Ch. 16: Three-on-three
[Second Selection: Third Stage]
Ego:
"For the third stage, the three-man teams you've formed will have a mini game battle. Blue Lock Man will be the goalie for both teams and the first team to score five points will win."
"And the winning team will get to select one player from the losing team then they'll steal that player and form a four-man team."
Each time they advance to the next stage, they add a new member. once they create a five-man team and advance to the fifth stage, they'll have cleared the Second Selection round.
However,
The losing team that had their teammate stolen must return to the previous stage. Whoever loses there becomes a two-man team, and then, when a team loses the two-on-two battle.
The player who remain unchosen at the end, will be forced to leave.
Ego:
"This is the second selection round in which you steal your rivals. This is the 'Rivalry Battle'. Furthermore, you get to choose which teams you play against. Matchups are only finalized once both teams are in agreement."
"And to aid those decisions, I'm presenting the new Blue Lock ranking."
Nagi - 8
Isagi - 16
Bachira - 17
It wasn't fake this time, it's in order who cleared the first stage.
Ego:
"All of you standing here are those who are able to turn 'zero' into 'one' on the battlefield. This will smash those 'ones' together and elevate them up."
Whoever can control the chemical reaction between egos will be strikers able to seize the ticket to the next stage.
"If you want to win, use whatever means necessary."
...
Aryu:
"We should go against 4, 5, and 6 right? That's the stylish thing to do."
Nishioka:
"Why don't we just face them? 8, 16, 17. I had a guy I'd like to bring here."
Aryu:
"Even if we beat those bumpkins over there, it'll tarnish my beauty."
Rin:
"Shut it. It doesn't matter who we play, I'll end it and quickly advance. You guys are just here to take up space."
Aryu:
"You.. have a stylish face, i'll give you that. But what's the big idea, ignoring me?"
...
Seems like even Isagi, Bachira, and Nagi were confused of Rin's behavior.
Rin:
...
The room goes silent for a while.
Rin:
"[Win and you get to represent Japan in the U-20 league.], the only reason I'm here is to take advantage of that rule. All of this is to represent Japan and then surpass my older brother."
"The purpose of soccer to me.. is to crush Itoshi Sae."
...
Aryu:
"Even your background is stylish, huh? You're a perfect teammate for me."
Isagi:
"It doesn't matter who you play, right?"
'Hm?' was Rin's response.
Isagi:
"Let's battle."
Both Bachira and Nagi had no problem with his invitation to face us.
Aryu:
"You're saying that to me?"
Rin:
"Yeah. Anyone's fine."
***
[Second Selection: Third Stage]
γThis match will be held on a special 40 Γ 30 meter* mini field! The goals are also smaller than normal.γ
*about 131 x 98 ft.
γBoth goalkeepers will be identically skilled Blue Lock Men. The winning team will steal one player from the opposing team and advance to the next stage.γ
γThe losing team will lose a member and go back a stage.γ
...
We were Team Red, while Isagi and the others are Team White. Even their goalies had white color.
We get into our position with Rin at the center, Aryu in the left, and me in the right side of the field.
Kick-off
Isagi passed the ball to Bachira.
"Here I go!"
Aryu:
"You deal with him, Nishioka."
I ran to cover Bachira who immediately perform a super speed scissors.
He taps the ball with his toe and swiftly get passed me.
Nishioka:
"Ah. my bad."
Bachira:
"You're next, Rin-chan! Let's go, Isagi!"
He lobs the ball high enough to fly over Rin.
"Nevermind, it's going to Nagi!"
Luckily we got Aryu already behind Nagi.
Aryu:
"I'll stop you with style..!"
Nagi lightly taps the ball, where it landed to Isagi.
With Isagi already acquiring his new direct shot from the first stage, they took a lead against us.
Team Red Team White
Will this be tougher than I expected?
...
"Haah.. that's enough. I've got a good idea of the level you guys at. It's so lukewarm that I could die."
Rin said while juggling the ball to the kick-off spot.
"You guys still think that fighting with this one ball is only nothing but a sport, right..? You should just piss off. This is a battlefield. And you just turn your back on a gun-toting soldier."
"That's why you're all lukewarm."
He shoots the ball right from the kick-off, and it was curving, too.
Team Red Team White
[1] - [1]
Aryu:
"Hey, that was too stylish. don't leave me out and do it all yourself."
Rin:
"I said that it doesn't matter. Whether you're my enemy or my teammate, you're all just lukewarm to me."
He went to pickup the ball.
"Let's just end this quickly. This is seriously a waste of my time."
...
Isagi:
"Wait the fuck up. I'm also betting my life to be here, you know. I'm playing soccer for the sake of my dream, same as you."
Rin:
"Dream? it's not such a lukewarm peaceful thing like that. The act of losing in soccer is the same as losing one's reason to exist.
"Soccer is a death match, as far as I'm concerned. Bring it on so I could kill you, your lukewarm play time ends here."
Wow, this guy is nuts.
I don't remember him saying corny shit like this in the manga. I mean of course cause I didn't have photographic memory after all.
Nagi:
"What the hell? it's just soccer, man."
Bachira:
"You're seriously rude.."
Game Restart.
Isagi started by passing it to Bachira, again.
Their pattern is really predictable, Bachira lobs to Nagi then he'll either pass or shoot.
This time, Aryu had anticipated it and intercepted the long pass with his head.
I get the rebound.
Right when I'm about to pass, Bachira blocks it and change the trajectory to Isagi.
They're catching up to my skills. I can't solely rely on Nishioka's talent alone, now. I need to find a weapon for myself.
Isagi got the ball and positions his back to Aryu, but..
Aryu stole the ball from behind him.
Team Red Team White
[2] - [1]
His limbs are long, and he was blessed with great jumping power too.
"The most stylish man in this field.. is me."
...
Game Restart.
Isagi passed to Bachira, again.
Bachira:
"If I can't pass to Isagi nor Nagi, then I'll just have to do it myself!"
He closed the distance between us.
Both of us thought of the same thing 'he knows the most about my technique'.
Not just we're both from Team Z in the First Selection, our playstyle was almost the same.
He flicked the ball up using his left foot and tap it to left in the air.
I already knew that technique, it was his signature mid-air elastico, then he surely will go right.
Just as I thought, he traps the ball and carries it to his right, so I drop my body to my left..
!
As soon as the ball touches the ground, he immediately accelerated to his left.
I tried to change my direction but I fell to the ground instead.
This is bad.
I think too highly of Nishioka's raw talent and my past life's lukewarm ability. In order to survive Blue Lock, I can't just rely on my knowledge of the future.
I need to awaken too, just like the others.
Time seemed to slow down as I fell.
...
'How many APs do I need to spend to access [Shop] in the future?'
------------------------------------------------------
It depends on how far the future is.
------------------------------------------------------
'Let me access the shop for the Third Selection.'
------------------------------------------------------
It will cost 200 AP to show the list alone, proceed?
[Yes] [No]
------------------------------------------------------
'Yes'
Achievement Points: 4875
There's only one thing I truly needed.
------------------------------------------------------
Reo's Chameleon (4000 AP)
------------------------------------------------------
Achievement Points: 875.
***
When Bachira managed to dribble past me, he was immediately tackled by Aryu with his long leg.
"Don't let me down this time."
The ball fell in front of me as I stood up.
I took a deep breath.
I shifted my hip to the left as I planted my entire boot on the ground before hitting the ball, giving me extreme stability and control in the shot.
It was a near perfect replica of Rin's curve shot.
Last time I did it was 50% accurate. But now, I could tell that it was 99% accurate.
Team Red Teams White
[3] - [1]
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