The 11th Story Arc of the Blue Lock manga series, which centers on Blue Lock's final First Selection match between Team Z and Team V. Team Z is put in an all-or-nothing situation where they have to win against Team V to move on, or else they're going home. However, Team Z is in the fight for their life as along with their team now being a down a player due to Kuon's betrayal, they have to take on 3 of best football players in their strata in Nagi, Reo and Tsurugi. Thus, Team Z's only hope is to continue improving their weapons during play, which Isagi finally realizes that his scoring weapon is a "direct shot."
It makes up chapters 26 to 37 of the series.
Chapter 26: Last Game
Before the final game against Team V, Iemon holds a Team Z strategy meeting to go over their 10-man formation, which amounts to Kunigami, Gagamaru, and Chigiri leading as the 3 main offensive strikers. Raichi then reminds Kuon to not do anything throughout the game's 90 minutes, or else Raichi will beat him up, which Kuon gets the message not wanting to be injured for the Second Selection. Team Z then heads out onto the field. Igarashi hoping that Team V's not in try-hard mode since they're already confirmed to pass to the Second Selection, and Bachira hoping that this isn't the last time he gets to play alongside Isagi.On the V-Z strata's game field, the 10 players of Team Z stand opposite the 11 players of Team V. The latter's formation having Nagi, Reo, and Tsurugi as its 3 main offensive strikers. Meanwhile, Kuon remains off on the sideline as the plan is to just stand and do nothing until the game ends. The game begins with Team V starting with the ball. Nagi, Reo, and Tsurugi push down the field offensively, but thanks to Team Z's film study of their tactics, their defense holds to the point of Igarashi managing to steal it away. Team Z then pushes offensively leading to Bachira sending a long-range pass to Gagamaru, who goes for a header at the goal. However, he ends up hitting the goal-post. Despite the miss, Isagi remains confident that they've figured out a way to play down a player.
After Team V gets the ball back, Reo's left impressed by what Team Z tried to pull off, and decides that they should copy it. As a result, Reo sends a long-range pass to Nagi, who's still in front of Team Z's goal. Team Z doesn't believe that Nagi will be able to catch it due to the ball's insane spin. However, Nagi shows off his insane ball trapping skills by managing to trap-catch the fast-spinning ball with his foot while it's still in the air. Nagi then follows up with an easy score that puts Team Z down 0-1. Upon witnessing the goal, Isagi's forced to admit that Nagi's a monster player due to his incredible ball trapping skills.
Chapter 27: Except For One
After Nagi's score, Isagi can't believe what he witnessed that Nagi was able to trap the ball mid-air despite Raichi and Igarashi playing strong defense on him. Thus, Isagi starts to understand why Nagi is currently the top player of Blue Lock's V-Z strata group. After regrouping, Team Z goes on the offensive again with Kunigami leading the way. Kunigami aims to get in range to shoot a long 28 meter shot at the goal. However, Reo knows of Kunigami's long-ranged power shot from previous film study, and steals it away for Team V the moment Kunigami's about to be in range for his powerful kick. Reo then sends another long-range pass to Nagi in front of Team Z's goal. Despite Raichi and Igarashi once more marking him defensively, Nagi successfully traps the pass again with a light tap, and follows up with another score to put Team Z down 0-2.Team Z starts to fall apart, such as Kunigami and Raichi arguing over who was more at fault, but they manage to regroup to go on the offensive again. They hand it off to Chigiri this time to take advantage of his speed weapon to quickly get them down the field. However, it turns out that Tsurugi is just as fast as Chigiri, and manages to catch up and steal the ball back to Team V. Reo and Tsurugi then push offensively, which causes Naruhaya to leave his defensive position believing that Nagi needs to be triple-covered with Raichi and Igarashi. However, doing so left one side of the field wide open for Tsurugi to score at the goal from his field zone that's perfect for his left-footed shot; putting Team Z down in a spirit-breaking 0-3 hole.
