Chapter 89 Football 89 Fortune Turns Around

"They recruited overseas players, including coach Sae, and..."

The moment the news was announced, before any further words could be uttered, an uproar erupted. The players were filled with disbelief. Previously, Sae Itoshi's name only appeared on newspaper pages; he was someone they could only look up to from afar. Now, he had suddenly become their opponent on the field.

But in an instant, these players felt a surge of pride. After all, they too had fought their way through fierce competition with world-class players to successfully advance.

Perhaps... we can win?

The guys, driven by self-interest, all had sharp eyes, staring intently at the young man in the U-20 white jersey on the screen like hungry wolves eyeing their prey. Their gazes were filled with greed and ruthlessness, as if they were about to pounce on him and devour him alive at any moment.

The one who reacted the most was Itoshi Sae's younger brother, Itoshi Rin, whose face and expression were exactly the same—impatient.

"Itoshi Sae!" Itoshi Rin spat out the words through gritted teeth, his voice filled with endless resentment. He seemed to be shrouded in a deathly silence, as if a jet-black current of energy was churning wildly around him. His fierce aura made those standing near him shiver involuntarily and take a half step back, quickly creating a vacuum zone.

Jie Shiyi carefully observed the players who had successfully advanced. After scanning the group, he keenly realized that the player who had left a deep impression on him was not among them. A sense of doubt arose in his heart, and he couldn't help but ask, "Aren't Suoh and the others here?"

"And... Suoh Koki from U-18, and Kira Ryosuke."

These words caused an immediate uproar in the venue, as if a bomb had been dropped on it.

"Huh? How is that possible! Weren't they both in Blue Prison? I saw them during training a few days ago."

"Yeah, yeah, when I was doing teamwork training in the last session, I was thinking that it would be great to be on the same team as Kira, he's so strong."

"I was wondering why the number of people in the 2nd and 3rd teams was wrong. Turns out they went to the other side."

"Traitor! Not only did he desert in the face of battle, but he also ran off to another team."

"What traitor? I think they're more like undercover agents. The file clearly says they 'entered U-18 in junior high school,' so they might have been planted as undercover agents a long time ago, just waiting to catch us off guard at the crucial moment."

"Teammates turned enemies? This plot is so cliché. If this were in a comic, I would definitely give the author a bad review. It has no originality at all."

Just then, Eishin Shiba gently tapped her earpiece, her cool voice booming through the loudspeaker: "Quiet! This is a collaborative project between U-18 and Blue Prison. If it weren't for the U-20's forced recruitment, luring them away from Blue Prison, they would be standing on this field alongside you, competing for the 'Blue Prison Eleven'."

The audience remained noisy, with discussions rising and falling like a surging tide that took a long time to calm down.

Among the 32 who successfully advanced, almost everyone had some connection with Suoh Koki and Kira Ryosuke. They were taken aback by this dramatic turn of events, where former teammates suddenly became mortal enemies, but as expected of the self-interested individuals selected from Blue Prison, they adapted well and their fighting spirit had already been ignited even more fiercely.

After all, a hunter who lets his prey slip through his fingers doesn't deserve to be called a strongman.

"Hahaha!" Raichi Jingo let out a wild laugh, revealing sharp, saw-like teeth. His face was fierce and menacing as he said viciously, "This time, I will definitely overthrow that 'King' from his throne!"

As he spoke, he clenched his fists and struck them together, making a dull "bang" sound. He seemed eager to try, which frightened Shi Guangqingzhi, who was standing next to him, so much that he turned pale and took several steps back. Before he knew it, he bumped into Bing Zhiyang, who was standing behind him.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" Shi Guangqing quickly turned around and bowed repeatedly to Bing Zhiyang in apology. Although he was burly and as tall as an iron tower, he was overly cautious and was now so frightened that he was completely at a loss.

Ice-Weaving Sheep's expression was gentle as she softly said, "It's alright."

Those clear, blue eyes were now fixed coldly on Raishi Jingo.

"Am I supposed to team up with this kind of ferocious guy? This is too terrifying! Even though he's targeting the opponent, he doesn't look like a good person at all... I'm doomed, I just advanced! How did I run into such a scary guy? Will that kind of guy really pass the ball to me during the game?..." Shi Guangqing muttered to himself, holding his head in his hands, his face full of despair.

Like a frightened ostrich, Shiki Aoshi frantically struggled and became anxious in the corner. His voice was very soft and his speech was very fast, but it still reached Raishi Jingo's ears.

Raishi Jingo suddenly turned his head, his eyes wide, and roared, "Huh? What are you babbling about?!" His voice was as loud as a bell, making Shiki Aoshi tremble all over.

Reio Mikage understood the unspoken meaning in Shiki's words. With a slight upturn of her lips and an eyebrow raised, she joked to the members of the 3rd team (formerly the Green Team): "Looks like it's our turn to beat them back from the other side this time, right?"

“That’s right, Blue Prison is the best place for them.” Futaba nodded in agreement, his eyes filled with determination.

Qianqie Baoma crossed his arms, a cold smile appearing on his face, and said in an icy tone, "Abandoning people without a word, this capricious and inconsiderate behavior is infuriating! We must successfully infiltrate the 'Blue Prison Eleven,' utterly crush them, and show them our power!"

Compared to the consensus quickly reached by the 3rd team, the 2nd team was filled with a sense of confusion and helplessness.

