𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 || 𝐁𝐋𝐔𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐊

009

"Match 9 ended in a draw, with Team Y's Niko scoring the equalizer against Team W. As a result, Team Z is now in third place. And the only match left in Building 5 is our final game. If we draw, we won't advance due to our worst goal difference. So, in short, we need to win to survive. That's all there is to it." Iemon stated to Team Z

"Hey, Kuon's listening in on this. Should I kill him?" Raichi said while looking at Kuon "I don't think anyone would make deals with him now, anyway." Naruhaya added while peeking his head out to look at Kuon "But man, it's a miracle Team Y came away with a draw." Igarashi said with both hands behind his head

"Come to think of it, was Niko even the type to take on shots himself?" Chigiri questioned, Bachira perked his head up "He got inspired by a certain someone." Bachira said as he turned to look at Isagi who smiled.

"Anyway, let's move on to the key players of our final opponent, Team V. The trio has scored 18 goals in three games, thanks to their stupidly good attacking skills. Tsurugi Zantetsu: five goals. Mikage Reo: six goals. And their team's top scorer, Nagi Seishiro: seven goals. If we don't stop them from scoring, we can't win."

"Hey, Nagi. you left practice early today." Zantetsu said, pushing his glasses "Yeah, I couldn't be bothered." Nagi replied while playing his game "You know something? If you skip practice too often, the lactic acid in your knees will become a burst of bad glucosamine. Did I get that right?" "Sounded like it."

"Silly Zantetsu. Nagi doesn't need to practice." Reo said, swinging his arm around Zantetsu's shoulder "Reo, you're always spoiling Nagi" "Of course. After all, he's...my treasure, you know?"

"That's a "Can we win the next match?" face." "It's a "My tummy hurts!" face." "It's an "I wonder how granny's doing" face." "It's an "What does rain taste like?" face, morons." "Ding Ding! That 3 times in a row Akacchin!" Bachira said to the female who sat down with elegance.

"How are we meant to get that?! Isagi yelled at Bachira "The Wanima brothers' "What is this face?" game is really tough!" "What the heck are you doing?! You guys have to focus! Focus!" Iemon yelled while pointing at the five "Hmm...An "I'm seriously pissed off" face?" "This face is not a quiz question!"

"Hm? Then, let's begin our strategy meeting" Ai said with her head tilted to the side "Hold on. I haven't forgiven this guy yet. You're gonna spill the beans to someone again, ain't ya? Huh?! Let's start by taking turns punching him!" Raichi said while chokeholding Kuon

"Great idea, Raichi!" "He needs to be punished!" "Hey! Quit it! You're gonna injure him!" Isagi yelled while placing his hand on Raichi's shoulder "What?!" "I'm saying we need him so we can play as an eleve and beat Team V!"

"Are you stupid? No way I'm playing!" "Huh?" "Even if Team Z loses, with three goals, I get to advance as our top scorer. So the best course of action for me is to just do nothing."

"Yuk, I'm gonna kill him!" "I said quit it!" "But if I score three goals in the next match, I'll be the top scorer with three goals in total. Do you still say you won't play?" Kunigami said while looking at Kuon "Hah? You think you can score a hat-trick playing with 10 men against Team V–" "I'll do it. I'll crush you, fair and square." "If you want to try, knock yourself out."

Clapping could be heard as Team Z turned around to face the female "Seeing as we were already in this topic I think it only fair to point out your mistakes, Kuon. If we do lose against Team V I'll be the one advancing as I have 3 goals" Kuon eyes widening "No, that not true—" "Our first match I scored two and our latest I scored one or did you think my goal was yours~"

Kuon started counting trying to recall how many goals he made before coming to realization, falling into his knees "I guess you have no choice but to be useful~"

'Akashi...Managed to corner Kuon?!' Isagi thought, looking at the female whose eyes seemed to glow. Her eyes brought chills down his spine. "You have no one to blame but yourself...I warned you didn't I? Defy my orders and you'll lose your career" Ai approached the male, the room feeling cold "Until then I'll make sure to use you well"

"Hey, hold on. If the top scorers are tied on goals, which one advances?" Bachira asked, ignoring the chilly temperature, "If I remember correctly, the one with fewer yellow cards." Chigiri responded "And if they're tied on that, too?"

"The one who has the higher Blue Lock ranking will advance. Hi. It's been a while. Ego Jinpachi here. If the team loses and your goals and fair play tally are the same...then the top-ranked player will survive." "Huh?" smirking, the female looked at Kuon who was placed second as she was placed first.

"In the first selection, scoring is the only thing assessed. And what he did isn't against the rules. But let me say this, Kuon Wataru...As a striker, you are the lowest of the lowest of the low. Basically you're all crap. You might've felt that you've survived a life-and-death situation, but it was by pure luck. Your play had no value whatsoever. The world's best striker must be able to reproduce their goals. The more dramatic a goal is, the more impressive it is. But tons of players can score those one-off goals. Why can't they reproduce those goals? It's because those goals were nothing but the products of luck. Besides, a rigged goal brought by betrayal is trash with zero reproducibility. What you need right now is the formula to create scoring opportunities."

"Analyze how, when, and under what circumstances your weapon helped you to score a goal. How far away was the goal? How many defenders were there? Where did you receive that pass? What did you feel in that moment? Internalize every detail, then reproduce it. Your positioning, your touch, your dribbling, your shooting...Devise a formula that will make you shine the most. World-famous strikers have their own formulas for scoring. You still live in the sea of coincidences. That won't do. Understand that you can only evolve once you've nailed reproducibility! In a match, you can expect only irregularities to happen. Someone who can prove their own formula on such a battlefield can become the world's best striker, who will crank out goals. One after another. Don't rely on chance to win. Win the game because you're meant to!" Ego said before disappearing

Until the LAST GAME: 23:59:59

"Anyhow, Kuon, don't do anything in the next match. Do something stupid again, and I'll kill you for real." Raichi said smugly looking down at Kuon

Ai watched as Isagi walked out the room, she silently looked at Kunigami, Chigiri, and Bachira "Chigiri, Kunigami, Bachira follow me" shocked at their sudden given names being called they looked at the female before following her.

Seeing as they walked in into an empty practice room they watched her pick up a soccer ball "What are we doing here, Akacchin?" questioned Bachira while tilting his head. "I need an opponent" replied the redhead "Oh yeah, sure. Some 2 on 2" Bachira enthusiastically replied "No, let's do 3 on 1" a look of confusion spread across their faces

"Huh? Come on, Akashi" Chigiri said to the redhead "With all due respect, surely you can't take all three of us" Kunigami crossed his arms while looking at the female "Don't complain if we beat you" Bachira said tilting his head upwards.

In passing time the only sound that was heard was panting as the trio huffed and puffed trying to get air while on their knees. "Good. This should work in an actual game" Ai said while her left leg was placed above the soccer ball, ignoring the males on the ground. "Is this for real" Chigiri said still out of breath "Akashi's a monster"