Since Noel wanted to hear Ryōsuke's honest thoughts, he spoke directly without holding anything back.
After hearing his words, Noel showed no signs of anger. Instead, he continued observing Ryōsuke with an intense, serious gaze.
Recognizing that Ryōsuke had given his true answer — neither servile nor arrogant — Noel nodded.
"I understand." At that moment, Noel smiled.
For someone who normally never showed any expression, this was the first time he revealed a smile.
"This is the first time someone has been so direct with me. Neither Lavinho nor Chris managed it, but you, Ryōsuke — you stated your truth plainly, not boasting but simply stating facts. You truly are a remarkable player. It seems my decision to come to Blue Lock wasn't wrong."
"I'm sorry, Noah-senpai."
"No need to apologize. I'm delighted to meet a player like you." Noel stood up and turned toward the large screen, "If you're willing, welcome to Bastard München. In a few years — no, perhaps very soon — this will become your team. You'll take my position…"
He suddenly turned his head, fixing Ryōsuke with a razor-sharp gaze.
"But before that happens, let's face off in the World Cup finals and see if you can take my title as the world's number one forward."
"Sure, I'm happy to accept the challenge!" Ryōsuke nodded with a smile.
"Good, that's all then. You can go now. I hope to see an even more impressive performance from you at the U-20 World Cup." Noel nodded.
"Thank you very much." Ryōsuke bowed politely, then left the room.
Watching his retreating figure, Noel whispered to himself:
"The future belongs to you. No… I'm afraid our 'present' has already been taken by you as well."
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Meanwhile, outside Blue Lock.
Ryoma had used his connections to leave early.
Outside, someone had been waiting for him for a long time.
"Hino-san, have you made your decision?" A man in a suit stared intently at him. His accent was peculiar, clearly not local.
"Yes, I've made my decision. I will represent Uruguay!" As he spoke, Ryoma clenched his fist tightly, his joints making cracking sounds, "In the U-20 World Cup, I will definitely get my revenge against Ryōsuke!"
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About a week later, all matches of the Blue Lock Hero League had concluded.
The day after the final matches, Jinpachi used the broadcast system to gather all domestic players to the stadium hall.
Today was the ceremony to announce the national team roster!
The selection criteria were straightforward: players were ranked by their final annual salary, with the top twenty-three automatically qualifying for the national team.
The ceremony was being broadcast nationwide — it wasn't just a national team announcement, but also a pivotal moment for Blue Lock players to sign contracts with future clubs!
Present were not only the players, but also managers from top clubs worldwide who had traveled to Blue Lock. The Hero League had become a premier talent showcase!
When the broadcast began, servers of several video websites crashed, with viewership surpassing even Blue Lock's regular matches!
Audience voting had concluded just the day before, and the results would influence the players' market values. High popularity brings valuable traffic to teams, serving as one key measure of a player's commercial worth.
Ashito struggled to control his breathing. This was an incredibly tense moment, comparable to a draft day. Signing with a world-class club was beyond anything he could have imagined.
What mattered most to him wasn't which club he would join, but whether he could make the national team. Joining the national team and winning the U-20 World Cup had always been his ultimate goal.
At this moment, Jinpachi strode to the center of the hall.
"Young players, you are no longer rough gems, but have been sculpted into your distinct forms. I will now announce the national team's starting lineup. Simultaneously, your club contracts will take effect automatically, making this both a send-off and signing ceremony." He scanned the room before continuing, "That said, I won't waste time. I'll announce the roster directly, starting from the top."
As he spoke, his eyes narrowed slightly.
"First person, Ryōsuke Kira, value… ¥1,000,000,000. Club: Bastard München!"
{T/N: As always, I'm here to do the conversions and show the salaries. At least for the contracts that are presented, I'll do all the conversions. But here we go:
¥1,000,000,000 = $6,736,000 per year, which divided by twelve months comes to $561,333.33/M. This means he can buy a Lamborghini Veneno (~$4.5 Million) and still have enough money left to buy a Koenigsegg One:1 (~$2.3 Million).}
As soon as Jinpachi finished speaking, everyone present gasped in astonishment.
¥1,000,000,000! This was more than three times what Michael Kaiser, one of the New Generation World XI, was worth!
At this moment, Michael, who was also watching the broadcast, clenched his fist, his eyes filled with regret and resentment.
The moment Ryōsuke signed, it signaled that Michael had been abandoned by Bastard München. His value had also plummeted.
