevent Kiyora from speeding past him and down the left flank. The more composed Hiori was maneuvering the team to close the gaps while still watching Karasu and Saramadara as they slowly moved. Himizu, on the other hand, remained in the middle, waiting for any play Team V might make. But Team V was ready, and they could see the flicker of hesitation Team Z now had after the sudden advance Kiyora had made.
"They've become vulnerable," Naruto thought. "With Yuzu abandoning his position to contain Kiyora, their defense is now out of sync. They need to change the pace."
Karasu and Saramadara passed the ball back and forth as they advanced, waiting for their moment to attack. Naruto kept his steady pace as he moved deeper into Team Z's defense, drawing attention and confusing them even more than Kiyora did. His mind was seeing the match like a game of chess, moving pieces into the right position as Team V set up their strategy.
Kiyora darted forward again, hugging the sideline and forcing Yuzu to follow him. While Team Z might have thought that Team V would have hesitated to use the flank after their last possession, they didn't know they were falling for a trap. "Yuzu, you fool, that was too easy. Your team is going to leave space in the middle if you follow him."
As if hearing his thoughts, Karasu shifted gears and shot a quick, incisive pass down the center toward the accelerating Saramadara. Himizu hesitated to move into the space Yuzu left by hyperfocusing on Kiyora. That was all that was needed as he couldn't cover the space in time to press the grey-haired striker.
"Just as planned," Karasu thought. "He may not be the fastest, but Saramadara's speed and movement will force ya bums to backpedal."
Hiori sprinted toward Saramadara, trying to shut him down before a play could be made. Yet Saramadara had already anticipated pressure being brought to him and turned his back to the cyan-haired teen to shield the ball. Reading the play, Karasu cut inside, moving to the now-empty space behind Saramadara.
"They're gonna double Saramadara," Naruto analyzed as he saw Shidou close the distance in an attempt to steal the ball. "But they've lost track of where Karasu is. It's over for them."
Saramadara kept his composure as he pushed his arms out to keep Shidou and Hiori at bay. His moment came just before the two defenders could force him to lose possession. He flicked the ball with his heel in a swift motion, sending it through Hiori's legs. The ball rolled straight into the path of Karasu, who didn't hesitate to attack. With a sharp cut to the right, he sidestepped a recovering Himizu before performing a roulette to get around the final Team Z defender. He might have wondered where the other defender was before seeing one of their CDMs move forward and contain him.
Naruto stopped his stroll just beside Kiyora, who was smirking at a hard-breathing Yuzu, who he ran tired. Both were unfazed by the excitement that was brewing on the pitch as Karasu found himself one-on-one with the keeper.
"Don't overthink it, Karasu," Naruto mentally willed to his friend. "It's just you and him now. Score."
Karasu feinted to the left, drawing out the keeper. As the keeper shifted his balance, Karasu shifted from shooting with his right foot to his left foot and hit the ball into the bottom right corner. "Just as planned. Ya bums can't contain us." Karasu smirked as the ball hit the back of the goal. "We're gonna take charge now, so prepare not to score again."
(Team V) 1 - 2 (Team Z)
Karasu Tabito - Goal - 32' Shidou Ryusei - Goal - 18', 25'
The net rippled from the force of the ball, yet Naruto didn't lose the feral smirk that was on his face. "There it is," he thought. "That's what we needed to throw them off. Now, we just need to see how Shidou will react." Naruto slowly walked back as Team V celebrated with Karasu. He didn't have the time to celebrate. He needed to plan for any reaction Team Z would have to this goal.
"They started crumbling under the little pressure Karasu, Kiyora, and Saramadara applied," Naruto thought as he saw how the key players of Team Z reacted. Shidou scowled, Hiori shook his head in disbelief, Himizu sat on the ground, and Yuzu was still recovering from chasing Kiyora. "If they couldn't handle that fast switch in pace, then we have this won. We just need to control the tempo."
