Chapter 118: The Captain's Armband
"What's on your mind, Kira?"
Kira was pulled out of his thoughts as Chigiri sat down beside him, a tactical tablet in hand.
Kira looked up and did a double-take. Chigiri had his long hair pulled back into a sleek, high ponytail today—a sharp departure from his usual flowing style. I have to admit, the look really worked for him. It gave him a focused, aggressive edge that matched the tension in the air.
"Check this out. The U-20 defensive line is locked in," Chigiri said, ignoring the look.
He tapped the screen, bringing up the dossiers on the U-20 backline. Finally, he pulled up the profile for Oliver Aiku.
Kira's eyes narrowed. Aside from Shidou and Itoshi Sae, Aiku was the undisputed heavy hitter of the national team. He was the wall they had to climb.
"What are we looking at?"
Bachira and Isagi jogged over from the pitch, crowding around the screen. Four heads hovered over the tablet, dissecting the data.
"Chigiri is breaking down the intel Ego gave us on the opposition," Kira explained to Bachira.
"Ooh, let me see!" Bachira's eyes widened with curiosity.
Seeing their interest, Chigiri continued. "According to Ego's report, Aiku is only nineteen, but he's already fielding serious offers from top-tier clubs in the Italian Serie A. This U-20 team is built entirely around his ability to anchor the defense and launch counterattacks."
"Nineteen?"
Isagi looked stunned. Aiku was barely older than they were, yet he was already on the radar of the world's most elite leagues.
Bachira, on the other hand, just tilted his head like a curious predator. "So, we just have to smash through them, right?"
"Well…"
Chigiri sighed, clearly trying to find a way to explain the scale of the challenge to someone as instinct-driven as Bachira. "In theory, yes. But we're talking about the most talented roster Japan has ever produced for this age group. The media is calling them the 'Diamond Generation.' If we think we can just walk over them with raw offense, we're in for a reality check."
Bachira blinked, looking completely unimpressed by the title. "Like I said. We just smash them."
'The Diamond Generation?'
Kira turned the phrase over in his mind. It sounded flashy. He wondered what the press would call the Blue Lock players after the match. The Blue Generation? That sounded a little too generic.
Isagi stared at Bachira, clearly exasperated. "Bachira, it's not that simple. Tactics matter."
"But if they can't stop us, we win. Isn't that how it works?"
Isagi felt a headache coming on. "Listen to me for a second…"
"Did I say something wrong?"
"It's not wrong, it's just… you're oversimplifying it!"
It was like watching a scholar try to argue with a hurricane. Isagi was getting red in the face trying to be the voice of reason, while Bachira remained perfectly unbothered.
"Attention. Morning training is officially over. Take your break," the speakers blared.
The announcement didn't stop the debate. Isagi kept following Bachira, gesturing wildly as he tried to explain defensive rotations, while Bachira just hummed a tune, occasionally muttering, "Still think we just need to beat them."
Chigiri burst out laughing at the two of them. "They're a comedy duo."
"Hey, where'd Kira go?"
Bachira realized Kira was no longer standing with them.
"I think he headed toward the gym," Chigiri noted.
***
Inside the gym.
Itoshi Rin was punishing the leg press machine. Every muscle in his legs was corded and strained, his gear completely soaked with sweat.
"Take it easy, man. Training is over. You're going to blow out a tendon if you keep this up," Kira said, leaning against a nearby rack.
Rin didn't even look at him. The weight plates clanked rhythmically as he pushed through the burn. "I'm almost done, Kira. Don't get in my way."
Kira knew better than to push it. He watched Rin for a few moments, respecting the sheer intensity of the guy's drive, then turned and walked out without another word.
Ten minutes later.
"Phew…"
Rin finally stopped, collapsing against the machine as his breathing stabilized.
The chance to face Itoshi Sae was finally here, and Rin was obsessed with proving he was the superior brother. That drive had only intensified after hearing Ego mention that Sae's first choice for a partner had been Kira, not him. The need to dominate both of them was burning him alive.
"I need a drink…"
His throat felt like sandpaper. He reached out to grab his water bottle, but found a fresh bottle of high-end sports drink sitting right next to it.
Kira.
The guy had left it there before walking out.
Rin didn't hesitate. He grabbed the bottle and drained half of it in one go.
'That guy… always doing things his own way,' Rin thought, a rare flicker of something other than spite crossing his mind.
***
The days bled into one another until, finally, the morning of the match arrived.
Fifteen minutes before kickoff.
The Blue Lock locker room was thick with tension. Kira had finished dressing early, his blue jersey fitting perfectly.
"Kira, how do I look?"
Bachira spun around in his kit, looking for a second opinion.
Kira gave him a nod. "Looks sharp, Bachira. Suits you."
"I agree," Isagi said, adjusting his own collar. "It's wild. This is the first time we've actually worn official Blue Lock match kits."
"I never thought we'd actually be taking on the National Team," Chigiri added, tightening his laces. "We really made some noise, didn't we?"
"Yeah… we did," Nagi muttered, looking surprisingly focused. "But this isn't the finish line. It's just the beginning."
Kira nodded. Nagi was right. This was the moment they stepped out of the shadows.
The door swung open, and the room went silent. Jinpachi Ego walked in, wearing a sharp black suit and carrying a tactical board.
"I spent until the very last second agonizing over the final roster," Ego said, his voice flat but carrying an undeniable weight. "But the substitute list is finally set."
He rattled off the names of the players who would start on the bench.
"Kunigami, Raichi, Reo, Barou."
"Tokimitsu, Shingen Tanaka, Hiori, Nanase."
"Jin Kiyora, Ishikari, Zantetsu, Otoya."
Igaguri's face fell instantly. "I didn't make the cut…"
Kira glanced at Igaguri. He remembered the original roster having him as a sub, but things had shifted. The stakes were too high for anything but the absolute best.
"We have three substitutions," Ego said, his eyes scanning the room. "To those on the bench: stay ready. I expect you to be at a hundred percent the second your feet touch that grass."
"We've spent two weeks building this team to win. The world doesn't even know you exist yet. To them, you're just diamonds in the rough."
"Go out there and show them. Go win this game, Blue Lock!"
"YEAH!" the team roared.
The energy in the room was electric. Every player was vibrating with the need to get on the pitch.
Ego reached into his pocket and pulled out a yellow armband. He looked directly at Kira. "Ryosuke Kira. Step forward."
The room went quiet. Kira's heart skipped a beat, but his voice was steady. "Sir!"
He walked up to Ego, standing tall.
Ego took the armband and fastened it securely around Kira's left bicep.
"I assume you know exactly what this represents?"
Kira looked down at the band. It was the captain's mark. In a room full of the most egotistical strikers in the country, it was a declaration. The captain wasn't just the leader; he was the one the team respected most, the one the coach trusted to maintain discipline when the pressure became unbearable.
Kira hadn't expected this. In the original timeline, this never happened.
He looked around the room. His teammates had various expressions—some were jealous, some were neutral—but in every pair of eyes, he saw a fundamental layer of trust. They were ready to follow his lead.
Kira took a deep breath, feeling the weight on his shoulder—and the surge of power that came with it.
"Today," Kira shouted, his voice echoing through the locker room, "we make the world remember our names!"
"We make 'Blue Lock' a brand they'll never forget!"
"HELL YEAH!"
The response was deafening. Every player was now a weapon, primed and ready for war.
Ego watched them, a small, crooked smile playing on his lips.
It was time to see the results.
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Hand over all of your Power Stones!!
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