Ending the Match-Go Back and Start Over! (cont.)

"Ah, damn it, damn it... We lost... It's all my fault, all my fault...

"I'm so frustrated. I really wanted to win."

Whether it was Ariko Juubei or Tokimitsu Aoshi, both of whom possessed terrifying physical abilities, they were already drenched in sweat. Bachira Meguru's legs had even reached the verge of cramping.

A few meters away, Itoshi Rin was gnashing his teeth as he hammered the ground, as if his teeth were about to be crushed by his own bite.

This was the second time he had lost.

And the score gap had been so enormous.

Frustration, hatred, and anger—every kind of emotion was brewing in his heart. His agitated emotions and the high-intensity match had left his face flushed, with veins bulging on his forehead.

"The match is over. It was a truly spectacular game."

Kira Ryosuke slowly walked over to the four members of Red Team. His words were not meant as consolation. Although the score gap looked huge, that was only because of the smaller field and the special rules.

The combination of Itoshi Rin and the others possessed strength far beyond that of the previous three aces of Team V.

But that was not the only reason they lost. Most importantly, they had fought separately, with practically no teamwork between them.

If Itoshi Rin and Bachira Meguru had linked up, while Ariko Juubei and Tokimitsu Aoshi created opportunities and launched fierce attacks at the weakest point in the defense, they should have been able to cause Kira Ryosuke much more trouble.

But there were no ifs. Furthermore, whether in terms of teamwork or the individual strength of their core players, there was still a considerable gap between the two teams.

"I should choose my teammate for the next round, too."

Kira Ryosuke spoke slowly. He had not hesitated much; he had already made up his mind.

"Bachira, come with me to the next round."

He chose Bachira Meguru not only because they had previously been teammates and gotten along well, but also because Bachira was practically his only choice.

Of the four members of Red Team, Bachira Meguru was the only one with a relatively normal personality. He could also serve as the link connecting the entire team.

Although Itoshi Rin possessed top-tier overall ability, his personality and playing style could instead disrupt the team's rhythm. He was not much different from Barou Shoei in that regard.

Moreover, Kira Ryosuke knew who they would encounter in the next round—a five-man team composed of top players from around the world.

When Ego Jinpachi formed this team, he had never considered the possibility that anyone in Blue Lock could win. Even the team led by Itoshi Rin in the original story had been effortlessly crushed by their opponents. His purpose was to let the players in Blue Lock see exactly how large the gap was between them and the world's top players.

But to Kira Ryosuke, this was merely the next challenge.

"Kira Ryosuke, I'll definitely kill you. I'll definitely kill you after this. From now on, you're my archenemy. I'll erase you without fail."

Just as Kira Ryosuke and the others were preparing to leave the field and head for the next area, Itoshi Rin raised his head. His furious gaze locked onto Kira Ryosuke's face, as if he wanted to tear him apart and devour him alive.

In his heart, Kira Ryosuke had already become an existence like Itoshi Sae—someone who had to be completely crushed.

"Then come and try."

Kira Ryosuke did not pause for even a moment. After leaving those words behind, he walked straight off the field and entered the passage leading to the next area.

At the same time, the System Interface's notification appeared once more.

[Congratulations! Obtained Combat Points: 150]

The Combat Points he obtained this time were nearly twice as many as in the previous match, which was enough to show just how valuable the victory had been.

Even though the scale of the match had been reduced, all their opponents were among the very best players in Blue Lock.

Moreover, the strength of his teammates had also increased considerably. The match in which they selected a fifth player was far more important than the current one. Winning this match effectively meant that they had passed the second selection.

Although Itoshi Rin and the others had lost, they would surely fight their way back again.

The same was undoubtedly true of Isagi Yoichi and Mikage Reo.

"I didn't expect that, as the loser, I'd be the one to advance directly."

Bachira Meguru said with a smile, then turned to look at Kira Ryosuke.

"But I still have to thank you, Kira. I feel like you saved me."

"Choosing you didn't require any consideration at all."

"I'm not talking about you choosing me. I mean on the field—because I wanted to catch up with you guys so badly, I seemed to finally play the kind of football I wanted to play at that moment."

Bachira Meguru lowered his head, and the smile on his face became even more pronounced.

"Thanks, Kira. If we play football together again later, it'll probably be even more enjoyable."

After saying this, Bachira Meguru extended his hand, preparing to high-five Kira Ryosuke. Kira Ryosuke extended his hand at the same time.

"Not a high-five—a hand chop! Take this!"

"I knew it. Block!"

Before they knew it, Kira Ryosuke and the others had arrived before the final gate. The words "Second Selection Exit" were prominently displayed on the door.

They pushed the door open, revealing a black, pentagonal room and five enormous screens.

"Raw Talents, congratulations on passing the second selection."

Ego Jinpachi's projection appeared on the screens.

"Just now, you should have more or less noticed that Bachira Meguru and Itoshi Rin both entered a state of extreme concentration at a certain point. That is FLOW—the state of flow. It is an essential factor in becoming a top-tier player."

"It really was a very subtle feeling. I entered that state without even realizing it. The only thing on my mind was attacking."

Bachira Meguru lowered his head and stared at his hands, constantly recalling that sensation.

"This is the formula for creating miracles. You have already set foot inside it, but you have merely touched the threshold. You still have a long way to go before truly mastering it."

Ego Jinpachi's gaze involuntarily fell on Kira Ryosuke. In his eyes, Kira Ryosuke was the only one who could freely enter the state of flow.

In a sense, Kira Ryosuke's Total Concentration Breathing was his own FLOW.

"All right. Your second selection is now over."

As Ego Jinpachi spoke, he raised three fingers.

