On the other side.
In just 67 minutes of the first stage of the second selection, Itoshi Rin had scored 100 goals and completed the assessment. He eagerly came to the second stage, wanting to find Tendou and ask clearly what his relationship was with his older brother, Itoshi Sae. Why would he know who he was? Had his brother mentioned something to him?
The humble Itoshi Rin still held a tiny sliver of hope in his heart. He had completed the assessment with his fastest speed. But when he arrived at the second stage, he didn't find Tendou's figure. There was no one around; he was the first to pass.
"That guy... he hasn't passed yet?" Itoshi Rin frowned tightly. He didn't think the other was just bluffing. The aura that he naturally exuded couldn't be faked; it was somewhat similar to his own bastard brother's.
"Tch." Itoshi Rin found a place to sit down. "I'll just wait for you here."
...
After a while longer.
The gate to the second stage opened again. Isagi Yoichi's figure appeared here. By now, quite a few players had passed the first stage.
Isagi looked around. He didn't see Tendou, nor did he see that Itoshi Rin. The younger Itoshi brother had waited for a while and then impatiently proceeded to the next stage.
"So this is the second stage?" Isagi observed his surroundings and saw the content of the second stage on the screen.
[Form a team of three, then enter the door.]
That's it!
"In other words, the next part requires three people to complete?"
Isagi instinctively wanted to find Tendou and his teammates from Team Z. At a time like this, it seemed better to team up with people you were familiar with, so you could look out for each other.
Almost as soon as he stepped through the door, Bachira followed him in.
"Isagi, you passed too!"
"Bachira!"
Isagi was happy to see Bachira, and they high-fived.
Then, after understanding the rules of the second stage, they chose to team up without hesitation.
"By the way, where's Tendou?"
"I didn't see him. He's probably already left for the next stage."
And that Itoshi Rin was also nowhere to be seen. Maybe the two of them had already teamed up.
"Is that so? And here I was wanting to continue playing soccer with Tendou," Bachira said with regret.
In Team Z, his relationship with Tendou and Isagi was the best. He believed that, like him, they also had a "monster" living inside them. Bachira liked to team up and play soccer with people like that.
"So, who should we choose for the last person?"
"If possible, I'd like to be with Chigiri or Kunigami."
Isagi's first choice was still his teammates from Team Z; after all, they had the experience of fighting side-by-side.
But then.
Nagi Seishiro, carrying Mikage Reo, came up to them at this moment.
"Isagi Yoichi, want to team up with us?"
He had actually taken the initiative to invite Isagi.
"Hey, Nagi, was this guy the one you wanted to team up with?" Reo was surprised.
"Mmm~" Nagi shook his head and said, "I want to team up with Tendou, but it seems he's already gone on to the next stage. Among the people left, I'm most interested in him."
In Team Z, besides Tendou, the one who had left the deepest impression on Nagi was not Bachira, nor Chigiri. It was the seemingly ordinary Isagi, who had no talent to speak of, yet had scored 2 goals.
"I want to try playing soccer with them!"
Hearing this, Isagi decisively refused.
"I'm sorry, but I can't just join your team by myself." He had already promised to team up with Bachira to pass the assessment.
"You heard him, Nagi. We should just wait for that idiot Zante..."
"I see."
Before Reo could finish his sentence, Nagi interrupted him. He said, "Then let me join your team."
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Isagi, Bachira, and even Reo were all stunned.
"What are you talking about, Nagi?! Of course, you're going to team up with me, right?" Reo's voice was tinged with agitation. The terrible feeling that had flashed through his mind during the match with Team Z once again swept through his entire body. The feeling of his treasure being taken away.
Nagi turned his head and said seriously, "Reo, you taught me football. We are going to become the world's number one together. That promise is absolute."
"But we lost. That's a fact. We are not the strongest. To understand what this feeling of frustration that I'm experiencing for the first time is, I need to play with them."
Reo's heart skipped a beat, as if he had been betrayed. But his pride wouldn't allow him to bow his head. He gritted his teeth and said, "What is this... Do whatever you want."
Isagi and Bachira looked at each other, clearly not expecting Nagi to make such a choice.
"What should we do, Isagi?"
"If it were Kunigami or Chigiri, I would undoubtedly feel more at ease, but..."
He really did want Nagi's talent... He wanted to come into contact with more geniuses and then understand their world.
"Come on, Nagi Seishiro!"
And so, Isagi, just like in the original story, formed a team with Nagi and Bachira.
The streamer Fanshi, who was watching the live broadcast, had a very rich expression at this moment. His mouth was wide open, and his hands were clutching his head.
"Huh? Nagi just abandoned Reo like that?"
This wasn't for show; he really had not expected the plot to unfold this way. No matter how you looked at it, Nagi and Reo were like a "pair." Not in a CP sense, but in terms of male friendship, bonds, promises, and the like.
Is it really this explosive?
'Wow, look at Reo's expression! It looks like it's about to shatter.'
'Things are getting interesting.'
'Could this be the legendary NTR…'
'I really didn't expect this development. They're already backstabbing?'
'How can you call it a backstab? Nagi's personality has always been a bit flawed. He has some naivety and innocence!'
'Here we go, the simps are starting to make excuses again.'
Fanshi was looking at the bullet comments, about to say something, but then he saw the gate open once again. And then, he saw Tendou, covered in sweat, walk in.
"Huh? Didn't Tendou already leave for the next stage? How come he's only passing now?"
At this moment, Fanshi's mood was just like the screen full of "?" bullet comments. He couldn't help but let out an "ah." The words that were already on the tip of his tongue were instantly swallowed back down. He felt that the upcoming plot would be even more explosive.
"Hmm? You... seem to be called Mikage Reo, right?"
"Tendou?! Why are you still here?"
At this time, Reo had not yet recovered from Nagi's backstab. Suddenly seeing Tendou, his expression went blank again. Because they had all thought that Tendou had already left for the next stage. After all, the content of the first stage assessment didn't seem like it could have stumped Tendou.
"Ah, about that. I took the initiative to ask for 90 minutes of extra training."
Extra training!!
"But isn't the rule only 90 minutes? If you don't score 100 goals in that time, you get eliminated."
"Rules are made to be broken." Tendou found a bottle of water to drink, then continued, "And you need to get this straight. It's Blue Lock that needs me, not me who needs them."
Mikage Reo, "..."
"So, where's that partner of yours?" Tendou asked, already knowing the answer.
...
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