[Inside the Number 1 "Blue Lock" Bus]
[Main Character]
- Your actions are impressive, Matsumae-san.
- Thank you, Nishioka-san. Why do you have the nickname "Messi"?
- I was given such a title by my coach when I was in middle school, and I kept it when I went to high school. I understand that it was given to me for my dribbling skills. Although I do not look like this legend, as well as any other soccer legend. My dream is to become a legend and have my skills copied and reproduced, so I try to improve my dribbling so that it did not resemble anything that exists.
- Hmmm... - If you think about it, this approach is not very effective. However, from another point of view, the original story said: a copy can take 99.9% of the original, but never surpass it. Admittedly while reading the manga this seemed like an unfortunate statement to me, because if one has more physical capabilities than the original user, then consequently the counterfeit will surpass the original. Again, the manga showed individual "weapons" that are "impossible" to copy. For example: Nagi's ball reception. His muscles were simply designed to take away momentum like that.
Yeah, maybe Reo couldn't copy many of the moves either, but he was A-level in everything, whereas Nagi, on the other hand, was above S-level.
Back in the past world, I wondered, if Blue Jail is that strong of a teenager, then what are the Soccer Legends? Messi? Cristiano Ronaldo? The same Mbappe has incredible speed, which was shown in the last episode of the anime. So I found out about it here. Here on the Internet. You thought that there in our world they are incredible? Then I hasten to make you happy, here they are aliens. Not literally, but somewhere close. They're literally superhumans. Yes, and I watched their matches to find out how they lost the golden ball. Noel Noah's team really gave all the passes to him, so he was the highest scoring player only 4 goals ahead of Ronaldo. Yes, Ronaldo gave up three goals, but those aren't goals, so he stayed second behind Noah.
First, you have to start with the fact that I only played soccer in that life, with friends. In the yard there, at school, at uni, or in the dorms. Yeah, sometimes I had to play right in the parking lot of the dorm, but it was worth it. Those were good times...
So I never played seriously, and when I did, our team was losing and I had to play defense to keep the other team's forwards at bay. I always played center midfielder, with a connection to the offense, which was due to my skills on defense and offense, as well as my physicality.
Here in this world, I only switched to offense because I wanted to get into the Ego Project. However, later I liked this position, because I could suddenly return to the defense and from there rush straight to the goal, bypassing defenders, midfielders, and scoring the ball without any goal passing. I taught myself to score and rejoice only with my goal, but I did not teach myself to hate losing. So sometimes I still had to pass in order to win. However, this kind of thing became less of a recurrence later on. However, in the world of more soccer, this would be commonplace. Unless I changed myself, which I did after I got to this point.
I started to learn techniques from better players to incorporate them into my style, or to recycle them altogether, all in order to improve myself. However, the one thing I couldn't understand from the players' skills. It was their transitions between moves, the way they so filigreed on the field. Like Ronaldinho, or Messi. It wasn't until I saw Bachira that I realized.
I realized that they had drilled the base of soccer into the subcortex of their brains and then just created like artists. They were letting their minds drift far and wide to start playing with the ball and the players on the field. It was improvisation. And I hadn't started practicing yet...
Because I realized that half an hour ago.
By the way, we have Isagi on the bus, just five minutes ago he came in. The speech that lasted 25 minutes? What was Ego talking about? Isagi's sitting with that big guy who's the tallest high school soccer player in Japan. That's the kind of guy I'd want in the goal...
- Hey! Kid, next to the big guy. - Now the whole bus is paying attention to us. I see the way you're looking at me, Hajime, don't smirk at me. - Yes, you. What's your name? My name is Matsumae Takahiro.
- Isagi Yoichi. - And now we wait. Fucking psychology! You have to pause to make it interesting. At the speed of Isagi or me, this pause lasts a very long time, but looking at the fact that only 2 seconds have passed. - Did you want something, Matsumaekun?
- Yeah, Isagi-kun, I guess you're the one who gave the ball away right in front of the goal? - Now the kid just frowned. - So I was wondering why didn't you take that shot? You would have hit the top right nine and been done with it.
- I thought my partner was gonna score. - Now even Nagy was noticing how funny it was that we were on the same bus, "Lazy Genius."