As a result of Team V's play overwhelming them, Team Z have all lost their fighting spirit to continue on other than Kuon smiling that his plan to pass as the losing Team Z's top-scorer is going to work. Isagi remains in despair not knowing what to do. However, he sees that there's still one player on Team Z with his ego to fight on still intact. That person being Bachira, who remains hyped up to go at Team V again.
Chapter 28: Super Special
Nagi, Reo, and Tsurugi remain convinced that they've won due to them breaking Team Z's spirits only to see Bachira standing before them with the ball as the last one still willing to fight on. Isagi questions Bachira how he can continue to fight when they've been so overwhelmed into an early 3 goal deficit only for Bachira to call out Isagi for being afraid. Bachira claiming that all Team V pulled off were super-special goals, which Team Z just needs to pull off such goal in return. As a result, Bachira goes on the offensive solo against Team V, much to everyone's shock on Team Z.As Bachira easily dribbles by Nagi, Bachira tells his team that if they're to beat Team V, then they're going to need to push themselves beyond their current limits. That the monster within him is telling him that those driven into a corner have nothing to lose. Reo accepts the challenge as the next one to block Bachira. However, Bachira easily dribbles by him as well. The next to try to block Bachira is Tsurugi only for Bachira to dribble by him too, which Bachira's now in front of Team V's goal with just their 3 back defenders in his way. Bachira announces to Team Z that they must trample over Team V if they're to become the best strikers, which Isagi becomes inspired again to fight on watching Bachira have the time of his life. Isagi starting to understand that if they're going to win, then Team Z will have to play harder and better than ever before since this could be their last game ever. Bachira then proceeds to dribble through Team V's last 3 defenders, and manages to score Team Z's first goal to make it a 1-3 game.
Due to Bachira's super-special solo-goal, the amazed Team Z's fighting spirit returns to them to continue on with the game. Isagi getting hyped up to go beyond their current limits. Meanwhile, Nagi, Reo, and Tsurugi take note of Team Z's spirit having returned to them. Reo figuring that they just haven't finished Team Z for good yet.
Chapter 29: Evolving in a Flash
Team Z all celebrates around Bachira for the goal, which Kunigami gets the gist of what Bachira wants them to do. That just like how Bachira pushed his limits to score a goal through his dribbling weapon, the rest of the team must do the same by changing up their current goal formulas by pushing their own weapons to the limit. At 65 minutes remaining in the game, Isagi and company are once again back in fighting spirit to continue playing on. Isagi thinking over that he will be sure to evolve his own goal formula.Team V's back on offense, which Reo remains irritated that Team Z is now willing to play on again. As Nagi, Reo, and Tsurugi push on offense, Isagi orders Raichi to mark Reo defensively to make sure that the latter can't get the ball to Nagi again like what happened with their first two scores. Despite Raichi's complaining, he goes along with it after Isagi makes it clear to him that Raichi's great physique is enough to block Reo defensively 1-on-1. Reo then moves to dribble down field, but like Isagi stated, Raichi's more than capable of playing up aggressively against Reo, which the latter's unable to dribble past. Reo's forced to pass it off to Tsurugi, who utilizes his speed to get the ball down the field. However, the fast Chigiri's able to catch up on defense, and is able to block Tsurugi's goal kick that sends the loose ball in front of Team Z's goal. Like before, Nagi's there to receive the loose ball in front of the goal, but as he traps it and goes for the score, Igarashi manages to get in the ball path's way, and utilizes his body to have the ball bounce off him.
Bachira's the first to the loose ball, which puts Team Z back on offense. Reo taunts Bachira that the solo-dribble goal won't work again, but Bachira reminds him that he's not alone this time around. Bachira then passes it off to Kunigami to lead the offensive push. As Kunigami closes in on the area where he can kick 28 meters out, Team V's defenders are seen blocking it, which Kunigami remains stumped as to how he's supposed to evolve. Isagi then yells at Kunigami to take the risk in order to achieve his dream of becoming a football superhero, which motivates Kunigami to kick a powerful shot at Team V's goal despite being at least 40 meters out. Team V's goalie goes to block it only for the ball to pass by him due to it turning out to be a knuckleball shot that takes a weird path because of its lack of ball spin. As a result, Kunigami scores the goal to make it a 2-3 game. The first half of the game then ends with Kunigami celebrating his goal, and Team V now only being up 1 goal.