His heart was filled with jealousy, but there was nothing he could do. His arrogance and ignorance had plunged his career into darkness.
"Ryōsuke-san, do you accept the contract?" Jinpachi looked up at him.
"I do." Ryōsuke nodded.
The new season would begin after the U-20 World Cup. He was ready to step onto a bigger stage!
On stage, representing Bastard München, Noel came forward to shake hands and take photos with Ryōsuke.
"Welcome to Bastard München." Noel whispered, just loud enough for him to hear.
"Please take care of me." Ryōsuke replied with a smile.
"Speed S, Defense S, Passing S, Dribbling S, Shooting S, Attacking Power S, Overall Rating 100 points. Ryōsuke has demonstrated absolute dominance in matches. He is not just an attacking forward; he can shift to any position on the field — an absolutely versatile player. More importantly, he can unify a team and make his teammates better. He is a one-in-a-million talent, an absolute team core, and will be the future of world football."
Jinpachi read the evaluation given to Ryōsuke by the club's top scouts.
Every rating was the highest possible. They simply couldn't find any flaws in the young man. This was why he received a one billion Yen offer after playing just four matches.
| As expected of Ryōsuke! |
| Amazing! |
| To be recognized by a top club! That's incredible! |
Online, fans frantically discussed Ryōsuke, with many calling the image of him with Noel a "transfer of power".
"One billion..." Ashito's mind went blank; this number was completely beyond his comprehension.
"You could eat Yukhoe for a lifetime!" Ryūsei swallowed hard, "And the finest cuts at that!"
"Next is second place, Tsubasa Ōzora, Value: ¥410,000,000. Club: FC Barcha!" Jinpachi continued, "Speed A, Defense A, Passing S, Dribbling S, Shooting S, Attack Power S, Overall Rating 99 points. Tsubasa Ōzora also demonstrated exceptional abilities in matches — comprehensive and highly efficient. He can be considered the player with overall skills second only to Ryōsuke in Blue Lock's Hero League!"
{T/N: ¥410,000,000 = $2,760,940. Monthly salary of $230,078.33.}
The scouts gave Tsubasa very high praise — but even as the second-ranked player, his annual salary was only about 41% of Ryōsuke's.
It wasn't that his salary was low; it was that the monster's was simply astronomical.
Tsubasa walked onto the stage and bowed politely. Joining FC Barcha was one of his dreams. His professional career in Brazil had come to an end, and now he was ready to step onto an even bigger stage!
"Third place, Genzō Wakabayashi, Value: ¥350,000,000. Club: Bastard München!
As a goalkeeper, Genzō Wakabayashi can be described as a guardian deity. Without a doubt, he is the most suitable goalkeeper choice among these players! In the future, he might form the strongest spear and shield combination with Ryōsuke Kira!"
{T/N: ¥350,000,000 = $2,356,900. Monthly salary of $196,408.33.}
Genzō walked onto the stage, waving to Ryōsuke and Noel.
He originally belonged to Hamburger SV, but due to a deteriorating relationship with the head coach, he was gradually sidelined. Coming to Bastard München would give his career a fresh start.
"Fourth place, Sae Itoshi, Value: ¥300,000,000. Club: Re Al!
Speed S, Defense B, Passing S, Dribbling S, Shooting A, Attack Power S, Overall Rating 97 points. An almost perfect midfielder! Capable of transforming a team completely and maximizing a forward's potential!"
{T/N: ¥300,000,000 = $2,020,200. Monthly salary of $168,350.}
Sae's expression remained unchanged. As a former Re Al Youth Academy member who had demonstrated his talent in matches, being signed by the club was expected.
He turned to look at Ryōsuke, realizing he now had another opportunity to be teammates with him on the National Team.
"Fifth place, Haruhisa Kuribayashi, Value: ¥280,000,000. Club: Manshine City!
Speed A, Defense B, Passing S, Dribbling S, Shooting A, Attack Power S, Overall Rating 96 points. A player with a very mature playing style, the finest product of domestic powerhouse clubs. Similar to Sae Itoshi but with a completely different style. Capable of changing the course of a match through individual effort! His previous weakness of a slender physique no longer exists!"
{T/N: ¥280,000,000 = $1,885,632. Monthly salary of $157,136.}
Haruhisa's expression remained calm, while Ashito immediately gave him an envious look.
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"Kuribayashi made it!"
