Chapter 29: The Dream Chaser
Team Z Video Room
"Hey, don't get the wrong idea," Chigiri Hyoma said sharply, his pink eyes narrowing. "I'm not some fangirl obsessing over you."
Kira Ryosuke blinked, caught off guard. 'How does this guy read me so easily?' Scratching the back of his head, he let out an awkward chuckle, trying to mask his embarrassment.
Chigiri's gaze returned to the screen, where Kira's match highlights played on loop. "No wonder you dominate out there," he said, his tone tinged with something bitter. "It's not just your talent. It's the relentless training you put in every day. Scoring all those goals, stealing the show… it must feel incredible, right?"
The words carried a faint edge of envy, and Kira caught it. 'He's not just analyzing me—he's wrestling with something deeper.'
Truthfully, Kira's daily grind was about maximizing his Trial Cards. Their 24-hour window meant wasting them was like throwing away his cheat system's potential. But he couldn't exactly spill that secret. So, with a serious expression, he spun a half-truth.
"Well, before Blue Lock, I was decent, but nowhere near this level," Kira said, his mind drifting to his original self's high school matches. The gap between that version of him and the player he'd become in Blue Lock was stark. "Back then, I couldn't have pulled off plays like these. It's the competition here—teammates and opponents like you, all pushing me to evolve. Playing with talents like this… I'll probably never forget these days."
Kira cringed inwardly. 'No way I can tell him about the system. Guess I'll just keep spouting this sentimental crap.' But Chigiri seemed to take it seriously, his expression softening as he sank into thought.
"So that's it…" Chigiri murmured after a long pause, his voice quiet.
Kira, sensing the moment, dialed back his bravado. "Hey, matches are unpredictable. Form comes and goes. Maybe next game, I'll just blend into the background with nothing special." He grinned, trying to sound humble.
Chigiri's eyes flicked back to him, sharp and perceptive. "Your off-the-ball movement is unreal," he said. "I wasn't slacking during the matches—I watched you closely. You always find the gaps in the defense. If Isagi's finishing was sharper, you'd have bagged even more goals."
Kira's heart skipped. 'This guy's been dissecting my game.'
"And that's not even your best trick," Chigiri continued, his voice steady but intense. "Your real weapon is absorbing your opponents' abilities, isn't it? Barou in the last match, Niko in this one—you mimic their strengths at clutch moments. Your greatest asset is imitation, and you do it scarily well."
Kira froze, a chill running through him. 'Has he seen through me?' He forced a laugh, rubbing the back of his head. "Haha, maybe you're right. I didn't even notice it myself."
'Regretting this chat already,' he thought, wishing he'd stayed in the training room.
Chigiri, oblivious to Kira's system, pressed on. "But there's a limit to that. You can mimic Barou or Niko because their skill levels are close to yours, so you can adapt their techniques. But if you face someone leagues above you, that imitation won't cut it." He paused, his tone softening. "As a striker, if you perfect your fundamentals—dribbling, vision, shooting—you could go even further. You're already strong, but there's more in you."
Kira sucked in a breath. Chigiri had nailed his playstyle, system or not, and even offered advice. 'Underestimated him,' Kira thought. 'This is the guy who makes the U-20 team later. He's no ordinary player.'
"Wow, Chigiri, you're something else," Kira said, feigning a sudden epiphany. "That's some serious insight. But what about you? What's your weapon? Why're you so cagey about it?"
Chigiri's expression darkened, his voice flat. "I told you, I don't want to talk about it." The room fell silent, the air heavy with unspoken tension.
Kira studied him, then took a shot in the dark. "Let me guess. You were a prodigy once, weren't you? But something happened, and now you're scared to show your full talent."
Chigiri's eyes widened, a flicker of shock breaking his cool facade.
Kira pressed on, his tone gentle but probing. "It's an injury, right? Something that could ruin your gift if it happens again. A cruciate ligament tear in the knee, maybe? The doctor warned you another injury could end your career, so you hold back. You don't dare run full speed anymore."
Chigiri froze, his mind reeling. "You… how do you know?" he whispered, his voice trembling.
"Huh? I was just guessing!" Kira said, playing it off with a grin, though his heart raced. Nailed it. He'd read enough of the manga to know Chigiri's backstory, but hearing it confirmed in person hit differently.
"Tch." Chigiri clicked his tongue, unconvinced. 'A guess that accurate? What, did you read my medical file?'
"I had it all once," Chigiri said, his voice low, almost breaking. "The talent, the thrill of scoring, the dream of being the world's greatest striker. But now… I'm terrified of getting hurt again. Of losing football, the one thing that gave me joy. Coming to Blue Lock… it's just an excuse to let go of my dream." He looked at Kira, his eyes raw with vulnerability. "Watching you… even at my peak, I don't think I could've matched you. You've given me the excuse I needed to quit."
He stood slowly, heading for the door, his steps heavy with defeat.
Kira's chest tightened. Hearing Chigiri's words in person, so raw and real, was nothing like reading it in the manga. In Chigiri's slumped figure, he saw a shadow of his former self—the boy who'd once dreamed big and then shattered under the weight of his own limits. The boy who'd lost not just football, but his edge. His usefulness.
'If you don't fight for your dream at least once, you'll regret it forever.'
"Chigiri," Kira called out, his voice steady but urgent.
Chigiri paused, his hand on the door.
Kira wasn't speaking for Trial Cards or tactics this time. He was speaking for the broken boy in front of him—and for the boy he used to be. "You only get one life, Chigiri. The path you choose is up to you, but if you give up on your dream now, you might spend the rest of it wondering 'what if?' On quiet nights, you'll replay this moment, asking if you could've been more if you'd pushed forward. A life of dull routine, scraping by, always haunted by what could've been."
He took a breath, his words raw. "I don't want that for you. You deserve a life that burns brighter."
Chigiri turned, his eyes wide, caught off guard by the sincerity in Kira's voice. For a fleeting moment, Kira didn't look like a cocky teenager but like an older man, weathered by regret, confined to a wheelchair. Chigiri blinked, and the image vanished, leaving only Kira's earnest gaze.
"Thank you," Chigiri said softly, his voice barely audible. "I'll… think about it."
He slipped out, leaving Kira alone in the video room.
"Uh, Chigiri, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I swear I was just passing by…" Isagi's sheepish voice came from outside the door.
Kira's lips twitched into a smile. 'This guy.' His heart settled, a quiet resolve forming. 'In Blue Lock, I'll keep fighting—for myself and my dreams'
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