"I have no more questions!"
Yukimiya Kenyu took a deep breath and lowered his arm. He had also played against the World All-Star Team, which was why he was so shocked. At that time, he had given his all just to score a single goal to save face. After all, the value in Blue Lock is determined by whether you can score.
Tendou had scored 3. He deserved to be the strongest among them all.
Only by personally experiencing it could one understand just how high the mountain peak of the world is.
Itoshi Rin and Shidou Ryusei were the same. The former was unwilling to accept it, the latter was astonished. The horned man couldn't believe that there was an existence in Blue Lock so much more awesome than himself.
"Tch!"
Chigiri and Reo had known for a long time. They believed that no one was more qualified than Tendou to be No. 1. It was just that in a small team of five, with only the two of them from the top six not being selected, it made them feel unwilling.
"If there are no more questions, let's begin the next round of selection."
"First, the top 6 will be divided into two-person groups, forming 3 teams."
"The remaining 29 people will choose which team to join on their own. Then, each team will select 3 people to team up with the 2 from the top 6, finally forming a 5-man team to compete."
In other words, they had to choose the players who were the best fit for the top 6.
Isagi instantly understood the purpose of this selection. To put it bluntly, it was to find helpers for the top 6. If it was assumed that the top 6 were already confirmed for the starting lineup, then besides the goalkeeper, there were only 4 starting positions left. And the 29 of them had to fight for these 4 positions.
"The players outside the top 6 will play in a three-match tryout."
"Betting on the starting lineup for the match against the U-20 representative team, an adaptability test—this is the content of this round of selection."
"And then there's the issue of numbers. There will be one person who gets the opportunity to participate in two matches. Nagi Seishiro, you are the player with the evaluation second only to the top 6. You will take on this role."
The opportunity to play two matches!
Isagi was envious. They had always been teammates fighting side-by-side, yet his own strength was always below his teammates'.
Nagi Seishiro didn't seem to understand how precious this opportunity was and just "oh"-ed a few times.
"Now, the top 6, you will go to another room."
As soon as the words fell, a door opened, and Tendou, Rin, and the others walked in without hesitation.
After they had disappeared, Ego continued, "Listen up, the remaining 29. The key to passing the adaptability test is assertion and coexistence."
"The top 6 possess strong personalities and scoring abilities. And you must assert your own value, become irreplaceable players who can coexist with them."
"Finally, try to surpass them! For you, the top 6 are not comrades to fight side-by-side with, but stepping stones that must be defeated!"
Surpass the top 6!
The 29 people were thrilled, but the rational ones all understood that at this stage, what they had to consider was squeezing into the 11-man starting lineup.
And without a doubt, Tendou, who could still score 3 goals against the World All-Star Team, was the absolute core of this team. As long as he could become Tendou's best helper, Isagi believed that he could definitely become a starter.
The match would begin in 24 hours. Ego said, "Choose," and then disappeared from their sight.
...
Another room.
Tendou was chatting with Karasu and Otoya. The three of them were like a small team. The remaining three, Rin, Shidou, and Yukimiya, were each their own team. Besides Rin, the other two were very curious about Tendou. Just how strong did one have to be to score 3 goals against the World All-Star Team? But they were not in a hurry to challenge Tendou; there would be plenty of opportunities later.
Compared to their "harmony," the situation in the cafeteria was much livelier. Friends who hadn't seen each other for a long time gathered together, discussing which team to choose.
The members of Team Z naturally gathered together. Reo, Nagi, and Zantetsu also participated. The three of them had an inseparable, fateful connection with Team Z.
Reo, while familiarly stroking Nagi's head, asked, "Are you guys going to join that team of genius bastards?"
"I want to choose Team A."
"Why?"
"Because Team A has Tendou. As long as I can show my value by his side, I will have a high probability of being selected for the starting lineup."
There was more than one person who thought the same as Isagi. Anyone with eyes could see that Tendou's level far surpassed the other 34 people. This Blue Lock team would most likely be built with Tendou as the core.
"Is that so? You guys really all think that way."
"Aren't you, Reo?"
"Ah, I will choose Team B or Team C."
"Why?"
Everyone was curious. Reo and Chigiri had been on a team together since the second round. Why take the long way around?
"It's precisely because we're familiar that I'm even more unwilling to play by Tendou's side," Reo said with a wry smile, shaking his head. "That guy... he's the sun."
"Huh? The sun? What sun?" Raichi didn't understand what he was saying.
...
"Meaning, anyone will be overshadowed in front of Tendou," Chigiri said with a solemn expression. "Teaming up with Tendou, victory becomes within reach. The advice he provides is also very valuable and helps us a lot. Both Reo and I have learned a lot from him."
"Eh? Isn't that a good thing?"
"You still don't get what I mean," Chigiri sighed and then continued, "When you play with Tendou, you just need to get the ball to his feet. You don't need to do anything else. Just wait for him to score."
"Chigiri, are you saying that it's hard to show your own worth when you play by Tendou's side?" Isagi asked.
"That's more or less what it means," Reo took over the conversation with a serious face. "Before I met Tendou, I always thought Nagi was the most talented player. After meeting Tendou, my worldview was forced to be updated."
...
"Do you know what position Tendou played when we played against the World All-Star Team?"
"A libero..."
Isagi and the others had already seen Tendou's match.
"That's right, a libero. He alone can complete the tasks of attacking, organizing, and defending, and he does it better than anyone else."
"It's said to be a five-man team, but in that match, the help we provided to Tendou was very limited. Even the top 6, Karasu and Eita, are a whole level below Tendou."
Reo stirred the coffee in front of him. In this adaptability test, he would absolutely not choose Team A, where Tendou was. He could probably guess that Team A would win all the matches. But the purpose of this test was not to win, but to be selected for the U-20 representative team's roster, even if it was just as a substitute.
"What about Chigiri?"
"I'm the same as Reo. I'll most likely choose the team with that crow. I will definitely become stronger, to the point where I can turn every pass from Tendou into an assist!" The "young lady" said, his delicate and beautiful face showing the most confident of smiles.
'He still can't forget those two balls!'
'Heehee, I love this ship!'
'Sisters, I really love this Tendou and Chigiri pair.'
'I think Tendou and I are a better match.'
'In your dreams!'
'Actually, Tendou is very good to everyone. It's just that Chigiri is overly attached to Tendou. After all, he's the man who helped Chigiri escape from his sea of suffering.'
'That's why it's so shippable! It's just like a "chasing the husband" plot in a novel, isn't it?'
'"Forced to update my worldview." Is Reo really that humorous?'
'Even Chigiri and Reo, who have been on a team with Tendou, don't dare to choose him. Tendou is just too strong!?'
...
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