Meanwhile, watching on television, Tatsuya, Nozomi, and others nodded with satisfaction.
They had always wanted Haruhisa to gain experience abroad, and Blue Lock provided that perfect opportunity.
"Go to a bigger stage!" Tatsuya said with a smile, looking at him as if seeing his younger self.
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"Sixth place, Kojiro Hyuga, Value: ¥200,000,000. Club: Ubers!
Speed A, Defense B, Passing S, Dribbling A, Shooting S, Attack Power S, Overall Rating 95 points. A powerful attacking forward with a terrifying desire to score. His super long-range shot still lingers in the audience's memory."
{T/N: ¥200,000,000 = $1,346,880. Monthly salary of $112,240.}
On stage, Marc Snuffy's face beamed with joy.
"Seventh place, Rin Itoshi, Value: ¥180,000,000. Club: Paris X Gen!
Speed A, Defense B, Passing S, Dribbling A, Shooting S, Attack Power S, Overall Rating 92 points. A player with excellent abilities across all areas, possessing the soccer IQ to control the flow of a match."
{T/N: ¥180,000,000 = $1,212,192. Monthly salary of $101,016.
Original Bid: ¥240,000,000 by Re Al.}
After being selected, Rin showed no joy on his face.
Before coming to Blue Lock, his goal was to become the number one player — and now, six players were ahead of him. Moreover, both Ryōsuke and his brother Sae were among them.
"I must perform well in front of them." Rin vowed silently.
"Eighth place, Shōei Barō, Value: ¥160,000,000. Club: Ubers!
Speed A, Defense C, Passing C, Dribbling A, Shooting S, Attack Power S, Overall Rating 91 points. An aggressive forward who can work together with Kojiro Hyuga to create excellent chemistry rather than competing for the ball."
{T/N: ¥160,000,000 = $1,077,504. Monthly salary of $89,792.
Original Bid: ¥150,000,000 by Ubers.}
Despite not being selected for the U-20 starting lineup, Shōei had successfully turned things around.
He had transformed himself and excelled in the Hero League.
"Ninth place, Seishirō Nagi, Value: ¥150,000,000. Club: Manshine City!
Speed A, Defense B, Passing B, Dribbling A, Shooting S, Attack Power S, Overall Rating 91 points. A genius player with extraordinary ball control..."
{T/N: ¥150,000,000 = $1,010,160. Monthly salary of $84,180.
Original Bid: Eliminated.}
"With 150 million, how many games could I buy..." Seishirō's mind drifted only to thoughts of gaming.
"Tenth place, Ryūsei Shidō, Value: ¥120,000,000. Club: Monte-Carlo FC (AS Monaco).
Speed S, Defense C, Passing C, Dribbling S, Shooting S, Attack Power S, Overall Rating 90 points. A super scoring machine inside the penalty area who demonstrated unparalleled offensive techniques during the U20 matches."
{T/N: Did you like the name I gave to Monaco's team? I know, I liked it too...
Continuing: ¥120,000,000 = $808,128. Monthly salary of $67,344.
Original Bid: ¥160,000,000 by Paris X Gen.}
"So much meat, I can't eat it all!" Ryūsei laughed.
Jinpachi paused slightly, then continued.
"Eleventh place, Yoichi Isagi, Value: ¥100,000,000. Club: Berserk Dortmund!
Speed B, Defense B, Passing S, Dribbling B, Shooting A, Attack Power S, Overall Rating 90 points. Though his physical attributes are quite average, Yoichi Isagi possesses unparalleled vision and soccer IQ, capable of guiding a match's flow on the field. He can become the team's field general!"
{T/N: ¥100,000,000 = $673,440. Monthly salary of $56,120.
Original Bid: ¥240,000,000 by Bastard München.}
"I..." Yoichi's eyes widened with surprise.
He never imagined his value would skyrocket to such a degree!
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T/N: Some of you might be disappointed with the values being well below the original ones, but remember that besides Ryōsuke — who raised the measuring tape ridiculously high — many players ended up overshadowing others.
In other words, these are just the initial prices they secured in only four games. Imagine what more they could achieve.
Another thing, for comparison purposes, your dear translator here earns about $700 per month with two jobs. That's with a work schedule from 6:30 AM to 10 PM.
I would literally kill for any of these salaries... but since that's a crime, I can only translate these amazing stories for you! (•‿•)
https://www.patreon.com/collection/1305258