Chapter 9: Arrival at Blue Lock — The Trial Begins!
"What? That's absurd!"
Inside the Aida Sports Gym, Aida Riko showed her father the message Kira had just sent her.
"Those who fail will permanently lose the chance to ever join the national team? That's a joke, right? Isn't that basically the same as ending a player's entire career?"
"It doesn't look like a joke…" Kagetora frowned. "From what I heard from an old friend, the Football Association will be holding a press conference in a few days to announce a major new project. I'm afraid this 'Blue Lock' Kira mentioned… might be that."
As a former professional athlete and top-tier trainer, Kagetora still had connections within the Football Association. And from what he knew—this was no joke.
"If that's true, then what about Kira…"
Riko's face was full of worry. She started to say something, then hesitated. A few seconds later, her expression shifted—firm resolve glinting in her eyes.
"If it's Kira… maybe he really can make it through. He might look carefree most of the time, but once he gets serious—he's like a completely different person."
"Yeah," Kagetora chuckled. "That kid's not like any other player I've met. I hope he shines in there—after all, thanks to him, our gym's revenue went up thirty percent last week!"
Although he said it jokingly, his narrowed eyes gazed into the distance. He could feel that Ryosuke Kira carried something—an unpredictable potential.
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Riko: You've got this! Don't you dare embarrass our Aida Gym! ヾ(≧∇≦*)ゝ
Riko: How's the food over there? Make sure you're eating properly!
Riko: And don't you forget to train even there! If you slack off… you'll regret it!
Reading the string of messages from Riko, Kira smiled, replied a few words, and then set his phone aside.
Because they had already arrived—at the facility known as Blue Lock.
It was a complex of five identical buildings connected into a pentagonal structure, filled with cutting-edge technology and equipment unlike anything seen in the outside world. Clearly, the Football Association had poured a massive budget into the Blue Lock Project.
[TL: Yea right..S2 never happened.]
Three hundred players in total were randomly divided into five groups, each assigned to one of the five buildings, and then further split into five separate areas.
After a strict security check, Kira handed in his phone, stored his luggage, and received a special uniform.
On the shoulder of the uniform was a code: 289Z.
In the original story, Jinpachi Ego claimed that this number represented each player's ranking among the 300. But Kira knew better—this number meant nothing right now. It was merely Ego's psychological trick to crush their confidence and instill pressure.
Following the signs, Kira arrived at the room marked with a large Z.
Each room held twelve people, and when he entered, the other eleven were already there.
Kira's gaze swept across them—he knew every one of their identities and special traits.
The boy lying on the floor asleep was Meguru Bachira, with his superb dribbling skills and free-spirited style.
Nearby, changing into his uniform, was Rensuke Kunigami—honorable, disciplined, and powerful, with a devastating left-footed shot.
And sitting quietly to the side, with long red hair and a face as delicate as a girl's, was Hyoma Chigiri—blessed with unmatched speed, yet held back by a past injury that had once nearly ended his career.
Kira knew it well—his journey through Blue Lock had truly begun. The first selection was about to start.
"Hey, Kira! I'm really glad to see a familiar face here!"
Smiling warmly, Yoichi Isagi, who had also been assigned to Team Z, greeted him.
"Yeah, same here." Kira replied politely.
In the original story, Isagi didn't seem particularly outstanding at first, but he possessed a sharp field awareness—a vision that linked the entire team together.
And it was precisely him who had caused Kira's original self to be eliminated.
But that was due to bad luck and lack of preparation. This time, Ryosuke Kira wouldn't make the same mistake.
"Everyone ready, my precious unpolished gems?"
A huge screen flickered to life on the steel wall. The sinister face of Jinpachi Ego appeared, his eyes glinting slyly behind thick glasses.
"Listen carefully! The people in your room are both your roommates and your rivals. I've quantified your abilities and ranked you. The number on your uniform—that's your name now."
As Ego spoke, everyone checked their numbers and then glanced at each other's. Before long, all their gazes landed on one person—
Ryosuke Kira.
Team Z contained players ranked 289 to 300. That meant Kira was the strongest among them.
The strongest—who would naturally become everyone's target.
"…Alright! Time for a game of tag. You've got 136 seconds! Whoever's holding the ball is 'it.' When the countdown ends, the one who's 'it' packs up and goes home! Oh—and no handballs!"
Without any buildup, Ego announced the first trial.
Simply put: when the timer hit zero, the last person touched by the ball would be eliminated. A test of mobility and reaction—the essence of a striker.
The original Kira had failed because he didn't grasp that brutal truth—he hadn't understood the real cruelty of Blue Lock.
As Ego's voice faded, a panel in the ceiling opened, and a football dropped down. The timer appeared on the screen, along with a name—
Gurimu Igarashi.
While others hesitated in confusion, a short boy with a monk-like haircut stepped toward the ball. He was the one named Gurimu Igarashi.
Kira watched him closely. In the original story, this guy was the ultimate freeloader—utterly hopeless in every stat, yet somehow managing to cling to stronger teammates and survive till the end.
In a sense, even in Blue Lock… luck had its own unfair share of power.