Secret Weapon

Chapter 2

📆Saturday, March 16 〔🌏〕Japan ☀️hour; 8:32am 🌸Spring

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The following weekend arrived, and the Blue Lock mansion was buzzing with its usual energy. The team had gathered for their training session, but there was an undercurrent of curiosity about their unexpected visitor.

___ arrived punctually, her demeanor as reserved as ever. She carried a small notebook and stood off to the field, her eyes scanning the players with a clinical detachment. True to her word, she didn't engage much with anyone, offering only brief nods of acknowledgment to Reo and Nagi.

Aiku approached her with a mix of curiosity and caution. "Thank you for coming. I hope our training session will be helpful for your studies."

She nodded, her expression neutral. "I'll observe for a short while and then continue my analysis remotely, as agreed."

As the training session began, the players couldn't help but feel the weight of her gaze. Isagi and Bachira exchanged glances, clearly surprised by her presence but trying to focus on their drills. Reo, ever the strategist, was in his element. He orchestrated plays that showcased each player's strengths, all while stealing glances at her to gauge her reactions. Nagi, despite his usual lethargy, found himself oddly motivated. The presence of an outsider seemed to awaken his competitive spirit.

About thirty minutes into the session, she quietly packed up her notebook and slipped away, leaving behind a team both intrigued and slightly unsettled by her presence. As soon as she left, the whispers started.

"What was that about?" Chigiri asked, his eyes darting between Reo and Nagi.

Kunigami shrugged. "Felt like we were under a microscope."

Barou, ever direct, confronted Reo. "What's your angle here, Mikage? How's this supposed to help us?" Reo, unfazed by the questioning, smiled confidently. "Think about it. We're all so focused on physical training, but what about our mental game? Someone like her might see things we're missing, even if she doesn't know much about soccer."

Isagi, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "He's got a point. But why her specifically?"

Reo's eyes gleamed. "Let's just say I had a hunch that she might be particularly insightful about our team's dynamics." As the team continued to debate the merits of this unusual arrangement, a figure lingered at the edge of the room, his presence commanding attention even in silence. Tall and muscular, with an aura of quiet intensity, he stood apart from the others. His magenta hair style carefully, with his slim and teal eyes that were framed by long dark lashes, gave him an almost feline appearance. Those eyes now surveyed the room with a calculating gaze taking in every delta of the unfolding conversation. Sae quietly observes from the sidelines, his sharp mind already considering the potential consequences of introducing an outsider to their tightly-knit group.

Meanwhile, she sat in her small apartment, reviewing her notes. Her serious expression belied the whirlwind of thoughts in her mind. These players were unlike any group she had observed before. Their interactions, their rivals, their drive - It was all fascinatingly complex. As she began to type up her initial observations, she couldn't help but feel she was standing on the precipice of something much bigger than a simple case study.

The clock ticked past midnight as she sat on her small desk, the light from her lamp casting a soft glow on her notebook and laptop. She was alone in her apartment, reviewing the day's observations. She couldn't help but think back to the unusual training session she'd observed. The blue lock's players were a fascinating mix of personalities, each with their own charisma, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. She worked tirelessly through the night, compiling retrospectives on each player's performance, making notes on their interactions, and analyzing behavior.