Chapter 30: The Limit of Zeal
During the half-time break, Team Z regroups in their locker room celebrating over Kunigami turning out to have a long-range knuckleball shot. Kunigami pointing out that it just came to him after changing things up by concentrating on where he wanted to kick the ball into the goal rather than just applying power to the kick that would cause the ball to go off in a random direction. Thus, Kunigami remains convinced that he successfully evolved his kick. Isagi gets hyped up to discover how to evolve his own play after witnessing Kunigami's evolution as Iemon gives the order that they're not going to make any formation changes. Meanwhile within Team V's locker room, Reo gives the order for the team to change up their formation to a more defensive one to stop Team Z's counter-offensive tactics.The second half of the game begins with Team Z starting with the ball. As they push offensively, they realize that Team V has switched to a more defensive formation that allows for Tsurugi to block Gagamaru's shot at the goal. Isagi manages to get the loose ball in front of the goal. However, he hesitates not knowing how he should go about shooting it, which allows a Team V defender to catch up to him and block his path. The ball is then stolen away from Isagi, which Team V pushes on offense again. Isagi races back while trying to figure out what he's missing that will allow him to evolve further. It's here that Nagi decides to run alongside Isagi, and calls Isagi useless for wasting so many chances to score a goal just now. Nagi remains confused as to why weaklings like Isagi and Team Z haven't quit yet, and questions Isagi why he continues to push forward. In return, Isagi's ego kicks in ordering Nagi to shut up as he races off towards the ball. Meanwhile as Reo's trying to dribble the ball down the field offensively, his efforts are once again stalled by Raichi latching onto him.
Behind-the-scenes in Blue Lock's control room, Ego and Anri are seen watching the Team Z vs. Team V on the television. Ego notes how things are going to plan as one's ego can only be born when they're in the harshest of conditions. So much so that it tests the limits of the players' zeal to the point of allowing them to evolve. Continuing to watch, Ego remains invested in seeing his players go through an awakening. On the field, Isagi continues to think over what he's missing, and realizes something regarding Nagi scolding him over what he "wasted."
Chapter 31: Awakening
As Ego and Anri continue to watch the Team Z vs. Team V match in the control room, Ego explains to Anri what he's looking for when it comes to a player's awakening. That it's like a puzzle where after someone goes through a lot of trial-and-error, the pieces come together for the player's ego to appear. From there, the completed puzzle will allow the player to finally hurdle over whatever's holding them back. Ego stating that it's the awakening when one finally learns who they really are.Back to the match, Isagi thinks over what Nagi told him about his "wasted" moves, and realizes that thinking about how to shoot it was an unneeded action that led to the Team V defender to catch up to him. Thus, he figures that his spatial awareness should cover for that, and now just needs to figure out what his shot is. Meanwhile as Team V's trying to push down the field offensively, Reo's efforts as the dribbler remains stalled by Raichi. The latter gloating that he's starting to understand where Reo passes the ball. Meanwhile at Nagi's location in front of Team Z's goal, Igarashi marking him gloats how they now know that Nagi can't do anything without Reo, which catches Nagi's attention. Raichi however agrees with it by calling out Reo as useless without Nagi, which angers Reo to the point of him elbowing Raichi in the neck. As a result, Reo gets penalized with a Yellow Card, and Team V has to give up the ball due to the penalty. Raichi then passes the penalty ball off to Chigiri to rely on speed to push offensively.
The speedy Tsurugi races alongside Chigiri in order to block the latter. As a result of noticing Tsurugi's quick reaction speed, Chigiri catches on that Tsurugi's weapon must be explosive acceleration where he can run at top speed right off the bat. However, Chigiri notices that Tsurugi slows down after the initial explosive run, which gives him an idea as Chigiri passes the ball forward for a self-pass. Tsurugi gets the gist that Chigiri's challenging him to a speed duel as his explosive acceleration allows him to take the running lead towards the ball. However, Chigiri eventually catches up since he can remain at the same high speed while Tsurugi slows down after the initial acceleration. Meanwhile as Ego's watching, he tells Anri how an awakening occurs under extreme conditions where a weaker player discovers something in order to defeat the better player. In this case, it's Chigiri realizing how to out-speed Tsurugi.
