Blue Lock : Second Selection. The Selection Room.
The air in the room was stagnant, heavy with the sweat of the match and the crushing weight of the decision Isagi Yoichi was about to make.
Nagi Seishiro's eyes were wide, filled with a desperate expectation. He had fought hard. He had evolved. He had betrayed his own nature to win. Surely, Isagi would acknowledge that?
But Isagi walked past Nagi.
He didn't stop in front of Barou, the King who was fuming in silent rage.
He didn't stop in front of Kunigami, the Hero who sat with his head in his hands.
Isagi stopped in front of the Red Panther.
Chigiri Hyoma.
Chigiri looked up, sweat dripping from his long red hair. He looked surprised.
"Me?" Chigiri whispered.
Isagi extended a hand.
"Stand up, Princess," Isagi said coolly. "We're going to the next stage."
"Why?" Nagi's voice cracked from behind them.
Isagi turned slowly. Nagi looked devastated. It was the face of a child who had been promised a toy, only to have it smashed in front of him.
"Why not me, Isagi?" Nagi asked, his voice trembling. "I scored. I devoured Barou. I played better than anyone on my team."
Isagi looked at Nagi with the dispassionate gaze of a scientist observing a failed experiment.
"You were excellent, Nagi," Isagi admitted. "Individually, you might be the best player here."
"Then why?!" Reo stepped forward, conflicted. "Isagi, if he's the best, we should take him! With Nagi, we're invincible!"
"No," Isagi cut Reo off sharply. "With Nagi, we are unstable."
Isagi walked up to Nagi, poking him in the chest.
"You played this entire match with one goal: To beat me. Your ego narrowed. You became obsessed."
Isagi's eyes narrowed.
" obsession makes you predictable. In the final play, you tried to beat me 1-on-1 instead of scoring the easiest way. That hesitation... that specific desire to crush me... is why you lost."
Isagi turned back to Chigiri.
"But Chigiri is a constant. His speed is a law of physics. It doesn't fluctuate based on emotion. It doesn't care who the opponent is. 50 meters is 50 meters."
Isagi looked at Rin.
"Rin creates openings. Bachira creates chaos. Reo balances the field. I control the logic."
"We don't need another chaotic variable like Nagi or Barou. We need a weapon that can pierce through the holes we create."
Isagi pointed at Chigiri's legs.
"We need a Spear."
Chigiri smiled. It was a sharp, confident smile.
"A Spear, huh?" Chigiri stood up, grabbing his towel. "I like the sound of that. As long as you can keep up with me, Isagi."
"I don't need to keep up," Isagi replied. "I just need to know where you'll be."
The Farewell
Isagi turned to the remaining losers.
Nagi Seishiro.
Barou Shoei.
Kunigami Rensuke.
It was a volatile, dangerous trio.
"Nagi," Isagi said.
Nagi didn't look up. He was staring at the floor, his world gray and empty again.
"If you want to survive," Isagi said coldly, "stop chasing me. Chase the World. If you can't find an ego bigger than 'beating Isagi Yoichi', you will rot in the Second Selection."
Isagi signaled his team.
"Let's go. The Top 5 is complete."
Team White (Final Roster):
Isagi Yoichi (The God's Eye)
Rin Itoshi (The Puppet Master)
Bachira Meguru (The Monster)
Reo Mikage (The Copycat)
Chigiri Hyoma (The Speedster)
They walked through the gate.
Reo looked back one last time at Nagi.
"Goodbye, Nagi," Reo whispered. "I'll wait for you at the top."
The gate slammed shut.
The Despair of the Genius
In the losing room, silence reigned.
Barou kicked a locker. BANG.
"DAMMIT!" Barou roared. "I lost... again! To him!"
Kunigami sat quietly. "We have to go back down. 3v3 "
Nagi stood still.
"Isagi..." Nagi murmured.
He clenched his fist. The pain of rejection was a new fuel. It burned hotter than boredom. It burned hotter than fun.
"I won't forget this," Nagi whispered, a dark aura exploding around him, turning the air black. "I will survive. And next time... I won't just beat you. I will destroy everything you love."