Chapter 12: Goal Exchange System
All three hundred forwards had been carefully selected by Jinpachi Ego himself. Naturally, that included Ryosuke Kira. Before bringing them into Blue Lock, Ego had already done extensive background research on every one of them.
Skillful, talented, and possessing natural charisma — under normal circumstances, Ryosuke Kira should have become an excellent player, maybe even a star.
But that wasn't the kind of striker Jinpachi Ego wanted.
He wasn't looking for "excellent."
He wanted a monster — the strongest forward, a player driven by overwhelming scoring instinct, or to be exact ego.
Kira might reach the level of "outstanding," but he didn't fit Ego's vision. Worse, from his personality profile, Ego had assumed that someone like Ryosuke Kira wouldn't survive long inside Blue Lock.
Yet Kira's recent performance exceeded all of Ego's expectations.
He'd adapted to the system and environment almost immediately — decisive, fearless, and instinctively dominant. Whether intentional or not, he had already begun demonstrating his strength before the others. Sooner or later, that power would let him seize control of his team.
Jinpachi Ego couldn't help but grow curious — just how far would Ryosuke Kira go in this experiment?
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Inside Team Z's room, a heavy silence lingered long after Ego's announcement ended.
The sudden elimination had left everyone unsettled.
Gurimu Igarashi — a name most barely remembered — had seen his football career end here, completely and utterly.
No one particularly liked him. He was mediocre, lazy, and relied on cheap tricks.
But watching someone's dream stripped away before their eyes left a strange chill in everyone's hearts.
Survival of the fittest — that was the law of Blue Lock.
Just then, the familiar mechanical voice echoed in Ryosuke Kira's mind.
[ Congratulations! You've earned 10 Points. ]
'So even this kind of elimination game counts for points, huh?' Kira mused.
'Looks like as long as it's a football-related match, I can gain points.'
He crossed his arms, thinking.
'Ten points isn't much… but it wasn't a real match anyway. Makes sense. Once the official games start, I'll definitely earn more — enough to unlock new moves and diversify my offensive arsenal.'
Not far away, Rensuke Kunigami's eyes were fixed on Kira.
Just moments earlier, Kira had effortlessly received Kunigami's powerful shot with his chest, controlling it smoothly in one motion. That alone spoke volumes — strength, balance, and technique.
Kunigami had heard of Kira's name before… but he hadn't expected this.
"Hey, about that shot earlier — I wasn't aiming at you. Sorry about that."
Kunigami approached him and bowed slightly. Though the test was over, his powerful kick — meant for Igarashi — had accidentally hit Kira instead. As a straightforward and honorable player, he felt guilty about it.
"It's fine," Kira replied with an easy smile. "We all passed the selection, right? From now on, we're teammates. Let's get along."
Once Kira set his mind on something, he took it seriously. But in everyday life, he was bright, approachable — even warm.
"Since we're on the same team, we'll need to cooperate from now on," he added, extending his hand. "I'm Ryosuke Kira. Nice to meet you."
"Yeah. I'm Resuke Kunigami. Likewise."
Kunigami shook his hand, realizing Kira wasn't as aloof as he'd imagined.
Soon after, Kira gathered the rest of the team together for introductions.
Since they'd be living and training side by side, getting to know one another was essential — and it helped ease the tense atmosphere lingering from the elimination.
"I'm Yoichi Isagi, from Ichinan High. Nice to meet you!"
"I'm Wataru Kuon — let's all do our best together."
"Hyōma Chigiri."
…
One by one, everyone introduced themselves. The tension in the air gradually melted away.
Kira's open personality and well-timed jokes helped everyone relax, and by the end, he had already built a surprisingly good rapport with several of them.
After some light chatting, the players split off for free activity.
When there weren't special tests, Blue Lock allowed movement within designated areas — cafeteria, gym, field, showers. Everything was state-of-the-art, and each player could plan their own training schedule.
Many members of Team Z decided to take a look around and familiarize themselves with the place.
"Hey, Kira," Isagi approached him hesitantly. "Wanna grab a meal together?"
"Sure," Kira said with a smile. "I was just about to check out the cafeteria anyway."
The two headed off together.
The cafeteria — shared by five teams in their building — was huge, spotless, and entirely automated.
No staff, no cooks. Players placed their trays at a dispenser, and the machine served meals automatically — the quality depending on their rank.
The higher the rank, the better the food.
Kira immediately recognized the ploy — Jinpachi Ego's psychological manipulation.
He wanted every player to believe that ability equals privilege.
That difference in treatment would ignite their competitive drive.
Scanning the room, Kira's gaze fell upon a notice board.
Goal Exchange System:
Each goal scored = 1 point. Points can be exchanged for rewards.
1 Point: Steak meal, massage.
3 Points: Return of your phone.
5 Points: Premium bed.
10 Points: One-day outside pass.
The more goals you scored, the more points you could earn — and the better your treatment in Blue Lock.
Kira wasn't particularly interested in food. What caught his eye were the "Return Phone" and "Outside Pass" rewards.
Thirteen points in total. That meant thirteen goals.
For Ryosuke Kira, that wasn't an impossible number.
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〔TL〕
Every 100 powerstones = 1 bonus ch.
Every 2 review after 100 ps = 1 bonus ch.