"Nice to meet you, I've heard a lot about you." Ryōsuke smiled as he shook hands with him.
Chris Prince was considered the world's second-best striker, second only to Noel. His outstanding technical skills and superhuman physical abilities allowed him to dominate on the field.
"Come on! Let's get started!" Chris pulled him over and handed him a bottle of mineral water.
Prince Mineral Water was Chris's own investment brand with significant global influence, now partnered with Blue Lock.
Originally planning to be the sole spokesperson, he immediately decided to include Ryōsuke after hearing about him.
Not just a powerhouse on the field, Chris possessed excellent business acumen. Seeing great commercial potential in this newcomer, he made the last-minute decision to include him in the advertising shoot.
As a world-renowned brand, Prince Mineral Water offered Ryōsuke an exceptionally generous advertising fee.
"Let's quickly review the lines. Kira, you've seen the script beforehand, right?"
"Yes."
"Good, let's begin!"
Soon, Ryōsuke and Chris began the commercial shoot, starting with Prince Mineral Water, followed by endorsements for watches, clothing, and other world-famous brands — ones that even domestic top players weren't qualified to endorse.
The endorsement fees for these brands were astronomical. A talented player's value extended far beyond the field, wielding tremendous influence off the pitch as well.
After about two hours, the day's commercial shoot wrapped up.
"Good work, Kira." Chris smiled as he handed him a bottle of his brand's water, while intently observing him.
Ryōsuke had caught Chris's attention from the moment he arrived. His well-trained physique was immediately apparent.
As someone obsessed with physical conditioning, Chris couldn't help but be intrigued by Ryōsuke's physique and training methods.
"It's nothing." Ryōsuke accepted the water and took several gulps.
"How do you usually train? Do you have a special trainer?" Chris asked, knowing such results couldn't come from ordinary training.
"Yes, I suppose so. She created a specialized training program for me. Thanks to her, I've made it this far." Ryōsuke responded with a smile.
Riko had indeed provided tremendous help in this regard. Her influence had turned him into a training fanatic.
Though her cooking skills were rather "average", her meals were undeniably nutritious and excellent at replenishing an athlete's energy.
Her cooking suffered mainly because she prioritized nutrition over taste. If one could overlook flavor, the meals were excellent supplements.
"Impressive." Chris said, praising not just Ryōsuke's abilities but also Riko's training methods.
After a moment's reflection, he shifted his gaze from Ryōsuke's body to his face.
"In a few days, our teams will face each other. I'm really looking forward to your performance."
"Yes, I'm looking forward to it too."
"Kira, you'll have a front-row seat to watch me become a hero and surpass the world's number one." Chris narrowed his eyes.
The match against Bastard München was crucial for him. He wanted to surpass Noel under the world's watchful eyes and claim the throne of world's best!
"Sorry, Chris." Ryōsuke smiled slightly, "I'm afraid our team will have the last laugh."
Facing the world's second-best striker, his expression remained perfectly calm.
"Interesting. We'll see about that."
After the commercial shoot, Ryōsuke was scheduled for a press interview arranged by Anri.
As he approached the interview room, he saw Sae Itoshi walking out.
"Are you also going to waste time with this boring activity?" Sae nodded to him before quickly leaving.
Though his expression remained unchanged, his eyes betrayed a hint of impatience. For him, such interviews were nothing but a tedious waste of time.
Ryōsuke entered the room to find a reporter slumped dejectedly on the sofa, looking miserable.
"Hello..."
At Ryōsuke's tentative greeting, the reporter sprang up like a patient suddenly rising from their sickbed, instantly regaining his composure.
"Hello, Player Kira!" The reporter's face lit up as if he'd found salvation.
He was an official sports channel reporter, and interviewing Sae earlier had nearly broken his spirit.
He was notorious among media outlets as an "interview killer". His arrogant attitude showed no respect for reporters, and his responses were consistently outrageous.
Publishing Sae's exact words would certainly cause an uproar and invite widespread criticism.
Whether he was oblivious to this — or simply didn't care — remained unclear. He had previously made shocking statements, like claiming he'd rather play with German university students than the national team.
The mere thought of interviewing someone like him gave the reporter a headache. He hoped Ryōsuke would be different, given his previous TV appearances had seemed quite normal.
In Blue Lock, normality was a rare commodity.
"Then, let me ask you a few questions."
"Sure, go ahead."
The reporter quickly proceeded with his standard questions, and Ryōsuke responded smoothly with professional answers.
This nearly brought tears to the reporter's eyes — finding an interviewee like this young man was truly a rare blessing!
A normal person who was easy to work with!
