Chapter 5: Clear Goals — The Final Week's Sprint!
"So… how much would this cost, roughly?"
Because of the original Ryosuke Kira's strong performance in previous matches, he had already earned a fair bit of prize money.
But Kira himself had no idea what hiring a personal trainer might cost. After all, even if he had some local fame, he was still just a high school player, not a professional athlete.
"Com—ple—te—ly—free~"
Riko Aida raised her index finger and gave it a playful shake.
"That doesn't sound quite right. I've heard private trainers can be pretty expensive…"
"Don't worry about it! You're already a local celebrity here! If you train at our gym, it's basically free publicity for us.
So your training fees will just cancel out with your advertisement value — how's that for a deal?"
Looking at Riko's bright, eager smile, Kira thought it over.
For now, this was clearly the best option.
Only one week remained before he had to leave for Blue Lock, yet his body still wasn't strong enough to handle the system's skills.
That place would be full of monsters — players whose talent bordered on the supernatural.
Compared to them, the original Kira's natural ability didn't give him much of an edge.
He'd have to close that gap, and fast.
He needed to strengthen his body, and though he only had a week, not a single day could go to waste.
"Alright. Thank you so much, Riko."
Kira nodded.
"Then let's go right now! Follow me!"
Reiko said cheerfully and led him toward the gym her father owned.
It was still early morning when they arrived at Aida Sports Gym, and there weren't many people around yet.
"Riko, didn't you go out for a morning run? Why're you back so soon—"
A well-built middle-aged man came out from inside.
He had the same chestnut-brown hair as Riko but a much harsher face, his sharp eyes giving off an intimidating aura as he looked at Kira.
This was Kagetora Aida, Riko's father.
A former athlete in his younger years, he'd retired to become a professional trainer and now ran this gym.
"You're… Ryosuke Kira?"
Kagetora raised an eyebrow — surprised that the area's well-known football prodigy had shown up here.
After Riko quickly explained the situation, her father's expression softened slightly.
"I see. Then I'll leave everything to you, Riko."
He gave Kira a brief, assessing glance and nodded.
"You're free to use any of the equipment here."
"Thank you very much."
Kira bowed politely.
"Alright then, Ryosuke — this way."
Riko led him to a corner of the gym, grabbed a notepad and pen, and began jotting down notes while observing his physique — her pen moving rapidly, mechanical and precise.
She was completely absorbed, focused to the point that nothing around her could distract her.
After several minutes, the paper was filled with dense notes. Finally, Riko set the pen down and met Kira's eyes.
"Okay, I've got the basics. Ryosuke, tell me — which areas do you think need the most improvement?"
"Probably my overall strength and stamina."
Kira's gaze instinctively drifted toward his right leg as he spoke.
"Right. That's crucial, but it's not the only thing. Like I said before, your current fitness level is quite good for a high school player — but you've got room to grow.
Your school team's training is probably very traditional, but that kind of routine isn't what you need.
You need something tougher, more professional — training that prepares you for a career beyond school."
She paused for a moment, as if something had occurred to her.
"You're training this hard because the National Tournament is coming up, right?"
"That's part of it, yes… but there's another reason."
Kira told her about the Blue Lock invitation. It wasn't exactly a secret.
"So it's going to be a closed, special training camp, huh…? I'm curious about what kind of program they'll run.
But I see — you're pushing yourself now to make sure you're in top form when it begins."
"Exactly."
Kira's tone was serious.
"I've got a feeling that the players gathering there will be the very best from across Japan… and I don't plan on losing to any of them."
He might not love football, but when he set a goal, he gave it everything he had.
Maybe that persistence came from the part of him that once wanted to be a manga artist — that same stubbornness, now redirected.
Riko studied him for a moment, saw the sincerity in his eyes, and smiled brightly.
Then she handed him the paper filled with her notes.
"Alright then! Let's give it everything we've got!
But I'll warn you now — I don't go easy on anyone. Not even local stars."
"Don't worry, Coach Riko. I'll follow your orders to the letter."
Kira grinned.
"Good. Then let's get started."
---
After a brief warm-up, Kira began following Riko's detailed training plan.
They started with core strength training — the foundation of all athletic movement.
The "core" refers to the area between the shoulders and hips, including the pelvis.
These muscles stabilize the body's center of gravity and transfer power throughout the body, serving as the bridge that connects upper and lower limbs.
A strong core is essential for maintaining posture, controlling motion, and executing technical skills efficiently.
In short, it's the most important element of any athlete's physical base.
At first, the exercises were simple — basic planks. Easy enough.
But the difficulty ramped up quickly: dynamic planks, alternating arm raises, side planks with hip lifts...
Individually, none of them looked that hard — but performing a full set at her pace required real strength and endurance.
Riko's training plan was intense and dense.
Since Kira had shown such resolve, she didn't intend to let up in the slightest.