"Where are they? Where did they go?"

"Heavenly Guardian, Heavenly Guardian!"

Ranse Kurona and Rakuichi Hōra frantically flipped through the screen, one on the left and one on the right, searching for their opponent's information. But after a thorough search, they were disappointed to find that Amanomi no Michū's name was not on the list.

"Could it be that he was replaced by someone else?" Ma Lang Zhaoying cast a sinister glance at Itoshi Sae's photo, assuming that he had entered the U-20 by defeating Amano Minaka. He said through gritted teeth, "Next time, I will definitely tear that guy to shreds."

Qing Luo Ren looked at the suddenly enraged Ma Lang Zhao Ying and silently took a few steps back.

Jie Shiyi also noticed that Ten no Michu was not on the roster for this competition. Not only was he not on the Blue Prison roster, but he was also not on the U-20 roster.

Will something bad happen?

Jie Shiyi suddenly recalled his last meeting with Amano Minaka.

That feeling of being plunged into an ice cellar still occasionally flashes through his mind.

Just as Jie Shiyi was immersed in her memories, Feng Lehui rushed over like a gust of wind.

You noticed too?

Jie Shi blinked, nodded slightly, and said, "Yes, Tian Zhiyu isn't up there. I should have insisted on playing against the Blue Team last time, no matter what."

"Hmph." Feng Lehui wagged his index finger and said mysteriously, "He's not the kind of guy who just watches others shine. Maybe at a crucial moment, he'll suddenly appear and give us a big surprise."

"Huh?" Jie Shiyi was slightly taken aback, her eyes full of doubt.

After finishing reading the rules, Hui Xin rushed back to the monitoring room. He pushed open the door and his eyes were immediately drawn to two uninvited guests inside.

"Good evening!" Ten no Michu greeted Eishin Shiba with a polite smile. He would have been even more polite if he hadn't been sitting in the gaming chair in the center of the room.

Hiroo Furan stood awkwardly to the side, unsure whether to stand or sit. Although U-18 and Blue Prison were officially partners, they were undeniably fierce rivals, especially now that U-20 and Blue Prison were at war. He awkwardly forced a smile and greeted Amano Minaka with a forced "Eshin-kun."

The presence of a competitor's consultant and launch center inside, offering a friendly greeting, felt more like a show of force than a friendly conversation.

Hui Xin Shiba frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping over the two of them, and asked directly, "What's going on with you two?"

Amano Minaka spread his hands, smiling easily. "We've come to discuss cooperation. Advisor Furan-no-Ying is planning to invest in Blue Prison. What do you think of this proposal?"

Huixin Shiba raised an eyebrow, her tone laced with sarcasm, "I didn't know you were such a kind and helpful person."

Amano Minaka smiled nonchalantly, rubbed his head, and slowly said, "It's just a win-win situation. I'm leaving soon, so I should at least let those who have always supported me get what they deserve, shouldn't I?"

At this point, his expression suddenly changed, and his golden eyes flashed with a determined light. "If it were before, I might have hesitated, but now, I just want to win, to win every single match."

Upon hearing this, Eishin Jūhachi remained silent for a moment, then looked intently at Ten no Minaka and asked, "To England?"

He didn't object, nor did he press for details about why Amano Minaka was leaving. Eishin could guess the reason perfectly well. Japan was too small; its territory was small, and its vision was limited. Talented individuals would only have their wings clipped here. Amano Minaka's father was the coach of the Manjo team; with the rich heritage and broad platform of English football, it would naturally be the best place for him.

"Why can't it be Blue Prison?" Ten no Michū suddenly took out a project proposal for the next phase of Blue Prison from the side, waved it gently in his hand, raised an eyebrow, and said meaningfully, "In the business world, it's always the highest bidder who wins."

Meanwhile, Sae Itoshi, having finished washing up, was in the U-20 lounge, intently performing her evening skincare routine. There was no way around it; she had five or six endorsement contracts on her hands, and maintaining her image was paramount; she couldn't afford even the slightest blemish on her face.

"Peng—"

Suddenly, the door to the lounge was flung open, and a large group of people poured in. As soon as they entered, they began to chatter excitedly, their voices mingling and making everyone's ears ring.

Sae Itoshi had no interest in their conversation at first, but when the name at the center of the topic reached his ears, his ears involuntarily perked up.

"I heard that Ten no Mikoto is planning to go abroad to develop his career?"

"This is going too far! They've taken up so many U-18 resources, and now they just want to walk away?"

“What substantial resources can U-18 provide him? He’s just a pure ‘blood bag.’ He had only just recovered from his illness when U-18 urgently recalled him. If it were me, I would have run away long ago.”

"That's right. If it weren't for the U-18 interfering, he would have joined the U-20 long ago."

"I don't believe it, he..."

"Shh—" Someone in the crowd suddenly noticed that there was someone sitting in the corner and quickly whispered to warn, "There's someone here."

Sae Itoshi raised his head, gave them a cold, dismissive look, as if they were a bunch of clowns. He slowly applied his face mask, then got up and left the lounge without looking back.

Who cares about the intricate power struggles and backstabbing within their system? He has no interest in getting involved.

"You do have some brains." Sae Itoshi reached out to steady the face mask that was about to slip off, pinching the essence-soaked cotton pad between her fingertips, and chuckled as she looked out at the dazzling city lights.

You've finally made progress!