- However, he would be the best player of the match. - Isagi opened his eyes wide. Probably from realizing what I was about to say. - You'd still be just the man who passed the ball. He would have been spotted by the clubs and made a star. Even if you were noticed, you would be just a shadow of a brightly burning star. Kira, for example. You're a great passer Isagi-kun, if we played together I'd get a great pass. - And now all that's left to do is smile. Come on! Come on! Look at Kira Reske's speech differently! Understand that you're nobody right now! I want to see if he can come out against Japan. However, Nagi is also here. I need to say something to him, too. I can't think of what. Maybe we shouldn't create any competition at all. No, otherwise it's not interesting. I want to see Nagi Seishiro's talent, can he catch up with Itoshi-kun? And the older one? Will he be able to create a moment by himself? It's good that he's sitting close to me. Also next to Mikage Reo, how lucky! Although... - You're Nagi Seishiro, aren't you? Six months into your career, and you're already doing such things on the field. I like your technique. How do you do it?
- Hmm? Will you pay me?
- Sure, sometimes you can pay for good information.
- It's very simple. You have to extend your leg, and when the ball touches your foot, you relax it in order to tense it up again. - Now Nagy was looked at like a jerk. Yeah, well, they didn't see his skills. But Reo... don't look at me like that.
- Then I'll pay you now. - Nagi held out his hand. However... - There's only one striker who's going to be the best in the world. And therefore the best paid. - Nagi looked at me a little lost. - You told me common knowledge, and I told you the same thing. However, remember that once you become a cool player, you can open a social media account and make money doing everyday content. And not bad money at that.
- And you're an interesting guy Matsumae-kun.
- Thanks, Fioleto-hair.
- I'm Mikage Reo.
- Oka-a-yy!
[Inside the Number 1 "Blue Lock" Bus]
[Isagi Yoichi]
I see. It's more clear now why his nickname is "Messi." In fact, it happens all over the world, in backyards, in schools, and so on. Everyone who plays well, everyone who plays better than most in their community is given nicknames after legends that the whole world knows.
- Hey! Boy, next to the big guy. - Hmm? I think it was the one who called me that stood up. А?
"Matsumae Takahiro?"
- Yes, you. What's your name? My name is Matsumae Takahiro.
- Isagi Yoichi.
And now I waited for him to continue, but he pretended to be thinking about something. Or maybe he was really thinking something. No seriously, why is he taking so long?
- Did you want something, Matsumaekun?
- Yeah, Isagi-kun, I take it you're the striker who gave the ball away right in front of the goal?
"Tz... Seriously? He wants to discuss this here? And right now?"
- So I'm wondering, why didn't you take the shot yourself? Hit the upper right nine and be done with it.
And he said it all with genuine incomprehension. It might be easy for you, Genius-san, but for me...
- I thought my partner would forget. - More people were paying attention to our conversation. They seem to be attracted to Silent Star. After all, he has established himself as someone who talks very little. He doesn't even give voice commands in matches.
- However, he would be the best player of the match.
"Damn! Really... But I wanted to win..."
- And you would have remained just the man who gave the pass. He would have been noticed by the clubs and made a star. Even if you had been noticed, you would have been just a shadow of a brightly burning star. Kira, for example. You make a great pass Isagi-kun, if we played together, I'd get a great pass.
"Shit! Shit! Shit! That's the second person to say that in one day. Also his truthful words... what did he mean by that?! That I'm his dog?!"
- You're Nagi Seishiro, aren't you? Six months into your career, and you're already doing things like that on the field. I like your move. How do you do it? - What? Six months... and he's already here?!
- Hmm? Are you gonna pay me? - What kind of guy is Nagi?
- Of course, sometimes you can pay for good information. - Here comes the sly smile...
- Very simple. You have to extend your leg, and when the ball touches your leg, relax it to tense it up again. - What...? Did he...? Did he really just say base, star?
- Then I'll pay you now. - He held out his hand. - There's only one outfielder coming out of here who's going to be the best in the world. And therefore the best paid. - Basically, I understood what he meant by that. - You told me common knowledge, and I told you the same thing. - Yes, that's right. - However, remember that once you become a cool player, you can start a social media account and make money doing everyday content. And not bad money at that. - Ah... A talented person is talented at everything. Isn't that what my mom says?
- You're an interesting guy Matsumaekun. - Loudly said the guy with the vio...
- Thank you, Violet-hair.
"Pfft... Did he seriously call him that?"
- I'm Mikage Reo.
- Oka-a-yy! - And went to sit in his seat.