The first match was over. The next one would be in 6 hours.
...
On Isagi's side.
After finishing the game, they took a shower and came to the cafeteria. Chigiri naturally sought him out, but the look he gave Isagi was extremely malicious. Hmm. It was almost like in the second season, when Itoshi Sae praised Isagi, and Itoshi Rin got jealous.
Of course, being displeased was one thing, but at this moment, Chigiri was extremely curious about the Flow state. It was the same during the 4v4 team match before, and it was the same in the adaptability test now. Isagi, who should have been on the same level as him, had, in the instant he entered Flow, left him behind by a considerable distance.
Chigiri couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity and longing for Flow.
"So, that Flow state... how exactly do you get into it?"
Isagi felt uncomfortable being stared at by him but still truthfully shared his experience of Flow.
"Specifically, it's not much different from what Tendou said."
"Although I haven't completely mastered it, I feel that if I can improve my ability to reproduce the feeling of 'immersion,' I will definitely be able to step into the realm of Flow more easily."
Immersion!
This was what Isagi believed to be the key to entering Flow.
"Huh?" Chigiri was dissatisfied with this ambiguous explanation. He asked, "Don't you try to fool me, you bastard Isagi! In every match, I've played with all my might." He pointed a fork at Isagi, his words unfriendly.
As expected of the "young lady." Even when asking for advice, his words had a "fairy" flavor to them. No wonder this guy's female fanbase was second only to Tendou's. He had resonated with the little fairies.
"It's different from playing with all your might." Isagi was sweating. How did I become "bastard Isagi"?
He quickly waved his hands and seriously shared with Chigiri, "It's something deeper. It's not as simple as just wanting to win."
He thought for a moment, organized his words, and then spoke.
"If it's for the sake of winning, your brain will involuntarily think of various methods, will calculate gains and losses, and will inevitably produce distracting thoughts."
"I think the key to entering Flow, besides desire, is to be fully invested in the game and enjoy the present."
His three experiences with Flow had allowed Isagi to accumulate a wealth of experience. He believed that besides the goal, what was more important was enjoyment. Only then could one be completely immersed in the present and enter a state close to self-forgetfulness.
Maintain the desire for victory, and also enjoy the game?
That was quite troublesome.
Chigiri still couldn't get the hang of it, but he would work hard for it. To better defeat Isagi.
...
On the other side.
Returning to the dormitory, Itoshi Rin also had a look of wanting to speak but hesitating. Like Chigiri and the others, having witnessed the improvement brought by Flow, he had developed a great interest, or rather, a craving for this state. Unfortunately, he couldn't bring himself to ask.
He had always felt that Tendou and his older brother, Sae, seemed to have a very good relationship. And he... his goal was to destroy his older brother.
"If you have something to ask, just ask."
He didn't ask, but Tendou took the initiative to speak. This was him actively seeking the camera. In this adaptability test, Isagi's part was over. The other matches would be glossed over. Because the second season of Blue Lock only had a short 14 episodes. The main event was the match against the U-20 national youth team.
Rin hesitated for a moment but still couldn't help but ask.
"I want to know what that state of Isagi's is."
"Didn't that guy Itoshi Sae tell you?"
Of course, Tendou knew that Sae hadn't told Rin, but he had to ask.
"That guy has also mastered Flow?"
"Of course. It's not something unique in the world of football. The entire World All-Star Team can enter it at will."
"Really?"
Tendou didn't speak, just nodded. This made Rin even more unwilling to accept it. Such a huge improvement... Loki and the others had never used it when facing him. Translated, it meant that he was not yet worthy of seeing them in that state.
...
"If you always maintain this state of mind, it will be very difficult to enter Flow."
"Why?" Rin frowned.
"Because the condition for entering Flow is immersion..."
Blah, blah, blah...
Tendou gave Rin a detailed explanation of Flow.
"The reason Isagi can enter Flow multiple times is because he is pure. Purely wants to win, purely wants to become stronger, and purely loves football."
"I am also thinking about getting stronger every single moment!" Rin immediately said.
"I don't deny that. But you're different. Your purpose is different from Isagi's. From beginning to end, all you think about is Itoshi Sae."
Tendou waved his hand, telling him not to rush to refute.
"I kind of understand now why that guy Sae said those things to you."
"What are you trying to say?" Rin's two ears immediately perked up. Compared to Flow, he was clearly more concerned about this. This is how a brother-complex works. Before, he had impatiently challenged Tendou to a one-on-one just to pry some information about his older brother from his mouth.
Tendou didn't rush to speak but took out his one-of-a-kind tablet in all of Blue Lock. The kind that could connect to the internet.
Seeing this, Rin was dumbfounded. Wasn't Blue Lock a closed facility? How could Tendou contact the outside world? He didn't ask. His eyes were fixed on Tendou as he searched for a bit and then clicked on a match for him to watch.
About 90 minutes later.
Rin's eyes widened in disbelief.
His older brother Sae's Real Madrid youth team had been slaughtered by Barcelona's youth team.
(The author notes: This show is just like this. The first time Bachira and the others saw the World All-Star Team, they couldn't even recognize all the players, as if they don't watch matches.)
"This person is called Barney. Barney Iglesias."
"Weren't you always curious why that guy Sae moved from the front line to the midfield? This person is the reason!"
Hearing this, Rin said nothing. The hand holding the tablet was trembling. He had never imagined that his invincible older brother would have such a pathetic side, beaten so badly he couldn't even fight back.
"He saw his own limit as a forward in Barney."
"No matter how hard he tried, he could not become the world's number one forward."
"So, he retreated from the front line to the midfield, willingly becoming a playmaker."
At this point, Rin seemed to have already understood something in his heart, but he still couldn't help but ask, "Why?"
"Because of you, Itoshi Rin." Tendou said all the words that Sae hadn't said and began to spin his tale.
"As a forward, that big brother of yours believes that you have a higher talent than him. Knowing that he couldn't become the world's number one forward with his own talent alone, he decisively changed his goal to become the playmaker who passes to the world's number one forward!"
BOOM!
As these last few words fell, Rin's heart trembled violently, his mind going completely blank. That unapproachable face, like an iceberg, instantly melted.
...
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