Ego watches as Chigiri achieves his self-pass against Tsurugi. Chigiri's now in front of Team V's goal, and kicks the ball in to tie the game up 3-3. With only 30 minutes remaining in the game, Ego figures that it's reached the point where the one with the biggest desire to be the best striker will be the one who dominates the rest of the game. The watching Kuon being left in disbelief that Team Z has clawed their way back up to tying the game.
Chapter 32: Impetus
Kuon's in such disbelief over Team Z catching up to the V-Z strata group's strongest Team V that he calls out Team V to stop messing around when they're supposed to be up a man. Team V then goes on offense again, which Reo remains determined to not lose in order to get back at his parents. However, Raichi remains marked on him defensively, and is unable to make any safe passes. Reo also sees Tsurugi double-covered by Chigiri and Naruhaya and Nagi in front of Team Z's goal being double-covered by Igarashi and Imamura, which Reo's unable to see any opening to pass. As a result, Reo falls into despair over the thought of Nagi and him finally losing a game as he feels that Team Z has effectively locked them down. Seeing Reo struggling, the worried Nagi takes this as his moment to finally do something himself. Nagi heads back towards Reo ordering him to pass it, which the out-of-character moment catches everyone by surprise.Reo goes along with it, and passes to Nagi, who's ego has kicked in to give being the lead offensive player a try. Nagi proceeds to dribble past Igarashi surprising everyone that he has some dribbling skill. He then sends a pass over to Tsurugi to rely on the latter's explosive acceleration to get the ball down field. Tsurugi's surprised by Nagi ordering him around for once, and goes along with it. He manages to stay ahead of Chigiri long enough to send a pass to the left side of Team Z's goal, which it looks like it's about to go out. However, Nagi manages it get there in time to trap the ball right next to the left goal post. Nagi then proceeds to kick the ball across Team Z's goal to have it end up in the right-most part of the net. As a result, Team Z's now down 3-4 after Team V retakes a 1 goal lead. The recap explaining how Nagi's worry for Reo, and curiosity to try playing for himself, has led to him going through an awakening. Reo can't believe what he's witnessing as Nagi tells the former that he finds football interesting.
Chapter 33: Wave Attack
With 15 minutes left in the game, everyone on Team Z begins to freak out after watching Nagi's awakening put his Team V back up a goal. Team Z discuss changing formations only for Raichi to interrupt since he's getting pissed that his great defense against Reo's being wasted. Raichi breaks out into a loud speech ordering them to keep attacking reminding them that they're all strikers, and that he and Isagi will continue to hold down the midfield. Thanks to Raichi's speech, Team Z returns their focus to the game without any changes, and begin their offensive push.Bachira pushes first with his dribbling, but is struggling to get anywhere against Team V's defensive formation as Team Z being down a man is finally starting to catch up to them. As Isagi tries to think over how to get through Team V with just his spatial awareness weapon, he realizes something that catches his attention. The ball is then passed to Chigiri who gets the ball down field with his speed despite Tsurugi marking him. Nagi sensed the ball getting to Chigiri beforehand as he moves to block Chigiri's path. However, Isagi saw what Nagi was going for, and manages to perform a screen block against Nagi to let Chigiri have a free run at Team V's goal. What results is a 3 shot wave at Team V's goal where Chigiri's shot hits the goal post, which was rebounded by Gagamaru, who's shot was blocked by Reo, but the loose ball is then rebounded by Kunigami, who scores the goal to tie the game up again at 4-4.
