The last day of the vacation arrived.
In the dark room, Ye Liangqiu gazed at the stars outside the window, lost in thought. He had almost completely forgotten the memories of the second stage of Blue Lock, or perhaps, this training session was an entirely new experience.
"The best in the world?"
"It seems to be getting closer."
At this moment, a "ding-dong" sound rang out.
The Blue Lock assembly notification arrived.
Ye Liangqiu slowly closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, "Is it finally starting again?"
....
The night passed without a word.
Over the iconic Blue Lock facility, several helicopters hovered, while the surrounding area was packed with crowds and various reporters.
On the bus, Ye Liangqiu, as Blue Lock's ace, was the first to step out, though this time he was wearing sunglasses.
He was closely followed by the others who had also received the training camp notice.
Countless reporters, upon seeing Ye Liangqiu step out, wanted to rush forward to ask about the Blue Lock training content and various topics concerning the previous match. Some even, under the guise of being reporters, tried to ask for Ye Liangqiu's phone number.
"Qiu, why are you wearing sunglasses?" Bachira walked beside Ye Liangqiu, asking with some confusion.
Ye Liangqiu replied helplessly, "Xiao Hui Jie said my eyes would scare children, so she told me to wear sunglasses in front of reporters."
Just then, Itoshi Rin walked by and casually added, "There's no sun today. You're just purely sick."
"What did you say?"
"Do you want to fight?"
Bachira blinked his eyes nearby and quickly reacted, pulling Ye Liangqiu back.
Everyone else, however, was already accustomed to such a scene. As they entered the familiar Blue Lock, Ye Liangqiu also saw many familiar faces, such as the U20 National Team they had previously defeated.
Although everyone was an enemy, off the field, their relationship was not as hostile as it was on the field; at least they could still converse.
However, the U20 National Team, the moment they saw Ye Liangqiu, all showed hostility.
Not only because they had seen the previous news.
But also because that defeat had left a huge psychological shadow on them.
Of course, Ye Liangqiu simply faced all of this calmly.
Just then, a frivolous and arrogant voice rang out. The large screen lit up, and Ego Jinpachi appeared on it, still in his usual attire, still with those dead fish eyes. Everyone was used to it, but the U20 National Team, being new to Blue Lock, was still a bit unaccustomed.
However, they still knew that Ego Jinpachi was the head coach of Blue Lock.
"Welcome everyone to Blue Lock, and thank you all for participating in this second stage of the game selection tournament."
"As for your questions, I don't want to explain too much."
"And now, the U20 National Team is entirely under my responsibility, so I have gathered all of you here to create a brand new U20 National Team."
"There are less than a hundred days until the World Cup, but clearly your strength is completely inadequate in my eyes. So I have devised a plan that will accelerate your growth."
The next moment, five flags representing different countries lit up on the screen.
Everyone present had a clear understanding of these five flags, or rather, these flags represented the Five Great Leagues, the highest level of world football in Europe.
Ego Jinpachi showed a strange smile, "Popularity, strength, money—the resources they control are unimaginable to us. So for this training, you will choose to enter any team in these Five Great Leagues and adapt to this high-pressure training environment."
"England, pursuing speed and physical confrontation ability."
"Spain, pursuing technical and creative goal-scoring ability."
"Italy, focusing on team technique, and playing a very cunning style, skilled in the defensive counterattack and the aesthetic of victory."
"France, a springboard for European new stars and young players. Thanks to the influx of funds from wealthy individuals, it has become a huge market, rapidly advancing on the path to being the world's top league."
"Finally, Germany, which adheres to the philosophy of goals being king, pursuing rationality, playing in an almost ruthless manner solely for the result of victory. The current world's number one player, Noel Noah, is here."
Listening to his words, there was no shock in the hall as imagined, only silence.
No one could have imagined that Ego Jinpachi had such a plan.
And his words continued, "The choice of environment is crucial. The challenges you face in the new environment are not just about scoring goals, but about focusing on the team you choose, adapting, and constantly adapting to the new artistic conception within it."
"This will be your last selection to replace the U20 National Team. You can treat this selection as a life baptism to enter the world leagues. Choose an environment that is beneficial to you, whether good or bad, it will be a test that overturns your life."
"Come on, unpolished gems, bet everything you've learned in Blue Lock."
"Soar on the world stage."
"You now have ninety minutes to choose which team to enter."
As Ego Jinpachi's figure disappeared from the large screen, a countdown began ticking on the screen.
Ye Liangqiu looked at the five league teams, and when he saw England's pursuit of speed and physical confrontation, he already had a plan. He no longer needed to pursue physical and strength confrontations.
He no longer needed these things now; he wanted to achieve a higher level of improvement.
He needed to find a place where he could undergo a complete transformation.
Ultimately, he set his sights on Germany.
A place where goals were king, this would be his best stage.
"Qiu, I'm going to choose Spain." At this moment, Bachira walked over with a smile and stated his choice.
Ye Liangqiu nodded. Spain was a good choice for Bachira, as that place was for training dribbling and footwork. If Bachira chose another place, it might backfire; only this place was the best option.
"What about you?" Bachira asked.
"Germany," Ye Liangqiu replied.
Bachira smiled, "I knew you'd choose Germany. After all, only a place like that could interest you, right?"
With that, the two exchanged smiles.
Ye Liangqiu extended his fist, "Then… let's see who gets to be the best in the world first."
Bachira's eyes were filled with fighting spirit.
As the countdown progressed, almost everyone had chosen the league they would enter.
The screen gradually lit up.