Naruto watched Shidou a while longer as everyone prepared for the next kickoff. He didn't know why, but he knew something was off. "Something's gonna happen, and he will be at the center of it."
The whistle blew, and Team Z quickly moved forward with the ball. Naruto wasn't going to simply observe anymore. He knew how Shidou played now. There was nothing his fellow blonde could do that Naruto wouldn't predict. As expected, Shidou was already pushing up the field, trying to take all of Team V on by himself.
"Same pattern as expected," Naruto whispered. He upped his pace as Shidou received a pass from Hiori. "Just like in the film. After getting a pass from Hiori, Shidou will try to force his way to a goal."
Shidou sprinted past Kiyora with a burst of speed, his eyes never leaving the goal at the end of the field. But this didn't matter to Team Z. They had already seen this play out twice before.
Naruto appeared in front of Shidou, positioning himself to cut off his path to the goal. Shidou did as he hoped and went wide, unknowingly moving near Kiyora. "Stay calm, Kiyora. You know what to do now."
As Shidou was about to perform another sharp turn, Kiyora stepped into his space, timing his interception perfectly. With a quick movement, Kiyora stole the ball and sent Shidou stumbling forward. Naruto prepared to counterattack as the ball rolled toward him, but his attention was drawn to Shidou, who was visibly frustrated.
Not prepared for what happened, Naruto didn't have time to warn his friend as Shidou lunged at him. The sudden yell from Kiyora as Shidou collided with his legs made everyone stop. The sharp sound of the whistle cutting through the air broke everyone out of their stupor as the green-haired teen sprawled to the ground and clutched his right ankle.
Naruto stopped completely, his gaze locked on his friend. His posture was still relaxed, and his expression turned stoic as a cold fire burned behind his eyes. While not seen on the outside, inside, his anger built—quiet, controlled, but unmistakable. He didn't clench his fists or raise his voice, but something changed. The air around Naruto seemed to shift as if the temperature had begun to drop as his anger increased.
"Stop Naruto." The voice sounded muffled, yet he knew it was Karasu. Naruto turned his eyes to the hand on his chest, preventing him from moving forward. "We don't need you doing something that will get you thrown out. When you get angry, you're about as scary as your mom."
"This can't stand Karasu," Naruto whispered as he watched Saramadara pull Kiyora up. "He needs to learn a lesson."
Karasu stared at his friend, and he couldn't deny he felt the same anger he did. But he knew that right now, fighting wasn't going to solve anything. "And we aren't playing underground games anymore. We have to settle this on the pitch."
Naruto didn't react, but his gaze switched back to Shidou. "Shidou, you think you can win this with brute force?"
Naruto's silence spoke volumes for Team V. They could feel the change—a new beast had stirred. He was done just analyzing. He wouldn't just sit back and observe. Now, he was going to take control as he had in all their other games. They sensed his anger. It was sharp enough to cut through the air.
He approached Kiyora with Karasu trailing right behind him. They could both see his ankle now bothered him. Naruto's voice was a mere whisper, barely heard by the three around him. "You good?"
Kiyora nodded but saw the look in his friend's eyes. He had never seen his friend look like this. Sure, he had seen him angry before, but something was different this time. He just didn't know what.
The fire in Naruto's eyes increased as he made a vow. "You made this personal, Shidou. I won't just destroy your team's confidence. I'm going to destroy any notion you had of winning this game! Before this is all over, you will see the true difference in skill between us." As he walked to get ready, the unfamiliar feeling again invaded his Eagle Eye.
"Team Z, Number 11, Shidou Ryusei! Issued a yellow card for reckless challenge!"
(Team V) 1 - 2 (Team Z)
Karasu Tabito - Goal - 32' Shidou Ryusei - Goal - 18', 25'
Shidou Ryusei - Yello Card - 36'
Shidou's face twisted into a snarl as he heard the VAR. It seemed as if he would argue for a moment, but he kept quiet. The yellow card only added fuel to the fire: his anger at getting the ball stolen. "Tch, are you kidding me?!" Shidou muttered under his breath as he glared at the group of Naruto, Karasu, Kiyora, and Saramadara. Looking at them whisper only made him angrier, especially Naruto's stoic look.
