Chapter 88 Football 88 Head-to-Head
It was autumn when he entered the Blue Prison, but when he came out, a biting wind was blowing through Tokyo. It was only when the icy wind, carrying withered leaves, blew into the corridor that Suoh Koki truly realized he had left the Blue Prison.
After all, during his time in Blue Prison, he was like a rat in a sewer, never seeing the light of day.
Forget about the sun, even the air is secondhand.
Suoh Hyo-hee pulled her coat tighter, reached out and tugged at her yellow and black checkered scarf, buried her face in it, and pushed open the conference room door.
The conference room was empty, a stark contrast to the bustling U-20 he remembered.
What about the U-20 crew?
Wasn't the meeting supposed to start at 8 a.m. today?
Xu Wangxiao took out his phone to check the time again. It was 7:30, half an hour before the meeting was scheduled to start. He carefully checked the meeting notification on his phone several times, and after confirming that everything was correct, he stared blankly at the empty meeting room.
Although the U-18 and U-20 teams belong to the same national football association, their training locations are completely different. For this meeting, Suoh Koki hurriedly boarded the Shinkansen early in the morning, traveling all the way from Kanagawa to Tokyo.
He picked up his phone again, tapped the screen lightly, and prepared to dial Kira Ryosuke's number. At the same time, he slowly pushed open the conference room door and stepped out.
"Thud—"
Just then, a crisp sound of a soccer ball being shot reached his ears.
Are they on the field?
...A new recruit has arrived at the U-20?
The speed and power of that shot are beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Suoh Hyo-hee's heart skipped a beat, and she pulled her leg back from the meeting room. A strong sense of curiosity welled up inside her, wanting to see who could kick such a brilliant goal.
He turned and walked toward the window of the conference room.
That sharp, powerful sound could never have come from a former member of the U-20 team. The U-20 team is known for its solid and flawless defense, and such an aggressive shot is completely out of place with their style.
As Suoh Hyo-hee held her phone to her ear, she approached the window, her inquisitive gaze fixed on the stadium through the glass.
"That is..."
The bright green eyes clearly reflected the young man with bean-green hair.
Without hesitation, Suoh Koki called out the name of the person playing soccer downstairs, "...Itoshi Sae?"
Sae Itoshi seemed to keenly notice the superfluous yet intense gaze. He stopped, his reddish-brown eyes sharply raised, meeting Suoh Koki's gaze across the distance.
...Oh, so it's this little brat.
On the field.
Sae Itoshi was dressed in a black jersey with matching shorts. His long legs showed well-defined and powerful leg muscles. Suddenly, a crisp clapping sound broke the silence of the court. His cold face turned slightly, and his gaze shot like an ice blade towards the direction from which the sound came.
"Sae-kun's shot is really sharp." A young man with a full beard slowly walked out from the goal, his heterochromatic purple and green eyes gleaming coldly in the twilight. Behind him, a large group of people followed.
The white team uniforms on them looked like medals deliberately worn, creating a subtle contrast with Sae Itoshi's innate sense of oppression.
Are there going to be protests?
Saeko Itoshi frowned, waiting for the other party to speak.
"Would you be interested in having a chat with us?"
The speaker was Oliver Aikong, the captain and defender of the U-20 team. In his eyes, although the U-20 team was highly regarded domestically, it paled in comparison to the person in front of him.
Sae Itoshi, the strongest center forward among the legendary new generation of eleven, is a talent the national team dreams of. The Football Association extends an offer to him almost every year, but he always remains indifferent and unmoved. Except for the occasional time when he has to stay in Japan to handle matters due to his expired passport, he is almost unwilling to stay for even a moment longer.
After all, he is Sae Itoshi, who bluntly stated in front of the media that "Japan will never become number one in the world" and "I was just born in the wrong country," an absolutely self-centered and unconventional individual.
"Would you be interested in exchanging tips and skills with us, Sae-kun?" Oliver Aikong asked casually, but he had his own plans in mind.
Despite the vast difference in their social status, Oliver Aikong held his own in the conversation, as he keenly sensed that Sae Itoshi's sudden return to Japan was definitely for a hidden purpose.
This guy, who has always been self-centered, wouldn't choose to return to his home country to play a match at this time without a reason.
"We'll be teammates for a while now. We need to do some practice to get used to each other so we can cooperate better and bring out the team's full potential." Oliver Aikon smiled and tilted his head, the green highlights at the ends of his blue-purple hair swaying slightly.
Its heterochromatic eyes, one purple and one green, bulged out like a hunter spotting its prey.
It's not good to refuse something that's offered for free.
"How about we split into smaller groups and have a match?"
Upon hearing this, Sae Itoshi rolled her eyes speechlessly, as if she were watching a huge joke. Her tone was full of impatience as she coldly uttered, "Huh? You bunch of good-for-nothings think you're good enough to play with me? There's not a single guy here who can catch my passes."
While renewing his passport, he overheard the so-called "Blue Prison" project in the football association building. Those pig-like guys were clamoring for "making Japan the world's best," attempting to create Japan's "world's best" striker.
Hmph, that's utterly ridiculous.
But this absurd project made him decide to stay.
