"Ah, Yoichi, you're here too," said Hiori as he walked into the training ground and spotted Isagi.
"Yeah," Isagi replied. "I figured most of the star mentors would stick to typical pro-level strategies, so I wanted to see how Shinichi approaches things first."
"I see. But come to think of it, not many players are trying out for Shinichi's team, huh? Everyone's probably flocking to the other mentors."
Since there was still some time before things officially began, Hiori casually pulled out his phone and tuned in to the Blue Lock TV livestream.
"Especially over at Ubers. Maybe it's because they did so well in the first stage. Seems like everyone wants to be under Snuffy's guidance. It's already packed over there, even before tryouts begin."
"Snuffy, huh... It makes sense. His approach of improving the team through tactics and coordination feels a bit more refined than the others. If I get the chance, I'd like to check out Ubers myself. But..."
Though Isagi respected Snuffy's leadership, he had his own concerns.
"Having a solid tactical system is great and all, but my playstyle and positioning tend to be more free-form. If I can't adjust to the system, I might end up clashing with it. A team where every player functions like a precise cog in a machine might actually hold me back. And even though everyone gets chances to shine, once a tactic is set, the team's core roles rarely change. So I think I'll just observe for now."
"You really like to analyze everything in your head before making a move. That's so like you," Hiori chuckled. "So, do you already have a team in mind?"
"Well… I've got a rough idea. I came up with it by analyzing the playing styles of each mentor and the growth directions of the players we met in the first stage of Blue Lock. But I still need to experience things firsthand to be sure."
Isagi gave a quick explanation, then continued, "Honestly, I'd prefer to train under a new mentor. I've already seen a lot of what Noa has to offer, and the 'pure rationality above all' philosophy at Bastard München has pretty much reached its limit for me. You get what I mean, right, Hiori?"
"Yeah," Hiori nodded in agreement. "Whether it's attacking, passing, or defending, everything has to serve rationality. That style helps us make optimal decisions on the field, but it stops there. Not everyone can be like Noa. Sure, I learned a lot from him, but I don't want to be too influenced by that style. Only Noa can move like a machine and still be the best—no one else can replicate that."
"Yeah, exactly. Compared to that, the other mentors actually focus on the personal abilities I most need to improve. I can read the flow of the game, but my individual skill still doesn't have enough influence on the match. Without your passes, I would've never won the final game in the first phase," Isagi said with a helpless shake of his head. "If I were to join the Spanish League, I'd probably improve my dribbling. I'm definitely lacking when it comes to ball control. But honestly, that style of play is so different from my own. I'm not even sure I have the talent for it—there's just too much uncertainty."
"The English League is probably the top pick among the mentors. Over there, I could massively improve the physical abilities that I'm still lacking compared to you guys. And since the second phase of the New Hero Battle is full-field matches, it's probably where I'll see the biggest gains—especially for someone like me, who relies heavily on Meta Vision."
"As for the French League… to be honest, I don't really understand that so-called prodigy's philosophy. I'm not sure what kind of improvements Rin or Shidou have made over there. It feels like all of his attention is focused on developing Charles. If I had to say, I guess the French League is probably the most tolerant of individual personalities—after all, that mentor accepts Rin's stubbornness, Shidou's madness, and Charles' odd personality without complaint."
After saying all that, Isagi finally paused—only to be startled by the crowd that had gathered around him at some point, listening intently to his analysis with thoughtful expressions.
"Isagi, you never fail to impress. Always the brainy one," Bachira exclaimed, throwing his arms around Isagi's shoulders from behind. "Hey, the Team Z duo is back together! Want to team up and join the same league? I've got a feeling we'd crush it if we joined forces again."
"Hm, Isagi Yoichi… your reasoning is simply… sublime! I approve!" Aryu declared dramatically, flipping his long hair and reaching a hand toward Isagi like a stage actor, causing him to instinctively take two steps back. "Ah, I see. You're too dazzled by my radiant presence to face me properly… and so you retreat in shame!"
"You're as sharp as ever, Isagi," Chigiri said with a smile. "Hearing this makes me think I should also reevaluate my options. Instead of short-term gains, maybe I should focus on what'll improve me the most long-term." He waved off Aryu with a chuckle. "Don't mind him—he'll calm down in a bit."
"Hah! You idiots. Obviously, the only rule here is to pick the team that offers the most money!" a loud, arrogant voice rang out from the entrance. Everyone turned to look—and saw a tall, muscular Black player with dreadlocks swagger into the room.
"As expected from the weakest mentor. Even the guys trying out here are all weaklings," scoffed Brazil's national striker, Dada Silva, sweeping his gaze over Isagi and the others with disdain. "Why waste a spot on some nobody when I could just take it? Total waste. Though… if I do join this team, we might have a shot at winning. I'll let that mentor buy me with a ridiculous price—haha!"
"Move it, dumbass gorilla."
A bored voice cut through Dada Silva's rant from behind. He turned around, only to find a group of Eleven Elite players walking in—Michael Kaiser, Charles Chevalier, Don Lorenzo, and Itoshi Sae among them.
"Yo, Shinichi—we're here to play."
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