Blue Lock, I, Kira Ryosuke, Obtain Thunder Breathing at the Start

The instant Kira Ryosuke's foot connected with the soccer ball, a massive sound erupted, like a clap of thunder.

Immediately after, the ball shot out with incredible speed, again in a perfectly straight line without any arc, a flash of lightning across the field. This time, Thunderclap and Flash, combined with Thunder Breathing, made its speed even faster than before.

And it was more powerful! Like a ravenous beast, it charged directly towards its prey, the sound of it cutting through the air precisely its roar.

However, much to Kira Ryosuke's surprise, the ball didn't go directly into the goal. Instead, it slammed straight into the goalpost with a deafening crash, then bounced tens of meters into the air.

[Combat. Thunder Breathing First Form. Thunderclap and Flash LV1 Proficiency 0.11%]

[Combat. Thunder Breathing. Total Concentration LV1 Proficiency 0.02%]

"Total Concentration Breathing and First Form proficiency both increased, but I gained much more proficiency with Thunderclap and Flash this time than before."

"Is it because I'm under the enhancement of the breathing technique that the skill proficiency increased more?"

"The power from Total Concentration Breathing is quite exaggerated, but the accuracy is so far off. It seems I haven't adapted to this power and technique yet."

Kira Ryosuke muttered to himself. He had inherited the original body's considerable soccer skills. Twenty-five meters wasn't a short distance, but it was within his range. He shouldn't have missed.

Yet, he missed.

"It seems my proficiency with this ability isn't high enough. Because Total Concentration Breathing gave me an explosive power I never had before, my body hasn't adapted to it yet. My accuracy still needs further improvement…"

Kira Ryosuke analyzed.

Just then, an unfamiliar voice sounded from behind him, a clear and powerful tone.

"Excuse me… are you Kira-senpai?"

Kira Ryosuke turned towards the voice. It was a girl with a delicate face and incredibly clear, amber eyes, giving off a vibrant, youthful aura. She looked about the same age as Kira Ryosuke, with fair skin and shoulder-length brown hair, her bangs held back by two black clips. She wore a simple tracksuit, clearly someone who also came for an early morning training session.

"Yes, hello."

Kira Ryosuke responded politely. He was somewhat famous locally, so being recognized by passersby was common. To avoid drawing too much attention and causing unnecessary trouble, he chose to train before the sun had fully risen.

This girl was the first time he'd seen her, yet Kira Ryosuke felt a sense of familiarity.

However, the girl didn't immediately respond to Kira Ryosuke's greeting. Her gaze scanned him from head to toe, like a mechanical scanner.

"Hello… excuse me… what are you doing?"

Kira Ryosuke asked, feeling a bit awkward.

"Sorry, sorry!"

The girl finally seemed to realize she had been rude and quickly clapped her hands in apology.

"I have a habit of observing athletes' bodies. I'm very sorry!"

"Habit of observing athletes' bodies?"

Kira Ryosuke's eyebrows twitched slightly. Such words coming from a girl of sixteen or seventeen sounded rather strange.

"Ah! That's not what I meant!"

The girl's fair cheeks flushed slightly with embarrassment as she waved her hands and continued to explain.

"My father used to be an athlete trainer. He would record athletes' physical data and create training schedules based on it. I grew up by my father's side, so I unconsciously developed this habit…"

After hearing this, the sense of familiarity Kira Ryosuke felt became even stronger.

"What should I call you?"

"I forgot to introduce myself, I'm so sorry! My name is Aida Reiko! I'm a first-year student at the newly built Seirin High School! Please guide me!"

The girl, who introduced herself as Aida Reiko, immediately bowed.

Kira Ryosuke could now confirm his suspicion. Aida Reiko was indeed someone he 'knew'.

She was essentially the heroine of the work Kuroko's Basketball, the coach and manager of the protagonist's team, possessing a very special ability to gauge an individual's physical condition just by observing them, and create targeted training plans based on it.

In the original story, it was thanks to Aida Reiko's presence that the Seirin basketball team gradually rose from obscurity.

However, for Aida Reiko, who had just entered high school, that was a story for the future.

Are two worlds merging together… But basketball shouldn't have anything to do with me for a while.