Sae Itoshi didn't care whether he had unintentionally let him hear the plan or if he had ulterior motives. He wanted to see what this football-poor place could come up with.
The pink-haired youth standing next to Oliver Aikong crossed his arms, shrugged his shoulders, and said loudly with a provocative expression, "Huh? That's a really rude thing to say! Now you have to cooperate with us 'good-for-nothings' too, don't you? Don't think too highly of yourself."
"However..." The pink-haired youth deliberately dragged out his words, a sly glint in his eyes. He turned to look at Kira Ryosuke beside him, as if he had suddenly thought of something amusing, and couldn't help but chuckle, "Where is our 'King'? Has he gotten lost again?"
The fact that Suoh Hyo-hee got lost in the Blue Prison is practically common knowledge within the national team. Every time it's mentioned, it becomes a source of amusement for everyone.
As soon as the pink-haired youth said this, the players in white uniforms burst into laughter, with various teasing remarks rising and falling.
"Hey! He's been here so many times, how can he forget the way? Is his brain just for show?"
"Could it be that Blue Prison is too big and he hasn't figured it out yet? Haha, maybe he's still going around in circles inside."
"It seems they're destined to never get a sense of direction; they'll need someone to guide them when they go out in the future."
The U-20 players, dressed in white jerseys, chatted amongst themselves, while Sae Itoshi, in a black jersey, couldn't understand a word they were saying, finding their noise noisy and boring. He curled his lip in a disdainful smile, then lowered his head, focusing intently on smoothing the wrinkles in his clothes, as if everything around him was irrelevant.
"After all, it's a legendary high-tech training camp that cost hundreds of millions. It's understandable that we can't come out for a while." The pink-haired youth said, tightening his white uniform, raising his head, staring intently at Kira Ryosuke, and asking provocatively, "You agree, right, Kira?"
Suddenly, Kira Ryosuke felt as if he were under a spotlight, becoming the center of attention. Despite the piercing gazes, he remained calm and spoke without hesitation, "Sendou-senpai is right. Blue Prison certainly seems to have spent a lot of money; the sports equipment is all high-tech, and they even have one-on-one AI-assisted virtual players. It's just a pity..."
"What's a pity?"
Ryosuke Kira shrugged lightly and said nonchalantly, "Everyone on the team is a forward. The whole team is focused on scoring goals. They'll choose not to pass the ball in order to score for themselves, and they'll even steal the ball from their teammates. They're very aggressive, but their defensive abilities are poor and their discipline is weak."
His light brown eyes scanned the increasingly serious expressions of the U-20 players around him, and he knew that his answer had passed the test.
From the subtle changes in their expressions, Kira Ryosuke vaguely guessed why he and Suoh Koki had been summoned here.
The U20 team will play against Blue Prison.
We were right!
Given his usual style, he's probably not in Blue Prison right now, is he?
We're doomed.
The U-18 will definitely be funded.
Kira Ryosuke remained calm, gently shaking his phone and saying in a flat tone, "Weren't we supposed to have a meeting? Advisor Furani and Koki have been waiting upstairs for a long time."
"Eh? Advisor Ran-Ying is here too?"
"Didn't anyone inform them that the meeting was postponed?"
Oliver Aisaku glanced sideways at Kira Ryosuke, who was beaming with a hearty smile, then turned to Itoshi Sae and extended an invitation: "Sae-kun, would you like to come up with us?"
Sae Itoshi clicked her tongue impatiently, her two beady red eyes sweeping around like cold, sharp blades. Her gaze landed on the belatedly arriving Suoh Koki, and she asked, "But what about Amanomichi? Was he really expelled?"
The U-20 members remained silent, and Saeko Itoshi smiled dismissively.
As expected!
Before Kira Ryosuke could speak, Itoshi Sae coldly interrupted him, saying to Oliver Aisou, "Let's have a meeting. I want to see what you have to say."
On the other side.
Hui Xin Shiba stood tall and straight in front of the big screen, his gaze sweeping over the crowd below the stage, and said in a deep voice: "These are the 32 people who have successfully advanced."
"Next, I will select the 'Blue Prison Eleven' from these 32 players. They will represent Blue Prison at Yokohama International Stadium in a fierce competition against the U-20 team. If you can win this match, the throne of glory for U-20 will belong to you!"
The audience and viewers alike erupted in cheers, as did those watching on the screen.
"This inspiring speech has even made me excited." Tenno Minaka unconsciously clenched his fist, eager to throw himself into the upcoming match.
"Zhongjun." The heavily pregnant Bu Luan Ying standing behind him called out to him awkwardly, her voice tinged with helplessness.
Amano Minaka seemed not to hear, still lost in her own thoughts, muttering to herself, "I've learned quite a bit here, Advisor, would you like to hear it?"
"No option is always right; life requires a plan B, a plan C, and even a plan D."
As he spoke, he suddenly turned to look at Unraveling Nightingale, his eyes revealing an unusual determination. "After I leave, Advisor, you should invest in Blue Prison. It will definitely make you a fortune."
"Eh"
"Yes, although it's not as much as the Football Association gives, at least I've kept my advisor title."
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Author's note: Looking at the cover of Blue Lock, is Nagi going to go to U-20?
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