Chapter 47: The Competition Begins!
Blue Lock – Private Training Grounds
"Seiichi… Zeya… Of course you're here already."
Bachira Meguru stepped into the indoor field and immediately spotted the twin monsters in motion.
His eyes widened.
"So fast…!"
In a blur, Yūshin Seiichi surged forward with the ball like a streak of lightning. His figure moved like a comet crashing through the sky, weaving past one training dummy after another with surgical precision.
On the opposite end, Yūshin Zeya exploded into the agility ladder like a missile. His footwork danced across the small-grid rungs with terrifying sharpness. Not a wasted step. Not a break in rhythm.
But he didn't stop there.
As soon as he cleared the last rung, Zeya bolted straight into a cone maze filled with pressure dummies, flowing between them like wind and fire combined. A cheetah unleashed.
Meanwhile, Seiichi had just hit the final dummy. With a fluid Marseille turn, he spun past it and whipped his right leg through the ball with a clean, powerful strike.
The ball bent in midair.
Its spin curled toward the exact path Zeya was blitzing down.
"Wait… what?" Bachira blinked.
"Did Seiichi just—pass that blindly?"
He hadn't even looked.
That was a pure instinct pass. A feel-it-and-send-it type of pass.
Bachira imagined himself in Zeya's place.
Header? No. Too low for power. Bicycle? Too far forward. A hook shot? No time to adjust—defenders would close in.
In that split second, even he couldn't see a solution.
But Zeya—
Zeya's golden eyes locked onto the spinning ball. His body twisted mid-sprint, then launched airborne with unreal grace.
His form was perfect.
Horizontal to the ground like a diving hawk, Zeya extended his right leg like a guillotine.
Bang!
Side volley—midair—top right corner!
Whoosh.
Time froze.
Bachira stood stunned. "He… he didn't even hesitate…"
That shot wasn't human.
"Yo, Bachira!" Seiichi called out casually, sipping from his water bottle. "You here to train too?"
"Ah… yeah." Bachira walked over slowly, still shaken.
"I've been meaning to ask you something." He hesitated. "How come… my dribbling doesn't work on you?"
Seiichi smiled. "Your dribbling is amazing. That's not the issue."
Zeya, who was wiping down with a towel, spoke bluntly. "Your technique is great. But your intent is obvious."
Bachira flinched.
"You don't dribble to devour your opponent. You dribble to avoid fighting. You're always looking for a pass. That won't make you the best in the world."
Seiichi's smile faded as he stepped closer.
"You remember what you asked me when we first met?" he said, voice low. "You said I looked like a monster."
He stared directly into Bachira's eyes, his own burning cold.
"But you… you just want to play with the monster inside you."
"Until you become the monster yourself, you'll never reach us."
The room's air grew tense and quiet.
Something darker and sharper bled out from Seiichi's body—ego. Hunger. Loneliness.
Zeya watched him quietly.
So you understand all this… yet still hold yourself back, Seiichi? Why?
…
Blue Lock – Third Selection Stadium
The five players—Seiichi, Zeya, Rin Itoshi, Hiori Yo, and Bachira—stood waiting in formation.
"They're here," Bachira said, eyes widening as footsteps echoed through the tunnel.
A tall figure in the lead strode confidently onto the pitch—Loki, the prodigy of the French national team.
"Damn. He really looks like Sae," Seiichi muttered, crossing his arms.
"Yeah," Zeya nodded, scanning Loki's aura.
"Huh? What are you two talking about?" Bachira asked, glancing between them.
"Nothing," Seiichi smiled. "Just surprised. Never thought I'd be facing guys of this level."
He clenched his fist, trembling with barely contained excitement. Deep blue flames flickered in his eyes.
In my last life, playing against world-class stars was impossible. But now… now I can hunt them.
…
The teams squared up. The World Five—Loki, Leonardo Luna, Adam Blake, Dada Silva, and Pablo Cabassos—stood tall, eyes mocking.
Banter flew.
But Seiichi's English was garbage.
So, in response to their trash talk, he just flipped them off behind his back.
"…Childish," Rin muttered.
…
Blue Lock Third Selection – World Five Match Begins
Rules: First to 5 goals wins.
The red team took their positions.
"Let's rattle this star team a little, Zeya," Seiichi grinned.
"I'll make sure they never forget who's No.1," Zeya replied, golden eyes glowing.
To be continued…