"That was an accident, don't target me like that!" Gurimu forced a smile, knowing his recent actions had caused serious trouble.
Everyone had seen through his scheme and kept their distance, refusing to let him use them as human shields.
'Damn it...' His heart pounded in his chest as he watched the countdown timer from the corner of his eye.
Ten seconds left.
'Ryōsuke Kira must be planning to strike at the last second so I can't counter — but if I dodge, he'll be eliminated instead. I have a real chance! The shorter the time, the easier to predict his kick. And at this distance, I should have enough time to react!'
A spark of confidence rekindled in Gurimu's heart.
00:08…
00:07…
Time ticked away slowly.
At that moment, Ryōsuke spoke.
"I know what you're thinking. You think I'm waiting for the last second to attack so you won't have a chance to counter."
00:06…
00:05…
"But hitting you with the ball is child's play. You might think you can react at this distance — that's where you're wrong."
His tone was completely calm, without a trace of anger.
00:04…
00:03…
00:02…
❖ Total Concentration ➠ Thunder Breathing! ❖
Ryōsuke stepped forward, entering his total concentration breathing state. His heartbeat quickened, his breathing accelerated, and his blood surged as if boiling.
Everyone around felt the powerful aura emanating from him. For a moment, they forgot to breathe, and no one dared blink, not wanting to miss this crucial moment.
Gurimu's legs began to wobble.
In the final second, Ryōsuke's right foot traced a beautiful arc as he kicked the ball with tremendous force.
Though this strike didn't use his Thunderclap and Flash skill, the enhancement from his Total Concentration Breathing made it devastating enough. Ryōsuke's already exceptional strength, further amplified by his breathing technique, made this shot overwhelmingly powerful.
His goal was to demonstrate his abilities in front of everyone in Team Z.
The immense force gave the soccer ball an absurd acceleration, striking Gurimu directly. He had no time to react as the tremendous impact threw him back several meters, leaving him collapsed on the ground.
00:00!
Time's up.
The screen froze on 'Gurimu Igarashi'.
A piercing bell echoed throughout the room, announcing the game's end.
[Fellow raw gems, results are everything here. The loser is Gurimu Igarashi — you've lost your qualification, now get out.]
The screen changed again, Jinpachi Ego's gloomy face filling almost the entire display.
"But... but... how can this kind of game decide my career! This is nonsense!" Gurimu protested frantically, his body trembling with desperation.
Jinpachi's cold mockery was his only answer.
[Haven't you figured it out? This room matches a penalty area's dimensions — it simulates a forward's movements, testing reaction time, dribbling speed, and shooting technique in motion. This is real football training, you fool, and you failed! Gurimu Igarashi, you were nothing but prey.]
Jinpachi's gaze flickered briefly toward Ryōsuke.
"I... I..." Gurimu stood dazed, words trapped behind the wall of regret and resentment building in his throat. Only low moans escaped.
In the metal-walled space, all eyes fixed on him.
He knelt there, motionless as a puppet with cut strings, his face shadowed, teeth clenched in silence as reality became surreal.
Elimination from Blue Lock meant the end of his football career.
Gurimu had come here to change his fate — his family wanted him to become a monk, and only success in football and making the National Team could alter that path.
But that dream had shattered at Ryōsuke Kira's feet.
The room's door slid open, a silent command to leave.
Gurimu rose shakily, as if waking from a nightmare, and stumbled out.
In the room, only eleven people remained, wrapped in an eerie silence.
[Congratulations, you raw gems. You've finally passed the selection and earned the right to stay in Blue Lock. With exactly eleven people in this room, you'll now form a team — living together, sometimes helping each other, sometimes betraying each other. You are Team Z of Blue Lock.]
Jinpachi said with a smile.
[In the coming days, you'll undergo physical tests. Enjoy your life in Blue Lock.]
After these words, the screen on the wall went dark.
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
In Blue Lock's central control room, Jinpachi Ego sat hunched in his chair, staring intently at the monitoring screens divided into countless small squares. His glasses nearly touched the display.
"What is it, Mr. Ego? Has any particular player caught your interest?" Anri Teieri asked, a woman in uniform standing beside him. She had delicate features and an impressive figure.
As a new employee of the Japan Football Association, she had collaborated with Jinpachi on the Blue Lock Project and helped manage various aspects.
"No, they're all just raw gems, far from showing their true brilliance. None worth paying attention to." He leaned back in his chair and adjusted his glasses, feigning disinterest.
Yet his gaze lingered for an extra second on one particular person in the footage.
Ryōsuke Kira.
'It seems there's a beast in Blue Lock that I hadn't noticed before.'
❖❖❖
T/N: If you want more chapters like this, check out my Patreon! Take a look at my other translations too, you might like them!
For just $1.50 you can access all the extra content, and descriptive images, costs only $2!
That's it and happy reading! (-‿◦)
https://www.patreon.com/mrblackwing