Chapter 11: Kira Ryosuke, the Overlooked Beast

"It was just an accident earlier, don't be so fixated on it!"

Igarashi Gurimu forced a smile, realizing that his earlier actions had caused a big problem, and everyone knew about his little cleverness. They all kept their distance, not giving Igarashi Gurimu a chance to use them as shields.

"Damn it..."

Igarashi Gurimu complained inwardly, while his heart raced, almost bursting out of his chest. He used his peripheral vision to observe the countdown on the screen.

Ten seconds left.

"It looks like Kira Ryosuke is planning to strike in the last second. That way, he won't give me a chance to counter-attack. But as long as I avoid it, he'll be the one eliminated. I have a chance! And it's not small! The shorter the time, the easier it is for me to judge when he'll make his move! The distance between us isn't that short, I should be able to react in time!"

With this thought, a glimmer of confidence ignited in Igarashi Gurimu's heart.

Eight.

Seven.

Time passed little by little.

And at this moment, Kira Ryosuke spoke up:

"I know what you're thinking. I believe that attacking in the last second won't give you a chance to counter-attack."

Six.

Five.

"But actually, I just want to tell you that kicking you right now is an effortless task. You may think you can react to this distance, but you're mistaken."

Kira Ryosuke's tone was calm, without any anger.

Four.

Three.

Two.

Kira Ryosuke swung his leg and once again entered a state of complete concentration in his breathing.

His heartbeat accelerated, his breath quickened, and the flow of blood in his body increased, as if it were about to boil.

Everyone around could feel the immense aura emanating from Kira Ryosuke. They momentarily forgot how to breathe, and no one dared to blink, afraid of missing this crucial moment.

Igarashi Gurimu's legs even felt a bit weak.

In the last second, Kira Ryosuke's right foot drew a beautiful arc, fiercely kicking the ball.

This strike didn't use the ability of Thunderclap Flash, but with the enhancement of the Total Concentration Breathing technique, it was more than enough to hit Igarashi Gurimu.

Kira Ryosuke already possessed strength beyond his peers, and the Total Concentration Breathing further amplified his power, making this "shot" full of strength.

His goal was to showcase his strength in front of the Z Team.

The tremendous power gave the ball an exaggerated acceleration, directly hitting Igarashi Gurimu. The latter didn't have any time to react and was struck by the immense force, retreating several meters and sitting paralyzed on the ground.

Zero.

Time's up.

The name on the screen froze on Igarashi Gurimu.

The piercing sound of a bell echoed throughout the room, signaling the end of the game.

"Dear football prodigies, here results reign supreme. The loser is Igarashi Gurimu. You can leave now, as you have lost your qualifications."

The screen changed once again, and the gloomy face of Ego Jinpachi appeared, almost filling the entire screen.

"This... How could my career be decided by such a game! It's ridiculous!"

Igarashi Gurimu protested in frustration, trying to fight for a last chance. His body trembled with excitement.

But he was met with Ego Jinpachi's cold mockery.

"Haven't you noticed? The size of this room is the same as the penalty area. And this game simulates the activities of a forward in the penalty area, testing reaction speed, dribbling speed, and shooting skills in motion! It's genuine football training, you fool. And you're not qualified! Igarashi Gurimu, you've been played like an easy prey by someone else."

Ego Jinpachi's gaze seemed to momentarily shift to Kira Ryosuke.

"I... I..."

Igarashi Gurimu was still in a daze, wanting to say something. But the feelings of resentment and regret that surged within him prevented any words from coming out. He could only emit a deep groan from his throat.

In this space enclosed by metal walls, everyone's gaze was fixed on Igarashi Gurimu.

At this moment, he knelt on the ground, completely still, like a broken puppet. His face was filled with shadows, his teeth clenched, but he couldn't utter a word. Everything happening now felt unreal to him.

Being eliminated in the Blue Lock meant that his football career was completely terminated.

The reason Igarashi Gurimu came here was to change his fate. His family wanted him to become a monk, but the only way to change everything was to achieve something in the field of football and become a member of the national team.

And that dream had been completely shattered by Kira Ryosuke.

The door of the room opened at this moment, seemingly urging him to leave quickly.

Igarashi Gurimu stood up tremblingly, as if he had just experienced a nightmare, and staggered out of the room.

In the room, only eleven people remained, and an eerie silence spread among them.

"Congratulations, you rough diamonds. You have finally passed the selection and earned the qualification to live in the Blue Lock. There are exactly eleven people in this room. From now on, you will be a team that lives together, sometimes helping each other, sometimes betraying each other... You are the Z Team of the Blue Lock."

Ego Jinpachi said with a smile.

"In the next few days, you will undergo physical tests. Enjoy your life in the Blue Lock."

After finishing his words, the screen on the wall went blank and turned pitch black.

...

In the control room of the Blue Lock's core, Ego Jinpachi sat in a chair, leaning forward, staring intently at the surveillance screen divided into countless small squares in front of him. His glasses were almost touching the screen.

"What's the matter, Mr. Ego? Is there a particular player you're interested in?"

Beside Ego Jinpachi, there was a woman in uniform who asked. She had impressive curves and a delicate face.

She was Teieri Anri, a new staff member of the football Association. It was she who collaborated with Ego Jinpachi on the Blue Lock project and assisted him in handling various matters, big and small.

"No, they are all just rough diamonds. They are far from shining as they should. There is no existence worth paying attention to," Ego Jinpachi replied, leaning back on his chair with his back against it. He casually pushed his glasses up, seemingly indifferent.

Although he answered that way, his gaze involuntarily lingered for an extra second on a particular person in the screen.

Kira Ryosuke.

"It seems that there is a beast in the Blue Lock that I didn't notice before," he thought to himself.