"For the final few questions, Player Kira, what are your thoughts about Bastard München's two-hundred-million designation of you?"
"It's far from enough!" Ryōsuke answered with a smile, "My goal is an even higher value. Two hundred million is nowhere near enough."
"I see, it seems Player Kira has very high aspirations! What's your take on Player Sae Itoshi's decision to participate in the U-20 World Cup? We know he previously had no intention of joining the national team, but he claims he changed his mind because of you. Are you two close in private?"
"Well... to be honest, we aren't very close." Ryōsuke shrugged helplessly.
"Alright... regarding the U-20 World Cup after Blue Lock's Second Phase, what are your expectations? Young players worldwide are now paying attention to you all."
"I'm looking forward to facing them in the U-20 World Cup." Ryōsuke's gaze grew serious, "But no matter what, we will definitely be the champions. That's beyond doubt."
The reporter looked at him with surprise, sensing that these weren't just empty words or a show. Ryōsuke had made up his mind.
For this country, such an achievement would normally be considered a pipe dream.
But influenced by this young man, the reporter felt his blood starting to boil with excitement. This time the team had Sae, along with other excellent players joining, making this national team stronger than ever before.
Most crucially... this time they had Ryōsuke.
"I understand. Thank you very much for the interview!" The reporter beamed, "We're really looking forward to your performance!"
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
Meanwhile, in Brazil.
Carlos Santana was practicing intensely on the field.
As Brazil's soccer prodigy, Carlos had been abandoned as a newborn at Bara FC Club's field. Eduardo and Katherine Santana adopted him, but after their tragic death in an accident, the wealthy Barsole Bara took him in.
Under Barsole's threats and coercion, Carlos was forced to suppress his emotions and sever ties with his friends. He endured brutal training to become the strongest player — a regimen as harsh as Blue Lock's.
Thus, the "Soccer Cyborg" was born.
This persona, "Carlos Bara", closely resembled the corrupted "Wild Card" Rensuke from the original Blue Lock.
Yet Carlos proved far stronger than the corrupted Rensuke, leading Brazil to victory in the previous U-20 World Cup.
A few months ago, during a match between his team CR Flamengo and Tsubasa's Sao Paulo FC, Carlos rediscovered his emotions and found himself longing for another match against Tsubasa.
He had also watched the recent viral Blue Lock livestream, witnessing his rival's defeat.
"Ryōsuke, huh? Defeating Tsubasa... I wonder if we'll meet in the U-20 World Cup?" Carlos mused.
"Carlos, how's the training going?" A dark-skinned player approached, greeting him with a smile.
"Just getting started, Natureza." Carlos smiled back.
Natureza was another Brazilian team ace.
He had initially declined to join the national team, believing matches would be too predictable — Brazil would dominate even without him.
But the Blue Lock livestream changed his mind. Now he eagerly anticipated facing these world-class players.
Especially Ryōsuke.
"Then I'll join you."
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
After finishing the interview, Ryōsuke immediately returned to his team's building, intending to rejoin his teammates for training.
Before he could begin practicing, Michael confronted him.
"Ryōsuke." Michael's gaze was razor-sharp, flames of revenge flickering in his eyes.
Behind him stood Alexis, his eyes burning with hatred and jealousy as he glared at Ryōsuke.
"What is it?" Ryōsuke asked calmly as everyone's attention turned toward them.
"Let's settle this in the next match." Michael narrowed his eyes, "We'll let goals decide who's the true authority of this team..."
He had been honing his abilities during this time.
He was determined to surpass Ryōsuke and reclaim leadership of the team. Otherwise, everything he had would gradually be taken away by this newcomer.
Though Michael wasn't planning to stay at Bastard München, the club's specific interest in Ryōsuke still rankled him.
"Oh, is that what this is about?" Ryōsuke regarded him with an indifferent expression, "What's the point of such a contest? Shouldn't playing soccer be about bringing victory to the team? Why should I participate in your childish competition? Is personal glory more important to you than team success?"
Michael's face darkened at these words, leaving him momentarily speechless.
Behind him, Alexis jumped in without thinking, "Oh, Ryōsuke! You're scared, aren't you? Afraid to compete with Michael?"
He genuinely believed Ryōsuke was afraid to accept the challenge.
"Scared?" Ryōsuke let out a cold laugh, "I just don't want to engage in such childish competition during an official match, but if you really want to settle this, we can."
"What do you propose?" Michael frowned.
"It's simple, let's resolve this right now." Ryōsuke stepped forward, narrowing his eyes, "Let's have a one-on-one right now."
❖❖❖
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