"Being at the bottom, I'll be 'It' first... Let's do this, but no hard feelings whoever loses!" Gurimu balanced on the soccer ball while searching for a suitable target.
Even before starting, he was already drenched in sweat.
After hesitating for about ten seconds, he finally made his move, dribbling through the crowd like a headless chicken. Whether in physical ability or soccer skills, he was absolutely last place, completely unable to kick anyone.
Ryōsuke knew what he would do next, as everything was progressing almost exactly like in the original story.
After about a minute, Gurimu finally found a suitable target.
Meguru Bachira, who was still sleeping on the ground.
But just as he was about to kick the ball, Meguru suddenly sprang up and deliberately kicked Gurimu in the face.
"Hey hey hey, that's a foul! That's definitely a red card offense!"
"Only handball is prohibited." Meguru maintained his sleepy expression.
"Hey, don't use such underhanded tactics — let's have a fair match!" Rensuke put his hand on Meguru's shoulder; being straightforward by nature, he didn't like these non-soccer methods.
But before he could finish speaking, the ball had already hit him.
"Oh my goodness!"
Gurimu stuck out his tongue excitedly, thrilled at his successful sneak attack, and the name on the screen changed from 'Gurimu Igarashi' to 'Rensuke Kunigami'.
"You damn grain, I'm going to destroy you!" Rensuke, enraged by the despicable method, had veins popping on his forehead as he raised his foot, preparing to forcefully kick the ball at the little bastard.
Gurimu immediately looked around, trying to find a human shield to block the anger-fueled shot.
The closest person was Ryōsuke.
"Found my sacrificial lamb!" Like a monkey, he clung to Ryōsuke's body, hiding behind him while forcefully restraining his arms to limit his movement.
"Kira!"
From the other side, Yoichi called out worriedly — after all, Ryōsuke was the only person in this room he was somewhat familiar with.
At this moment, Gurimu's proud smirk began to fade. Clinging to Ryōsuke felt like grabbing onto solid rock — he couldn't budge the other person's arms even slightly.
This guy possessed a terrifying physique that rivaled Rensuke's.
He had no idea this build was the result of grueling training and Breathing Techniques working in perfect harmony.
When their eyes met, Ryōsuke's sideways glance was nothing like his earlier refined demeanor.
Just who was this person?
Acting on pure instinct, Gurimu let go and fled.
Meguru watched it all unfold.
'Scared him off, did you? Like a monkey spotting a lion... interesting.' He stared at Ryōsuke with an eager smile.
"Aah!"
Rensuke unleashed an unstoppable shot straight at Ryōsuke.
The ball's frightening speed revealed its devastating power — anyone with a weaker build would be knocked flat if hit.
But Ryōsuke didn't flinch.
Thud!
He took the ball straight to his chest, slightly tilting to absorb the impact, then trapped it under his foot.
"Did you just call me your sacrificial lamb?" His lion-like gaze locked onto Gurimu.
The look of a predator choosing its prey.
In the original story, Gurimu was nothing but a trickster who got by on poor sportsmanship, clever schemes, and riding others' success. His erratic personality had already earned Ryōsuke's distaste.
Using him as a human shield had only stoked that anger — Gurimu was practically begging for trouble.
Ryōsuke knew this round's rules: one person would be eliminated, with the survivors forming a temporary team to compete for qualification.
With his target chosen, he needed the surest path to victory. Success meant combining personal ability with the highest probability strategy.
And Gurimu, being virtually useless, made the perfect elimination candidate.
From the moment Ryōsuke entered this selection, the little man's fate was sealed.
He didn't dodge Rensuke's kick for two reasons: to test how his physical abilities had improved with the Breathing Technique, and to keep the ball under his control for choosing who to eliminate.
In the Blue Lock prison of forwards, Ryōsuke knew he didn't need to dominate the team to breeze through the next, more brutal round of Selection.
Though Blue Lock would ultimately produce just one winner, teamwork remained crucial at this stage. This approach would also help avoid complications, particularly with the unpredictable Meguru.
If Meguru got the ball, he'd definitely challenge Ryōsuke to a one-on-one — an unnecessary hassle.
"What kind of physical strength..."
Everyone stood amazed, Yoichi especially.
Having faced Ryōsuke before, he knew he was strong — but this display exceeded all expectations.
In last week's game, Yoichi's team had lost simply because they missed their chance to comeback. He'd thought Ryōsuke was leagues above him then, with a skill gap wider than the ocean.
Now, he sensed that the gulf between himself and that lion was even more vast.
The name on the screen had also changed to 'Ryōsuke Kira'.
"Looks like we can't get the ball now! Kira, this is too boring!" Meguru scratched his head dejectedly.
As time passed, Ryōsuke hadn't moved, but his intent was obvious.
Gurimu was his target, and everyone else had stopped their evasive dance.
❖❖❖
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