Chapter 163: The Evaluation Panel
What was this guy's deal?
Kira stood there, momentarily stunned. He understood Aiku's vision. Aiku was obsessed with the idea of Japan producing a world-class striker, a way to settle the score for his own failed dreams.
"So, have you found one? A striker who's actually ready to blow the roof off this place?" Kira asked. He had a sneaking suspicion Aiku was talking about him.
"I found what I was looking for the moment we finished our match against Blue Lock," Aiku said, closing his eyes as if he were replaying the game in his head. "And it wasn't just one guy. But out of all of them, you're the one currently burning the brightest."
Aiku took another swig of his drink. Kira felt a rare flash of self-consciousness. Even with his massive ego, having someone like Aiku drop that kind of heavy praise right to his face was intense. It wasn't the usual trash talk or competitive posturing; it was a direct acknowledgement of his status.
"Haha, look at you. You actually look human for a second," Aiku chuckled. "I don't do filters. I say what's on my mind, so don't get weird about it. That's just who I am."
'Talk about being brutally honest,' Kira thought. He started to formulate a comeback, but the door hissed open.
"There you are. Finished the footage yet?"
Niko and Aryu walked in, clearly looking to dissect the latest match between England and Germany. In this facility, information was as valuable as talent. You didn't just play; you studied.
"We just finished. Both teams look lethal," Kira said, instantly shifting the focus back to the game.
"Aiku's here too? Why are you guys sitting so far apart?" Niko asked, immediately taking the seat right next to Kira. He looked back and forth between the two of them. "Please tell me you weren't shouting at each other across the room this whole time."
Kira and Aiku shared a brief, silent glance. Niko sighed. He didn't need a verbal confirmation.
"You guys are freaks," Niko muttered, shaking his head.
"Is this some kind of new, stylish way to communicate? Distance creates style?" Aryu asked, looking intrigued by the potential aesthetic.
"Where's Barou? Didn't he come with you?" Kira asked. He half-expected the King to be in the dorms, obsessively cleaning or something.
"I tried to grab him, but he said he was going back for another round of training," Niko said, a hint of admiration creeping into his voice. "I think seeing you evolve so fast finally lit a fire under him that he can't put out."
Kira felt a surge of respect for the guy. He thought back to Snuffy's story about his friend who had spiraled out of control. Barou was the polar opposite of that. Even if Barou became the most famous athlete on the planet, he'd still be in the gym at 4:00 AM. The King's obsession was his greatest armor.
"Alright, enough talk. Put the recording on," Aryu said, grabbing the remote. He pulled up the Manshine City vs. Bastard Munchen highlights.
"I've already seen it," Kira said, making a move to leave.
"Not a chance. We're staying here to compare notes. You're not going anywhere," Niko said. His tone was surprisingly authoritative, stopping Kira in his tracks.
"Stick around, Kira. Seeing it again might reveal a detail you missed when you were watching alone," Aryu added. It was a logical point, and Kira conceded with a shrug, sitting back down.
"Aiku, get over here. Stop acting like you're too cool to sit with us," Aryu called out. Aiku laughed, stood up, and joined the group. The four of them settled in to dissect the high-level chaos on the screen.
***
The next day. Training grounds.
Snuffy gathered the squad together, his expression sharp and professional as he outlined the next phase of their evolution.
"By now, you all know the score. Our next opponent is the English club, Manshine City," Snuffy said, closing his tactical notebook and scanning the room. "They operate on a different frequency than P.X.G. Their philosophy is built on speed, power, and overwhelming physical impact. They believe that winning the physical duel is the key to winning the match."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "Prepare yourselves. This is going to be a war of attrition. It will be the most physically demanding match you've played yet."
Physical impact.
Niko shifted uncomfortably. That was his one glaring weakness. Kira, however, remained unfazed. Between Barou's brute strength and Aiku's defensive frame, Ubers wasn't exactly a team of lightweights.
"Don't overthink it. You just need to adapt to their contact and stick to the system. We play our game, we win. I'm adding physical conditioning and contact drills to the schedule starting now. Let's get to work, Ubers."
Snuffy was a master of preparation. The squad followed his lead without question, including Kira.
Over the next few days, Kira pushed himself harder than ever. During his private sessions, he burned through Snuffy's Trial Cards, focused on refining his core attributes and adapting to the world-class rhythm.
[Ding!]
[Evaluation Panel Feature Activated.]
[Note: Currently restricted to Blue Lock participants and club academy players.]
The notification flashed across Kira's vision in the middle of a drill.
'A ranking system? What's this?'
[Evaluation Metric: German Standard (Bastard Munchen System).]
Kira looked over at Barou, who was currently destroying a training dummy on the other side of the pitch.
[Shoei Barou. Overall: 93 (S-Rank)]
[Speed: 80 (A)]
[Defense: 82 (A)]
[Passing: 55 (D)]
[Dribbling: 91 (S)]
[Shooting: 96 (S)]
[Offense: 94 (S)]
'Damn. The King is a beast,' Kira thought. Then his eyes drifted to the 'D' in passing. 'Actually, that sounds exactly right. Passing just isn't in his vocabulary.'
Kira realized he could control the interface with a thought. He could summon or dismiss the panels at will. He took a deep breath and focused on his own internal data.
[Ryosuke Kira. Overall: 97 (S-Rank)]
[Speed: 97 (S)]
[Defense: 85 (A)]
[Passing: 96 (S)]
[Dribbling: 94 (S)]
[Shooting: 99 (S)]
[Offense: 99 (S)]
'Holy shit. I'm a monster.'
Kira stared at his own stats, a smirk spreading across his face. Even if the system was only ranking him against his peers, he was almost a perfect 99 in the most critical categories. His defense was the only thing keeping him from being a total monster, but for a striker, an 'A' in defense was more than enough.
"Hey. What the hell are you staring at?"
Barou had stopped his drill and was looking at Kira with a suspicious glare. Kira realized he had been standing perfectly still, staring into space with a weird grin on his face.
"Haha, nothing. Keep at it, Barou. You're looking sharp."
Kira felt a surge of energy. He had a new toy, and he wanted to see how everyone else measured up. He wanted to know exactly how high the ceiling was in this facility.
"I'm heading out for a bit. You know where Aiku and the others are?"
Barou looked at him like he had grown a second head. Kira had been training for ten minutes and now he was bailing?
"How should I know? Probably in the dorms," Barou grunted, turning back to his goal.
'The King of the Grind,' Kira thought, heading for the exit. It was time to go scouting.
***
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