Chapter 6: Team Bullying
"Now then, we will begin the first selection of Blue Lock."
On the screen, Ego Jinpachi began explaining the rules.
"The first selection is a round-robin tournament among 55 players in Building No. 5, divided into 5 teams. This is a survival match. According to the final standings, only the top two teams will advance to the second round."
At this moment, the red-haired beauty Chigiri Hyōma raised a question:
"Huh? So the eleven people here in Team Z make up a team? But… we're all forwards?"
"What about it if we're all forwards?"
Naruhaya Asahi's sharp gaze shot straight toward Chigiri Hyōma.
In Chigiri's perspective, the tiny boy in front of him suddenly seemed to grow taller and taller—like a prehistoric giant elephant towering into the sky—radiating an overwhelming pressure that could not be shaken. Meanwhile he himself felt small and frail, just like a leopard not even three meters tall, being stared down by a massive elephant that could crush him at any moment.
That feeling of being watched by a dangerous beast made his skin crawl, made him shift nervously in place.
Chigiri Hyōma lasted less than a few seconds staring into Naruhaya's eyes before he quickly looked away, as if one more moment would cause him to be swallowed whole by that terrifying aura. His throat bobbed slightly, but in the end he only squeezed out a few words:
"No… it's nothing."
His voice was as faint as a mosquito's wings, yet everyone heard it clearly.
The players around them instantly froze at the sight. The originally light and cheerful atmosphere turned heavy. Everyone exchanged glances but no one dared to speak, let alone joke casually about team positions like before.
Because they all understood: one careless move, and they might become the target of the "giant elephant's" wrath.
In Blue Lock, the strongest player is the king.
At first, everyone didn't truly understand this statement. But when the strongest player, Naruhaya Asahi, took such an arrogant stance toward the rest of Team Z, they finally tasted a small part of the difficulty foreign professional players face.
Without results, these "weaklings" didn't even dare rebut the strongest "king" on their team.
When Ego turned his gaze toward the members of Team Z, not a ripple appeared on his face. He had likely predicted such a scene long ago, feeling no surprise nor disappointment.
On foreign soil, countless so-called prodigies waste their youth on the bench due to discrimination, bullying, language issues, poor networking, or simply being unable to meet the team's overall level.
Compared to that, this was mild—just internal pressure from a team's strongest member.
Letting Team Z experience this early wasn't necessarily a bad thing. At least it would help them recognize reality in professional football.
And Ego could tell that aside from the caramel-haired shorty, the others' flames of desire were not burning strong enough. Their hunger for victory and glory was far below expectation.
So he continued speaking, pouring out his own football ideology, while wiping away the empty slogans these kids had picked up from other Japanese coaches:
"Listen carefully. Football is originally a sport about scoring goals. All eleven players should have been forwards. Those positions and tactics drilled into your minds are nothing more than role distribution that arose throughout football's evolution. Football originally started from 'everyone is a striker.'"
"You must return to the origin of football—start from zero, and recreate football in your minds."
Meanwhile, at a JF Japan Football Union press conference, Anri Teieri began discussing the history of Japanese football.
"In the last twenty-five years, Japan has progressed at an incredible speed. That's because our people truly worked toward their dreams. The J-League began in 1992. In 1997 we appeared at our first World Cup. In 2002, when Japan and Korea co-hosted the World Cup, we advanced to the Round of 16 for the first time. In 2010 we exceeded expectations and advanced from the group stage again. And in 2018, we even pushed the powerhouse Belgium to the brink…"
From 1992 to 2018, the entire timeline flashed across the screen—each achievement carved out by generations of Japanese players.
But when thinking of the 2018 World Cup, Anri Teieri and the reporters involuntarily remembered the most famous player of Japan—no, now the United States—Arthas.
Unfortunately, he had changed nationality. He was no longer Japanese.
Anri spoke with genuine, from-the-heart emotion:
"It's truly a shame… and frustrating. We were 'one step away' from reaching the world's top tier. Japanese football is genuinely growing stronger, and even global fans acknowledge this."
Then she spoke passionately:
"But to take that one last step, Japanese football must be reborn through fire. Our old dreams—'enter the World Cup' and 'Japanese football entering the world stage'—have already come true. And since they've been accomplished…"
"Now is the time for Japanese football to dream again."
Back in Blue Lock, Ego continued his dangerously persuasive speech:
"Forget everything you think you know. Throw it all away. Engrave this new concept into your minds. For Japan to become number one in the world, what it needs most is not 'eleven-man teamwork'—but a hero."
At the word "hero," Naruhaya Asahi suddenly recalled the moment of the World Cup when the entire United States roared for Arthas.
That moment when an entire nation cheered for one football hero.
Arthas! Arthas! Arthas-ssssss!
The sound of the world cheering for one man—how beautiful it was!
"Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar—heroes like them pushed football forward. Defensive systems were created to stop them. New tactics were born to surpass them."
