Yoru Ryoshu looked down at the specialized bodysuit in his hands. He couldn't help but marvel at the sheer capital Ego Jinpachi was willing to burn—betting everything on the slim chance of manufacturing a single player who could set the world on fire.
To a man like Ego, football wasn't just a sport; it was his entire existence.
Aki's gaze fell on the printed digits on the fabric: [Z-289]. A thin, sharp smile spread across his face, and a flicker of crimson light seemed to ignite within his pupils, radiating a chilling intensity. Following the digital prompts, he made his way through the sterile corridors until he reached a specific door.
He pushed it open.
Every head in the room snapped toward him. He was the final arrival.
"It's you!" Isagi Yoichi blurted out, his voice cracking slightly.
Between their encounter at the gates and Aki's scathing "Baby Bus" comment in the hall, he wasn't just a face in the crowd anymore. Almost every player in the room regarded Aki with a cocktail of wariness and open hostility.
Well, everyone except for Bachira, who was currently sprawled out on the floor, fast asleep.
Aki scanned the room, his eyes lingering on each "teammate" before he spoke. "Oho... it seems I've made quite the impression on you all."
He sauntered toward Isagi, locking eyes with the boy. He bared his teeth in a predatory grin. "Must be fate, Isagi. Or maybe it's the heavens giving me a chance to crush your pride into the dirt."
Isagi instinctively averted his eyes, retreating a half-step. Every time he came into contact with this man, he felt a crushing sense of predation—as if he were being dragged into a dark, suffocating abyss. It was a visceral, sickening feeling.
Aki let out a soft chuckle and surveyed the room. As he expected, his presence had altered the roster. One face was conspicuously missing: Ryosuke Kira. By taking a spot in this room, Aki had effectively displaced the "National Treasure" of Japanese high school football, likely shuffling him off to another team—or out of the program entirely.
Not that Aki cared. He was here to devour everyone in his path.
Floating lines of text began to shimmer in his peripheral vision.
[I knew it! A monster like this had to be in the MC's room. Without a powerhouse to act as a stepping stone, can the MC even grow?] [Are you delusional? The official site said this is an ensemble cast. Are you so sure Isagi is the 'protagonist'?] [Funny...]
Aki remained unfazed by the meta-commentary. As he had told himself before: in this place, anyone with enough strength could seize the title of "Protagonist."
Suddenly, the large monitor on the wall flickered to life.
Ego Jinpachi's gaunt face appeared, looking both bored and intensely serious. "Have you finished changing, you unpolished gems?"
"Listen up. Right now, you are roommates. In the future, you will be rivals. Based on my personal evaluation of your data, I have ranked you accordingly. Those numbers on your suits are your current standing."
"They don't just represent your status within Blue Lock. They are the measure of your current worth."
The room fell silent as players checked their numbers. Isagi looked at his—299. His heart sank. He looked up at Aki, his eyes widening as they landed on the digits on Aki's chest.
[Z-289]
According to the sequence, this man was the strongest player in the room.
Isagi swallowed hard, a cold sweat breaking out on his neck. If the rankings spanned all 300 players, was he really the second-to-last person in the entire project? How many more monsters were waiting in the other wings?
Aki, however, knew the truth of the "script." He suppressed a smirk. While he knew how Blue Lock operated, he also knew his own skill shouldn't have placed him this low. Ego had clearly balanced the teams to ensure no single room was oversaturated with top-tier talent. This wasn't a ranking of skill; it was a carefully curated layout for maximum conflict.
"Rankings will rise as you survive eliminations," Ego continued. "The five players who reach the top of this prison will be guaranteed a spot on the U-20 National Team for the World Cup."
Then, his voice turned cold. "One more thing. If you are eliminated from Blue Lock, your career in football is over. You will be permanently banned from ever representing Japan."
The revelation hit the room like a physical blow. The silence was deafening. They hadn't just come here for training; they were gambling their entire futures.
"To survive here, you need to be selfish," Ego said, a slow, twisted smile creeping onto his face. "Our first test will be conducted with that premise in mind."
A hatch in the ceiling opened, and a football dropped into the center of the room.
"Let's begin. You have 136 seconds. The one in possession of the ball is 'It.' At the end of the timer, the person who is 'It' is out. Pack your bags and leave."
"Start!!"
The monitor shifted. A countdown timer appeared next to a digital avatar. The name beneath it: Igarashi Gurimu, Rank 300.
Suddenly, Aki laughed. It was a sharp, genuine sound. "Interesting. Life needs a little spice, doesn't it? If you're so afraid of being eliminated, why even bother coming here?"
His eyes locked onto Igarashi, who was staring at the ball at his feet.
Igarashi mumbled something to himself, desperation clouding his face. The other players scrambled away, creating a wide circle of empty space, terrified of becoming the next target.
"Don't blame me for this... if I lose, I have to go back and be a monk for the rest of my life! I'm staying here no matter what!!" Igarashi screamed, charging toward the group with the ball.
While everyone else scattered in a panic, Aki didn't move. He stood his ground, tilting his head back and grinning. Then, in a blur of motion that shocked the room, he exploded forward. He was a black streak of shadow, closing the gap before Igarashi could even blink.
Before Igarashi could react, the ball was gone.
Aki stopped the ball dead with the sole of his foot, looking down at the much shorter Igarashi. His crimson eyes exerted a suffocating pressure that seemed to pin the boy to the floor.
Aki looked around the room at the stunned faces. "We came here to get stronger, didn't we?"
The monitor updated. The name [Yoru Ryoshu] flashed in red.
The room froze.
"You..." Igarashi stammered, his voice trembling. "Don't you know the rules? The one who's 'It' is the one who gets kicked out!"