As Team Z celebrates Kunigami's goal, Isagi thinks over how ever since Chigiri received the pass from Bachira, the path to the goal played out exactly as how he imagined it. That by taking in everyone's strengths and weaknesses, where players should be placed, and running it all as a simulation within his mind, Isagi believes that he's finally starting to understand how his whole-field-seeing spatial awareness weapon works. Believing that his spatial awareness allows him to look into the future, Isagi's ego kicks in ready to score a goal of his own.
Chapter 34: At This Rate
Watching Team Z managing to keep up with Team V caused Kuon to think about his past. The story flashes back to when Kuon was a student at Kitsune High where he created a football club in the hopes of eventually making it to a national championship. However it turns out that no one on Kuon's team was as motivated as him to make it any further than losing in the playoffs, which they all turn on Kuon once they start getting tired of his constant pestering to get better. This is what causes Kuon to refuse to allow his teammates to ever hold him back again, which shortly after, he receives Ego's invitation to Blue Lock. Kuon being prepared to go on alone without teammates.In the present, Kuon continues to watch the Team V vs. Team Z game from the sideline as only 5 minutes remain. Kuon being stunned in disbelief that despite Team Z being down a man, they're continuing to improve on the field to the point of tying the game back up against the V-Z strata's strongest Team V. Kuon then thinks over the situation that despite Kunigami now having tied him in 3 total goals, it should still be Kuon's win, even if the game ends in a tie, since he'll still be leading in Team Z's ranking list to pass as the top scorer. That as along as Kuon continues to do nothing, he'll pass on to the Second Selection. However, Kuon's mind starts to second-guess himself.
As Team V goes back on offense, they rely on Nagi's awakening to get the ball down field. Tsurugi sending a long pass to Nagi on the other side of the field. Isagi's the only one who sensed this, and manages to catch up to Nagi in time. However, Nagi utilizes his back to perform a unique trap-move that bounces Tsurugi's pass over Isagi, which gives Nagi a free run at Team Z's goal. Just as Nagi's about to score however, it's Kuon who gets in the way by tackling Nagi to the ground. Kuon receiving a Red Card for performing a malicious play, and is banned from the game. At 1 minute remaining in the game, Isagi can't believe what Kuon just did. In return, Kuon states that by doing this, Team Z can still fight.
Chapter 35: Last Chance
After Kuon tackled Nagi, Reo races over to Nagi's defense enraged by what Team Z tried to pull, which he has to be held back by Tsurugi to avoid getting a 2nd Yellow Card. Team Z remains just as confused by Kuon's actions knowing that had Kuon done nothing, the latter would have moved on to the Second Selection as the losing Team Z's top scorer since he still would have had the team's top rank over Kunigami. The Red Card effectively ruining his chances since it breaks the 3 goal tie-breaker. Despite that, Kuon just explains that he knew that, but that his body just ended up moving on its own. As Kuon heads off the field, he orders Team Z to win so that he can become the world's best striker, which hypes up Team Z to finish the game.Due to several times that the game was stopped, the Team Z vs. Team V game goes into 3 minutes of extra time. Several teammates on Team V suggest to stall out with passes, but Reo, Nagi, and Tsurugi all remain motivated to win the game. A moment after at the spot where Nagi got fouled, Reo sets up for the penalty kick in front of Team Z's goal, which Team Z sets up the player wall to block it. Iemon readies himself as the goalie trying to figure out who Reo will pass to between Nagi and Tsurugi in front of the goal. However, his ego kicks in coming to the conclusion that given how Blue Lock works, Reo will go for the shot himself. Sure enough, Reo kicks the penalty kick at the goal, which Iemon manages to block it. Tsurugi then quickly rebounds the ball thanks to his explosive acceleration, but his shot at the goal is blocked by Raichi. The loose ball ending up at Nagi.
Iemon, Igarashi and Raichi form a wall in an attempt to block Nagi's shot at the goal only for Nagi to tap it over them. However, Gagamaru manages to get back to the goal in time to kick the ball up; bouncing the ball off the upper goal bar. The loose ball ends up at Isagi, which means that Team Z successfully held out. As Kuon cheers Isagi on from the tunnel to finish it, Isagi announce that this is their last chance.
