Yoichi displayed abilities far beyond his previous performances in the final match, even dominating Rin at times. This exceptional showing multiplied his value several times over.
Even he himself was internally surprised, overwhelmed with a sense of unreality.
Just a few months ago, he was merely an unknown high school soccer player. Now he had signed with a top club for over 100 million and secured a spot on the National Team roster.
All of this... it felt surreal.
"We have already announced the first eleven names on the roster — however, this doesn't mean they are the National Team's starting lineup. From now on, I will serve as the National Team's coach, and the starting lineup is not yet determined."
Jinpachi explained before continuing with the remaining roster announcements.
"Twelfth place, Ken Wakashimazu, Value: ¥98,000,000. Club: Ubers!"
{T/N: ¥98,000,000 = $659,971.20. Monthly salary of $54,997.6.}
Ken nodded after hearing his name.
He knew very well that with Genzō's presence, he would serve as the backup. In the original story, it was precisely his backup status that led to his dissatisfaction and temporary departure from the National Team.
But the current Ken was different. After the match against Bastard München, he had wholeheartedly accepted his defeat and embraced his role as a backup.
Jinpachi then continued announcing the rest of the roster.
[ Nº 13 - Player: Meguru Bachira… ]
[ Nº 14 - Player: Oliver Aiku… ]
[ Nº 15 - Player: Kenyū Yukimiya… ]
[ Nº 16 - Player: Tabito Karasu… ]
[ Nº 17 - Player: Reo Mikage… ]
[ Nº 18 - Player: Hyōma Chigiri… ]
[ Nº 19 - Player: Gin Gagamaru… ]
[ Nº 20 - Player: Ikki Niko… ]
[ Nº 21 - Player: Rensuke Kunigami… ]
[ Nº 22 - Player: Yō Hiori… ]
"I was selected?" Yō looked up, surprised by his inclusion on the National Team.
After arriving at Blue Lock, he never imagined being selected for the National Team. Now, he could feel his heart racing with excitement.
Excitement, joy, thrill?
Various emotions mingled in Yō's heart, making his blood boil with intensity.
At the same time, his heart filled with joy and relief. This feeling — he hadn't experienced it for a very long time.
And now, only one spot remained.
The remaining players stood on edge, knowing this was the last ticket to the National Team.
Ashito's heart raced with anxiety. He knew his chances of being selected were extremely slim, yet he desperately longed for a miracle.
Despite being aware of the gap between himself and others, he yearned to prove himself on the international stage. He wanted to show his brother and mother that he could finally achieve something in the soccer world.
At this moment, Jinpachi spoke again, "Now, let's announce the final person."
The hearts of all remaining players were in their throats. Since the values after the final match hadn't been announced, no one knew who would secure the last ticket.
Jinpachi's gaze pierced through his glasses, falling on the faces of these players, as he seemed to enjoy their nervous expressions.
After a deliberate pause, he revealed a meaningful smile, then continued speaking.
"The final person… Ashito Aoi, Value: ¥45,000,000. Club: AMG Æsir (VfB Stuttgart)!
Speed B, Defense B, Passing S, Dribbling B, Shooting B, Attack Power A, Overall Rating 85 points. Though both his physical attributes and technical abilities are quite average, this player has demonstrated unparalleled willpower and possesses vision comparable to Rin Itoshi and Sae Itoshi. His defensive coordination with Yoichi Isagi is also excellent, showing tremendous room for growth."
{T/N: ¥45,000,000 = $303,048. Monthly salary of $25,254. And the club name was also original. The VfB means Association for Movement Games (AMG) and Stuttgart's flag is a horse, so I took the Horses of the Æsir from Norse mythology and voilà, the name appeared.}
"Me? Is it really me?"
In that moment, Ashito thought it might be someone with the same name, unable to believe he had actually become the last member of the National Team.
"Come up, Ashito!"
Seeing Ryōsuke and others beckoning to him from the hall, Ashito finally realized this was real.
He had really done it! He had become a member of the National Team!
His eyes grew moist. From an unknown player to being discovered by Tatsuya and joining a club, to now becoming a member of the National Team — Ashito could be called fortunate.
But this fortune was the result of his hard work. To catch up with others, he had put in far more effort than anyone else!
Ashito deserved this achievement.
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
Watching on television as Jinpachi announced Ashito's name, Noriko and Shun Aoi were in tears.
"Ashito, he really did it!"
Forty million was no small sum for their family, but what mattered most wasn't the money — it was that Ashito had truly proven himself.
| Ashito? He actually got selected? |
| In terms of physical attributes and technical skills, he's clearly inferior to others, isn't he? |
| Does he really deserve to be the last one selected? |
Online, intense discussions erupted about whether Ashito deserved to be on the National Team, with criticism coming from all directions!
But voices of support were even more prevalent!
| Didn't you see Ashito's performance in the matches? |
| With his excellent vision and passing ability, Ashito absolutely deserves it! |
| In the behind-the-scenes footage, he was still practicing while others were sleeping — he deserves it because of that dedication! |
Now, through his efforts, Ashito had gained quite a following worldwide.
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
Ashito walked onto the stage and posed for photos with the club manager. His smile was somewhat forced as he hadn't yet recovered from the shock, until he heard sobbing sounds, which finally brought him back to reality.
The source of the sound was the players who hadn't been selected for the National Team.
Some of them had offers from clubs, but without a spot on the National Team, these offers meant nothing to them.
Among them were those who never even got to play in these matches — the competition in Blue Lock was simply too fierce. They had to compete not only against each other but also against representatives from the five major club teams.
