“Isagi Yoichi!”
Just as Isagi Yoichi finally obtained a once-in-a-lifetime open chance in front of the net through an extraordinarily complex off-ball run, using his teammates as decoys—the second he swung his leg to shoot, a massive hand seized the ball like a dark cloud blotting out the sun.
Rin Kazuki had materialized there out of nowhere, clutching the ball to his chest.
“Is this your so-called ‘spatial awareness’?
Is this your ‘Direct Volley’?”
Kazuki looked down at Isagi, a “friendly” smile playing on his lips.
“So naive.
Your logic is completely built on wishful thinking and blind luck.
Did you think I’d be out of position?
Did you think I wouldn’t see you?”
“Those eyes of yours can only see the future of ordinary men.
But in my eyes, every single step you take is as laughable as a slow-motion replay.”
“Useless.”
He spat out those words softly before kicking the ball away.
Isagi knelt on the turf, gasping heavily for air, sweat dripping from his chin.
An eerie atmosphere descended over the entire pitch.
Over a dozen strikers had laid siege to a single goalkeeper, yet they couldn’t breach his net after all this time, instead being thoroughly torn to shreds by his verbal abuse.
Anger gradually gave way to self-doubt.
Could it be…
just as he said, we really are a bunch of useless trash who can’t win without him?
Just as everyone’s morale was about to utterly collapse…
*BANG—!*
A loud crash echoed out.
It wasn’t the sound of a shot, but someone violently kicking a water bucket on the sidelines.
Everyone turned to look.
Barou Shouei stood there, his face brimming with murderous intent, his eyes bloodshot.
He strode forward toward the goal in long, aggressive steps.
Wherever he passed, the others instinctively parted to make a path.
Barou walked straight up to Kazuki, the two standing so close their noses almost touched.
“Hey, bastard goalkeeper.”
Barou’s voice was low and raspy, suppressing a volcano that could erupt at any moment.
“Have you said enough?”
Kazuki raised an eyebrow, maintaining his punchable expression.
“What?
Does the ‘King’ want to hear my evaluation of him too?
Your playstyle is way too selfish, like a toddler hogging all the toys…”
“Shut up!”
Barou suddenly reached out, grabbing Kazuki by the collar and yanking him down hard.
“What good is it if you can block shots?!”
Barou’s roar resounded across the pitch, ringing in everyone’s ears.
“This is Blue Lock!
This is a place to select the ‘World’s Number One Striker’!
Barou glared dead into Kazuki’s eyes, spit almost flying onto his face.
“Is it that impressive that you can play keeper?
Is it so amazing that you can pull off guaranteed saves?
So what!
At best, you’re just a security guard guarding the front gate!”
“The essence of football is scoring goals!
It’s destruction!
It’s plunder!”
Barou released his grip, shoving Kazuki hard, then pointed at the opposite goal, issuing the most primitive provocation.
“Since you belittle us as completely worthless, why don’t you go score a goal and show me then?!”
“If you’re so damn amazing, go blast through the opposite net!
If you can’t do it, if all you can do is hide behind the goal line spouting trash talk, then what right do you have to mock us strikers who lick blood off the edge of a blade?!”
Barou’s words instantly ignited the shared sentiments of everyone present.
That’s right!
No matter how strong you are, you’re still just a goalkeeper!
What right do you have to judge the value of a striker?!
“Damn right!
Show us you can play striker if you’ve got the guts!” Raichi Jingo shouted along.
“What kind of skill is only knowing how to keep goal?!”
“Get out of that turtle shell, you bastard!”
Public indignation ran high.
The morale that had originally been crushed transformed into an even more volatile spirit of confrontation thanks to Barou’s outburst.
Everyone surged forward, their eyes filled with defiance and provocation.
Looking at the group of teenagers before him who, despite their ragged state, were still glaring daggers at him, a trace of imperceptible surprise flickered in the depths of Kazuki’s eyes, followed by an even deeper mock.
