You're Obviously Coveting My Body! / Arrival at Blue Lock; The Tryout Begins!

Although seven days was not a long time, Kira Ryosuke could genuinely feel himself improving at a visible rate during that period.

Physically, Kira Ryosuke had improved significantly compared with a week ago. The efficiency of his progress had even exceeded his expectations somewhat. This was not merely a side effect of practicing the breathing technique; it was mainly the result of Reiko's specially designed hellish intensive training. The balanced meals he ate every day also ensured the efficiency of his workouts.

His exercises for lung capacity and breathing techniques during this period had gradually improved his mastery of Total Concentration Breathing. Although he could still only maintain it for two or three seconds each time and could use it only intermittently, the intervals between uses had shortened considerably.

Moreover, as his physical abilities improved and he became increasingly proficient with the breathing technique, the negative effects of using Thunderclap and Flash while in the Total Concentration Breathing state had lessened somewhat. His left-foot shooting technique had also grown more polished, and he could use Thunderclap and Flash for shooting as well. His accuracy was already extremely high—something his original body had absolutely been incapable of achieving.

Kira Ryosuke pulled his thoughts back to reality and refocused his attention on the two skills, considering which one he should prioritize upgrading.

"If I upgrade Total Concentration Breathing, I should be able to extend the duration of each use and activate the breathing technique more frequently. If I upgrade Thunderclap and Flash, its power should increase and its side effects should decrease... For now, upgrading Total Concentration Breathing is more important. It can improve my physical abilities and increase the efficiency of my training. Besides, I won't enter Blue Lock until tomorrow. There's still time for the physical test and adaptation, and the first official soccer match is still three days away. It won't be too late to upgrade Thunderclap and Flash then."

After thinking it over, Kira Ryosuke made his choice.

[Upgrade successful! Combat. Thunder Breathing. Total Concentration has reached LV2. Proficiency reset.]

[Combat. Thunder Breathing. Total Concentration LV2 Proficiency: 0%]

[Current Combat Points: 30]

The system notification flickered before Kira Ryosuke's eyes, and he could feel some invisible force surging into his body.

After the upgrade was completed, the skill's proficiency was reset, meaning he had to practice it all over again.

However, Kira Ryosuke knew that filling the proficiency bar again would require even more effort and time. The Combat Points needed to reach higher levels would also increase.

He immediately closed his eyes, adjusted his breathing, and sensed the difference between LV2 Total Concentration Breathing and its previous state.

He clearly felt oxygen flooding into his lungs and transforming into strength for his body.

After a while, Kira Ryosuke opened his eyes and returned to his normal breathing rhythm.

"The duration of each use has increased quite a bit, from two or three seconds to more than ten seconds. The interval between uses also seems to have shortened. I should be able to use it more frequently during matches."

Although the extension was only a few seconds, the resulting increase in explosive power was crucial. For someone running at high speed, even one second could create a considerable difference in distance.

You Clearly Covet My Body!

After showering, Kira Ryosuke walked out of the bathroom wearing only a pair of athletic shorts. He was just about to return to the locker room to get dressed when a slender figure, which had apparently been waiting there for some time, appeared before him.

Aida Reiko.

"Reiko? What are you doing here? This is the men's locker room, isn't it?"

"I thought this would be a good opportunity to observe the results of your training during this period. That way, my eyes can make a more accurate assessment, and I won't have to trouble you by asking you to take off your shirt again later."

As Aida Reiko spoke, her gaze wandered repeatedly over Kira Ryosuke's body.

His physique had already been quite good, but after a week of training, his body lines had become even more defined. His shoulders were broad, his chest was firm, and his abdominal muscles were sharply outlined. It was a perfect physique that people his age could not possibly possess. Both his explosive power and endurance were much higher than before.

This was the result of Kira Ryosuke maintaining high-intensity training for a week.

However, the results were even better than Aida Reiko had expected.

Before she knew it, she had become somewhat lost in the sight of Kira Ryosuke's body.

