BLUE LOCK - a place where soccer is more than just a sport and a future of worldwide glory is within grasp. Desperate to prove her worth and break barriers, Keiko Iteya fights to hold her own in a rigorous competition against 299 young men in Japan...
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My momentary distraction allowed for my team to quickly respond to the counter and begin to move for defensive positioning. I took a breath and did my to try to contest Sae's dribbling, knowing at any second he was going to slip past me or kick the ball towards the goal where Shido had been sprinting. At this point, I had to trust that Reo, Aryu, and Bachira had it handled while Hiori was nearby helping in the midfield.
I didn't take my eyes off Sae as he tried to sweep around me but I blocked his path. I gritted my teeth as I noticed he was getting frustrated with my antics. He's going to try something now. Be ready. But of course, he faked me out with an attempt to go left. My body instinctively reacted and that's went he sent the ball right through the open space on my right side with a lightning fast pass.
Shit. I inhaled and looked behind me as the ball began to fall down where Shido and Reo were shoving each as they ran towards it. I was rooting for Reo in my head, urging him silently to do something - anything - to keep Shido from the ball. It bounced in front of them in perfect formation as Shido twisted around Reo's body for a shot.
Gagamaru leapt down, expecting the strike to come lower. But the glint in Shido's eye flashed as he foot curved up at the last second. Gagamaru was already falling as the shot went towards the upper right corner of the net. I stiffened, feeling my body freeze.
There's no way that this can be the way it all ends.....
Shido started laughing loudly, but he underestimated our tall bun wearing goalie, as did I. Gagamaru dropped his body down, hands gripping the ground as he swung his body up in a handstand and blocked the ball with his foot at the last second, shouting out, "Shachi-hoko!" Then he crashed into the goal post and fell to the turf.
"What the hell?!" Shido raged.
The ball flew up right above the goal before moving down right for the penalty box. Everyone began rushing in.
"It ain't over yet!" Kitsunezato shouted.
"REO!" Gagamaru yelled out as he lifted himself off the ground, eyes wide at the open goal. "Clear it! Run to the corner!"
Reo got to the ball first, catching it with his foot as Kitsunezato and Cho surrounded him. I held my breath, watching from next to Sae as Reo decided that he wasn't going to put the ball out of play. Instead, the purple haired defender pushed the ball back, spun through the air in a near 360 and kicked the ball as hard as he could straight back in my direction.
Whoa... I blinked in awe. That was the move Nagi used earlier to score, right?
The ball sailed right over my head, dropping behind me.
"I'll take this one hot," Nagi murmured, trapping the ball with his foot. "It's time for a counter-counter."
"GO BLUE LOCK!" Reo screamed at us from where he was still standing in front of the goal.
