The next morning, Ryōsuke arrived at the conference room following the broadcast announcement. Soon after, all the other players filed in.
Jinpachi had already been waiting there for some time.
"From today onwards, we will officially begin preparing for the U-20 World Cup. Whether you've been selected as official players or not, since you've chosen to stay in Blue Lock, you're expected to perform at your best."
Jinpachi spoke with a serious expression, his sharp gaze sweeping across everyone as if he could see through to their innermost thoughts.
"Also, as I've already mentioned, the starting lineup isn't final, and adjustments may be made for each match — however, Kira's position as the absolute core will not change. This is my conclusion based on your Hero League salaries and performances. Any objections?"
The room fell completely silent.
Whether it was Rin, Tabito, or anyone else, they might harbor hostility toward Ryōsuke, but one thing remained undeniable — they had to acknowledge his ability.
That monster's strength existed on another level entirely. No matter how proud they were, they could only accept this reality.
"No objections? Good…" Jinpachi narrowed his eyes slightly, "Since we've established that Kira is the absolute core, the team formation will be built around him. I'm giving him considerable authority — daily training will be entirely your responsibility, Kira, and you'll also have significant input on the starting lineup and tactical arrangements for the upcoming preliminaries.
But before that, as the National Team Captain, Kira, please share some thoughts with the team."
"Mm." Ryōsuke nodded and stood before everyone, his gaze sweeping across their faces.
He could detect various emotions — admiration, respect, hostility...
But he didn't care about their opinions of him; he only cared whether this team could unite as one.
"First, I want to say that the training I'll arrange will be extremely difficult. I hope the players selected for the main team can persevere — and I also appreciate those who chose to come here as practice partners; you'll definitely have to endure considerable hardship." Ryōsuke's face broke into a smile.
"What's so hard about training?" Nijirō Nanase asked.
He had been a Blue Lock member from the beginning, advancing all the way to the Hero League. However, he was rather ordinary and didn't stand out much in the Second Phase, so he wasn't selected for the National Team.
Still, he had received offers from other leagues, suggesting room for future development.
Nijirō hadn't interacted much with Ryōsuke, so he didn't know him well.
"You're thinking too lightly of it, Nanase." Yoichi said, shaking his head slightly. He knew just how terrifying Ryōsuke's training could be.
Nijirō probably wouldn't be able to handle it at first.
"Another point — when we enter the U-20 World Cup, we'll be representing our entire country. I absolutely will not tolerate any internal conflicts on the field during the tournament." Ryōsuke said firmly, his gaze falling on Ryūsei and the others.
"Don't worry! As long as it's what Suke-tan wants, I'll definitely follow it well!"
Ryūsei smiled and waved at him, while Rin and others showed little reaction.
"Also, as Captain, I will make certain demands of you that must be followed." Ryōsuke narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze becoming profound, "If anyone objects to my decisions, you can challenge me one-on-one. Defeat me, and you can invalidate my words."
At this moment, he transformed, embodying something of Noel Noah's demeanor.
Though Ryōsuke disliked using power and pressure, and didn't intend to give many orders to his teammates, these words were necessary to prevent troublemakers from disrupting the team.
With difficult personalities, kind persuasion rarely worked — he needed to establish absolute authority to keep them in line.
"If you violate my rules, there will be no place for you on the National Team. You won't play — and you'll lose eligibility for future National Team selection."
As he finished speaking, all eyes fixed on him.
Ashito swallowed hard; he'd never seen Ryōsuke so serious and solemn. Yet he understood that only this approach could control the "troublemakers" on the team.
Behind Ryōsuke, Jinpachi's face showed a meaningful smile.
Through surveillance, he knew how Ryōsuke had managed things at Bastard München. Noel had granted him considerable authority, with virtually all team matters under his responsibility.
Ryōsuke had performed excellently. He successfully coordinated the team, making them incredibly united, and almost everyone had improved significantly.
This young man was a born leader.
Jinpachi decided to observe for now, watching what Ryōsuke could achieve with these people. Taming such a diverse group was no simple task.
"I know each of you is a genius, but in front of football, we are all just ordinary people. We now stand on a new stage, competing against those already at the pinnacle of the world. You all want to become number one, right? This is your stage to achieve that goal."
Ryōsuke raised his clenched right fist high, his gaze sweeping across everyone before him.
"Whether you want to follow me, defeat me, or surpass me — prove it by bringing victory to the team. Only players who help win the championship can be called the world's best. If we win, we will truly be number one! Any questions?"
He asked, but was met with silence.
Below the stage, Rin, Shōei, and Tabito stared intently at him... yet not one raised an objection.
"Seriously, though it's a bit hard to admit, that actually sounds pretty inspiring!" Tabito said with a smile.
