Blue Lock Manga Chapter 269
Review
Alright, so today I'm back with yet another chapter review and today we will go over Chapter 269 which is going to be something really special as we will see a furious battle between Isagi and Rin. Not to mention that Rin's awakening will continue in this chapter and he will evolve even more than he did in the last chapter, which is just crazy. So I can definitely guarantee that it's worth sticking around because it's insane. Anyway, I'm going to stop talking and let's get right into the chapter.
Chapter Overview
Alright, so to start off Chapter 269, the text at the top says "Keep your eyes peeled as the Blue Lock's current number one and number two go head to head." This is exactly what is happening as Isagi and Rin start their matchup against each other with both of them looking more fired up than ever and having an intense aura around them.
Isagi has the ball and Rin tries to go for it but just in time. Isagi drags the ball back but Rin isn't stopping his attacks as he once again goes for the ball. But Isagi handles this situation flawlessly as he passes the ball to his left foot to keep it. We can clearly see in Rin's face that he's beginning to get furious because of this.
The Battle Unfolds
Rin tries to take his hand and get Isagi off balance but Isagi isn't having any of it as he just slaps away Rin's hand. However, there's more trouble coming Isagi's way as behind him the left wing of PXG, Nanasid Nijiro, comes to help Rin. Isagi is able to quickly see this and looks for options that he can use. Just then, he spots Corona running on his right side and makes a smooth pass to him.
Corona gets the ball and tells Isagi to do a one-two with him, so Isagi escapes from Nanasid and Rin while they are caught off guard by Corona. After Isagi is free, Corona passes to Isagi, and Isagi gets the ball flawlessly, which we can clearly see really upset both Rin and Nanasid.
Isagi's Strategy
As Isagi has the ball, he says "Bye-bye" to Rin and thinks to himself that he's now broken through completely and that he has a complete grasp of Rin's movements, further explaining that right now the whole field revolves around Isagi. He notes that since Kuiggami is keeping Shida in check, the Kaassu-Sanetsu and Shida combo is pretty much useless.
Even though Rin remains a dangerous threat, Isagi feels good if he can bypass him and his two lackeys like he just did, talking about Nanasid and Tokimitsu. However, this also means that the only player who even has a chance of scoring a goal right now is none other than Kaiser, who is seen running behind Isagi.
Kaiser's Position
Isagi thinks that even though it's highly unlikely that he can recreate that super goal, since he's constantly positioning himself in a way that he can score at any moment, to deal with Isagi and Kaiser simultaneously, their opponent has no choice. If they go all in to stop Isagi, then Kaiser will score. Conversely, if they go all in to stop Kaiser, Isagi will be the one to score, concluding that right now, Bastard Munching is burning the brightest and evolving the strongest.
Rin's Rage Awakens
After that, we switch over to Rin who says that it's not over yet and calls Isagi an "asshole" while almost being fully immersed by his rage and dark aura. Rin thinks that he doesn't deny that he became stronger playing in the Neoegoist League, but that's only from a technique standpoint. What he truly was lacking and desperately needed was the intense mental pressure.
As he says this, we see his aura getting bigger and bigger, almost covering all of Rin as well as two silhouettes of SE and Isagi behind him. He continues with what he said before, saying that he needed someone stronger than everybody and one who rightly stands in his way, which he calls the ultimate egoism. His aura is just getting more and more intense as he declares that the urge to destroy that sort of egoism is the trigger to enter this state.
The Climax of the Match
Back with Isagi, he has puzzle pieces flying around him like crazy as he thinks that this is his game and his only. He believes that if he can't succeed in this situation, then all of this hard work would have been for nothing. He tells himself to think and says that there's got to be a way to win while simultaneously shutting down Kaiser.
He finally makes his move, deciding to move towards Kaiser, which catches everyone off guard. Kaiser can't believe his eyes and is extremely confused. Isagi thinks that since Kaiser loves playing in his shadow and taking advantage of any blind spots that may occur due to Isagi's presence, he's now instead made a run that forces Kaiser into the spotlight.
The Turning Point
As Isagi breaks through everyone and is free, Corona from the side tells Isagi to be ready as he will pass the ball now. However, instead of passing, Corona gets a one-way ticket down to the ground as Rin, fully immersed in rage, pushes him off balance, calling him Isagi's "pigtailed sea anemone," which is actually a bit funny.
Isagi is extremely shocked by this as he didn't expect Rin to be there. Rin gets the ball, and Isagi realizes that Kaiser wasn't the only one who evolved when he was feeding off the restriction Isagi created. We see Rin who looks furious and even has his tongue out, which we know from the U-20 match that he only does when he's extremely locked in the game. And then begins the battle between Isagi, Rin, and Kaiser.
Final Predictions
The text at the bottom says "Focusing on the restriction and suffering Isagi brought upon him, the berserker evolves to another level as he prepares to strike back. Can anyone stop this monster?" I can't find the title for the next chapter, but I know one thing: it will be absolutely crazy. As Rin now has the ball, I predict that he's going to go into the same rage flow mode that he was in during the U-20 match and just try to destroy everyone.
I also think Rin will score a goal in this game. Some highlights from this chapter include Rin slamming away Isagi's hand, which looks goofy, and the art, which was exceptional in this chapter. I really loved the panel of Rin being consumed by his aura while having a silhouette of Isagi and Say behind him.
Concluding Thoughts
I also liked how Isagi outsmarted Kaiser by forcing him into the spotlight, allowing him to move more freely on the pitch. This strategy could have worked if Rin hadn't gone into Berserker mode. It really hurt to see Corona get taken down, but I hope he can return the favor sometime in this chapter.
I can't wait for the next chapter to see Rin go absolutely crazy now that he has his tongue out. What's your favorite character from this chapter? Please leave your thoughts and theories down in the comments as I love reading them.