ตอน 18: Stage Three

"System Update Completed"

'Huh?' Wait, did I just heard a sound?

"I'm Lisa, your Artificial intelligence assistant (lv. 1)."

"I'm here to assist you."

'Lisa?' I said.

"Yeah, that's right. I'm an artificial intelligence created to assist you with various tasks and offer information as needed."

I can ask anything, huh? Where has this feature always been?

...

'Well then, Lisa, I would like to know the origin of the system.'

"That's confidential," Lisa replied

'Huh, why do I have it?' I reframed the question.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you yet," Lisa responded.

'Oh Man, it just told me that it can provide me any information and now it's keeping its tongue tight.'

'Well then, I'd like to know-'

"Hey there. Diamonds in the rough..." Ego appeared on the screen.

"The Second Selection's third stage starts here. It's a 3 v 3 team battle."

"Both teams will have Blue Lock Man as the goalkeeper, and the team that scores five goals wins."

"And that winning team will pick one person from the losing team and steal him for your own, forming a four-man team."

"This is where you rob each other's rivals. The true form of the Second Selection is... A rivalry battle." Ego concluded after explaining the third stage.

Our ranking then changed, as the rank of my uniform moved up to the fifth rank.

"Ah. What should I do? What should I do." These words were repeated by Tokimitsu, who was trembling.

"If we lose, I definitely won't be chosen. Ah, I don't wanna do this." He added.

"If we do this, we should go against 4, 5, and 6, right? That'd be stylish," Jyubei Aryu said while caressing his hair. "And even if we win against those potatoes over there... I will not look beautiful at all." He added.

"Shut up, I don't care who I face, I just want to win quickly and move forward. You guys are here to meet the numbers." Itoshi Rin said this while interrupting Jyubei.

"You!" Jyubei said angrily.

"Don't misunderstand me, us three only formed a party because you were the first to clear and show up." Itoshi Rin said.

"Kurona, You won't mind if we fight them next, right?" I asked.

"Not at all," Kurona replied.

"Same here," Nagi added.

The three of us—Nagi, Me, and Kurona then pressed the button to challenge Rin's team. We then headed to the field where the match would be played.

Second Selection

Third Stage

3 vs. 3

Team White; Nagi, Murano, Kurona

Team Red; Jyubei, Rin, Tokimitsu

The match kicked off after Rin shot from the goalpost that went into the goal, It was a flawless shot, that amazed all of us. Nagi, Kurona, and I knew we had to step up our game if we wanted to win.

Team White 0 - 1 Team Red

"Let me try that!" I said as I put in a long shot into the goal box. The ball curved beautifully, leaving the Blue Lock Man no chance to save it. I fist-bumped Nagi and Kurona as the score became 1-1.

"Hmp!" Rin expressed his distaste.

Tokimitsu sprinted forward as Team Red now had possession of the ball.

"Guard him, Nagi! " I said as I instructed Nagi.

"Yeah, sure," Nagi replied as he went to block Tokimitsu's path.

Tokimitsu ignored the fact that Nagi was standing in his way, and shoulder-charged Nagi out of the way as Nagi tried to grab onto Tokimitsu.

Tokimitsu uses his shoulder to forcibly block a player off from the ball, securing it and allowing him to link up with others.

His physical strength, which ranks among the best in Blue Lock, is Tokimitsu's greatest weapon. Isagi once called him a "muscle bullet," and most players can barely budge him in a direct contest of physical strength. Tokimitsu is a good target to hold the ball and set up subsequent plays because of his level of strength, which enables him to use his shoulder to charge past an opponent or to block them from the ball. He could've been one of the best in the Blue Lock manga if only he were confident.

Nagi stumbled but quickly regained his balance and chased after Tokimitsu. Meanwhile, Kurona positioned himself strategically to intercept any passes. The tension on the field was apparent as both teams fought for control of the ball.

Tokimitsu went up and shot the ball as he left Murano, Kurona, and Nagi in the dust.

Team White 1 - 2 Team Red

Nagi and Murano charged upfield as the game restarted. With Kurona on the ball, he made a cross to Murano on the right flank. As the ball reached his feet, Murano hit a high pass to Nagi on the left flank.

Pa!

Nagi trapped the ball and kicked it into the net, equalizing the score at 2-2.

It was a battle of weapons, with each player giving their all to secure victory for their team. This was what I lived for - the thrill of competition and the camaraderie forged on the pitch.

The game continued with intense back-and-forth action. Murano displayed his incredible dribbling prowess by effortlessly slipping past Rin. He handed the ball to Nagi, who skillfully dribbled past Jyubei and fired a potent shot at the target.

The goalkeeper managed to make a diving save, but Nagi didn't give up. He quickly recovered the rebound and slotted it into the net, giving our team a well-deserved lead of 2-3.

As the match progressed, both teams fought fiercely for control of the ball. Kurona displayed exceptional defensive skills, intercepting passes and making crucial tackles. Our opponents tried their best to break through our defense but failed to find any openings.

We communicated through quick glances and nods, devising our own tactics to counter Rin's team.