Chapter 6 : It all Begin Here!

"A-are you Isagi Yoichi from Ichinan?"

Kira asked, his mind flickering with recognition. The face in front of him looked a little sharper than yesterday, the new hairstyle making it more defined—more attractive even.

'...Not to me, though!'

Kira quickly corrected himself internally, masking his surprise as much as he could.

"Yes"

Isagi replied with a polite smile.

"Oh..! You're invited as well..? I-I mean, of course, you are invited... Haha."

Kira stumbled over his words, still processing the sight of Isagi—the forward who had crushed his dream of playing at Nationals. Worried that his reaction might come across as rude, he hurried to recover.

"Yeah! You too, huh? It's good to see a familiar face"

Isagi said warmly, flashing a smile that seemed to carry no hard feelings.

"By the way, you were spectacular yesterday."

"Thank you, but I think you're the one who deserves that praise. By the way, I didn't see you after the match. Your team and coaching staff were looking all over for you"

Kira said, genuinely curious. He remembered the Ichinan coaching staff trying to play it cool, though their panic had been obvious.

"Ah! Well, I just don't like interviews much, so I left early"

Isagi admitted, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish smile. His phone had been buzzing non-stop since the night before. He'd switched it off after leaving the stadium, knowing the coaching staff would call him relentlessly. Even now, the messages and missed calls kept piling up. But Isagi didn't plan to deal with them—after all, he wasn't likely to need any ties to them in the future.

Kira frowned slightly at Isagi's response. To him, it seemed a little arrogant, though given the level of skill Isagi had displayed, it wasn't entirely out of place. Still, Kira couldn't help but notice something else—the way Isagi carried himself today was different. He had always thought Isagi was shorter than him, but now he looked nearly the same height.

Isagi, noticing Kira's lingering curiosity, didn't bother to explain further. Instead, he gestured toward the building.

"Shall we?"

They entered together, stepping into a room packed with other players. The air buzzed with an electric excitement. Isagi's heart raced—he was going to play with and against some truly unique and extraordinary talents.

'Nice to meet you, Blue Lock. I'm Isagi Yoichi!'

At the back of the room, Isagi and Kira stood together, scanning the crowd. Bright, striking hair colors stood out—Nagi, Reo, Otoya, Shidou, Aryu, Hiori, Chigiri, Bachira, and 'Ichigo.'

Suddenly, the lights dimmed. A man with an intimidating presence and a villainous aura took the stage—Ego Jinpachi. His skinny, elongated build was unsettling, but it was his intense, sleepless eyes that left an impression. Ego began his speech, delivering the same bold statements Isagi remembered from the manga.

When Ego moved into phase two of his speech, the room buzzed with disbelief and anger. Some began shouting back, claiming they had Nationals to play. Ego, as if anticipating their outrage, smoothly continued into his rebuttal.

Isagi felt chills run down his spine. The speech felt even more powerful in person. As soon as Ego finished and the doors opened, Isagi began walking forward.

"Isagi! Don't you have Nationals to play?"

Kira grabbed Isagi by the shoulder, stopping him.

"I'm not interested in Nationals"

Isagi replied without hesitation. He turned slightly to meet Kira's gaze, his determination unwavering.

Seeing Isagi's confidence, others followed his lead and started moving toward the doors. Kira hesitated only for a moment before stepping forward himself.

The bus ride to the Blue Lock facility was a mix of nervous chatter and phone calls home. Isagi assured his family of his safety, though they were understandably concerned. Sitting next to a random player who never appeared in the manga, Isagi put in his earphones and watched football videos.

He'd spent the previous night researching this world, confirming that events were playing out just as he remembered. Sae Itoshi had been spotted in Japan, a clear sign that the story's timeline was intact. Among all the players he admired, Snuffy stood out the most. Though he hadn't been a favorite in the manga, seeing his actual gameplay had completely changed Isagi's perspective.

Finally, the bus arrived at the Blue Lock facility. The towering building was even more impressive in person. Everyone queued up to receive their uniforms, and Isagi eventually reached the front of the line, greeted by the striking Anri.

After receiving his uniform—number 294/Z—he navigated the maze-like halls to find Team Z's room. When he entered, Kira was already there, ranked first despite his defeat. Isagi quickly scanned the room, marveling at the designs of his teammates, before changing into his Blue Lock uniform.

It fit snugly yet comfortably, stretching to accommodate his slightly bulked-up frame. As he settled in, a voice broke the silence:

"Hey, diamonds in the rough, seems you've all settled in..."

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