[100] U20's Player Selection

"Yo, greetings to all of you unpolished gems." As always, Ego Jinpachi kicked things off with his signature opening line.

Sure enough, leading the way into the meeting room was none other than Ego himself. "You've worked hard in the matches, so now it's time for your reward for all the relentless effort you've put in on the field."

"These are all the current members of the U-20 national team, along with the specially-scouted genius midfielder—Itoshi Sae. As I mentioned earlier, during the upcoming match, the U-20 team will have the option to select up to three players from our Blue Lock program to join their squad. After that, I will also officially announce Blue Lock's own 11-player roster."

A sly, almost mischievous smile crept onto Ego's face. "Will your efforts earn the recognition of these official players? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to step onto the world stage—can you seize it? And… will certain individuals get the chance to settle their personal scores on this grand stage?"

"Now then, the moment of truth has arrived!"

As the U-20 players walked into the meeting room one by one and took their places on the platform at the front, the Blue Lock participants couldn't help but hold their breath in anticipation. "So these are… the official members of the U-20 team!"

"Even though we already knew this was coming, seeing such big names suddenly standing before us and hearing about an actual official match feels so surreal," muttered Raichi, one of the more easy-going players.

Even someone as carefree as him couldn't help but feel the weight of the moment as he looked at the impeccably dressed, professional-looking U-20 team. "Still, getting to play against them… just thinking about it gets my blood pumping! This is going to be the first step toward my rise to the top!"

"Damn you, big brother!" The only one breaking the serious atmosphere was Rin, who stood there grinding his teeth as he glared daggers at the figure at the back of the U-20 team's lineup.

Even though he'd already resolved to walk his own path and step out of his brother Sae's shadow, the anger of having been belittled and toyed with wasn't something that could be so easily forgotten.

Unfortunately for Rin, Sae couldn't care less about him. Without so much as a glance in his direction, Sae stood expressionlessly at the center of the U-20 lineup, his gaze scanning the Blue Lock players below with utter disinterest. "Stop wasting time with all this nonsense. Let's get started already."

"Such impatience," Ego remarked, unfazed by Sae's rudeness. Instead, he smoothly handed the microphone to Aiku, the current captain of the U-20 team. "Alright then, let the U-20 team captain announce the final selection results."

"Oh? You're giving it to me? What a headache. All of you forwards are incredibly talented—players unlike anything I've ever seen on this land. Just looking at you makes me feel that… ah, our era is about to end." Aiku took the microphone with a friendly smile, his tone soft and dripping with polite flattery, almost lulling people to sleep.

But suddenly, his tone shifted. His mismatched, eerie heterochromatic eyes sharpened like blades, locking onto each and every one of the players below with an unyielding intensity.

"However… if you really want to overthrow us, the so-called old guard, it won't happen without bloodshed. Show me on the field what exactly your Blue Lock intends to bring to the world of football."

"Now then, here is the list of the three special recruits that our U-20 team has decided upon after much deliberation." At this, Aiku first turned his gaze to Rin. "Your abilities are exceptional. You possess a unique playing style. You're the kind of genius who can single-handedly transform a team. But… in such a short span of time, it's impossible for us to completely abandon our existing tactics and framework to accommodate you. So, we didn't choose you."

"Tch. Just as I thought." Though Rin had no intention of being selected in the first place, his face still darkened upon hearing the decision.

He glared at Sae with a murderous intensity, as if trying to pierce through him with sheer rage.

"Therefore, our first recruit is… Shidou Ryusei."

"Huh? Me?" Shidou grinned as he pointed at himself in disbelief. Aiku nodded. "Yes. Unlike Rin, your playing style lacks a distinct individual signature. On the contrary, you have no ability to change an entire team's system. All of your talent is concentrated in one area—your ability to find space and score goals inside the penalty box. In Blue Lock, aside from Shinichi, you're the deadliest weapon in attack. For us, you're a perfect choice—someone who won't disrupt our existing system but can seamlessly slot in and enhance our lacking offensive firepower."

"Though your defensive and dribbling skills aren't exactly top-notch, that's actually perfect for us. The U-20 team excels in those areas. We'll guard the backline and deliver the ammunition straight to you."

"Haha, sounds good to me!" Shidou laughed loudly as he leapt onto the stage, beaming with excitement. Aiku smiled and handed the microphone to Sendou. "The next pick was your suggestion, so I'll let you announce it."

"Hmm..." Sendou nodded, taking the microphone. His eyes scanned the room before landing on the blue-haired player. He pointed directly at him. "That blue-haired guy… you're Isagi Yoichi, right? Wait, no… you're Bachira! No, wait, you're… oh, that's right—you're Hiori Yo! You're the midfielder with the incredible passing skills."

Upon realizing his mistake, Sendou awkwardly waved his hand. "Sorry, I got my names mixed up. You're Hiori Yo, right?" He straightened up and continued. "You're the player here who syncs the best with Shinichi. Even though our goal is to split you two apart, we had no choice but to select you. And also…"

"Your passing is phenomenal. I'm confident that if you joined our team, you'd elevate our possession game and boost our attacking capabilities."

"Pfft!"×2

Two muffled snickers broke out almost simultaneously from the crowd below.

Rin managed to keep his laughter somewhat in check, but Shinichi didn't bother holding back at all.

Clutching his stomach, he burst out laughing, his deep voice echoing across the room.

"Hahaha! Did you hear that, Rin? Your dear older brother just got rejected by a forward! And now they're scrambling to find another midfielder to feed him passes! Hahaha, I can't take it, this is too much!"

Even Sae cast a disapproving look at Sendou, and at this point, almost everyone turned their attention to Hiori down below.

"Ugh, I don't want to!" To everyone's surprise, Hiori flatly refused. "You're a forward for the U-20, right? I don't think your shooting will excite me. I don't want to pass to someone of your level."

"What?! You little brat!" Sendou exploded instantly, veins bulging on his forehead as he clenched his fists, ready to charge at Hiori.

It was only Aiku who managed to hold him back just in time, preventing a disaster where Sendou might have been knocked out by the eager Sae.

"Alright, Hiori, stop being stubborn." Unexpectedly, the first to speak up was Shinichi, who had the closest relationship with Hiori. He smiled at Hiori, saying, "You should prove what you can do without me. I don't need a tagalong who can't do anything when I'm not around."

With that, Shinichi nodded toward Sae on stage. "Look, isn't that the perfect target? Take control of the team from the Eleven's hands in the same position. Show me just how far you've come."

"Ugh... such a stubborn king," Hiori finally relented and reluctantly walked onto the stage.

Aiku awkwardly glanced at Sendou, who was glaring at Hiori, and at Sae, whose expression had noticeably darkened. He quickly tried to remedy the situation by handing the microphone to Sae. "Ahem... this is our U-20's decision, and now for the final selection, let Itoshi Sae decide for himself."

Although Sae knew this was meant to placate him, his expression softened significantly. Without much thought, he pointed to someone in the audience. "Isagi Yoichi, come up here."

"Your football intelligence is impressive. Let me teach you how to use your brain."

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