He could feel the stares of his teammates on him, but that didn't matter. His focus was solely on the humiliation he was facing. No one had ever stopped him before, and now he was being warned as if he was a child just starting out.
As he walked away, done with looking at the screen that showed his face and a yellow card, he turned his fierce glare to Naruto. "This isn't over, you stupid magician," Shidou thought as his blood boiled. "Not by a long shot."
Something was different; everyone could tell. From the moment Naruto received the pass from Karasu, the atmosphere shifted, it became more focused. Yet the warmth everyone on Team V was used to playing with disappeared, replaced by a cold feeling. While most were confused, Karasu and Kiyora knew what this feeling meant. Naruto was done sitting back and watching. Now, he was going to get involved.
Saramadara furrowed his brow as he spoke to Karasu as Team V moved forward while Naruto stood still. "What's Naruto doing?" He stared back at Naruto, whose bangs shadowed eyes. "Why isn't he moving?"
Karasu smirked but had an unreadable look in his eyes. "Don't worry. Just trust Naruto; he knows what he's doing He's going to take over from here on." Karasu looked back at his friend after he spoke. "What are you doing, ya bum? You've never had this kind of reaction before." While Karasu was confused by his friend's reaction, he knew he had to trust him. Which is why he did nothing as Shidou ran up to Naruto. "You're a fool, you blonde idiot. You just stirred the slumbering beast we were warned about."
Shidou dashed at Naruto, his eyes burning with a competitive fire. He couldn't let the humiliation he faced stand. But the only way he saw to bury that humiliation was by stopping Naruto himself. "Come on, Magician! Show me your magic so I can destroy it!" A maniac grin appeared on his face as the ball sat at Naruto's feet. Just for a moment, Shidou thought that Naruto was still frozen from what happened when he fouled Kiyora; He wasn't ready for what happened next.
Without warning, Naruto exploded forward with speed even Shidou's instinct couldn't react to. His stride was smooth, and there was not a single wasted motion as he moved. His movement was so natural that those watching thought it seemed lazy. Every step carried him further past a shocked Shidou and closer to the first line of Team Z defenders. However, his posture didn't change. There was nothing giving away what he would do next.
Two Team Z defenders that he had no care to remember rushed forward to close in on Naruto. They moved fast and aggressively, hoping to slow him down so Shidou could recover his wits and run back. They both lunged in front of him to block his path, but it didn't matter to him. Naruto didn't flinch. The only reaction he gave was a quick flick of his eyes over their forms as he read their body language. He saw it all with eerie precision— their weight shifts, slight hesitations, the slight lean in the first's shoulders, or how the second slightly changed his approach.
A smirk curled his lips at what he saw.
Without any exaggerated movements, he suddenly cut right. His movements were disguised so perfectly that the first defender didn't notice it until it was too late, and Naruto was already past him. Naruto's dribble looked like an afterthought as seamlessly slipped past the defender.
The second defender tried his best to adjust and barely pivoted in time to block Naruto's path—but that was a mistake on his part. He did exactly what Naruto wanted and paid the price. Naruto quickly used his personal Emperor's Cut dribbling style, knowing no one would be ready for it. With a subtle shift in his balance, he feinted to the left before immediately snapping to the right.
The defender never stood a chance as his foot tangled awkwardly beneath him. As he tried to react, his center of gravity buckled over the sudden move. With a shout, he stumbled, crashing to the ground with a thud.
Naruto never looked back as he continued forward. "Two down."
He stayed unfazed as Yuzu Harukio dashed away from Kiyora to intercept him. Naruto knew next to nothing about him besides what he analyzed from the film and the current match. Yuzu was quick and relentless, never giving opponents room to breathe when it came to defense.