Kira Ryosuke thought, somewhat surprised.

"Kira-senpai, was that sound you just made?"

Just then, Aida Reiko asked curiously. She had come for her morning run, drawn by the thunderous sound, and hadn't expected to find the locally famous star, Kira Ryosuke, here.

"Sorry, I was practicing my shots and got too focused. I didn't notice the sound."

Kira Ryosuke rubbed the back of his head, subtly glancing around. There was no one else nearby.

"Really? Did I hear it wrong?"

Aida Reiko pursed her lips and shifted her gaze to the goalpost beside them.

She clearly saw a distinct and massive dent on the goalpost, as if it had been struck by something heavy.

Although this was a somewhat old gymnasium, the sports equipment was of very good quality.

Could a seventeen-year-old high school student's shot achieve this level of impact?

Absolutely impossible.

'Kira Ryosuke is a pretty good player... but with his physical condition, there's no way he could create a shot like that. Someone must have pranked us and damaged the goal yesterday.'

Aida Reiko thought to herself.

"Right, Aida-san, do you see any areas where my body needs improvement?"

Just then, Kira Ryosuke spoke, pulling Aida Reiko back to reality.

Chapter 4: Creating a Plan, Specialized Training Begins!

Kira Ryosuke knew about Aida Reiko's unparalleled eyes. Perhaps before heading to Blue Lock, he could learn some things from her to keep his body in better condition.

Aida Reiko pondered for a moment, then nodded:

"I'll be honest, Kira-senpai. Your physique is excellent, and you maintain your body very well. It's clear you're more disciplined than most athletes. However, it's not enough. Firstly, your core strength is lacking, which affects explosive power and balance. Also, your stamina probably isn't the best, is it? — Of course! Your physical condition is much better than anyone else I've seen! I'm just saying this casually, so don't take it to heart!"

"It's fine, what you said is very insightful!"

After listening to her, Kira Ryosuke seriously considered her words. He had to admit, in his heart, he admired the girl in front of him. Based on the memories of his original body, he did have issues in these areas.

At that moment, Kira Ryosuke felt a very distinct soreness in his right leg, as if he had just completed a long sprint. He had to slightly shift his body, putting his weight on his left leg, to relieve the pressure on his right.

"Um, Kira-senpai, is your right leg bothering you?"

Although it was a very subtle movement, Aida Reiko noticed it.

"It's nothing, just a bit sore."

"An athlete can't risk their body. Soreness is not a good sign! Senpai, please sit down quickly."

Aida Reiko instructed Kira Ryosuke to sit down and straighten his right leg.

"It's likely muscle soreness from overtraining. Some stretching and a little rest should fix it. I have some sports drinks here; they can help replenish electrolytes."

Aida Reiko handed Kira Ryosuke a bottle of drink.

"Thank you, Aida-san."

"Just call me Reiko."

Aida Reiko smiled, then her expression turned very serious.

"Seeing you like this, you must have been training for a very long time. While training is necessary, you absolutely cannot overdo it, or it will harm your body. Your body is an athlete's greatest asset!"

Having worked with her father in athlete training since she was young, Aida Reiko placed great importance on the physical health of athletes, even for Kira Ryosuke, whom she had just met.

"Yes, I'll be careful next time."

Kira Ryosuke nodded, focusing his gaze on his right leg.

He hadn't trained for a long time; he had only done some warm-up exercises and two shots. There was no way this could happen. He had been full of energy before coming to practice.

Kira Ryosuke recalled the details of his recent practice. When he first used Thunderclap and Flash, he felt nothing. This soreness only appeared after he used Thunderclap and Flash while in Total Concentration Breathing state—he had taken his shot with his right foot.

Because he was talking to Aida Reiko earlier, his attention was divided, so he didn't feel it immediately. Only after a few seconds did the sensation spread throughout his right leg.

'Is it… this sore? And there's a bit of fatigue too. A normal Thunderclap and Flash doesn't affect the body, but when combining it with a breathing technique for an explosive shot, I don't have enough stamina or physical strength to support it. Even if it's called a treasure, my physical condition is still far from enough.'

Kira Ryosuke thought to himself, while following Aida Reiko's method to stretch and relieve the soreness.

