It was the middle of the night in Room Z. After the physical and mental exhaustion of the entrance exam, the players were sound asleep on their floor mats.
The room was filled with the rhythmic sound of snoring, but Isagi Yoichi remained wide awake. His mind was stuck in a loop, replaying Kira's explosive reaction speed when facing the triple-pronged assault from himself, Kunigami, and Bachira. He thought of the high-precision banana shot and the devastating power of that mid-air outside-foot volley.
How can I ever catch up to a guy like that? Isagi wondered, rubbing his forehead in frustration. He glanced toward Kira's mat, only to find it empty in the moonlight.
No way... is he already at the training ground? Isagi tried to reassure himself that Kira was likely just in the restroom. A guy that talented can't possibly be working this hard too, right?. Five seconds later, Isagi threw off his blanket and stood up. If he was already behind in talent, he couldn't afford to be behind in effort.
The Training Room
In the training hall, Kira was drenched in sweat and gasping for air. He had just finished a session using the Itoshi Rin Experience Card. Now that the attribute boost had faded, he was carefully dissecting the movements and tactical thoughts he had experienced during those ten minutes.
He realized that unlike the beast-like chaos of Shidou Ryusei, Rin's card offered a massive leap in spatial awareness and ball control. Despite the permanent minor stat boosts he gained from using the cards, Kira knew it wasn't enough. A real match lasted 90 minutes; he couldn't rely on ten-minute "cheats" forever. He needed to build his own raw strength.
[System: Entrance Exam Complete. System Upgraded.]
[Capacity: 4 Attribute Slots now available.]
Kira smiled. With the first match between rooms a few days away, he planned to spend every night here, using the attributes he absorbed from his teammates to sharpen his own skills.
"Kira... you really are here," a voice called out.
Kira turned to see Isagi, looking surprised. "Yo, Isagi. Couldn't sleep? Come to practice?" Kira asked with his signature sunny smile.
"You're one to talk," Isagi replied, relieved he hadn't stayed in bed and let Kira gain an even bigger lead. Kira awkwardly rubbed his head, claiming he was too excited from the day's events to sleep.
"Was it because of your performance?" Isagi asked. "I used to stay awake after scoring in high school too.".
"Not exactly," Kira said, looking up at the ceiling. "Isagi, what's your goal in football?".
"I... I want to go pro," Isagi admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed to share his dreams with someone he barely knew.
"I'm going to be the world's number one striker," Kira said firmly. "But the more my skills improve, the more I realize how far away that goal actually is. If I don't seize every second, the target will only get further away, won't it?".
Isagi was stunned. He shared that same dream, but he often doubted if he was capable. Yet, seeing the highest-ranked player in the room work this hard made him realize that if he accepted his current rank, he would never change.
Suddenly, Isagi bowed deeply to Kira. "Kira, please teach me how to play!".
Got him, Kira thought. He knew that while Rin and Shidou were his primary targets for absorption, Isagi had the highest growth potential in Blue Lock. He needed to trigger Isagi's evolution early so he could absorb even better attributes later.
"Why should I?" Kira asked, feigning indifference. "We might be teammates now, but we're ultimately rivals.".
Isagi looked up, his voice determined. "If your goal is the world's best, you need a rival who can push you. I'm ordinary now, but if you teach me, I'll become someone who forces you to get better. Or are you... afraid of a player from the same prefecture?".
Kira pretended to be annoyed by the provocation. He took a deep breath and looked Isagi in the eye. "Fine. One question first: Have you ever thought about what your weapon is?".
"Weapon? What do you mean?" Isagi asked, looking confused.
"Every top striker has a unique talent," Kira explained patiently. "Kunigami has his physique and long-range shots. Bachira has his dribbling. I have my clinical finishing and positioning. But you, Isagi Yoichi... what is your weapon?".
Isagi fell silent, unable to find an answer. As he stood there lost in thought, Kira waved and walked away, leaving a cool silhouette behind him.
"Come back and find me when you have an answer," Kira called out, leaving Isagi alone in the training room.
Inside the control center, Ego Jinpachi was hunched over a bowl of instant ramen while Anri Teieri cleaned up around him.
"Ego-san, can't you be a bit more tidy?" Anri grumbled. Ego ignored her, his eyes fixed on the monitors showing Kira and Isagi.
Anri noticed the screen. "Wow, Kira Ryosuke is just like you, Ego-san. He's incredibly serious about training.".
As they listened to the conversation between the two boys, Anri looked at Ego with an awkward expression. She knew Ego's upcoming lesson plan involved asking the players that very same question.
"Tch... it looks like that kid stole my lines again," Ego muttered.