Chapter 36: Here and Now
Isagi begins Team Z's final offensive push, which charging with him are the 3 that have been his biggest offensive supports: Bachira, Kunigami, and Chigiri. As the 4 of them charge forward, Team V rushes back to defend. Using his weapon combination of goal scent and spatial awareness, Isagi sees the simulation of how to reach the goal that will utilize Bachira's dribbling, Kunigami's power shot, and Chigiri's speed weapons. Isagi first passes it to Bachira, who dribbles beyond several defenders. The ball is then passed to Chigiri to get the ball further down field using speed. The moment Chigiri's path is blocked by several defenders, he passes it to the nearby Isagi thinking that Isagi's setting up for Chigiri to receive another pass further up. However, Isagi instead goes elsewhere with the ball having used Chigiri as bait to have all the defenders focused on Team Z's speedster.From the tunnel, Kuon watches as Isagi charges alongside Kunigami towards Team V's goal. Kuon thinking over how the reason he fouled Nagi wasn't because he felt bad about doing nothing, but because he's witnessing something important happen before his very eyes: a team playing to their hardest potential, which is something he wished his old teammates did. Thus, it's motivated Kuon to not be someone that stands on the sideline doing nothing as he continues to cheer Team Z on.
As Isagi closes in on Team V's goal still 35 meters out, he passes it over to Kunigami. However, Tsurugi arrives in time to block Kunigami's long range shot. The loose ball looks like it's about to go out of bounds only for Raichi to make it in time, and kicks the ball back over to Bachira. As Bachira returns to dribbling the ball down field, Chigiri and Kunigami take position in front of Team V's goal to receive the pass. Isagi seeing an opportunity since only 2 defenders for Team V remain blocking the way, which given that the 2 defenders will be preoccupied marking Chigiri and Kunigami, it opens up Isagi to have a free run at the goal. Sure enough, Bachira sees Isagi running to the opening in front of the goal, and sends a long range pass to him. Isagi awaits the pass to kick the winning goal. However, it turns out that Nagi had been following behind Isagi's path, and has caught up ready to block Isagi the moment the ball reaches them.
Chapter 37: The Final Piece
As Bachira's pass is coming towards Isagi right in front of Team V's goal, the latter doesn't know what to do with Nagi right on his tail. Nagi pointing out how he's caught on that Isagi's the number one biggest threat on the field. Isagi sees where Bachira's pass will land in front of Team V's goal, and can score the moment he traps the ball to set his kick up for the score. However, Nagi has now caught up, and is in position to stop Isagi from trapping the ball. Isagi struggles to see how he can get the goal for himself without trapping the ball first, but upon remembering how he knocked Kira out of the Tag game, and his goal against Team Y, Isagi goes through an awakening as he realizes what his scoring weapon actually is, and the goal formula that leads to it.Isagi then remembers how Nagi told him earlier that his football play tends to have a lot of wasted movements. The result is Isagi realizing that thinking he needs to trap the ball first before scoring is one of such wasted moves that should be cut out. To everyone's surprise, Isagi suddenly takes a stance to kick the ball with a direct shot at the goal. His aim being to kick Bachira's pass while it's still coming to him in the air rather than waiting for the ball to trap it since doing the latter will lead to Nagi stealing the ball away. Isagi realizes that his goal formula is a combination of his spatial awareness and a direct shot as he proceeds to kick Bachira's pass as a direct shot into Team V's goal before Nagi could fully catch up; giving Team Z the 5-4 lead in the final seconds. Isagi roars triumphantly over his game winning score as the rest of Team Z celebrates with him.
Nagi gets the ball wanting to go again, but the announcement is made that Game 10 of the V-Z strata is over with Team Z securing the victory. As Reo and the rest of Team V take the next moment trying to process that they lost the match, Nagi remains looking at Team Z in frustration. Nagi tells Reo that he's feeling frustrated over losing despite giving it his all, which implies to be the first time that Nagi the slacker has ever felt frustration. Meanwhile, Team Z celebrates since their victory means that they secured the second spot with Team V to move on to Blue Lock's Second Selection.
