6. Naruhaya Calls Isagi Yoichi a Genius in Adaptation

When Naruhaya and Isagi found themselves in the same unfortunate situation after losing a 3-on-3 match, their team was left with only two players because one of their teammates had been taken by the winning team. Faced with a worrisome situation, they were forced into a 2-on-2 match where the stakes were high. If they lost and their remaining teammate was taken, one of them would be eliminated from Blue Lock.

Taking a huge risk, Naruhaya boldly challenged Isagi to a head-to-head match, and Isagi accepted because he, too, wanted to test himself against Naruhaya. Secretly, Isagi had his eyes on taking Barou from Naruhaya, just as Naruhaya wanted to take Nagi from Isagi. Naruhaya reminded Isagi that if their team lost, neither of them would be chosen because they were both looking for exceptional players like Barou and Nagi to advance further in Blue Lock.

Thus began the battle between Team Red, consisting of Naruhaya and Barou, and Team White, consisting of Isagi and Nagi. In this match, Barou’s scoring ability matched Nagi’s brilliance, making the outcome of the game rest on Naruhaya and Isagi.

Naruhaya confidently approached Isagi and revealed why he dared to face him: Naruhaya was convinced he could defeat Isagi. As former teammates in Team Z, Naruhaya knew that Isagi wasn’t a player who could handle one-on-one situations to create scoring opportunities on his own—Isagi relied on his teammates to score goals. Naruhaya also reminded Isagi that they were both ordinary players without the exceptional talents of Barou or Nagi.

Isagi then realized the similarities between himself and Naruhaya—they both had their strengths and weaknesses. Naruhaya had effective body movements and the speed to trick opponents and stop their attacks, but he lacked precise shooting to score goals. Meanwhile, Isagi had a talent for direct shots with high accuracy but struggled to dribble past defenders and penetrate the penalty area.

Frustrated by Team White’s equalizer, Barou attempted a long shot from midfield, hoping to score the fifth goal and secure victory for Team Red. However, Barou’s shot hit the crossbar, and Naruhaya had the chance to rebound the ball.

At this crucial moment, Naruhaya found himself caught between passing to Barou or attempting a direct shot like Isagi. In a bold move, Naruhaya went for a direct shot at the goal, but unfortunately, the ball only hit the post and missed the mark.

Inspired by Naruhaya’s move, Isagi decided to replicate Naruhaya’s “moving skill” while Barou was marking him. Isagi realized that one-on-one battles didn’t only occur when he had the ball but also when he moved without it. By understanding the limitations of human vision, Isagi knew Barou couldn’t keep track of both him and Nagi simultaneously.

With clever footwork, Isagi outsmarted Barou in their one-on-one duel by exploiting Barou’s blind spot. Nagi, who had gained possession of the rebounded ball, passed it to Isagi. With unwavering confidence, Isagi executed a perfect direct shot, scoring the fifth goal and securing Team White’s victory.

After being defeated by Isagi, Naruhaya admitted his mistake in labeling Isagi as an ordinary player. In reality, Isagi was an exceptional player. Naruhaya realized that Isagi always managed to reinvent himself and refine his abilities into the best version possible. For that reason, Naruhaya proudly called Isagi a genius in adaptation.