"Hey, hey, Reiko... Are you really analyzing my physical statistics? What's that at the corner of your mouth? That's drool, right? It's drool, isn't it?"

"N-No, it isn't!"

Aida Reiko's consciousness was abruptly dragged back to reality. She immediately became embarrassed, and two blushes stood out on her fair cheeks as she raised a hand to wipe the corner of her mouth.

"Your training results are very impressive!"

"That's good to hear... But, Reiko, why don't you go outside first? This is the men's locker room, after all. If your father finds out, won't he kill me?"

"Am I really that kind of person?"

Just then, the door of a locker beside them slowly opened, and Aida Kagetora emerged from inside with a kitchen knife in hand.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Silence spread among the three of them.

"Mr. Aida... What are you doing?"

Kira Ryosuke wiped the water from his forehead, unsure whether it was water he had failed to dry off or sweat that had just formed.

"Haha, I just happened to be passing by. It's not like I saw my precious daughter enter the men's locker room and sneaked in after her. And it's certainly not because I'd kill you on the spot if you tried anything inappropriate with my precious daughter!"

"Mr. Aida, put the kitchen knife away before you keep talking!"

"It's fine. I'll be going now. You two chat."

After hearing that, Aida Kagetora hid the kitchen knife behind his back, began whistling, and quickly left. However, Kira Ryosuke could still sense a faint, drifting killing intent. Aida Kagetora had definitely not gone far.

"Um... Today is the last day of training! You're going to the closed training camp tomorrow, right?"

Aida Reiko raised her head to look at Kira Ryosuke, then shifted her gaze elsewhere. The blush on her face had not completely faded.

"How long will it last?"

"I'm not sure. The invitation didn't say anything."

Kira Ryosuke shrugged. He knew very well that once he entered Blue Lock, reaching the end would take at least several months.

However, Blue Lock had a special system. Accumulated goals could be exchanged for certain privileges, including the option to leave for a day.

"Okay... Then you have to do your best! You'll probably have to hand over your phone, though! But if you can, contact me immediately if you need any help! After all... you're the face of our gym!"

Aida Reiko's gaze returned to Kira Ryosuke's face.

A smile also appeared on Kira Ryosuke's face.

"It's a promise."

The next afternoon, Kira Ryosuke arrived at his destination—the Soccer Association.

Perhaps because the timeline had changed, he did not encounter the original protagonist, Isagi Yoichi, outside the association building.

He entered the building and made his way to the meeting room specified in the invitation.

The moment he pushed open the door, countless pairs of eyes landed on Kira Ryosuke.

They were all promising forwards invited by the Soccer Association. Apart from Kira Ryosuke, there were 299 others.

Forwards served as the team's bayonets. Put simply, their role on the field was to tear open the opposing defense and then shoot the ball into the net.

The so-called Blue Lock Project was meant to cultivate a super-forward unlike anyone who had come before or would come after.

Kira Ryosuke swept his gaze across everyone present and recognized many of them at a glance. Those people were watching him as well.

Usually, the gazes he received from those around him were filled with respect and admiration.

Now, they were mostly hostile.

Talent and ability were nothing special here. Many of the players were the star players of their own teams, just like Kira Ryosuke.

A genius stood out among ordinary people, but when geniuses gathered together, everyone became mediocre—unless they were the genius among geniuses.

"Um... Long time no see, Kira."

A familiar voice came from the side. Kira Ryosuke turned his head and saw a familiar figure.

Isagi Yoichi, the original protagonist. His team had been eliminated by Kira Ryosuke's team the previous week.

"Hello, Isagi."

Kira Ryosuke responded politely.

According to the original plot, he and Isagi Yoichi would be assigned to the same team in Blue Lock—

and then came the initial assessment, where the original body was eliminated.

However, this world line was about to change.

"Congratulations, you raw diamonds of the soccer world."

A booming voice came from the speakers in the meeting room.

