Chapter 26: Ten Goals First

Riko noticed that Kira's body seemed to have become more muscular and defined. It had only been a few days since he arrived at the Blue lock, was it just an illusion?

Not only that, she also noticed that Kira's physical fitness had improved even further compared to before, albeit slightly. It was a result of dedicated training over time.

Ordinary people would find it hard to notice such changes, especially since they usually wore clothes, making it impossible for others to see.

"It must be the filter on the phone," Riko thought to herself, then nodded at Kira.

"You've maintained your physique quite well. I'll reluctantly consider you qualified!"

"Just qualified? I still maintain a high-intensity workout every day!"

Kira replied.

"That's expected! The plan I made for you earlier was too gentle. I should have sent you into the wilderness for survival training."

"Please spare me."

"By the way, when do you think you can get out of there?"

"In theory, we can't leave the Blue lock until we're eliminated. Personally, I feel like I'll be staying for quite a while."

Kira looked at Riko on the phone screen and said,

"But hey, scoring ten goals can earn I am day out."

"Ten goals for a day out? Can you exchange for anything else?"

Riko asked curiously.

"You can exchange for things like steak, but I'm not really interested. With ten goals, it should take about two or three matches. This round should be almost over."

"What do you plan to do once you're out?"

"Come and visit you?, your place isn't far from here anyway. The cafeteria here is just average. It doesn't taste as good as the food you make, so I want to come back and taste your cooking!"

Kira Ryosuke replied with a smile.

"Well..."

Upon hearing Kira Ryosuke's words, Riko clenched her fist slightly and lowered her head in slight embarrassment. She pursed her lips and quickly smiled, directing her gaze at the screen.

"Sure, I'll be waiting for you! But you have to score ten goals when you come back!"

"I got it! Don't worry!"

"And one more thing!"

Riko's expression became very serious. She leaned forward and gently touched the screen with her finger, as if touching Kira Ryosuke's forehead.

"You have to win until the end! Show that arrogant guy what you're capable of!"

"Okay, it's a promise."

Kira Ryosuke nodded.

"Well, you guys probably have to train later, so I won't bother you anymore! Contact me if you need anything! When do you think you'll be back? I'll prepare lots of delicious food for you!"

...

After finishing the call with Riko, Kira Ryosuke arrived at Z Team's exclusive field, and the others' eyes all turned towards him.

He could keenly sense the envy among them.

"Well, Riko is not my..."

Before Kira Ryosuke could finish explaining, Imamura walked up to him and patted his shoulder.

"I understand. After all, Kira, you're becoming a small star yourself. If the media finds out, it will surely cause trouble. I'll definitely keep it a secret for you."

After speaking, Imamura gave Kira Ryosuke a thumbs-up, as if saying, "You can trust me bro."

...

Kira Ryosuke sighed helplessly. Explaining now wouldn't make a difference.

"Everyone is tired today, and there's no need for intense training. Let's practice some basic coordination and tactics. Tomorrow, we'll review the footage in the monitoring room to see where we didn't perform well in today's match. We also need to watch the match between Team Y and Team V. Although the score difference is significant, both Y and V will be our opponents in the future, so we can't take it lightly."

According to the original storyline, their next match would be against Team Y.

Although Team Y was just defeated 8:0 by Team V, it doesn't mean that Team Y is weak.

There are two players among them who are worth noting. One is Okawa Hibiki, who has excellent scoring ability.

But his teammate has a higher tactical position than Okawa Hibiki.

Niko Ikki.

He is the true core brain of Team Y, planning and strategizing the team's layout and implementing defensive counterattacks.

And their first opponent, Team V is the strongest among the five teams.

In the original work, three players among them contributed a total of 18 goals in the first four matches.

There's the technically skilled Mikage Reo, who excels in ball control, and the lightning-fast Tsurugi Zantetsu.

And then there's the prodigy Nagi Seishio.

He possesses unparalleled physical talent and an exaggerated ability to stop the ball, being able to stop and shoot from various angles and positions.

What's most remarkable is that Nagi has only been in contact with football for just half a year, yet he has already reached heights that are beyond the reach of ordinary people.

A match against them is likely to be a tough battle.

However, the match between Team Z and Team V is the last one. Kira knows that he needs to focus on the current opponent and further elevate his own skills during this time.

...

Team Y's locker room.

At this moment, the atmosphere within the entire team has reached its freezing point.

In reality, under the leadership of Niko Ikki, Team Y quickly formulated their tactics and didn't experience the same chaos as Team X.

However, in the face of absolute talent, their efforts became meaningless, as Team V's three powerhouses effortlessly broke through their defense time and time again.

Even the strongest Nagi didn't break a sweat, as if football was just a routine job for him, effortlessly scoring and then standing aside to rest.

Despite this, Team Y couldn't manage to score a single goal, which left every player in the team feeling extremely frustrated.

"Since we've already lost, there's nothing we can do."

Niko clapped his hands, and his heavy bangs covered his eyes.

He wanted to ease the currently chilly atmosphere in the locker room while also motivating others and preparing for the next match.

They have already lost one game, and only two teams out of the five can advance. They are now standing on the edge of a cliff, as another loss would mean complete elimination.

"We should now find a way to identify our mistakes in this game while focusing on the upcoming matches. On the other hand, Team X and Team Z have already finished their match, and they will undoubtedly face us in the future. We can watch the recording of their game in the control room to get an early understanding of our opponents."