“Heh…”
He adjusted his collar, which had been yanked out of place, a somewhat strange look surfacing in his eyes.
“You want me to score?”
Kazuki took a step forward, the terrifying aura belonging to the world’s number one striker showing a subtle sign of leaking out.
Kazuki forcibly suppressed the urge to kick Barou’s head like a football, though his verbal assault didn’t lessen in the slightest.
“Barou Shouei, getting anxious already?”
He let out a cold laugh, just about to strike back with even more venomous words—not above throwing hands to show these arrogant kids what a “total package” really meant—when the two sides were at daggers drawn, with some already clenching their fists ready to fight—
“Enough.”
Ego Jinpachi’s voice came through the broadcast once more.
“ZZZZT— ZZZZT—”
The big screen lit up again.
“This farce ends now.”
Ego Jinpachi looked at the chaotic scene on the pitch, seemingly satisfied with the current “heat,” or perhaps worried that an actual brawl would cause casualties.
“Today’s ‘special guidance’ is over.
Although the result was hideous, at least you bunch of idiots proved one thing—even when facing absolute despair, you still have teeth to fight back.”
“That is enough.”
Ego paused, announcing a piece of news that caught everyone off guard.
“I hereby announce that Blue Lock is on a two-week break.”
“A break?!”
Everyone froze.
Since entering Blue Lock, this was the first time they had heard the word “break.”
Go home, see your parents, eat some good food, and properly reflect on tonight’s disgrace.”
Ego pushed up his glasses, a cold glare flashing across the lenses.
“However, don’t get happy too soon.”
“In two weeks, get every single one of your asses back here.”
“When that time comes, the real ‘challenge’ will have just begun.”
“Phase two of ‘Blue Lock’—the ‘Neo Egoist League’—is about to launch.”
A fanaticism seeped through Ego’s voice.
“At that time, five top European clubs from England, Spain, Italy, France, and Germany will descend upon Blue Lock.”
“You will be split up, joining these five factions, and engaging in a free-for-all against world-class U-20 squads.”
“This is not merely a selection process; it is an auction to showcase your ‘commercial value’ to the entire world.
Scouts and clubs from all over the globe will have their eyes glued to you.”
“If you don’t want to lose face in front of the world, and don’t want to be trampled under that goalkeeper’s foot ever again…”
Ego’s gaze seemed to pierce through the screen, landing on Kazuki.
“Then use these two weeks to evolve.”
“That is all.
Dismissed.”
The screen went dark.
Only heavy breathing remained on the pitch.
“The world’s…
top five leagues…” Isagi Yoichi muttered to himself, excitement gradually replacing the look in his eyes.
“Neo Egoist League, huh…” Rin clenched his fist tight.
The crowd looked at one another.
Although hostility remained in their eyes, it was replaced more by a sense of urgency for the future.
They shot a deep look at Kazuki, as if engraving this figure who brought them immense humiliation into their minds, before quietly starting to pack up their things and leave without a word.
This fortnight was destined not to be peaceful.
Kazuki stood in place, watching the departing backs of the crowd, offering no further taunts.
He simply stood there in silence until the pitch became completely empty.
“Hey, System.”
Kazuki asked in his mind, a trace of playfulness in his voice.
“What is the nature of that ‘Neo Egoist League’ the four-eyed guy just talked about?”
[Ding— Searching world rules.]
[Search complete.
The ‘Neo Egoist League’ falls under the nature of an internal Blue Lock selection and commercial exhibition match.
Although external clubs are participating, it is not counted in official FIFA match records.]
[Judged as: Informal high-intensity practice match.]
The corners of his mouth gradually split open, reaching all the way to his ears.
“An informal match, huh…”
He murmured softly, laughter rolling out from deep within his throat.
“In other words, the position restriction…
is lifted?”
“You little brats, get ready to experience real hell, Keke-ke~”