"Ryuuga, you trust me that much to pass the ball to that spot? Aren't you afraid I'd turn around and kick it to someone else just to ensure my own advancement?"
Hiori Yo questioned as he approached Ryuga Banjou, a puzzled look on his face.
"Of course! I believe that you, as a fellow genius, will pass the ball to me so we can challenge even stronger opponents together." Ryuga Banjou grinned. "Besides, isn't Blue Lock all about results? Our teamwork just now was a perfect success, wasn't it?"
Before Hiori could respond, Itoshi Rin walked over, his expression ice-cold.
"Hey! You two were asking for death with that last play, weren't you?"
"Don't be so angry, Rin." Ryuga Banjou smirked. "We just figured you were bored and thought we'd spice things up for you. You should be thanking us!"
Rin's sharp gaze darkened, just as Ego Jinpachi's voice echoed from the massive screen overhead.
"How are you feeling, you star prototypes? Those world-class forwards you admire, they fight desperately to win every single day."
His voice carried a chilling amusement.
"How does it feel to gamble your future for the first time? Scared, aren't you? Chills running down your spine? This is common sense in Blue Lock."
"And you're all trembling inside, aren't you? Thinking, 'Yes, I made it, I get to stay!' Engrave this feeling of victory into your minds! Every time you taste this pleasure, your ego will amplify, pushing you closer to the summit of being the world's best striker!"
"Congratulations. You've passed the test to enter Blue Lock."
The screen flickered, revealing new data.
"There are exactly 11 players in each room. From now on, you will be a team—living together, sometimes helping each other, sometimes betraying each other, and sometimes crushing each other's dreams. You are Blue Lock's Team V."
Day Three in the Dorms
"This running test is practically a stroll for me! Hiori, keep it up—you look like you're about to collapse. Oh? Rin, you're sweating quite a bit. Are you weak or something?"
Ryuga Banjou smirked, his voice laced with mockery.
Hiori Yo gasped for breath. "Ryuuga, your stamina is insane… You've been running for so long, and you're not even breaking a sweat. That's impressive."
Rin shot Ryuga a glare, his tone ice-cold. "You asymmetrical-eyed idiot, if you don't need that mouth, I can sew it shut for you."
Ryuga blinked. "Asymmetrical eyes? You, with those bottom eyelashes…? I call this heterochromia! Do you even know what that is? Uncultured!"
Scoffing, Ryuga stepped off the treadmill and moved toward the vertical jump test.
"Bro, want some water?"
Ryuga turned, confused. "Huh? Why are you calling me 'Bro'?"
Hota Wataru handed him a water bottle, his eyes sincere. "If you hadn't snatched that ball away at the last moment, I would've been eliminated for sure! Bro, you don't understand—my dream is to join the national team!"
Determination burned in his voice. "So, to repay my debt, I'll be your underling from now on!"
Ryuga looked at him—Hota was a head taller than his own 180cm—and sighed. "I didn't do that to save you, and I'm not some gangster taking in underlings."
He eyed Hota skeptically. "You've been watching too many movies. Repaying kindness by becoming someone's underling? Seriously?"
"That's not it, Bro! I know you didn't mean to save me, but the fact is, without you, I'd be gone. If you ever need anything, just let me know!"
Looking at Hota's earnest expression, Ryuga could only shake his head. "Whatever."
Fifth Building Cafeteria
"Man… Being ranked higher has its perks. Look at this steak! Slurp! Time to feast!"
Ryuga practically drooled as he stared at his plate.
"Bro, do you want my tempura?"
Hota Wataru held out the crispy tempura, and Ryuga's eyes sparkled. In his mind, anyone willing to share food couldn't be a bad person.
Clearing his throat, Ryuga smirked. "Ahem. Alright, I'll acknowledge you as my underling. Just make sure you put in a good performance from now on!"
Hota Wataru beamed. "Really? Then please take care of me in the future, Bro!"
Just then, Hiori Yo approached with a tray of oden, offering, "Want some oden? Ryuga, Wataru?"
"Give me a skewer, Hiori! You really are my good partner!" Ryuga Banjou said eagerly.
"Then let's trade. I'll give you my tempura, Hiori Yo."
Hota Wataru handed over his tempura in exchange for two skewers of oden. Watching the trade, Ryuga Banjou suddenly looked a bit embarrassed.
"Ah… Too bad I already ate my steak. Next time, I'll give you my steak, Hiori!"
Hiori Yo, unfazed by the offer, instead asked in curiosity, "Speaking of which, it's been several days now. When does the next stage begin?"
"Soon, probably," Ryuga Banjou replied, lost in thought. (If I remember correctly from the original manga, the next stage started about four days after Isagi and the others moved in...)
That evening, as expected, a mechanical female voice echoed through the facility.
"The results of the physical fitness test have been tallied. Please return to your rooms immediately to check the latest rankings."
When they arrived at their dorm, most of their teammates were already there. Ryuga glanced at the ranking displayed on Rin's arm and sighed.
"As expected, that guy is ranked 221, the highest. And here I am at 222… I swear, Ego must be messing with me. Three twos? Is he calling me an idiot or what?"
Hiori Yo chuckled. "Haha, don't sweat it, Ryuga. At least you're not ranked 250th."
"Hmph! Easy for you to say, Hiori! I'd rather have your 223rd place than this ridiculous 222."
(Not that these rankings mean much, anyway. Ego Jinpachi just uses them to mess with us. If anything, the only rankings that truly matter are the ones that come later in Blue Lock.)
Right on cue, Ego Jinpachi's voice rang out from the large screen.
"Yo, good work! You star prototypes, are you enjoying life in Blue Lock?"
Ryuga Banjou crossed his arms and gave an honest evaluation. "It's not bad. The steak is great, but I could do without the cramped sleeping arrangements. Sharing a room with everyone isn't exactly my thing."
Ego's tone remained sharp. "Your environment is bad because you're ranked low! Now, let me give you a breakdown of Blue Lock. This facility houses a total of 25 teams, from Team B to Team Z. Each building contains five teams."
"Oh, and after the tag game, one player was eliminated from each room. That leaves 275 of you still standing."
"Teams are divided based on individual rankings. The 1st to 11th ranked players form Team B, the 12th to 22nd make up Team C, and so on. That means you, Team V, are in the lowest-ranking Building Five!"
Hiori Yo's eyes widened. "We're actually in the lowest building? Ryuga, does that mean the players in the other buildings are that much stronger? Then we have to work harder! We can definitely climb up the ranks!"
Ryuga watched as Hiori's determination flared up. He shook his head, thinking to himself, (Ego Jinpachi, you really are ruthless… Look at what you've turned Hiori into!)
Ego continued, his voice as calculating as ever. "Higher-ranked players enjoy better dorms, superior food, and top-tier training conditions. Here in Blue Lock, those with skill reign supreme. If you want to live comfortably, you'd better keep winning and claw your way to the top!"