Just as in the original story, the initiator of Blue Lock, Ego Jinpachi—a thin, bespectacled man with an eccentric personality—appeared and delivered a speech about the Blue Lock Project, explaining its purpose and rules to everyone present.

To select the strongest forward.

And bury the soccer futures of the other 299 players.

Even though the price of failure was so devastating, not one of the 300 invited players backed down. Every one of them yearned to become the NO.1 forward.

Soon, the 300 young players boarded buses and began their journey to Blue Lock.

On the bus, Kira Ryosuke took out his phone. Once they arrived at Blue Lock, everyone would have to hand theirs over, so he decided to use it while he still could.

As soon as he unlocked the screen, Kira Ryosuke saw several unread messages.

Reiko: Ryosuke, have you arrived yet?

Reiko: What's the situation over there?

Reiko: Have they announced the contents of your Enhanced Player training camp?!

Kira Ryosuke immediately relayed what Ego Jinpachi had just told them to Aida Reiko.

Arriving at Blue Lock, Assessment Begins!

"What? That's absurd!"

At Aida Gym, Aida Reiko showed her father, Aida Kagetora, the message Kira Ryosuke had just sent her.

"Those who fail will permanently lose the chance to be selected for the National Team? Are they joking? Wouldn't that directly end a player's future?"

"It doesn't look like a joke... I heard from an old friend that the Soccer Association is holding a press conference in a few days to announce a very important project. It's probably the Blue Lock that Ryosuke mentioned..."

Aida Kagetora's expression grew serious. As a former professional athlete and top trainer, he still had some connections within the Soccer Association, so he knew a little about the situation.

This was not a joke.

"Then, if Ryosuke..."

Aida Reiko's face was filled with worry, and she swallowed the words she was about to say. A few seconds later, her expression changed again, as if she had developed an unwavering conviction about something.

"If it's Ryosuke, he might really be able to fight his way out. After all, although he usually seems cheerful and carefree, whenever he gets serious, it's as if he becomes a completely different person."

"Yeah. That guy is different from every other player I've met. I hope he can shine there. After all, thanks to him, our gym's revenue increased by thirty percent last week!"

Although Aida Kagetora spoke in a joking tone, his eyes narrowed slightly as he gazed into the distance.

He could sense the unknown potential within Kira Ryosuke.

Reiko: Do your best! Don't disgrace Aida Gym! ヾ(?°?°?)ノ?

Reiko: How's the food there? Make sure you get enough nutrition!

Reiko: And don't forget to keep training while you're there! Otherwise... just you wait!

Looking at the messages from Aida Reiko, Kira Ryosuke smiled. He sent a few replies before putting his phone away.

They had already arrived at the building known as Blue Lock.

It was a pentagonal complex made up of five nearly identical buildings connected to one another. Various high-tech devices filled the interior—equipment that could not normally be seen anywhere. It was obvious how much money the Soccer Association had poured into implementing the Blue Lock Project.

The 300 players were randomly divided into five groups and sent to five different buildings. They were then divided again into five sections within those buildings.

After a thorough security check, Kira Ryosuke handed over his phone, stored his luggage, and received a special jersey.

On the shoulder of the jersey, a combination of a number and a letter was displayed prominently: 289Z.

In the original story, Ego Jinpachi claimed that this represented each player's ranking among the 300 players. However, Kira Ryosuke knew that the number meant nothing at this point. It was merely a little trick Ego Jinpachi had deliberately used to undermine the players' confidence and make them feel pressured.

Following the signs in the building, Kira Ryosuke arrived at the room marked with the letter Z.

Each room held twelve people, and the other eleven occupants of Room Z had already arrived.

Kira Ryosuke swept his gaze over them. He knew each person's identity and special abilities.

The man lying on the floor asleep was named Bachira Meguru. He possessed outstanding dribbling skills and acted with uninhibited freedom.

The man changing clothes nearby was Kunigami Rensuke. He behaved in an upright and honorable manner, possessing a burly, powerful physique and formidable left-foot shooting ability.