Chapter 170: Chameleon
“Enough! Shut up already, you insecure wreck! We haven’t lost yet!!”
Tabito Karasu barked at Aoshi Tokimitsu, then turned sharply to the others.
“You all think we’re losing too? If that’s how you feel, what right do you have to call yourselves forwards?!”
“Only those who fight until the very last moment—who refuse to give up—deserve to be forwards!”
The remaining three members of Team C visibly brightened at his words.
“Tabito, didn’t think you had motivational speeches in you.”
“Who said I’d throw in the towel?”
“Yeah, Tabito—don’t assume you know what I’m thinking. I’ll fight until the final second!”
Seeing their spirits return, Tabito Karasu quietly exhaled in relief. He hated saying this kind of inspirational crap, but he had no choice.
The entire team had been suffocating under the pressure, and with Aoshi Tokimitsu muttering defeatist nonsense, if Tabito didn’t step up, they really would lose.
Aoshi Tokimitsu finally snapped out of it, slowly rising to his feet.
“But what do we do now?”
“Earlier, even the three of you together couldn’t deal with Ryūma Banjō. Do you actually have another plan?”
Seeing everyone regain their resolve, Tabito Karasu smiled again.
“If three can’t do it—then we’ll use five!”
“From here on, I’m the core. The four of you stay around me. If going head-on doesn’t work, then we shift our attack!”
A glint flashed in Tabito Karasu’s eyes as he stared at a certain member of Team A.
“It’s a bit of a stretch… but Team A’s weakest point on defense is you.”
...
Team C in possession. Hyōma Chigiri kicks off from center!
After the kickoff, Chigiri passes to Tabito Karasu while exploding forward at top speed toward the right wing of Team A’s half.
Eita Otoya mirrors him—darting straight toward the center lane of Team A’s forward zone.
Receiving the ball, Tabito Karasu didn’t accelerate. Instead, he surveyed the field, advancing steadily toward Team A.
Kenyu Yukimiya followed at an unhurried pace on his right. But if you watched carefully, you’d notice he wasn’t looking at Tabito Karasu at all—his eyes were locked on Ryūma Banjō.
Aoshi Tokimitsu, meanwhile, charged directly at Ryūma Banjō. Tabito had given him only one task:
Shadow Ryūma Banjō. Nothing else matters. Ignore the entire field—your only job is to mark him completely.
From afar, Ryūma watched Team C’s formation with great interest.
(Looks like Tabito’s come up with something again. But why send Tokimitsu to defend me alone?)
(And judging by the way he’s running, he genuinely thinks he can stop me? Is this guy insecure or just delusional?)
Ryūma didn’t bother with Tokimitsu barreling toward him.
(Forget it. Let’s see what Tabito Karasu is planning.)
Activating Limit-Breaking State, Ryūma instantly blew past Tokimitsu the moment he reached him.
“Wait—no! You can’t get through!”
Tokimitsu burst into a desperate chase, but to Ryūma, even Tokimitsu’s full sprint looked like a turtle taking a single hop.
“Heh—eat my dust from back there, you self-pitying freak!”
Seconds later, Ryūma closed in on the four Team C players stationed on the right.
The moment he arrived, Kenyu Yukimiya quickly stepped in front of him.
And once again, the field devolved into chaos.
Ryūma and Kenyu Yukimiya occupied the outer ring, while at the center of the skirmish:
Reo Mikage stuck closely to Eita Otoya.
Hyōma Chigiri and Zantetsu Tsurugi watched each other warily—
Chigiri terrified that Tsurugi might burst forward and leave him behind,
and Tsurugi equally aware that his only advantage was his faster first step over Chigiri’s superior long-distance speed.
Each was waiting for the other’s first move.
Tabito Karasu, however, had it the worst—he was caught between Rin Itoshi and Seishiro Nagi.
“Uh… you two… isn’t two-on-one a little unfair?”
“Huh? Didn’t you just use a three-on-one to surround Ryūma?”
Nagi’s offhanded remark immediately short-circuited Tabito Karasu.
With no retort, he simply bolted left toward Nagi.
Nagi reacted instantly, stretching out his leg to block that path.
At that exact moment, Otoya—using his extraordinary flexibility—slipped out of Reo Mikage’s marking with a bizarre, almost contortionist-like movement.
At the same time, a faint smile crept across Tabito Karasu’s lips. From the corner of his eye, he caught Otoya’s perfectly timed run and swung his right foot back dramatically.
Nagi reacted immediately. After his time in the Blue Lock, his defensive instincts were far sharper.
But this precise reaction was what Tabito Karasu was waiting for.
The moment Nagi moved to intercept, Tabito Karasu shifted his footing and redirected the ball sharply to the right.
Nagi’s pupils constricted—he knew instantly he’d been baited.
“Hmph. Compared to the rest of them, a genius who only knows how to trap the ball—you’re Team A’s weak point!”
But the satisfaction on Tabito Karasu’s face froze the moment he turned to the ball—
—because his pass meant for Chigiri had been intercepted cleanly by Rin Itoshi.
Clicking his tongue, Tabito Karasu darted after the deflected ball.
Unfortunately for him, it bounced directly to Reo Mikage’s feet.
Reo wasted zero time, sprinting straight toward Team C’s half with the ball.
Otoya reacted at once, spinning back to chase him.
But even as he dribbled, Reo was deep in thought.
(No matter how much I improve, I’m still only a 99.)
(If my talent is being “all-rounded”—able to maintain high performance in every category—)
(Then I’ll charge forward with all the courage I’ve got!!)
(I’ll use every one of my 99 points to face you TOP.6—so…!)
At that crucial instant, Nagi sprinted to Reo’s left.
“Come on, Reo!”
“Pass it to me!”
Reo ignored him, adjusting his stance and drawing his right leg back.
(I’m not passing to you, Nagi!)
(Just like you gradually transformed inside Blue Lock… I can—)
(Become any color!!)
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