But that didn't matter. Naruto was ready. His precision would face Yuzu's speed, and he knew which would win. He had already noticed how Yuzu tended to lean forward further than most when he ran. Yuzu unintendedly overcommitted, and that was his downfall.
His movement was minimal and deceptive. Naruto flicked his foot subtly, feinting to the right. Yuzu took the bait, mirroring the movement almost instinctively. In an instant, Naruto reversed direction. The movement was so quick and precise Yuzu had no chance to recover as his legs gave out beneath him.
Naruto barely noticed as his opponent hit the ground. "Another one down to my Emperor's Cut." He would have laughed at what was ahead of him if he wasn't so focused on his goal of tearing Team Z down.
Three more Team Z players moved to intercept him as he saw Karasu and Saramadara move to keep Hiori Yo and Himizu Aiki from getting to him. He barely slowed his movements as the three defenders worked in sync to form a wall. "Blocking my path, huh?"
They wanted him to pass the ball, but he wouldn't. His movements became deliberate, trying to lull the defenders into a false sense of security. "Come on. I slowed down just for you guys. Try something." His thoughts flew through his mind as he knew someone would take the bait.
As if on cue, the middle defender moved forward. Naruto saw this immediately, and in a moment, he read every sign the player was giving off. His Eagle Eye caught every detail—how he dipped his shoulder and his left foot's favoritism. Before the player could react, Naruto had already moved. With surgical precision, the blonde was already cutting around him.
The defender lunged and was shocked that he was read so well. His teammates followed, trying to cover the space he left, but were left sprawling on the ground as Naruto got around them. With a flick of his left foot, then right, Naruto was past them.
Before he could mentally comment, Hiori and Himizu were in front of him. Glancing to his right, he saw them dash in front of an angry Shidou, who was clearly frustrated as Kiyora refused to let him by. Naruto smirked as the smaller Kiyora mirrored everything the taller striker did, using his surprising physicality for his small size to his advantage.
Naruto watched as they positioned themselves to make a choice. Either go around them or force his way through them. Before he could decide, his Eagle Eye sharpened as it did earlier. His field of view became clearer as he read everything he saw. Movements seemed slower; body language became more transparent; everything he saw fell into place like a piece to a puzzle only he could see.
"This… is different," Naruto thought. "This isn't just my Eagle Eye anymore. It's something… greater." His vision was more precise. He saw everything, from the most obvious tells to the slight, hidden details no one would normally see. "My Eagle Eye. It's evolving—but I can tell this is only the beginning."
Naruto didn't glance at Hiori, who cut in to force Naruto back, but it didn't matter. With feint so subtle it looked like actual magic, he was already drifting past the cyan-haired player. It didn't matter that Himizu tried to cover and pull at Naruto's jersey from behind. He wasn't ready for the sharp and ruthless cut that the striker made.
The sudden change in direction made Himizu miss Naruto's shoulder and sent him stumbling forward after a timed tap from Naruto offset his balance. Before Himizu had a chance to recover and defend, Naruto was already past him and moving towards the goal.
Smirking at what he knew was coming, Naruto suddenly stopped and ducked. "A clothesline? Really, Shidou?" Naruto was baffled as he realized he ducked under a clothesline, not an attempt to grab his jersey to slow him down.
Shidou grinned as he was the only obstacle between Naruto and the goalie. His grin was wide, feral, and full of challenge. It was matched by the wild excitement that entered Naruto's eyes. This was no longer a simple one-on-one. It was pure competition. Whoever won this chance would prove who the better striker was at the moment. He saw Naruto do exactly what he wanted out of Blue Lock, an opponent who could give him the best reaction!
Neither said a word. There wasn't a need to speak. They would let their actions do the talking. Chaos vs. Precision; one would come out on top.
Shidou lunged forward with the same ferocity he had when he scored. Naruto moved with a calm efficiency, disguising every shift in direction with minimal motion as he viewed Shidou. His new vision was locked in. He saw every flaw in Shidou's sharp, aggressive, and erratic movements. He noticed every shift in weight, every overextended movement.