"Winning should be a given, right? It's precisely because I want the championship that I've come to play these boring games with these people." Sae said expressionlessly.
"We'll see about that. Watch how I surpass you to become the strongest forward on the team. If I win the championship and score the most goals, then I'll become the world's number one, right?" Shōei said with a serious expression.
"Then, let's begin." Ryōsuke said with a smile, "First up is my favorite: physical fitness training."
After finishing his speech, Ryōsuke prepared to lead all the players in group training sessions, divided into batches. He had already created personalized training schedules based on each player's characteristics — and had invited two special guests to Blue Lock.
His dear Riko and his "psycho" father-in-law Kagetora.
Kagetora was a world-class trainer who would definitely help the players improve their physical fitness. When it came to arranging training regimens, Ryōsuke knew they were far more qualified than himself.
Meanwhile, Riko had inherited her father's talent and had become an excellent trainer in her own right.
"Please take good care of me, everyone! My name is Riko Aida! Just call me Riko!" Riko greeted everyone with a warm smile.
"That's Kira's girlfriend."
"So it's her! No wonder Kira's body is monstrous if his girlfriend is a trainer."
"I'm so jealous!"
Riko could hear the whispers about her identity, and her fair face flushed slightly with embarrassment.
Ryōsuke had obtained Jinpachi's permission yesterday to invite her as a trainer — and she hadn't hesitated at all, arriving early the next morning with her father.
At this moment, many gazes shifted to Kagetora.
"Is that really Kagetora Aida?"
"Former star of the national basketball team!"
"So he's Kira's father-in-law? Kira even has these kinds of connections."
Though Kagetora had long since retired, he was once a sensational athlete and the idol of many present.
Seeing that most people recognized him, he didn't bother introducing himself. Instead, he said sternly, "You little brats, listen carefully to my precious daughter Riko's instructions and mine, understand?!"
"He's surprisingly difficult to deal with..."
"Kira's going to have a tough time in the future."
"Seems like a troublesome person."
Everyone whispered among themselves.
Kagetora cleared his throat and pulled something out from behind him.
"Good grief, is that a whip?"
"No, I must be seeing things... That really is a whip... A whip for training? I have a bad feeling about this."
"It's a good thing those international players have already left, otherwise this might turn into a political incident."
Ignoring their comments, Kagetora continued, "My requirements for you aren't many, just two. First, you must complete the training tasks I assign you."
"That's reasonable."
"Normal requirement."
"Coaches usually say something like this."
"...Second, don't die."
"Haha, that's so simple... Wait, what did he say?"
Everyone's eyes fixed on Kagetora's face, briefly thinking he was joking — until they met his incredibly fierce gaze.
He wasn't joking at all!
"I've already reviewed each of your physical data and arranged specific training content for everyone. It should have been sent to your terminals, so move quickly according to my instructions. Don't waste my time — if anyone is slow, I'll kill you." Kagetora said, his killing intent spreading throughout the room.
Even someone of Jingo's caliber felt flustered at that moment.
When Ryōsuke contacted Riko last night, he had Jinpachi compile the physical data of all Blue Lock members and send it to Kagetora.
Everyone's physical characteristics were different, so the focus areas varied — some lacked explosive power, others needed endurance...
Not only did the official National Team members need to train, but to ensure quality practice partners, they also needed to undergo relevant training.
Blue Lock had more than enough space for them to train separately.
"No way, seriously?" Upon seeing the training content assigned to him, Kojiro was dumbfounded.
The training regimen was as dense as a school textbook. Worse, the content was ridiculous.
"Starting with... high-speed 5,000 meters... for warm-up?! And another 5,000 meters in the middle of training for rest?" Kojiro's voice trembled as he turned to Yoichi.
"That's right." Yoichi nodded, his expression completely serious.
"But... did Kira really make you guys do this level of training before?" Kojiro swallowed hard.
"Yes." Yoichi nodded without hesitation.
Kojiro sank into complete despair.
This wasn't training — it was punishment.
"Kojiro Hyuga, you're up."
Kojiro felt a wave of killing intent behind him.
Kagetora stood there, casually playing with the whip in his hand.
"Any problems?"
"No, none at all! I'm going right now!" Kojiro quickly forced a smile and hurried to the training room.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Rin studied his training regimen intently. The intensity level was unlike anything he had ever encountered before.
"So this is the secret to Ryōsuke's strength?" He muttered, eyeing the row of empty treadmills. His gaze hardened with determination, "Hmph, if he can handle this, so can I. This tedious training won't be any challenge for me. Just watch as I surpass you, Ryōsuke Kira!"
With resolute steps, he marched toward the treadmill.
❖❖❖
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