Chapter Twenty-Five: Kira, You Sure Know How to Have Fun! / Chapter Twenty-Six: Let's Set a Small Goal-Ten Goals First

"Interesting."

Ego Jinpachi stared at Kira Ryosuke for a long while before a smile also appeared on his face.

"Then I hope you can keep winning. Also, the matches between Team V and Team Y, which started at the same time as yours, are over. The score was 8–0. I hope you can keep going, Kira. Let's see which of us is right and which of us is wrong."

As soon as Ego Jinpachi finished speaking, the image on the screen suddenly disappeared.

"Kira, that was so cool! You actually dared to argue with that guy. That felt great!"

Raichi Jingo patted Kira Ryosuke on the shoulder and said with a laugh.

Elsewhere, the screen lit up in Team V's locker room.

"Congratulations, you unpolished gems..."

Ego Jinpachi repeated almost the same words.

"...And I have one more thing to tell you: Team Z defeated Team X by a score of 8–3."

"Huh, they scored eight goals too?"

A long-haired boy with his hair tied in a ponytail turned around and looked at his companion.

Standing beside him, however, was a white-haired, curly-haired boy who lazily raised his head toward the screen.

"They scored three goals, so can we get our phones back? Otherwise, it'll be too boring tonight."

He was tall, with a childlike face.

Although the match had just ended, there was not a trace of sweat on him, as if he had barely taken part in it.

"I'm telling you, Nagi, you only want your phone back so you can secretly play with it!"

"Yeah."

The boy named Nagi Seishiro nodded with complete frankness.

"It doesn't matter, right? We're going to keep winning from here on out anyway, aren't we?"

Chapter Twenty-Five: Kira, You Sure Know How to Have Fun!

After showering, changing clothes, and resting for a while, Kira Ryosuke and several others went to the cafeteria to get their meals. They planned to bring the food and drinks back to the large dormitory to celebrate their victory on the first day.

Kira Ryosuke suggested that everyone sit together and take out all their meals so that everyone could sample the different dishes.

Although daily training was extremely important, maintaining a balanced diet was just as important.

Before eating, Kira Ryosuke went to the points-exchange counter.

Today, he had scored four goals on his own, earning four points.

After thinking for a while, Kira Ryosuke ultimately chose to exchange his points for his phone. Once he had nearly finished dinner, he turned it on.

As soon as he unlocked it, Kira Ryosuke discovered that he had been bombarded with dozens of messages—

They had all been sent by Aida Reiko during this time.

Reiko: How is it? How are things over there? Do you want me to send you anything?

Reiko: Oh, right, I forgot you can't use your phone. Have you been keeping up with your fitness plan? Do they have enough exercise equipment over there?

Reiko: When can you get your phone back? Oh, and speaking of which, do you guys not get any days off? Being cooped up inside all the time must be incredibly boring!

Kira Ryosuke smiled as he looked at his phone, then quickly composed a message.

"I just got my phone back."

The moment he sent it, Isagi Yoichi and the others beside him turned around curiously and asked:

"Kira, who were you just messaging?"

"It was..."

Before Kira Ryosuke could finish speaking, his phone immediately began ringing—a video call from Aida Reiko.

The sudden video call left Kira Ryosuke stunned for a moment, but he soon gestured for the others to be quiet before answering it.

"Hello, Reiko."

"Kira, how are things over there?"

Aida Reiko asked anxiously. Her delicate face appeared on the phone's screen, and because it was a video call, the sound was playing through the speaker.

"Everything's fine on my end."

Kira Ryosuke answered at once.

Upon hearing a young woman's voice, the others exchanged glances and then all wore meaningful smiles.

"How did you get your phone back? Weren't your phones supposed to be confiscated?"

Aida Reiko asked curiously.

"Yeah."

Kira Ryosuke nodded.

"But you can exchange points for things here based on the number of goals you score. Three goals can be exchanged for a phone."

"You scored three goals?"

"Yeah. Strictly speaking, four."

Kira Ryosuke then told Aida Reiko everything that had happened to him over the past few days in Blue Lock, and an extremely surprised expression appeared on her face.

When her father, Aida Kagetora, had first told her about this matter, she had not really believed him. Now that she had heard it directly from Kira Ryosuke, Aida Reiko finally believed it.

"This is completely absurd... What does he think the futures of those three hundred players are? What does an athlete's career mean to him?"

Aida Reiko launched into a furious tirade against Ego Jinpachi through the phone. Even Raichi Jingo was shocked by her sharp words, and sweat began to bead on his forehead.