Naruto shifted—it was subtle, disguised. Shidou followed, grinning at the movement—he fell perfectly for Naruto's trap. Cutting sharply to the right, Naruto left Shidou behind as he fell to the ground. He didn't need to look. He heard Shidou hit the ground, and he hit it hard.
Shidou's grin disappeared as he fell, immediately replaced with a furious look. He had lost.
The goalkeeper was no better as he stood frozen in front of the goal. He couldn't believe that someone had actually beaten Shidou. If he didn't see it with his own eyes, he would have laughed at anyone who would have told him that Shidou had his ankles broken. But he had seen it, and now it was just him against Naruto.
Naruto's dribble became as casual as the look on his face now was. He watched as the keeper crouched, ready to block any shot he took. But Naruto didn't shoot. He didn't rush forward to overwhelm the goalie—he walked. His gait was calm, slow, each step deliberate. The words weren't said, but he didn't need to voice what he was thinking. "You can't stop me."
Naruto stopped just in front of him. He stared the goalie in the eyes, making him more nervous than he already was. Naruto watched as his opponent shuffled desperately, hoping he would do something. Yet, there were no tells, no preparatory movements to be seen.
With the slightest flick of his right foot, Naruto tapped the ball to the side, just out of the keeper's reach. The goalie stood frozen as he watched the ball roll lazily across the goal line. It didn't even touch the back of the net, but he heard the VAR call for a goal. When he turned back to Naruto, the striker was already walking away.
(Team V) 2 - 2 (Team Z)
Karasu Tabito - Goal - 32' Shidou Ryusei - Goal - 18', 25'
Uzumaki Naruto - Goal - 45' Shidou Ryusei - Yello Card - 36'
Naruto didn't celebrate. This goal wasn't just about scoring—it was about him making a statement. A statement to Shidou, to Ego Jinpachi, and to the football world. Uzumaki Naruto was going to take Blue Lock by storm. Then, he was going to take the entire world by storm.
He didn't look at Team Z, which was frozen in place. He didn't acknowledge Shidou, who still sat on the ground with a look of fury and disbelief. His play spoke for him. He had dismantled everyone who stood in his way.
While Team V was also staring in shock, his friends knew what this silence from Naruto meant. He was playing seriously now. And in this moment, there was no one on the field who could match him.
Karasu chuckled as he nudged a surprised Saramadara. "Told ya. When Naruto wants to take over the pitch, there is nothing anyone can do about it." He laughed more as Saramadara's jaw slowly opened.
"How?" The word left the gray-haired striker's mouth as a whisper. "How can someone our age be so good yet go unnoticed in Japan? He didn't even pass."
Kiyora smirked as he heard that. "He didn't pass because he didn't need to. And he went unnoticed because he didn't want to be."
Like most of his team, Hiori Yo was in shock. He sat on the ground, and he didn't know what else to do. He tried his hardest to stop the striker from Team Z, but instead, he ended up on the ground. Hiori thought he could use his knowledge of Karasu being his former teammate to his advantage, but even that failed when Karasu got past them earlier.
"How?!" Hiori's thoughts were running wild after witnessing what just happened to him and the rest of Team Z. "There's no way he is just a normal high schooler. Someone would have noticed him by now if he was." He watched as the person who had just systematically taken down everyone in his path to score walked back to his team. "Whatever just happened, I feel that we stirred a slumbering beast that is waiting for the day it can be released."
Naruto walked to the locker room as he heard the VAR call for halftime. As he did, thoughts ran through his mind. He had noticed the changes in his Eagle Eye. His vision was even sharper than before, his field of view widened, everything was different. Even now, he still felt its lingering effects even after he stopped using his Eagle Eye.
"This isn't my Eagle Eye any more," he thought. "Maybe this is just the start before I achieve that, like I was told." His thoughts continued running even after he entered the tunnel. "Just you wait, I'll surpass you yet."