It was finally announced
Osaka International Academy
Versus Blue Lock Academy
An exhibition match
Or in Keisuke's mind
A stage for psychological warfare
Coach Matsuda gathered the team
Outlined formations
Explained strategies
Everyone nodded like obedient sheep
Except Keisuke
Who just yawned and scribbled something down
"Keisuke
Do you have something to add?"
Keisuke smirked
"Yeah
Why are we playing their game when they're coming to our house?"
Matsuda's eye twitched
The players froze
But surprisingly
The coach nodded
"Fine
Then show me your game"
What followed over the next week was madness
Keisuke tore down the whiteboard plans
Replaced them with his own
He gave each player a specific role
Not based on their positions
But their flaws
To Hideki
"You'll bait their striker into thinking you're weak
Then shut him down in the final third"
To Shun
"You'll act like you lost your touch
Until the 63rd minute
Then drop the through pass that breaks them"
To the entire midfield
"You're not controlling the ball
You're controlling the tempo of fear"
People didn't know whether to trust him
But damn it
They followed
Meanwhile
In Osaka
A boy named Ren stood in front of a massive projector
Watching footage of Keisuke's plays
He paused at one freeze frame
A pass that shouldn't exist
An angle that defied logic
"Huh
He really is insane"
Ren grinned
"Looks like I finally found someone worth playing against"
Two monsters
Two systems
One field
And no mercy
Keisuke closed his notebook and whispered
"Let's dance"