"That's why I chose to participate. I want to prove that he's wrong."

Kira Ryosuke answered.

"Ah, as long as you win, that's what matters!"

A smile appeared on Aida Reiko's face. She was genuinely happy for Kira Ryosuke.

"Oh, right, Ryosuke. Take off your clothes and let me have a look."

Aida Reiko wanted to "check" how Kira Ryosuke's fitness training was going.

"That's probably not a good idea... Besides..."

"What's wrong with that? Didn't I often look at you like that when you were here?"

Aida Reiko did not understand what Kira Ryosuke meant.

"Well... there are people next to me..."

Kira Ryosuke tilted his phone and turned it around, aiming the screen at everyone present.

The others fell silent for a moment. Several seconds later, they all reluctantly forced smiles onto their faces.

"H-Hello, sis-in-law!"

Everyone greeted her in unison.

"Hello..."

Aida Reiko greeted them awkwardly, suddenly unsure of what to say.

Wait, wait, wait! Something doesn't seem right! I think I just said something strange!

Aida Reiko carefully recalled what she had just said. Two blushes appeared on her fair cheeks.

"What I just said... I mean..."

"No wonder she's our sister-in-law... She sure knows how to have fun!"

Imamura Yuudai wore an intensely envious expression.

"Hey, hey, what are you guys talking about? That's not what I meant! I was simply asking Ryosuke to take off his clothes so I could have a look!"

Aida Reiko hurriedly explained, but her words seemed to deepen the misunderstanding.

And what had those people just called her?

They had called her sister-in-law?

Did that mean they had mistaken her and Kira Ryosuke for a couple?!

Aida Reiko's face grew even redder, becoming as bright as a ripe apple.

Although she had been misunderstood, Aida Reiko still felt a tiny bit happy inside.

"Um, I... I'm not..."

Aida Reiko was about to offer a further explanation when Kunigami Rensuke and the others immediately stood up. Carrying their bowls and plates, they left the room together.

"Take your time chatting with Kira, sis-in-law. We won't disturb you two. We're going to train first!"

With that, the others promptly left the dormitory, leaving only Kira Ryosuke behind.

"So that's Kira's girlfriend? Kira's already handsome, and his girlfriend is really pretty too."

"She has such a cute and delicate look, but her personality is actually so... lively? Let's just use that word for now."

"I'm so jealous! They really know how to have fun!"

The others discussed it as they made their way to the field. They had just finished eating, so they did some light walking and other activities to aid digestion.

Meanwhile, Kira Ryosuke and Aida Reiko stared at each other through the phone screen.

"Um, well... I... I didn't mean anything else. Ahem, I just wanted to see how your physical condition was, Ryosuke—you've been following my training plan properly over there, right?"

Aida Reiko coughed twice, forcing herself to calm down.

"Mm-hmm."

Kira Ryosuke nodded, then took off his shirt and showed himself to Aida Reiko.

Aida Reiko's eyes widened slightly, as if she had noticed some changes beyond her expectations.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Let's Set a Small Goal—Ten Goals First

Aida Reiko noticed that Kira Ryosuke's body seemed to have become more muscular, with more defined lines. He had only been in Blue Lock for a few days. Could it be an illusion?

Not only that, but she also noticed that Kira Ryosuke's physical abilities had improved further compared with before. The change was not huge, but it was still the result of a certain amount of training.

Most ordinary people would have trouble noticing this, especially since he usually wore clothes. There was no way for others to see it.

It must be the phone's filter.

That was what Aida Reiko thought as she nodded at Kira Ryosuke.

"Your physique is holding up fairly well. I'll reluctantly consider you qualified!"

"Only qualified? I still maintain high-intensity training every day!"

Kira Ryosuke answered.

"That's only to be expected! The plan I made for you before was still too gentle. I should have sent you into the mountains for wilderness survival."

"Please, have mercy on me."

"Speaking of which, when will you be able to leave?"

"In theory, we probably can't leave Blue Lock before being eliminated. Personally, I feel like I'll be staying here for quite a while."

Kira Ryosuke looked at Aida Reiko on the phone screen.

"But you can exchange ten goals for one day outside. I can trade for that when the time comes."

"You need ten goals just to go outside for one day? What else can you exchange for?"

Aida Reiko asked curiously.

"You can exchange them for things like steak, but I'm not really interested in that. Ten goals should take two or three matches. It should be about enough once this round ends."

"What are you planning to do after you come out?"