Karasu Tabito's feelings were incredibly complex.
Hiori Yo and Otoya Eita were comrades who had fought side-by-side with him. To suddenly have to separate, it was inevitable to feel reluctant in his heart. But on the other hand, to be acknowledged by the No. 1, Tendou, Karasu couldn't help but feel a secret joy.
To describe it in one sentence: the rules of this enemy-stealing battle were too much of a mind game.
If a player had poor mental fortitude, it was even possible for them to lose heart after just one match and then be eliminated.
Just like the current Isagi Yoichi. He was still immersed in his own world of failure, unable to extricate himself. Because if he lost one more match, he would be eliminated. Their enemies would not choose him; Isagi was crystal clear about this point. Nagi Seishiro's talent was stronger than his, and his immediate combat power was also higher. Once they lost this final 2-on-2 loser's bracket match, he, Isagi, would have to bid farewell to this Blue Lock, bid farewell to his football life.
Isagi was full of self-pity and resentment, feeling only endless pressure sweeping over him, making him feel suffocated. Nagi's attempts to comfort him were not very effective.
"I'm not like you! I can't just throw myself into the ball!" Isagi covered his face in pain.
If Nagi lost, he could still stay, because he was a genius. But what about him? No one would be foolish enough to give up a genius to choose a mediocre talent. The match against Itoshi Rin had directly shattered all his confidence.
'So realistic.'
'Yeah, too realistic. If he loses again, the opponent will definitely pick Nagi.'
'Compared to Tendou, he's so miserable!'
'Because this is football. Without a god-tier thigh to hug, many people will show their true colors.'
'What do you mean? Is Isagi very weak?'
'Not very weak, just that his abilities aren't outstanding, and he relies too much on his teammates. Without Tendou, many of his abilities can't be displayed.'
'This is trouble. Falling into the loser's bracket, it's probably going to be hard to pick strong teammates.'
'Can any big shots spoil it for us? Does Isagi succeed in getting Bachira back in the end?'
'It's an original anime, where are you going to get spoilers from the original work!'
'Let's see how the animation team arranges it.'
Seeing Isagi like this, the audience was not quite used to it for a moment. As the protagonist, Isagi's character development was quite successful. His talent could only be said to be sufficient, not particularly dazzling, but he was down-to-earth, and the audience could easily relate to him. The most important thing was his indomitable spirit. Through his own efforts, constant thinking, and observation, he ultimately scored goals. Such a growth curve was very attractive to the audience. Of course, there was also the wonderful performance of the voice actor, making his every outburst particularly passionate!
Now, suddenly seeing him so dejected, with his confidence kicked out of him, of course, these viewers felt bad.
...
What about Tendou's side?
He didn't care about all that. After picking his person, he was the first to walk into the passage to the next stage. Karasu got up and followed Tendou. Before leaving, he couldn't help but say to his former teammates, "Sorry. Maybe I should have listened to you from the beginning, Yo."
"But even if I had to do it again, I would probably still choose to play against Tendou's team."
"If you don't face difficulties head-on, but choose to escape, you can't survive here."
"So... hurry up and catch up, Eita, Yo! I'll be waiting for you up ahead!"
Damn it!
Tendou and the others left, and the remaining Otoya and Hiori finally couldn't hold back, using loud shouts to vent their unwillingness. This feeling of watching a teammate being snatched away... was the absolute worst!
...
In the passage to the fourth stage.
Chigiri and Reo both greeted Karasu in a friendly manner. Although they had won the match, the level that Karasu had displayed was worthy of their respect. The rankings don't lie. In their 4-man team, besides Tendou, Karasu was the strongest.
"Hello, Crow. Is this okay with you?"
"Whatever. The loser has no right to choose."
Karasu sighed silently but quickly adjusted. The moment he chose to participate in the Blue Lock project, he was mentally prepared. What's more, this wasn't the worst result. At least he was chosen and had even become teammates with the No. 1.
"Unlike this young lady, Chigiri, the person I most wanted to choose was also you," Reo said, extending his hand in a friendly manner.
Choosing Otoya to form a dream front three was indeed very attractive. But Karasu's presence could boost the team's combat power even more. In the match just now, most of the opponent's attacks were initiated by Karasu. He could pass, attack, and defend. Who wouldn't want such a teammate?
The most crucial thing was, with Karasu, Tendou's attacking power could be better unleashed.
"I'll take that as a compliment." By now, Karasu had already accepted these new teammates.
"By the way, your hairstyle is very special. Is it natural?" Chigiri noticed Karasu's hairstyle, like a crow, very interesting.
"Of course not. Every day when I wake up, I use hair wax to maintain my hairstyle well. It's cool, right?"
Who the hell told you that you can maintain your hair with hair wax?!
Use conditioner to take care of your hair properly! And use a shampoo that suits your hair type!
Heretic!
Chigiri was also the type of guy who paid extreme attention to his hair and hairstyle. He would never use hair-damaging things like hair wax. Every day after showering, he would meticulously take care of it with conditioner and other products.
...
"So, what about you, No. 1? For what reason did you choose me?" What Karasu wanted to hear the most was actually Tendou's answer.
"Your brain is not bad, and your ability is okay. You can do the dirty work for me."
What an annoying man.
Karasu was speechless in his heart but was quickly relieved. He was smart and had read the underlying meaning in Tendou's words. His own ability could allow Tendou to better exert his own.
...
Real world.
At night, Fanshi once again watched the show live with his audience.
The animation team did not spend too much time describing Isagi's failure, ending the match with Rin's team in just one episode. Most of the latest episode was dedicated to Isagi's team's match.
Fanshi clicked on the latest episode full of anticipation, expecting Isagi's team to advance, then meet up with Tendou's team for a passionate clash.
Who would have known.
After the match began, the situation was completely different from what he had expected. After smoothly scoring one goal at the start, Itoshi Rin's team began a stormy counter-attack. A direct shot from the midfield. Rin quickly tied the score with a spectacular goal that stunned the crowd.
"A direct shot from the midfield?"
"And it went in?"
"I..."
Fanshi really wanted to say "holy crap," but in a civilized live stream, how could one use vulgar language?
"Family, now everyone should know the value of Tendou's No. 1 rank, right? Itoshi Rin, the No. 2, is already this strong. How strong must Tendou be?"
"Previously, the perspective has always been revolving around Isagi and Team Z, which made us underestimate Tendou's importance. I think we need to re-evaluate Tendou's strength."
Seeing this, Fanshi already had a bad premonition. After all, with the usual tendencies of Japanese animation companies, the side that scores first often doesn't have a particularly good outcome.
The facts were just as he had expected. After Rin tied the score, the other members of Rin's team also quickly launched their own attacks.
...
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