Chapter 137: The Break
"Hell yeah! Victory party starts tonight!"
"I'm hitting the showers first. I smell like a locker room floor."
"Is there going to be pizza and fries? Man, I've been craving real food for months."
The team was buzzing as they filtered out of the locker room, heading for the dorms. Ego and Anri had already slipped away, likely to start analyzing the data from the slaughter.
Kira was about to follow the crowd when he noticed Itoshi Rin still sitting in the corner, his head buried in his hands.
"Hey, Kira! You coming or what?"
Bachira looked back, his eyes bright with excitement. He was clearly ready for the feast, but he paused when he saw Kira staring at the bench.
"Actually... go on ahead, Bachira. I'll meet you there in a bit. I need to wash up anyway."
Kira looked back at Rin. In his old life, the manga hadn't gone much further than the U-20 match when he last read it, so the future was a bit of a blur. He considered walking over, but then stopped himself.
'Better to let him stew in it,' Kira thought, a sharp, competitive edge to his smile. 'Sulking won't help him, but the rage might. He needs to sharpen himself if he wants to be worth devouring later. Become my fuel, Rin.'
Bachira followed Kira's gaze. "Oh. Rin looks like he's in a dark place, doesn't he?"
"We just won the game of our lives. You'd think he'd be a little more hyped," Bachira added, tilting his head. "Were you going to go talk to him?"
Kira shook his head, turning away. "No. Let him figure it out. He's a big boy."
"Haha, fair enough! Let's go get that food!"
Bachira threw an arm around Kira's shoulder, and the two of them headed for the showers, leaving the silence of the locker room behind.
***
Sitting alone, Rin felt a toxic cocktail of emotions. The jealousy was a cold weight in his chest.
Kira's talent was on a different level. It was a gap that Rin's pride found nearly impossible to bridge. But as he sat there, the bitterness began to transform.
'Keep running, Kira,' Rin thought, his eyes narrowing into a cold, focused glare. 'I'm going to use your back as my target. I'll hunt you down until there's nothing left of your lead.'
***
The next morning, the real reward arrived.
Kira stared at the smartphone Anri handed back to him, almost moved to tears. "My god. I forgot what a screen looked like."
The news of a two-week break had just been announced. After months in the Blue Lock pressure cooker, they were finally getting a taste of the real world again.
Kira stepped through the massive front gates of the facility, squinting at the sunlight. It felt strange to be outside without a whistle blowing or Ego's voice echoing through a speaker.
"Hey, Kira! Want to head back together? We can catch the bus to Saitama Station," Isagi said, hauling his bag over his shoulder.
"Sounds like a plan, Isagi. Let's get out of here."
The two of them talked shop the entire ride back, dissecting plays and discussing the new U-20 roster. By the time Kira made it to his front door, he was exhausted but riding a high.
His sister, Rinko, had prepared a massive spread of his favorite foods the moment he walked in.
"Welcome home, superstar! I watched every second of that broadcast," Rinko said, beaming with pride. "Beating the National Team and scoring four goals? You were a monster out there."
"The interview at the end was so cool. You looked like you owned the place."
Kira didn't bother with modesty. He puffed out his chest and grabbed a piece of steak. "Of course I did. I told you, Rinko. I'm the guy who's going to rule this game. World number one—nothing less."
Rinko laughed and flicked him on the nose. "Don't let it go to your head too much, kid."
"Too late for that. But I'll listen to my big sister for today."
Kira buried his face in the meal, savoring the taste of home. Rinko watched him eat, a soft, satisfied smile on her face. Her brother wasn't just a kid with a dream anymore. He was the future.
***
The following morning, Kira was out the door before the sun was fully up.
"Ryosuke? Where are you going this early?" Rinko called from the kitchen.
"Heading into Tokyo! Meeting some of the guys in Shibuya."
"Have fun! Don't be late for dinner!"
Kira checked his phone as he boarded the Shinkansen. Chigiri had messaged the group chat, suggesting a meetup in Shibuya. There was no way Kira was turning down an invitation from the "Princess."
He reached the cafe Chigiri had pinned and spotted Bachira waving frantically from a corner table.
"Over here, Kira! Over here!"
Kira navigated the crowd and sat down with the three guys already there: Chigiri, Bachira, and Isagi.
"Hey, Chigiri. Bachira. Isagi," Kira said, nodding to each of them as he took the last empty seat.
"You have to try this Honey Caramel Cocoa Latte. It's life-changing," Chigiri said, immediately pushing the menu toward him.
Kira took a look at the table. "Just the four of us? Where's everyone else?"
Chigiri took a sip of his latte and sighed. "I tried calling Raichi and Niko, but they were both 'too busy.' Probably still training."
"I invited Kunigami, too, but that guy is obsessed. He told me he already booked four hours at the gym and the pool. No days off for the hero, I guess."
"Hiori wanted to come, but he lives way too far out. He said he'd catch us next time."
Bachira looked a little pouted. "Igaguri said he had to help clean his family's temple, so he's out. And I messaged Gagamaru, but I think he's literally living in a cave in the mountains right now. He hasn't even read the text."
Kira laughed. That sounded exactly like Gagamaru.
Isagi held up his phone to show the group his chat history. "I tried to get Nagi to come out, but look at this."
They all crowded around the screen.
Isagi: You here yet?
Nagi: Just woke up.
Nagi: You guys go ahead. I'm going back to sleep.
They all groaned in unison. Classic Nagi.
"What about you, Kira? Did you invite anyone?" Chigiri asked.
"Uh..." Kira rubbed the back of his head. "Honestly, I was just focused on making it here on time. I didn't even think about it."
"So, what's the plan? We just going to wander Shibuya?" Bachira asked, his eyes wide with anticipation.
"I'm a go-with-the-flow guy," Kira said, leaning back in his chair. "No plans, no stress. Let's just see where the day takes us."
"Speaking of plans... have you guys seen the news today?" Chigiri asked, his expression turning serious.
"What news?"
The three of them looked at him blankly.
Chigiri sighed and pulled up a series of bookmarked articles on his phone. "We're famous, guys. Like, actually famous."
Kira and the others leaned in to read the headlines.
The screens were filled with praise for the Blue Lock project. The media was calling it a "Revolution in Japanese Soccer" and a "Total System Shock." But the biggest focus was on the players themselves.
"Kira, look. Half these articles are just about you," Bachira noted.
Kira scrolled through.
"The Boy Who Slayed the Genius: Ryosuke Kira's Dominant Performance."
"The Supernova of Saitama: Is this the Savior of the National Team?"
"The Future of Japanese Football has Arrived."
The narrative had shifted completely. A few weeks ago, they were just experimental lab rats. Now, the entire country was looking at them as the next generation of heroes.
"It's weird," Chigiri said. "People are actually starting to recognize us on the street. It feels like the world changed while we were inside that facility."
"Wait a second," Chigiri whispered, his eyes locking onto a group of people at a nearby table. "Check out the guys in the corner. Don't they look familiar?"
Kira followed his gaze.
Sitting a few tables away, looking just as out of place in the trendy cafe as they did, were Karasu and his group.
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