Using a breathing technique could unleash the true potential of a skill, but his body couldn't support unlimited use of this skill yet. After just one use, his leg felt noticeably sore. Although it would recover after resting, using it repeatedly in a short period might even cause damage to his leg muscles.

'It seems my stamina needs further improvement. My physical strength isn't enough either. This soreness is probably because my body temporarily can't handle this skill. Also, my accuracy needs improvement. The increase in power has significantly reduced my shot accuracy.'

'Using Thunderclap and Flash in Total Concentration Breathing state should guarantee a goal in a normal match—but I definitely can't use it continuously in a short period, or it might harm my body. Under the current circumstances, I can only guarantee one goal per match at most... In Blue Lock, that's far from enough.'

'To score more goals in a match, I need to improve my physical strength so I can use Thunderclap and Flash more times in a single match. On the other hand, I need to further train my left foot's shooting technique. If I can use my left foot freely, it can share the pressure on my right foot, and the number of times I can use Thunderclap and Flash would double.'

After stretching and a few minutes of rest, Kira Ryosuke still felt some soreness in his right leg, but it was much better than before.

"Kira-senpai, you're a training maniac! But you must pay attention to rest. Maintaining your physical condition is crucial for an athlete's career longevity!"

Aida Reiko said very seriously to Kira Ryosuke, while extending her fair, slender fingers to gently stroke her chin, as if deep in thought. A spark flashed in her eyes as she looked at Kira Ryosuke.

"I'll remember that. Also, you don't need to be so formal; just call me Ryosuke."

Kira Ryosuke smiled. She was a very enthusiastic girl, and she had helped him a lot this time.

At the same time, an idea formed in his mind.

'If I remember correctly, Aida Reiko's father runs a gym. Perhaps I can ask them to help me create a specialized training plan for my physical conditioning.'

Thinking this, Kira Ryosuke prepared to voice his idea—and the girl in front of him opened her mouth almost simultaneously.

"May I trouble you to help me create a training plan?"

"I might be able to help you create a specialized training plan."

They both spoke at the exact same time, followed by a slightly awkward silence lasting a few seconds.

"Oh, I'd be delighted!"

Aida Reiko said with a smile after a moment of surprise.

"You're welcome to train at our family's gym!"

Chapter 5: Clarifying Goals, The Final Week's Sprint!

"Then, about the fees…?"

Kira Ryosuke had earned a considerable amount of prize money from his outstanding performance in previous matches. However, he wasn't sure how much it would cost to hire a specialized trainer. After all, even though he was somewhat well-known, he was still just a high school player, not a professional athlete.

"Com--plete--ly--free--"

Aida Reiko raised her index finger and shook it slightly.

"That doesn't seem right. I heard specialized trainers charge quite a bit..."

"No need to worry! You're quite the celebrity in our area! Having you train at our gym is basically free advertising for us! The training fees will be offset by your 'advertising fee'! What do you think of that idea?"

Looking at the very enthusiastic Aida Reiko before him, Kira Ryosuke thought for a moment. This was the best option for now.

He only had a week before he had to head to Blue Lock, and his physical strength wasn't yet sufficient to use the system's skills.

There would be a bunch of monsters there, practically cheating, and compared to them, his original body's talent wouldn't have much of an advantage. Therefore, Kira Ryosuke needed to quickly compensate for this deficiency.

Kira Ryosuke needed to strengthen his body as soon as possible. Even though he only had a week, he absolutely couldn't waste it.

"Okay, thank you very much! Reiko!"

Kira Ryosuke nodded.

"Then let's head out right now! Follow me!"

Aida Reiko, with light steps, led Kira Ryosuke to the gym her father ran.

Soon, Kira Ryosuke followed Aida Reiko into Aida Gym. It was early morning, and not many people had arrived yet.

"Reiko, weren't you out for your morning run? How did you get back so quickly..."

A well-built middle-aged man walked out. He had the same brown hair as Aida Reiko but a fierce-looking face, and he eyed Kira Ryosuke with a gaze that seemed to carry killing intent.

Aida Kagetora, Aida Reiko's father.

He had been an excellent athlete in his youth. After retiring, he became a professional trainer and now ran a gym.