"That may be true, but this is way too complicated!!!" Finally arriving at his destination, Isagi threw himself face-first onto his bed, screaming into his pillow in frustration. "Team strength, my tactical role, how much exposure I'll get, how to showcase my skills in a new team so club coaches and analysts will notice me… Right, I also need to think about whether I can learn more from a new coach. I'm still far behind guys like Noa and Shinichi… Arghhh!! It's driving me crazy!"
"This is what a professional player has to think about, huh… But there's not enough information yet to make a decision. We still haven't received the full rules about this 'Hero Gathering' that Ego Jinpachi mentioned."
After venting, Isagi sat up and looked around his surroundings. According to the message on his phone, the original Blue Lock facility—composed of five interconnected towers forming a pentagon—was no longer suitable for the second phase of the New Hero Battle.
They had now arrived at a brand-new Blue Lock base a six-sided building, with each team occupying a different wing once Phase Two officially began.
"I think Ego said to avoid emotional bias, all room assignments—except for the coaches' private quarters—have been randomized. Looks like this is a two-person room with a private bathroom and shower. I wonder who my roommate will be?" With that thought, Isagi started to get curious about who would walk through the door next. And he didn't have to wait long—he soon heard the door unlocking.
"...It's you?!"
The moment the two saw each other, the atmosphere in the room dropped to freezing. Having just gone head-to-head in a match, the newcomer scowled at Isagi, who stared back with wide eyes.
"Rin?!"
...
In fact, this scene wasn't unique to Isagi. Similar situations were happening all across the new Blue Lock facility:
"Hey! You idiot! Don't just crash onto the bed—you haven't even showered yet! And stop tossing your dirty clothes everywhere—it's disgusting! Clean up your mess!"
"Ugh, it's not that big a deal, right? We've been sitting all day… I'm super sleepy…"
"That's no excuse! Hey! Don't you dare fall asleep like that! And don't throw your shirt on my bed while you're half-asleep!! Aaaahhh!! I'm absolutely requesting a room reassignment!"
...
"Agi, you maniac! Get out of my way!"
"Come on now, I just want to study what makes a super genius like you different from ordinary people. I'm actually pretty good at caregiving, you know? So let me take a look at that right leg of yours and see what makes it tick!"
"You bastard, get the hell away from me!!"
...
"Itoshi Sae... you're here too, huh?"
"I wasn't exactly planning to come to such a showy circus, but since that guy Shinichi invited me, I figured I'd begrudgingly come and see how far his so-called dream can really go."
"I wonder just how big the gap is between us now... or maybe... I've already surpassed you?"
"Unnecessary. You know the difference between someone invited and someone who crashes the party uninvited. You know exactly what that says about you."
"Say that again outside, one-on-one!"
...
"Looks like tonight's going to be a lively one," Ego Jinpachi chuckled, leaning back leisurely in his chair inside the surveillance room. Taking a satisfied sip of coffee, he then leaned forward and tapped away on the keyboard. "Well then, enjoy your last night of peace. This isn't a game. You don't just get what you want by wishing for it."
"From here on, it's time to show your worth to the coaches. It's not just about thinking through your best choices anymore. Getting to that future you dream of means giving everything you've got. So go ahead—stake your lives on it, you egoists!"
With that final keystroke, every player's phone lit up simultaneously.
A message from the BLUE LOCK app flashed onto their screens.
However, exhausted from a full day of travel, most of the players didn't notice the message that arrived in the dead of night.
...
"Starting from 8:30 AM today, movement between floors will be unlocked. Players are free to visit any other team's floor to train?! What the hell? Who even checks their phone at 3 AM?! And 'training'? You mean this is just a chance to show off in front of the coaches, right? Damn it, I thought we'd at least get one day to rest after Phase One."
Clearly, after finally relaxing from the constant tension of matches, the players were annoyed to wake up to this sudden notice.
But they had no choice.
BLUE LOCK was a stage with massive exposure, yes—but that spotlight revealed both strengths and weaknesses alike.
Any player who let themselves slack off now would be watched and judged harshly by club scouts.
In the world of pro football, indulgence was the greatest enemy.
More than a few talented stars had burned out like meteors from lack of discipline.
Fortunately, whether from BLUE LOCK or international youth academies, the players all knew they couldn't afford to get comfortable yet.
Driven by that pressure, most of them got up quickly—even if some tried to sneak in a little more sleep.
But one player who was definitely not among the late risers was Isagi.
Up early and fully prepped, he was the first to arrive at the training grounds—only to find someone already there. Drenched in sweat, having clearly been training for quite some time, was none other than…
Shinichi.
Isagi's first choice for tryout training was clear: the BLUE LOCK team, led by none other than Shinichi himself.
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