Chapter 43: Extreme Disappointment
Blue Lock – Level 4 Final Match
Red Team: Yūshin Seiichi, Yūshin Zeya, Itoshi Rin, Hiori Yo
White Team: Isagi Yoichi, Chigiri Hyōma, Nagi Seishirō, Bachira Meguru
"The Yūshin Twins, Seiichi and Zeya… and the younger brother of Itoshi Sae—Rin. This team is hell."
Bachira Meguru grinned wide, his golden eyes dancing with madness as he stared at the monsters across from them.
He didn't know much about Hiori Yo, but if that guy was standing alongside those three, then he had to be something special.
"I'm starting to get fired up," Isagi said, fists clenched.
"Zeya's known as the fastest striker in Japan's high school scene," Chigiri added, flipping his red hair back. "Let me mark him. I'll prove that I'm faster than anyone."
"Then I'll take Rin," Nagi muttered calmly.
Flicking his white hair, he stepped into position.
"What about you, Isagi?" Bachira asked.
Isagi's eyes locked on Seiichi. "I'll take him. He's the core. You take Hiori."
"Got it~" Bachira hummed.
…
On the other side of the pitch, Zeya noticed Seiichi stretching with extra enthusiasm.
"You look especially eager today," he said.
"Haha, you can tell?" Seiichi grinned, tightening his braid.
Zeya nodded. "Yeah."
Seiichi had told him about the so-called 'main character'—Isagi Yoichi. But based on what he'd seen in the past, there was no way Isagi had caught up to him yet.
From the corner of his eye, Rin watched Seiichi. Why was he so excited? Were those four really worth that much attention?
His expression hardened. It didn't matter. He wouldn't allow anyone to surpass him—not Isagi, not Zeya, not even Seiichi.
Whistle! The match began. White team kickoff.
"Let's go!" Bachira cheered, passing to Isagi.
"Same plan as always," Isagi confirmed, dashing upfield with purpose.
Seiichi quickly stepped up to pressure him. Isagi immediately passed to Bachira, who faced off with Hiori.
"You're strong, right?" Bachira asked with a gleam in his eye. "But so are we."
He burst forward with his signature spiderweb stepovers—fast, chaotic, creative.
Hiori narrowed his eyes, trying to keep up.
In a flash, Bachira nutmegged him—flicking the ball under Hiori's legs and bursting through.
"Tch…!" Hiori spun to recover.
"Well done, Bachira!" Isagi called out.
But the real threat was behind him—Seiichi had completely locked onto Isagi and was marking him with suffocating precision.
No matter where Isagi moved, Seiichi was there.
"This guy… he's reading everything I do…"
"I'm not giving you space," Seiichi smirked. "Show me what you've learned."
"I will!" Isagi snapped back. "Just watch me."
Across the field, Bachira crossed to Chigiri, who had darted down the left wing.
"Let's go, Zeya!" Chigiri shouted, eyes burning with determination.
Zeya turned toward him with a calm expression.
Chigiri flicked the ball forward with his right foot and exploded down the line—his top speed already surging.
That burst caught Zeya slightly off guard.
"Hm? He's fast."
It had been a while since someone challenged him head-on like this.
That hesitation allowed Chigiri to get half a step ahead.
With perfect timing, Chigiri fired a right-footed cross toward the penalty area.
Nagi leapt into the air, his body twisting gracefully as he caught the ball with his foot and brought it under control.
Rin tried to intercept, but Nagi didn't even glance at him.
"Too slow," Nagi whispered, tilting his body mid-air.
Boom! He volleyed sideways—sending the ball spinning past the BLUE LOCK MAN and into the top right corner.
Ding! Goal! White Team leads 1–0.
"Hell yeah! Nagi, that was insane!" Bachira yelled, slapping Nagi's back.
"That's how it's done!" Isagi said. "We're strong. We can do this."
Chigiri nodded, serious. "Keep this up and we can beat them."
…
While the White Team celebrated, Rin grabbed the ball out of the net and turned to Seiichi.
"So? That's what you were waiting for?"
His voice was flat. Disappointed.
"Underwhelming."
"Hurry up and finish this. I want to move on to the next stage."
…
Everyone fell silent.
White Team stared at Rin in disbelief.
"You—what did you say?" Bachira blinked.
"You saw Nagi score right in front of you and you're still acting like that?" Isagi growled.
Seiichi's smile faded. He said nothing.
Zeya folded his arms. "Honestly… he's not wrong."
Their faces were calm. Expressionless.
As if what just happened meant nothing to them.
"Even if that guy's the 'main character' or whatever," Zeya thought, "this is real football. Not some fantasy world. Raw talent and experience matter more than narrative."
The gap in athleticism… IQ… technique…
They weren't things that could be closed overnight.
Seiichi exhaled slowly.
"I expected too much," he admitted.
He glanced at the four across from him—his eyes cold.
"You guys just aren't interesting right now."
…
"You're really pissing me off, Seiichi!" Bachira snapped.
"Seiichi …" Isagi whispered, clenching his jaw.
The fire in his eyes reignited.
"If that's how you see us, then we'll show you something worth seeing!"
Zeya turned to Seiichi. "So? Still think he's the protagonist?"
Seiichi smiled faintly. "Let's find out."
To be continued…