In the end, some lost everything.
Without playtime, they remained unknown to the public, resulting in low popularity. This vicious cycle — low popularity combined with limited exposure — meant even fewer chances to demonstrate their abilities.
For nearly two months, they could only watch from the sidelines.
Ashito realized how fortunate he was. Without Ryōsuke's help and the club's support, even if he had made it to Blue Lock, he would likely have ended up just like these players — possibly without ever getting a chance to play.
Only twenty-three players qualified for the National Team — less than half of the participants in Blue Lock's Hero League.
This reality made Ashito even more determined to cherish these opportunities.
"This completes the roster for the National Team." Jinpachi said slowly, pausing before continuing, "But there's something I must tell all players: being selected doesn't guarantee playing time. The competition is far from over! With eleven starting positions plus three substitution opportunities, a maximum of only fourteen players can appear in a match. I hope none of you become complacent.
Furthermore, those who weren't selected, don't give up. You can choose to become training partners for the National Team—
Injuries or other circumstances might create openings, and I would need to select replacements from among you. Don't slack off in training. The chances are slim, but are you willing to give it your all for that one-in-ten-thousand possibility?"
Jinpachi surveyed the players below, his gaze razor-sharp.
After delivering his profound speech, he turned to Ryōsuke.
"While the starting lineup remains flexible, based on voting results and annual salaries, we will confirm the team's absolute core — Ryōsuke Kira, who will serve as Captain for our U-20 World Cup team. Please say a few words."
All eyes focused on Ryōsuke. Viewers worldwide watched him intently on their screens.
Though caught off guard by this unexpected segment, Ryōsuke walked confidently to Jinpachi's side and faced the rows of cameras.
He began by expressing respect for all players, encouraging those who hadn't been selected to keep their spirits up, and thanking everyone involved with Blue Lock.
Then his expression turned deadly serious.
"And finally, our National Team winning the U-20 World Cup — this isn't a goal or an ideal, but something that is destined to happen."
Ryōsuke narrowed his eyes slightly, staring directly into the cameras, as if challenging all the world's elite players.
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
"How bold."
On the Sweden Youth Team, Stefan Levin muttered expressionlessly to himself.
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
"I'll be facing Genzō again, but Ryōsuke is the one who truly deserves our attention."
On the Netherlands Youth Team, Brian Cruyfford spoke with a smile. Like Stefan, he had previously injured Genzō's wrist severely.
As the true captain and ace of the Netherlands Youth, Brian possessed strength equal to Stefan's. In the original story, he had led his underdog team to the semifinals of the U-20 World Cup, showcasing his formidable abilities.
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
"Ryōsuke?"
On the Thailand Youth Team, Singprasert Bunnag revealed a meaningful smile.
"No matter how good he is, if we take him out, he won't be any threat, right?"
Singprasert, a Thai kickboxer, believed that domination on the football field defined a world champion. The tall, powerful defender served as Captain of Thailand Youth.
He would use any means necessary to win. In the original story, he had repeatedly attacked Tsubasa's abdomen during matches to seriously injure and eliminate him from play.
Now, Singprasert was already plotting how to deal with Ryōsuke.
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
Ryōsuke's bold declaration spread like wildfire throughout the world.
Before his emergence, no one had imagined this country could win the U-20 World Cup. But with his arrival came hope. Perhaps the championship wasn't impossible after all.
His speech ignited excitement in all who watched.
Nearby, Anri heard Ryōsuke's words and unconsciously clenched her fists.
Standing behind Ryōsuke, Jinpachi nodded with a smile, "That's right, that's how it should be. This is something we must accomplish."
He pushed up his glasses, his smile carrying a hint of madness.
Ryōsuke's appearance had proven his philosophy wrong — but it didn't matter. As long as they could win the world championship, nothing else mattered.
"I can hardly wait..."
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
The press conference created an explosive buzz, far greater than the previous matches, capturing worldwide attention.
After the press conference concluded, Jinpachi gathered the twenty-three National Team selections in a private room.
"The U-20 World Cup begins in one month. Due to special circumstances, our country will host this year's competition, giving us home-field advantage without the need for international travel."
He then outlined the tournament structure to the players.
"The competition starts with Asian qualifiers, followed by the group stage which determines the top sixteen teams — and continues all the way to the finals. As Kira stated earlier, winning this competition is imperative. Victory makes us national heroes — failure turns us into the world's most ridiculous clowns, rendering all our previous efforts meaningless."
"Understood."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Any questions?"
"Um, what about Ryoma Hino from PXG? His abilities were outstanding. Why haven't we seen him?" Kojiro asked, looking confused.
Despite being thoroughly outclassed by Ryōsuke, Kojiro remained curious about Ryoma — whose considerable strength clearly qualified him for the National Team.
"He quit Blue Lock." Jinpachi explained promptly, "He has dual citizenship and ultimately chose to represent Uruguay — apparently seeking revenge against us."
As he spoke, he turned toward Ryōsuke.
"Then we'll just beat him again." Ryōsuke replied with a smile, "No matter how many times he challenges us, the result won't change."
❖❖❖
T/N: Hey! Liked what you read? Support your friendly neighborhood translator on Patreon! Think of it as buying me a coffee... or ten!
For just $1.50 (that's less than your daily meme budget), get extra chapters! Want more? $2 gets you bonus content, $5 unlocks premium stories, and $10 makes you my hero (and gets you everything I have, including earlier acess to new books)! You can have access to almost 15 books!
That's it and happy reading! (-‿◦)
https://www.patreon.com/collection/1305258