Chapter 33: The Second Round Officially Begins
6:27 a.m. — Blue Lock, Team Z Dormitory.
"Yūshin Seiichi… it's time for morning training again."
Isagi Yoichi rubbed his eyes as he sat up groggily. The brutal training over the past ten days had taken its toll on Team Z.
The worst part?
Yūshin Seiichi had been the first to initiate extra training sessions. Naturally, no one wanted to be left behind, so they followed. Predictably, half the team ended up cramping and vomiting on the first day.
It had taken three full days just to barely keep pace with him.
"Today's the tenth day, right?" Seiichi asked while getting dressed.
Pah pah.
"Yeah, it's the tenth," Isagi answered, slapping his cheeks to wake up.
The exhaustion had dulled Isagi's senses. He had finally adapted to the insane workload.
"Then we don't need to train today," Seiichi said calmly, tying the braid in his long blue hair.
"Huh? How do you know—"
Before Isagi could finish, a familiar chime echoed through the dorm.
"This concludes the first round of selection," Ego's voice announced from the screen. "All players who passed, put on your training gear immediately."
The message stirred everyone awake.
"Huh? It's finally over."
"Everyone assemble in the underground central area," the broadcast repeated before cutting off.
"Damn it, if this dragged on for another day, I was gonna tear this place apart," Igarashi growled.
"I second that!" Gagamaru Gin echoed.
"They think just because they're on top, they can screw us over," Kunigami Rensuke grumbled.
Raichi Jingo kicked at the ground, scowling. "Tch… All this waiting is messing with my rhythm."
Igarashi scoffed. "Bet that guy Seiichi's enjoying the spotlight. Probably thinks he's better than all of us just 'cause he trains like a lunatic."
At that moment, a hand landed firmly on his shoulder.
Igarashi froze. Slowly, he turned—and met Seiichi's cold, unblinking stare.
"A-Ah! No offense, Seiichi! I didn't mean anything by it! Y-You should totally be ranked first!" he stammered, eyes darting to the number 50 on Seiichi's arm.
Seiichi blinked once, then smirked slightly, as if amused. Typical Igarashi.
Chigiri raised an eyebrow. "Scaredy-cat."
"H-Hey, I just value my life, alright?!" Igarashi muttered.
The tension crackled between them. Everyone could feel it—
The real battle was just getting started.
Once everyone was geared up, they made their way to the central underground arena.
"Finally, we get to touch the ball again."
"Let's win this!"
"Let's go, Team Z!"
Green flames flickered in Isagi's eyes. His will had only grown stronger.
So what if they're higher-ranked?
"Seiichi, let's take them down—together!" Isagi said, fist extended.
"Hey! Don't leave me out!" Bachira Meguru whined from behind.
"Alright, alright," Isagi chuckled.
"Good," Seiichi smirked, tapping their fists.
I won't slow down. Keep up if you can.
As they entered the massive pentagon-shaped arena, players from other blocks had already gathered.
"They must be the other teams!" Chigiri said, wide-eyed.
"Over there—it's Team W! And Team X too!" Raichi pointed out.
"What the hell's going on?" murmurs spread through the crowd.
Seiichi ignored them, scanning the room quickly. His eyes locked onto the person he was waiting for—Yūshin Zeya.
But Zeya wasn't even looking his way. He was chatting casually with a blue-haired player beside him.
Seriously?
"Zeya!!!" Seiichi shouted, waving wildly.
"Congrats on making it through!"
Heads turned. Every pair of eyes in the room shifted to Zeya.
Zeya's usually stoic face flushed slightly. He glared at Seiichi, who smiled smugly.
Typical Yūshin Seiichi.
Hiori Yo, the blue-haired midfielder beside Zeya, raised an eyebrow curiously.
So that's Seiichi. Zeya's twin. Another monster I have to surpass.
Zeya exhaled sharply and looked away.
That idiot… still embarrassing me in front of everyone. Like always.
But fine. You made it too, huh? Let's see if you can keep up this time.
Isagi watched the interaction unfold with fierce determination in his eyes.
Bring it on.
Just then, Ego Jinpachi appeared on the central screen.
"Yo, my little diamonds in the rough."
"Great job making it through. Sharp ones among you may have noticed…"
"There's no one here from Blocks 1 through 4."
Confused murmurs echoed.
"Let me educate you fools on the real structure of Blue Lock."
"Originally, there were 300 of you. Divided into five separate stratums—each isolated in their own buildings, each with 25 teams: V, W, X, Y, Z. All identical in layout."
"And you were all told the same thing."
"That you were in the lowest-ranked stratum."
He grinned cruelly.
"That was a lie."
Gasps rang out.
"You weren't the bottom. That's just what I made you believe."
"Because Blue Lock isn't about truth—it's about ego."
"You were manipulated from the start. To destroy your identity, shatter your illusions, and force you to find the strength to rise."
"And those who failed—or walked away without fighting—were erased from the system. Gone without a word. This facility only remembers the strong."
"So congratulations. You survived the first round."
"But now—now the real Blue Lock begins."
Isagi blinked, stunned.
Wait, what does that mean for Seiichi's rank?
His gaze dropped to Seiichi's arm—Rank 50.
That couldn't be right.
Seiichi caught the look and smirked.
"You're so clueless, Isagi."
"This rank? Just a lie."
"I mean, if someone this good-looking and talented were actually ranked 50, wouldn't that make the whole system look fake?"
He struck a dramatic pose.
Isagi stared in disbelief.
Of course Seiichi had figured it out. The whole ranking system had been a psychological trap from the start.
Ego continued.
"Now begins the Second Selection."
"Each of you will face five stages—alone."
"Each stage will strip away a different layer of weakness—technique, awareness, adaptability, prediction, and ego."
"Only those who pass all five stages will advance."
Isagi's chest tightened.
Alone?
Could I even survive the first stage without Chigiri? Without Bachira? Without Seiichi?
But then he saw Rin's icy stare, Zeya's cool confidence, and Seiichi's smirk.
Yeah… I'll beat them all. No one else is gonna decide my fate.
"Alright," Ego concluded. "When you're ready… step through that door."
The floor shifted, revealing rows of footballs leading to a wide metallic tunnel.
"Alone? Not as a team?"
"This stage will be far harder than the first."
"If you relied on teammates to carry you… prepare to be crushed."
"Only true egoists survive."
Ego vanished.
"…You go first."
"No, you."
"I'll wait—"
"What a bunch of cowards," Seiichi muttered, walking straight to the gate.
At the door, he turned back and smirked.
"Let's go. See you on the other side."
The door clicked open.
Yūshin Seiichi entered without hesitation.
The screen above updated:
CURRENT CHALLENGER — YŪSHIN SEIICHI
STAGE ONE: SHOOTING EXAM.
TIME LIMIT: 90 MINUTES.
"Wait, that guy—he's Yūshin Seiichi? The Neon Twin?"
"No wonder… I've heard of him."
If it were anyone else, they'd be booed for being cocky.
But that was Seiichi.
Meanwhile, Itoshi Rin narrowed his eyes at the screen.
Another twin. Loud, dramatic, unpredictable.
I'll crush you both. And when I'm done… there'll be nothing left of your spotlight.
He juggled the ball with surgical precision—then strode into the tunnel without a word.
Isagi's fists clenched.
Seiichi. Rin. Zeya.
Bring it on. I'll beat all of you.
Because I'm the one who'll become the world's number one.