Central Hall.
All the players who had passed the second selection gathered together. Except for the one known as the "Aomori Messi," who was still receiving treatment for an accidental injury during a match, all the other players had arrived.
Tendou also saw many familiar faces here: Raichi Jingo, Tsurugi Zantetsu, Gagamaru Gin, Hiori Yo, Niko Ikki, and so on.
It was worth mentioning that the Wanima brothers had been separated because their team's points were not enough. In the end, the younger brother, Keisuke, had sacrificed himself for his older brother, Junichi. He too had passed and arrived at the fifth stage.
"Get lost, is what I'm saying!"
Without his younger brother, Wanima Junichi was forced to speak for himself. But he had developed a strange verbal tic, always having to add "is what I'm saying" at the end of his sentences, as if he were possessed by his twin.
"The older Wanima brother is talking?" Chigiri was very shocked.
"We can face each other again, Chigiri, is what I'm saying." Junichi looked at his old teammate, Chigiri, with a burning gaze. His long, bitter face was now perpetually turned upwards, as if he had inherited everything from his younger brother.
What a weirdo.
Tendou glanced at him and then looked away. He also discovered Kunigami Rensuke here. The hero of justice had not been eliminated this time, nor had he undergone Ego's hellish modification to replicate Noel Noa.
Everyone had arrived. Ego's face once again appeared on the big screen.
"That's enough reminiscing for now. All of you, quiet down, you uncut gems of strikers."
"You don't have time to worry about the people who were eliminated. Because your football careers might end together with Blue Lock, becoming worthless trash."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was shocked. They had all heard the words "end together with Blue Lock" and didn't know what had happened.
"In any case, thank you all for your hard work first."
"The match against the World All-Star Team must have been an irreplaceable failure, right?"
"I'll talk to you about the meaning of it some other day when I have time..."
Ego rubbed his chin, seemingly thinking about how to talk to the players. After a long while, he finally said, "Something came up. The plan has changed. It seems the higher-ups in Japanese football want to destroy Blue Lock immediately. So I issued them a challenge."
"That's how it is. The next round of selection will be in three weeks. It's a battle for the survival of Blue Lock. A special match: the Japan U-20 National Youth Team versus the Blue Lock Eleven!"
What?!
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present was stunned. The U-20 representative team... that meant almost the strongest players of Japan's younger generation. A match against them? Us?
To pick 11 players from a group of all forwards to play against the national youth team?
"As long as you win this match," Ego noticed the players' expressions and decided to give them some encouragement. He said, "Our Blue Lock will be able to take the place of the Japan U-20 National Team!"
Take their place?
"Meaning, we can become national team players?" Raichi's voice was trembling, and he had rarely been so quiet.
The match was difficult, but the reward was rich. Most of them had participated in the Blue Lock project to become a member of the U-20 team and play in the Youth World Cup. Now, the opportunity was right in front of them.
At this moment, they overcame their fear, their minds filled with the thought of becoming a member of the U-20 team and participating in the grandest international competition for young players in the world!
"That's right. But don't get too happy too soon. After all, we're just a hastily assembled group of high school students, and all of us are forwards."
"They sneered and readily accepted the match. Their purpose is to destroy the Blue Lock project and use the topic of a national team match to make money."
"They think we will ultimately lose the match, become a laughing stock, and be used as a case of a failed youth training program, forever nailed to the pillar of shame in Japanese football history."
"Doesn't that make you frustrated? Don't you want to give them a big surprise?"
"I can assert with extreme calmness right now that your current strength is enough to subvert Japanese football."
Ego made a pistol gesture with his right hand and "shot" himself in the head.
"However, to ensure a 100% victory, they have added one person to the national youth team."
"They have decided to call up a New Generation World XI midfielder for the first time: Itoshi Sae!"
As if a switch had been flipped, Itoshi Rin's expression instantly changed. After his surprise, came gritted teeth. That snowy night once again assaulted his mind.
Tendou didn't say anything the entire time, just stood there as a set piece. Alright, he was actually just watching the audience's reaction.
...
Meanwhile.
Outside world.
They had announced this match to the public at the first opportunity. The Blue Lock project was finally going to be revealed. The fans were all curious about what kind of talent the Blue Lock project could cultivate in these two or three months. Therefore, everyone was paying special attention to this match.
The internet was also full of discussions about this match, but they were not friendly to Blue Lock.
[Is Blue Lock finally making its debut?]
[Their opponent is actually the U-20 National Youth Team. Is that really okay?]
[It's definitely impossible, right? After all, many of the players on the youth team are already at a professional level.]
[That's right. How can a group of high school students compare to professional players?]
[Let's go watch the match on-site then. I'm still very curious about what kind of talent Blue Lock has been able to train after spending so much money.]
[I'm going too! I'm going too!]
The fans were discussing enthusiastically online. No one thought Blue Lock could win. The current striker of the U-20 national youth team, Shidou Ryusei, was only 20 years old but had already landed on a J.League first-team stage and had achieved good stats. The captain of the youth team, Aiku, a central defender, had even received interest from a certain Italian club.
The other members were also the cream of the crop of their generation, having come up step by step from U-16 and U-18.
A group of seventeen or eighteen-year-old high school students, and a team composed entirely of forwards at that. How could they win?
...
"Sae-chan, are you sure you want to accept the national youth team's call-up?"
At Itoshi Sae's home, Sae was looking at the newspaper with his agent. He was not in a hurry to return to Spain because he had developed a strong interest in Blue Lock.
"Yeah. I want to confirm one last time if there's still any salvation for Japanese football."
Sae opened the newspaper, then changed his clothes and prepared to go out.
"That person... do you really care about him that much? Is he even better than Rin-chan?" the agent still remembered. Two or three months ago, Sae had asked him to find the Blue Lock roster and look for a person named Tendou Kageyoshi. After learning that this person was on the list, Sae had decided to stay.
"Rin..." Sae paused and said, "Don't mention that idiot in front of me."
Of course, that's what he said. But if possible, Sae hoped more than anything to see Itoshi Rin learn how to become an excellent forward from Tendou.
"Then where are we going now?"
"To the national youth team. I want to see what those guys are made of."
Sae took this match very seriously. After all, the opposing team had Tendou Kageyoshi.
He still remembered their first meeting. Sae had been surprised that Japan possessed a forward with such high talent. After returning to the hotel and recalling his brief duel with Tendou, that talent reminded him of one person.
Barça's main striker, a New Generation World XI forward, the 19-year-old Bunny Iglesias!
The reason he had decided to switch from being a forward to a midfielder was precisely because of this monster.
...
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