"Good work, diamonds in the roug—"
"Hey! Why did you hit me!?"
Ego's introduction was cut short by Kira, who strode toward Isagi, his irritation evident. Kira's hand instinctively rubbed his stomach, the faint ache from Isagi's earlier shot still lingering.
Isagi, who had been staring at Ego's screen, turned his head slightly to glance at Kira. His expression remained calm, but a faint smile tugged at his lips.
"What? I hit you because of your confusion"
Isagi replied nonchalantly, brushing off the weight of Kira's anger.
Kira's voice grew sharper.
"Confusion? You put my career on the line for that? I can justify ending someone else's career to survive, but you chose to target me?"
Ego's image flickered slightly, and he made a move to regain control of the conversation, but Kira wasn't done. His voice carried a hint of frustration and disbelief.
Isagi tilted his head, still unbothered.
"Listen"
He began.
"Everyone here has already accepted that their career is on the line, except you. You hesitated when the stakes were highest. Don't forget—I told you to show me your desperation to play for Japan. And you did. You improved because of it."
Kira frowned, his voice laced with doubt.
"Improved how? I only did what I could already do. I just... acted to save my career."
This time, Ego visibly hesitated, sensing Kira was about to interrupt again. He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back on-screen, waiting.
Isagi sighed, shaking his head.
"Oh, really? Then explain this to me—why didn't you do any of that in our last match? My team stopped you cold back then. You didn't use that fake shot you pulled off just now. Do you know why? Because you couldn't. You didn't have that desperation. You thought you were untouchable—already destined to be Japan's future because of your Youth Academy status. But when you were backed into a corner, you adapted. You showed you actually have the desire to fight. That's why you improved."
For a moment, silence hung heavy in the air. Isagi turned back toward Ego, his gaze practically begging the man to take control and end the argument.
Ego finally spoke.
"Now, Kuon—get ou—wait, did he leave already?"
A player near the door nodded.
"Yeah. He left."
"Well, that saves time since this couple wasted plenty of it"
Ego quipped, shooting a pointed glare at Isagi and Kira.
Kira flushed slightly but said nothing.
"What Isagi Yoichi said was correct"
Ego continued.
"To survive in Blue Lock, what you need above all else is ego."
"We need... you?"
Iemon asked, a flicker of confusion crossing his face.
Ego's expression darkened.
"Were you not present during my introduction at the Football Union, you fossil?"
He snapped, his patience clearly wearing thin.
The tension eased slightly as Ego's tone shifted.
"Congratulations, you've passed the Blue Lock entrance test. There are eleven of you in each room. Sometimes, you'll team up. Other times, you'll compete against each other. Shine brighter than the rest if you want to survive this program."
With that, Ego's screen went dark, replaced by an announcement detailing their schedule.
Isagi glanced around, noting how the speech had been abbreviated compared to the manga he remembered. His actions with Kira had clearly eaten into Ego's time, but it was worth it—Kira had survived.
According to the schedule, their next task was a stamina test. The team followed the instructions and headed to the training room.
Isagi's eyes lit up as they stepped inside. The room was immaculate, packed with advanced equipment—treadmills, weights, resistance bands—everything he'd only ever seen in high-end clubs or gyms. He could feel the excitement building.
'This is it. My chance to push my body to its limit and get closer to that perfect physique.'
As he walked toward a treadmill, Kira followed and took the spot next to him. Isagi couldn't help but notice the occasional glances Kira sent his way.
"If you've got something to say, just spit it out"
Isagi said with a teasing smile as he adjusted the treadmill settings.
"People might get the wrong idea if you keep staring."
Kira looked slightly flustered but chuckled.
"Wow, this place is seriously decked out"
He said, trying to deflect.
Isagi nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, top-of-the-line stuff. Makes you wonder how much money they've poured into this program."
Kira hesitated for a moment before speaking again.
"So... what do you think of Blue Lock?"
Isagi glanced at him as he stepped onto the treadmill, starting at a slow pace.
"Hmm... It's intense. Exactly what I expected. Why?"
Kira hesitated again, his tone soft.
"I just... wanted to say I'm sorry for lashing out at you earlier. And... I think I understand what you were trying to make me realize."
Isagi blinked, momentarily caught off guard. He hadn't expected Kira to apologize—especially since, in Isagi's mind, he was the one who owed an apology.
"I mean"
Kira continued,
"you put me on the spot, but you were right. You made me see something I wasn't ready to face, and for that... I'm grateful."
Kira offered a small, genuine smile, stepping onto the treadmill next to Isagi.
Isagi raised an eyebrow, still processing the unexpected maturity in Kira's response.
"You're... welcome? Honestly, I didn't expect you to figure out my intentions so quickly. And to actually appreciate my methods? That's a surprise."
They shared a brief nod of understanding before falling into silence, each focusing on their training.
Isagi steadily increased the treadmill's speed as he warmed up, his legs pumping rhythmically. He could feel the strain building in his muscles, but he welcomed it, knowing it was a sign of growth.
Kira matched his pace for a while but soon began to falter. Determined to push himself, Kira kept running, but after 57 minutes and 4 seconds, he stepped off, panting heavily. Despite his exhaustion, there was a hint of satisfaction in his expression—he'd pushed past his previous limits.
Meanwhile, Raichi, ever the competitor, had jumped onto the treadmill next to Isagi. While Isagi was running at 14 MPH, Raichi stubbornly kept his own pace at 11 MPH, refusing to let Isagi outshine him without a fight.
The two ran side by side, the sound of pounding feet filling the room. Sweat dripped down their faces as their teammates watched in awe.
Eventually, Raichi couldn't take it anymore. After 1 hour, 8 minutes, and 48 seconds, he stumbled off the treadmill, his chest heaving as he collapsed onto a nearby bench.
But Isagi kept going. His legs burned with fatigue, and every breath felt heavier than the last, but he refused to stop. His determination was palpable—a testament to his desire to become the best.
Finally, after 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 34 seconds, Isagi stepped off the treadmill and sank to the ground, completely spent.
The room was silent for a moment as everyone stared at him, their expressions a mix of awe and envy. Isagi's endurance wasn't just impressive—it was almost inhuman.
As he caught his breath, leaning back against the cool floor, he allowed himself a small, triumphant smile.
'They noticed. Good. This is just the beginning.'
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