Chapter 8: "You're Obviously After My Body!"
After taking a shower, Kira stepped out of the bathroom wearing only a pair of athletic shorts. He was just about to head back to the locker room to get dressed when he noticed a slender figure waiting there.
It was Riko Aida.
"Riko? What are you doing here? You do realize this is the men's locker room, right?"
"I thought this would be the perfect chance to observe the results of your training up close," she said calmly, her eyes drifting over his body. "That way, I can make my evaluation more accurate—without having to bother you to take your shirt off again later."
Her gaze lingered on him.
Kira had already been in great shape, but after a week of relentless training, his build had become sharper, his shoulders broader, his chest firm, and his abs perfectly defined—an ideal physique that no ordinary teen could possess. His explosive power and stamina had both grown remarkably.
This was the tangible proof of his week-long high-intensity regimen.
Yet the results far exceeded even Reiko's expectations.
Without realizing it, she found herself staring at him, her thoughts momentarily blank.
"Hey, hey, hey, Riko... are you really analyzing my physical stats right now? What's that at the corner of your mouth? Is that—drool? That's definitely drool!"
"It is not! It's not!"
Snapping back to reality, Riko flushed scarlet, hurriedly wiping the corner of her lips. "A-anyway, your progress looks excellent!"
"Well, good to hear... but, uh, Riko, could you leave now? This is the men's locker room. If your dad finds out, he's gonna kill me."
"Do you really think I'm that kind of person?"
Just then—
The locker beside them creaked open.
Out stepped Kagetora Aida, Reiko's father, holding... a kitchen knife.
"..."
"..."
"..."
An awkward silence fell between the three.
"Uh... Aida-san," Kira said carefully, "may I ask... what exactly you're doing in there?"
Kagetora wiped his forehead—though Kira wasn't sure if it was water or sweat.
"Haha! Oh, I just happened to be passing by! I definitely didn't sneak in here because my precious daughter entered the men's locker room! And I certainly wasn't planning to kill you on the spot if you laid a finger on her!"
"Aida-san, maybe... put the knife down before you keep talking?"
"Haha, no problem! I'll just take my leave then, you two have your chat."
Hiding the knife behind his back, Kagetora whistled cheerfully and walked out—though Kira could still feel a faint murderous intent nearby. The man definitely hadn't gone far.
"Um... s-so," Riko started again, fidgeting slightly, "today's your last day of training, right? You'll be leaving for the closed training camp tomorrow?"
She glanced up at him, then quickly looked away, her cheeks still flushed.
"How long will it be?"
"I'm not sure. The invitation didn't say anything specific."
Kira shrugged. He knew that once he entered Blue Lock, if he wanted to make it to the end, it would take months.
Still, the system there had special privileges — like using accumulated goals to exchange for one day of outside leave.
"I see... then you have to give it your all!" Riko said earnestly. "They'll probably take your phones away, but if you somehow can, and you ever need anything—contact me right away! You're the pride of our gym, after all!"
Her eyes met his again, bright and determined.
Kira smiled. "It's a promise."
---
The next afternoon, Kira Ryosuke arrived at his destination — the Japan Football Association.
Perhaps because of the altered timeline, he didn't encounter the original protagonist, Yoichi Isagi, outside the building like in the story.
He entered the building and headed to the conference room mentioned in his invitation letter.
The moment he opened the door, countless eyes turned toward him.
All of them were forwards — 300 promising young strikers invited by the association. Including him, there were 300 in total.
Forwards were the blades of the team, the ones meant to tear through defenses and score goals.
And the purpose of Project Blue Lock — was to forge a striker unlike any in history.
Kira's eyes swept across the room, recognizing several familiar faces. Many of them were already looking back at him.
Normally, he was used to gazes filled with respect or admiration.
But here — those same gazes burned with hostility.
Talent meant nothing in this room. Many of these players were the ace strikers of their respective teams — prodigies in their own right.
A "genius" only stands out among the ordinary. But when geniuses gather together, everyone becomes average — except for the genius among geniuses.
"Hey... long time no see, Kira-kun!"
A familiar voice called out.
Turning, Kira saw Yoichi Isagi, the protagonist of the original story — the player whose team Kira's had defeated just last week.
"Hello, Isagi-kun." Kira greeted politely.
According to the original plot, both he and Isagi would soon be placed on the same team in Blue Lock — right before the initial elimination test where the original Kira was kicked out.
But this worldline... was already beginning to diverge.
"Congratulations, all of you."
A voice boomed from the speakers in the conference room.
Just like in the original, Jinpachi Ego, the eccentric, bespectacled mastermind behind Blue Lock, appeared and delivered his speech — explaining the program's purpose and rules.
To create the world's greatest striker.
And in doing so — bury the remaining 299 players' futures in football.
Even so, not a single one of the 300 invitees backed down. Every one of them burned with the same desire — to become the Number One Striker.
Soon after, they boarded buses headed toward Blue Lock itself.
Inside the bus, Kira took out his phone. He'd have to hand it in upon arrival, so he decided to use it while he still could.
Unlocking the screen, he saw several unread messages.
Riko: Ryosuke, have you arrived yet?
Riko: What's it like over there?
Riko: Did they tell you what kind of training the enhancement program involves?!
Kira chuckled softly and began typing, summarizing everything Ego Jinpachi had just announced.
---
TL: Wanted to clarify something. Since I messed up the order of name's in the other Bleach FF I thought to improvise here.
Am using the format Name + Surname.
Also I'll be using Kira in narrations as, well...its KIRA. IYKYK. (Evn tho its his surname)
I may also use surnames for other characters too like Isagi, Nagi, et cetera in Narration and honorifics (it depends) but in introductions it'll mostly be name + surname.
I may improvise my improvising tho.