Chapter 1: Transmigration, Blue Lock
"Player Kira, people call you the treasure of Japan's football world. There are even rumors that the U-18 national team plans to have you skip levels and join directly. Can you tell us about your ambitions?"
On a temporary interview platform beside the football field, a beautiful reporter held out her microphone toward the handsome young man before her.
At this moment, however, that young man looked somewhat dazed.
The vast green pitch, the bright and spacious stadium, and the endless cheers from the crowd — all of it felt utterly foreign to him.
Just a few seconds ago, he'd been at home, a young and unknown mangaka, eating snacks and watching anime while planning to draw a hot-blooded manga of his own. Yet now he found himself standing on a football field — unfamiliar, and yet somehow familiar.
He quickly understood what had happened: he had transmigrated.
A flood of foreign memories surged into his mind, making everything clear — he was now in the world of Blue Lock.
In Japan, to create a super striker, the government had launched a project called Blue Lock, inviting 300 young forwards from all over the country to undergo closed training and selection. In the end, only one would remain — that person would become a world-class striker. The remaining 299 would be permanently banned from the national team, effectively ending their football careers forever.
He also learned who he was now — an insignificant side character from Blue Lock: Ryosuke Kira.
At this moment, Ryosuke Kira had just led his team to victory, earning a place in the national tournament. He was already something of a local celebrity, often praised as a gem of the football world.
But his seemingly perfect career path was about to end. Before long, Kira would enter the Blue Lock project, where, in the original story, he was eliminated in the very first round of selection — his career abruptly cut short, leaving him as nothing more than a disposable stepping stone.
Kira's emotions were mixed — not just because he had suddenly transmigrated, but more importantly, because he had no real interest in football.
He understood the basic rules of the sport, but his only exposure came from classic sports anime. He didn't dislike football, but neither did he particularly like it.
When he'd first realized he'd transmigrated, he had been thrilled. Maybe, he'd thought, he could live as a "literary copycat," drawing hit manga and reaping fame and fortune.
But now, his identity already came with a degree of fame — as a football player.
As the core ace of his team, Ryosuke Kira was already a rising young star, and he knew he couldn't simply walk away from the football world.
To think that someone who'd never even kicked a real ball was now being hailed as a prodigy — it was almost despairing. Sure, he could inherit the body's athletic talents and muscle memory, but things like tactical awareness, instinct, and reaction speed couldn't simply be copied.
If he forced himself to keep playing, the outcome was obvious — ridicule from the entire nation.
Thinking about it, maybe it was better to follow the original story: join Blue Lock, "accidentally" get eliminated early, skip the national tournament altogether, and then retire peacefully to pursue his manga dreams.
The original Kira had great natural talent, yes — but even if he hadn't been eliminated in the first round, it's doubtful he could have gone much further.
After all, Blue Lock was overflowing with geniuses.
"Kira-san?"
At that moment, the reporter's gentle voice pulled Ryosuke Kira back to reality. He realized he was still mid-interview and was supposed to give his victory comments.
"Ah, well… it's all thanks to my teammates. Without them, I wouldn't be here today."
Kira smiled at the microphone, giving the usual polite answer.
He could clearly hear the spectators in the stands chanting his name, so he raised a hand to wave at them in response.
---
After attending the victory celebration, Ryosuke Kira returned home. His family handed him a letter from the Football Association.
Of course, he knew what it contained — an invitation to the Blue Lock project.
But football didn't really interest him, and Blue Lock itself was brutally harsh: 300 participants, only one winner. Many who were once called "prodigies" would fade into obscurity there. During the program, they'd live under total isolation, stripped of their phones and contact with the outside world.
Blue Lock — the name was no exaggeration.
As Kira reached out to touch the letter, a strange voice suddenly echoed in his ears.
[ God-Tier Football Skill System Unlocked ]
[ Newbie gift pack automatically activated… ]
[ Congratulations, Host! You have obtained the "Football Specialization: Thunder Breathing" pack! ]
"What…?"
Kira froze for a moment before realization struck — his system had finally awakened.
[TL: Behold the legendary GOLDEN FINGER.]
Then, before his eyes, a semi-transparent screen appeared, visible only to him.
[ Host: Ryosuke Kira ]
[ Current Points: 0 ]
[ Current Skills: ]
[ Football Skill: Thunder Breathing — Total Concentration (Unlocked) LV1 | Proficiency: 0% ]
[ Football Skill: Thunder Breathing — First Form: Thunderclap and Flash (Unlocked) LV1 | Proficiency: 0% ]
[ Football Skill: Thunder Breathing — Second Form: Rice Spirit (Locked) | Unlock Cost: 100 Points ]
[ Football Skill: Thunder Breathing — Third Form: Thunder Swarm (Locked) | Unlock Cost: 150 Points | Requires Rice Spirit ]
…
[ Football Skill: Thunder Breathing — Sixth Form: Rumble and Flash (Locked) | Unlock Cost: 300 Points | Requires Heat Lightning
]
[ Football Skill: Thunder Breathing — Seventh Form: Flame Thunder God (Locked) | Unlock Cost: 350 Points | Requires Rumble and Flash ]
[TL: I know its Seventh Form: God of Fire Thunder but isnt Flame Thunder God better? Or should I just use Honoikazuchi No Kami? Welp not like I'll be getting an ans soon but oh well.]
"Thunder Breathing? Football? What the hell is this…?"
Kira was utterly stunned. Logically, he should be happy to have unlocked his system, yet all he felt was disbelief.
Thunder Breathing originally belonged to the Demon Slayer world — a technique of the Demon Slayer Corps that enhanced the body through a unique breathing method, allowing fighters to enter a "Total Concentration" state. By increasing oxygen intake and combining it with specific sword techniques, they could battle monsters with superhuman strength.
But this system… had somehow merged breathing techniques with football?
Was this some kind of joke?!