Chapter 116: The List is Finalized
Chigiri and Bachira. Kira turned his head to look at both of them. Chigiri let out a long, heavy breath, looking like a man who had just survived a death sentence. It was clear the pressure of this selection had been weighing on him. Bachira, on the other hand, just kept that mindless, carefree grin on his face.
"I don't care where I play. My only goal is to put the ball in the net." As always, the guy was brimming with pure joy.
Ego paused for a moment before continuing. "Next, the single defensive midfielder who will act as the bridge between the backline and the front—"
"Tabito Karasu!"
Karasu looked completely unsurprised, his expression bored. "Knew it would be like this, dumbass..."
A vein popped on Ego's forehead. 'Stay calm. Don't lose it.'
Of course Karasu was the anchor. It didn't surprise Kira at all. This arrangement matched the original plan perfectly; Karasu's ball-shielding ability was far and away the best in Blue Lock. Beyond that, he possessed eyes that could dissect passing lanes and a clinical analytical mind. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that in Ego's vision, Karasu was the heart of this machine.
"Now for the offensive lineup..."
"The two wingers who will tear through the enemy's walls from the outside..."
"Left Winger—Kenyu Yukimiya!"
"Right Winger—Seishiro Nagi!"
"One is the unstoppable 1v1 duelist who leaves defenders helpless on the left. The other is a prodigy who uses his god-tier traps to hammer home unconventional goals."
In the crowd, Reo's eyes suddenly lit up. 'Nagi made the starting eleven?' But the spark faded just as quickly. Based on his own performance, Reo knew he wasn't at the level of a starter yet. The distance between him and Nagi still existed.
Meanwhile, Isagi felt his heart hammering against his ribs. Only two spots left. Could he actually make the cut? The players who hadn't heard their names yet all wore different masks of desperation. Kunigami's tension was written all over his face. Raichi looked like he was about to start a riot.
"Listen up. I'll say it once more: this team was built for one purpose—to maximize Ryosuke Kira's potential."
"In other words, I need players who can exist as Kira's shadow. People who can assert their own value while achieving total coexistence with him."
Ego's sharp eyes swept across the room. "The final two are..."
"Itoshi Rin!"
"Yoichi Isagi!"
As Ego's voice fell, the Blue Lock Eleven for the U-20 National Team match was set. The chosen players couldn't help but let smiles slip onto their faces. Kira walked over to Rin and offered his hand with genuine sincerity. "Looks like we're fighting together again, Rin."
Rin shook his hand with visible reluctance, his voice like ice. "I'll let you off for now. Next time, I'm the one who wins."
"Hahaha. I'll be waiting."
At that moment, Kira had completely forgotten about his recent partner, Shidou.
"Yes! I made it!" Isagi's mind was screaming with joy. He was so hyped he nearly jumped out of his skin. Suddenly, a wave of murderous intent washed over his back. Isagi stiffened, standing perfectly straight. He didn't need to turn around to know that Barou was staring daggers into him.
"Dammit!" Barou's eyes were bloodshot with frustration. His face was contorted into a snarl, looking like he wanted to devour everyone in the room. Kira caught the movement out of the corner of his eye. Barou's individual talent was undeniably top-tier. However, Ego had prioritized team compatibility. Barou's "King" style simply didn't mesh with the way Kira played. For now, there was no room for him in the starting lineup.
"I have a question, Ego-san..." Yukimiya spoke up like a student challenging a professor. "Why isn't Shidou in this lineup? He's the Number Two, isn't he? And he scored multiple times during the trials."
"Ah... good question." Ego knew he'd have to explain Shidou's absence to these kids eventually. Seeing this, Kira was now certain: Shidou had been poached.
"The scoring ability Shidou displayed is second only to Kira and Rin. His absolute dominance in the penalty area is a lethal weapon. Furthermore, his chemical reaction with Kira was perfect. They understood each other's intent without a word."
"Then why?" Yukimiya asked, more confused than before. If that was the case, shouldn't Shidou be a guaranteed starter?
"My original plan was to have Shidou as an attacking midfielder to support Kira's offensive. However, the President of the Football Association informed me that Itoshi Sae was dissatisfied with the U-20 forwards. He demanded a striker from us."
"And that target was Ryosuke Kira."
"Kira?"
"No way. How does Itoshi Sae even know about Kira?"
"If Kira went to the other side, how are we supposed to play?"
The room exploded into chaos. Rin's reaction was the most visceral; Kira could practically feel the temperature around them drop several degrees. Kira silently took half a step back, putting some distance between himself and Rin's mounting rage.
"Ahem... quiet." Ego waved his hand, coughing a few times to regain control. "Naturally, I refused such an absurd demand. After some intense bargaining, Shidou was the one they walked away with. Itoshi Sae didn't care about the rest of you. His first choice was Kira. His second was Ryusei Shidou."
Igaguri looked like he'd seen a ghost. "For real? So Shidou..."
"He will be facing us as a member of the Japan U-20 National Team."
Ego confirmed the suspicion. Everyone sucked in a breath. Thank god it was Shidou and not Kira. Otherwise, they wouldn't have even known how to start planning for a win.
Rin's hands were clenched so tightly his knuckles were white. Itoshi Sae hadn't even looked at him.
"The match will take place in fifteen days."
"Including substitutes, we can register twenty-three players. There are twelve spots on the bench that I haven't finalized yet. To those who weren't called: seize your chance. Prove you belong."
As Ego concluded the announcement, everyone knew that their football careers would hinge on the next match. The very fate of Blue Lock would be decided on that pitch.
***
Blue Lock Main Gate.
Shidou carried his bag over his shoulder, a mocking smirk on his face. "All that talk about saving Japanese football, and in the end, they just sold me off like a piece of meat... Tch. How annoying."
Shidou's mind was full of irritation until he suddenly broke into a wide grin. "But I guess this is fine. I get to play against Kira-chan..." Shidou licked his lips reflexively. 'I wonder what it'll feel like to tear Kira-chan apart.'
Beep beep.
A car pulled up in front of the gate. Two people stepped out. The first was a young man whose eyes were strikingly similar to Rin's. The second was a massive, hulking bodyguard. The young man stood with his hands in his pockets, sizing Shidou up with an arrogant gaze.
"He's not the premium choice, but I suppose a demon will do..."
Seeing those eyes, Shidou was reminded of a certain person he detested. He knew immediately that this was Itoshi Sae.
"You the hotshot from overseas?"
Itoshi Sae ignored him completely. "I need your ego. Come and help me burn the place down."
Before Shidou could respond, the bodyguard stepped forward and physically hauled him into the car.
Shidou: (·•᷄ࡇ•᷅ )
***
Blue Lock Starting Eleven:
Forward: Kira.
Wingers: Nagi, Yukimiya.
Attacking Midfielders: Rin, Isagi.
Defensive Midfielder: Karasu.
Defenders: Chigiri, Niko, Aryu, Bachira.
Goalkeeper: Gagamaru.