"Next comes the third selection. As I said, you have the chance to face world-class players. Twenty-four hours from now, you will play a 5v5 match against the world players I personally selected. Get ready to learn about the world, frogs in wells!"

Three-Man Team Area.

At this moment, most of the teams had gathered here. Many of them did not dare to choose opponents at random. Without sufficient information, no one dared to fight a battle without guarantees.

Isagi Yoichi and Chigiri Hyoma's team had also returned here.

They had just defeated their opponents in the two-man team area and selected Tsurugi Zantetsu, formerly of Team V, as their teammate, fighting their way back to the three-man area.

"I wonder how Kira and Rin are doing... If nothing went differently than expected, they should have met in the next area by now. I wonder if they'll play against each other."

Isagi Yoichi muttered to himself. In his eyes, Itoshi Rin was on the same level as Kira Ryosuke. Both of them were far more powerful than he could imagine.

Just then, the door to the matching hall opened once again.

Itoshi Rin, his face filled with resentment, returned to the three-man area with Ariko Juubei and Tokimitsu Aoshi. The previously noisy hall instantly fell silent.

Itoshi Rin's gaze did not linger on anyone for even a moment. In his eyes, these people were nothing more than insignificant specks of dust.

He had already played one match today, so Itoshi Rin could not immediately play a second. He did not linger in the hall either, but went straight to the dormitory.

To him, being sent back to this area was a disgrace of the highest order—having to stay together with these weaklings and pieces of trash.

Unforgivable. Unforgivable. Unforgivable!

Itoshi Rin bit his lip so hard that it nearly bled. At the same time, the flames burning in his eyes seemed ready to devour everyone.

He wanted revenge. He wanted Kira Ryosuke to pay the price for humiliating him.

Only after Itoshi Rin and the others left the hall did the silent room gradually begin to fill with voices.

"Hey, hey, hey, that was Itoshi Rin, right? Did he... lose?"

"How did he return to this area? I remember he had already formed a team and moved forward."

"An existence capable of defeating Itoshi Rin... Could someone like that really exist in Blue Lock?"

Everyone began discussing it among themselves. Almost no one could believe what had happened.

Someone had defeated an existence as terrifying as Itoshi Rin.

Most of them had come from other floors and had never seen Kira Ryosuke.

In their eyes, Itoshi Rin was already an unreachable peak. Even those who had never heard of Itoshi Rin before would have been left awestruck after seeing him display his skills in the hall.

Yet someone of that level had actually lost the match?

Only Isagi Yoichi's group knew very clearly who could have sent Itoshi Rin back here.

Kira Ryosuke.

Isagi Yoichi's team had previously suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Itoshi Rin. He had originally believed that Kira Ryosuke was on the same level as Itoshi Rin, but it seemed he had been completely wrong.

Kira Ryosuke was an even more terrifying existence.

"Bachira must have been taken away by Kira and the others. I can't let myself fall behind!"

A hint of excitement seemed to flash in Isagi Yoichi's eyes, and a fighting spirit ignited in his heart.

Several hours later, Kira Ryosuke and his teammates had arrived at the dormitory.

At present, theirs was the only team in the entire five-man area. If a team lost a match, then because of the reduced number of teammates and the rule allowing only one match per day, they would have to waste another two days.

This five-man room was far more luxurious than the rooms in the previous areas. It had all kinds of complete equipment and furnishings, looking just like a five-star hotel.

On the screen in the room, their opponents for the next round were projected in full view.

Five international superstars!

"The young heir to a Spanish powerhouse club, Luna; the leading scorer of the English league, Adam Black; Cavazos, the freckled baby with a childish face who can take world-class free kicks; and the Heavy Tank, Dada Silva?!"

Niko Ikki cried out in shock. Although his thick bangs covered his eyes, everyone could sense the astonishment in his gaze.

"Are these people really that strong?"

Nagi Seishiro asked with some confusion. Although he possessed exceptional football talent, he did not know much about star players or leagues.

"They're all world-class players!"

Niko Ikki's voice trembled slightly with excitement. He had never imagined that one day he would be able to face opponents of such a high level.

"They actually managed to invite players like these. Blue Lock really is incredible."

Kunigami Rensuke could not help sighing in admiration.

"Facing opponents of this level is half terrifying and half exciting... But who's the guy standing in the middle with the monk-style haircut?"

Bachira Meguru asked while holding his head.

"He's Julian Roki, a supernova who just made his name in the French league!"

"Kira, what do you think? We're about to face opponents of this level. What are your thoughts?"

Bachira Meguru turned to look at Kira Ryosuke, and everyone's gaze fell on Kira Ryosuke in unison.

"I don't really feel anything. We just have to give it our all."

Kira Ryosuke answered calmly.

"Now that we've rested enough, shouldn't we get ready to train?"

Soon, Kira Ryosuke led everyone to the training field in the five-man area.

While the others were doing some basic tactical positioning drills, Kira Ryosuke opened the System Interface.

[Host: Kira Ryosuke]

[Current Combat Points: 260]

[Combat: Thunder Breathing: Total Concentration LV3 Proficiency 100% Upgrade: 150 Combat Points]

[Combat: Thunder Breathing: First Form: Thunderclap and Flash LV3 Proficiency 80.6%]

[Combat: Thunder Breathing: Second Form: Rice Spirit LV3 Proficiency 60.3%]

[Combat: Thunder Breathing: Third Form: Gathering Mosquitoes into Thunder LV2 Proficiency 100% Upgrade: 100 Combat Points]

Kira Ryosuke had already raised the proficiency of Total Concentration Breathing and Gathering Mosquitoes into Thunder to 100%. The two matches had earned him a total of 230 Combat Points. Adding the Combat Points he had left over from before, he had just enough to upgrade both skills.