Anri Teieri:
"From this moment onward, a new era of Japanese football begins. The main characters will no longer be adults who have lost their dreams—but the 300 high school players standing at the starting line. To win the World Cup—do you have the courage to dream that dream?"
Ego Jinpachi:
"One person's brilliance can change a team, a nation—no, the entire world! That is football! Are you ready to fight?"
Anri Teieri/ Ego Jinpachi:
"All of it begins inside Blue Lock!!"
At a hotel, Itoshi Sae, after listening to Anri's speech, felt a pitch-black desire rising inside him. He turned to his agent:
"Change of plans. I want to see with my own eyes what kind of striker Japan can produce."
Inside Blue Lock, after hearing Ego's full speech, Naruhaya Asahi's eyes gleamed with a five-star shine. He spoke toward Ego on the screen:
"You crazy bastard… then show me whether the other forwards you selected are worthy of being called 'heroes'!"
Immediately he turned toward Gagamaru Gin, whose dumpling he had stolen earlier. After glancing at Gagamaru's strong but not bulky physique, and recalling his performance in the past three days, he realized Gagamaru was perfect for a goalkeeper.
He walked up to him:
"Because of the dumpling, you'll be keeper. In the match coming up, I'm going to make the other 20 players suffer."
Gagamaru blinked at the caramel-haired shorty and asked blankly:
"The food you promised earlier?"
"After the match it'll be mealtime. I'll give you half of my food."
"…Okay."
And so, Team Z's striker and goalkeeper were decided.
As for the rest, Naruhaya didn't care at all. They could choose on their own.
In Team Z, he approved of Isagi Yoichi and Bachira Meguru in terms of attitude, but he had no idea about their actual skill—the tag game showed nothing, since neither touched the ball.
So he didn't consider them teammates yet.
As for the others?
Aside from Raichi, Kuon, Kunigami, and Chigiri—who each had one standout stat—Naruhaya didn't even remember the rest of their names.
According to the administrators' philosophy, Blue Lock would definitely not allow all members of Team Z to remain together forever.
If that was the case, there was no need to remember so many names.
Their match against Team X was next. Soon enough, it would become clear who were players—and who were trash.
Team Z watched the two who had already chosen positions. No one said a word—not even the hot-headed Raichi dared to yell. The small monster might simply break his bones.
In the end, they decided to determine positions by rock–paper–scissors.
Isagi looked at his rock beating everyone's scissors and froze for a moment—he had won.
Kuon nodded:
"Then as discussed, the winner starts. Isagi, choose your position."
Isagi chose forward without hesitation, wanting to fight alongside Naruhaya. The others picked from the remaining midfield and defense roles.
After they finished, the tension eased a bit, though their eyes still lingered on Naruhaya.
Naruhaya stretched his legs for warm-ups. He noticed the stares behind him—clearly wanting to take his position as number one—but he didn't care.
Weaklings' gazes meant nothing.
He was more interested in Ego's rules for the first selection.
Win = 3 points
Draw = 1 point
Loss = 0 points
After ten matches, the top two teams advance. The bottom three are eliminated—and permanently lose their right to represent Japan.
But the three losing teams have a revival rule. The player with the most goals on each losing team will advance.
If goals tie, then fair play points decide—fewer fouls, fewer deductions.
Ego:
"Choosing between 'scoring yourself' or 'team victory'—that is a striker's fate. The first selection tests exactly that! This is a battle to create football from zero!"
Without a doubt, the "top scorer" rule was a time bomb.
If a traitor leaked strategy to an opposing team to secure the top scorer spot, his own team would fall into despair.
Traitor. Despair. Failure…
Naruhaya stared quietly at the passage to the field.
If he possessed an overwhelming skill like Arthas, a traitor could never exist in his team.
Because traitors only appear in weak teams.
Strong teams simply keep winning—and traitors naturally cannot survive.
He swung his leg and walked into the passage first, like a captain, ignoring whatever plan Kuon was arranging.
Behind him followed Gagamaru with his gloves on.
As their two figures disappeared around the corner, the remaining players all fell silent. Then, exchanging glances, they hurried to follow.
In the passage, Naruhaya and Gagamaru led the line.
Behind them walked the four-man mid-row:
The reliable, big-brother-like Iemon
Last-place Igaguri
Physically strong Raichi
Long-jump specialist Kuon, whispering with Raichi
Behind them, the three from the rear row:
The cute boy Imamura, hopping along cheerfully
The red-haired beauty Chigiri
The strict, principled Kunigami
Finally at the end were Bachira and Isagi, who exchanged smiles as they realized they were the "tail" of the formation, then quickened their steps.
Bachira: The monster inside me is roaring…
Isagi: The battle that will change my life—the Blue Lock—begins now.
Naruhaya: Let me see the true level of Blue Lock football.
Team Z, composed of eleven forwards, was about to begin their match against Team X.
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〔TL〕
Author prolly wrote them by visualizing anime.