Chapter 17:Aftermath and Reflection

The air in Team Z's shared room was filled with excitement and the aroma of their celebratory feast. Having secured their second win, the players were in high spirits. Plates of food were passed around, laughter echoed, and the tension from the match had all but dissipated. Team Z had exchanged the two points they earned for 600 grams of sirloin steak, which quickly became the centerpiece of their victory meal.

"Anyone want some of my pickled radishes?" Gagamaru asked, holding out a bowl.

Everyone immediately shook their heads, some even leaning back slightly in exaggerated refusal.

Kunigami laughed, then turned to Kira. "That was a hell of a goal you scored out there," he said, his voice filled with genuine admiration. "You've really stepped up as a leader, Kira."

Kira nodded in acknowledgment, though his focus was already drifting back to the game. "Thanks, but it was a team effort. We still have a lot of work ahead of us."

Meanwhile, Gagamaru turned to Isagi, curious about the timing of his crucial goal. "Did you know where the ball was going to be, or was that just instinct?"

Isagi scratched the back of his head, still processing the events. "Honestly, I just ran accordingly because I wanted to score. It felt like luck."

Bachira, always cheerful, grinned as he nudged Isagi. "Nah, I saw you running in. That's why I passed to you. You've got something special brewing, Isagi. You just don't know it yet."

Kunigami, chewing on his steak, weighed in. "I think your weapon might be something like 'goal scent.' You just have this instinct for being in the right place at the right time, but I can't put my finger on it yet."

The group continued their banter, sharing food and their thoughts on the game, but for Isagi, the conversation had sparked something. The idea of finding his weapon—it still eluded him. As the team finished their meal and wound down for the night, Isagi found himself unable to sleep.

Later that night, Isagi slipped out of the shared room and made his way to the monitoring room. The quiet halls of Blue Lock amplified the sound of his footsteps, each one a reminder of his restless thoughts. Upon entering the room, he was surprised to find Chigiri sitting there, staring at the screen, watching their previous game against Team Y.

Chigiri didn't even turn when Isagi walked in. "Couldn't sleep either, huh?"

"Yeah," Isagi admitted. "Just... thinking about everything."

Chigiri rewound the footage, this time focusing on Isagi's movement leading up to the goal. "You've got something, you know. That goal wasn't just luck."

Isagi frowned, still unsure. "You really think so?"

Chigiri nodded, his eyes still fixed on the screen. "It's your spatial perception. You can read the field in real-time and position yourself where you need to be. You might not realize it yet, but it's there. You can create plays that are both ideal and achievable in an instant."

Isagi stared at the screen, his mind racing. Was that really his weapon? Spatial perception? It made sense, but there was still so much he didn't understand.

"Chigiri," Isagi started cautiously, "you've never talked about your weapon. What is it?"

For a moment, Chigiri didn't respond, his gaze remaining fixed on the screen. Isagi sensed hesitation, but he pressed on. "I mean, we're all here to figure ourselves out, right? What's yours?"

Chigiri sighed deeply, finally tearing his eyes away from the screen to look at Isagi. "Fine. You want to know? I tore my ACL last year. If I injure it again, it's over for me. No more football. That's why I hold back. I can't afford to push myself like I used to."

Isagi was stunned into silence, unsure of how to respond. Chigiri, sensing his confusion, continued. "Before that, I used to live for this game. I had sleepless nights after every victory, just like you. But when I got hurt, everything changed. The fear of losing my dream became bigger than the dream itself."

Chigiri's voice grew sharper, and he glared at Isagi. "So don't lecture me about pushing forward or chasing dreams. You don't know anything about what I've been through."

Isagi was taken aback by the sudden outburst but quickly found his resolve. "You're wrong," he said, his voice firm. "You're still lying to yourself. If you really wanted to give up on football, you wouldn't still be here. You wouldn't be watching footage at midnight trying to figure out how to get better."

Chigiri's expression darkened, and without another word, he stood and stormed out of the room, leaving Isagi alone in the dim glow of the monitors.

Inside the control room, Ego Jinpachi sat before multiple screens, rewatching the footage from Team Z's match. A sly grin spread across his face as he analyzed the players. His attention shifted to Kira. "That kid... he's something else."

Ego rewound several key moments. Kira's explosive speed, his perfect execution of Kunigami's shooting technique, his effortless transitions between defensive and offensive play. It was all too precise, too smooth to be natural. "He's showing signs of something extraordinary, but it's not fully realized yet."

Anri, who had just entered the room with a tray of stir-fried vegetables, overheard Ego's musings. "Who's caught your attention this time?"

"Kira," Ego said, still fixated on the screen. "He's a monster. His reflexes, his awareness, it's like watching a predator stalk its prey. He adapts on the fly, almost like he's copying the best traits of his opponents."

Anri's eyes widened slightly, and a small blush crept onto her cheeks as she remembered Kira's calm demeanor and sharp remarks. "He's that good?"

Ego chuckled, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "He's something I've never seen before. If he keeps developing at this rate, he could be on par with Rin Itoshi."

Anri placed the tray down and leaned in, watching the footage alongside Ego. "He's definitely a talent to watch."

Ego nodded. "But there's still something missing. I need more data to determine if he can truly copy the weapons of others or if it's just his natural instincts. Either way, he's a threat."

The following morning, Team Z gathered for their usual training session. Despite the previous night's celebration, they were back on the field, determined to improve. Isagi, however, struggled to focus. His mind kept replaying the conversation with Chigiri, as well as Kunigami's and Bachira's comments about his potential weapon.

During a break in practice, Raichi grinned mischievously at Isagi. "So, what's the deal with that goal from yesterday? Fluke, right?"

Isagi frowned. "It wasn't a fluke."

Raichi laughed, throwing an arm around Isagi's shoulder. "Relax, I'm just messing with you. But seriously, everyone's got their weapon. You just need to figure out how yours works."

As the practice session continued, Isagi's frustration grew. Everyone around him seemed to be improving, honing their weapons, but he still felt like he was falling behind. He couldn't help but glance over at Kira, who dominated the field with ease, orchestrating plays and leading their offense like a seasoned pro.

Isagi sighed, his mind drifting. He knew he had potential, but how could he possibly keep up with someone like Kira?

In the monitoring room, Ego continued to review footage, now with an even sharper focus on Kira. "This kid... he's going to change everything," Ego muttered under his breath.

As Team Z's next challenge loomed, one thing was clear—Kira was destined to be a key player in the unfolding battle for supremacy in Blue Lock. The only question remaining was how far his abilities would take him, and whether Isagi could find his own weapon in time to keep up.