Time passed quickly.
In the blink of an eye, two weeks had gone by, and it was the match day for Blue Lock vs. the National Youth Team.
During this time, every player in Blue Lock had given their all. Even though they knew that they couldn't improve much in such a short time, everyone still did what they could.
Outside Blue Lock, two weeks of promotion was enough to make this match known throughout the country.
"Is there a football match today?"
"Yeah, it's the national youth team's match."
"Who on earth are their opponents?"
"Blue Lock? Never heard of it!"
"Hah, who cares? This is the U-20 representative team, hailed as the 'Diamond Generation,' plus the genius Itoshi Sae. It's impossible for them to lose."
"I never thought Sae would actually join the national youth team."
"Ah, I really want to go see the match live. But I have to work overtime tonight!"
Words like these could be heard everywhere in Japan today. The fans might not care about Blue Lock, but they cared about the national youth team because this was Sae's first time accepting a call-up for a national-level team. Today it was the youth team; tomorrow it could be the senior team.
The fans were all curious. What kind of brilliant sparks would Sae and the Diamond Generation produce?
The match was scheduled for the evening, but early in the morning, the once-deserted Blue Lock had already become lively. Many staff members had come from afar to make various arrangements.
For a football match, the income on match day is naturally not just about tickets. Drinks, food, souvenir merchandise, and so on are all a source of considerable income. Adding in revenue from advertising and sponsorships, a single match day could bring in hundreds of millions.
Of course, this was not Tendou's concern. A day ago, he had asked Reo to help him find a Japanese betting company and had placed a heavy bet. The odds were ridiculous: a 15-to-1 payout for a Blue Lock win. This was thanks to Sae; basically, no one thought Blue Lock could win the match.
Tendou went all-in without hesitation, putting all his cash into it, a full ten million yen, which left Reo stunned. Before placing the bet, Tendou had even made Reo guarantee that if the bookie ran away, he would have to compensate him for the money. The genius young master felt like he had been thoroughly scammed by Tendou.
...
At four in the afternoon, the audience began to enter, and Blue Lock became completely lively.
There was just one rather frustrating thing. It was clearly Blue Lock's home ground, yet the venue was decorated with posters of Sae and the national youth team players. In terms of jersey sales, only the national youth team's were available, with no Blue Lock jerseys for sale. The media reports were also unanimously optimistic about the national youth team winning.
No one felt there was anything wrong with this. How could a team composed entirely of forwards compete with a proper national youth team? What people were really looking forward to was just how much stronger the youth team would become with Sae's addition, and whether they could compete with the world's top teams.
"The addition of player Itoshi Sae is undoubtedly a pleasant surprise. He can always make the right decisions on the field and implement them. By the time the opponent discovers his uniqueness, their goal has often already been breached..."
These were the words of the national youth team's head coach, Sotei Hoitsu, at the pre-match press conference. For Sae, he was full of praise because the fans loved to hear such words. It could be said that as a coach, his skills were average, but he was already very adept at playing the bureaucratic game.
"As for the match process, I don't want to speculate too much. We will not underestimate any opponent, even if they are a group of high school students, and all of them are forwards."
"We will go all out for the victory. This is an accountability to the fans. Just like in the upcoming Youth World Cup, our entire team will go all out and strive for the top..."
The camera flashes at the press conference flashed again and again. Sotei Hoitsu spoke eloquently with a self-satisfied air.
On the other side, Ego Jinpachi just said that Japanese football was about to welcome a revolution and then left. This was seen by the media as a sign of his lack of confidence and was naturally met with another round of merciless ridicule.
...
In the locker room, the young men of Blue Lock had already changed into their gear, ready to go into battle at any moment.
Tendou put on the dark blue jersey and flicked the collar with some dissatisfaction. He didn't like this color; he preferred Manchester United's red and white combination. But at this point, he had nothing to be picky about. He put on his gloves and got ready. It was now the end of winter, and the weather was still cold.
In terms of jersey numbers, Tendou chose number 7 without hesitation. Some reckless guys had wanted to fight him for it but were forced to retreat with a single glance. In the world of football, some jersey numbers are always different... For example, Manchester United's number 7, Barça's number 10. These jerseys, because of certain players, have been endowed with a deeper meaning.
...
Then, Ego also walked into the room, followed by Anri. The mushroom-head had finally changed his clothes, wearing a blue suit. He brought them the substitute list.
The starting lineup only had 11 spots, but the player roster could have up to 23. Reo, Barou, Hiori... and so on, a total of 12 people were selected for the substitute list. Most of the people here would not have a chance to play. Because there were only 3 substitution windows, with a maximum of 5 players. This means that in a match, a team can change up to 5 players in a maximum of 3 substitution windows.
Finally, after a round of motivational chicken soup to stir up the players' emotions, Ego led them out of the locker room.
...
In the players' tunnel, the members of the national youth team had already arrived. Outside the tunnel, countless fans were singing songs. Such a commotion made even the non-Blue Lock players feel a tightness in their hearts. They had never played on such a big stage before; it was inevitable to be nervous.
"Ah, they're here, they're here! Blue Lock!"
The members of the national youth team looked relaxed and even greeted them.
Tendou walked silently at the very front of the team, his brows furrowed, with the determination of a soldier going to his death. Standing beside him was not the national youth team's captain, Aiku, but rather Itoshi Sae.
"Long time no see, Tendou Kageyoshi."
"Ah, long time no see, genius."
The two of them talked without turning their heads, which surprised many people. Tendou and Sae actually know each other?
"I saw your starting lineup. No Shidou, and no Yukimiya."
"It's just some boring self-esteem at work."
"I see. Then I won't be polite with you."
"Come and try, if you can."
The two of them chatted as if no one else was around. It seemed very casual, yet it gave people a feeling of a sharp confrontation. Aiku noticed the atmosphere between the two and squinted his eyes.
"This person... could he be the reason for Sae's caution?"
He didn't look particularly special. If he had to find one thing, it was that he was exceptionally handsome. Aiku swore that this was definitely one of the most handsome high school students he had ever seen. Especially those eyes... they were very divine!
...
Get 30+ chapters ahead on - P.a.t.r.e.o.n "RoseWhisky"