"It's incredible, truly incredible. To score a hat-trick so effortlessly in a match of this caliber—this guy can't just be described as one of the new generation's elite eleven, can he?"
"Shining so brightly right from his debut, he's like a born superstar."
"Once Shinichi matures, it feels like Noel Noa's throne as the world's top striker might be in serious jeopardy."
"Do you really think this guy still needs to grow? (laughs)"
"Actually, it's not that exaggerated. Under Snuffy's system, the defensive counter-attack setup is really powerful. Loki is strong, sure, but he's still young and lacks a bit in leading the team."
"Exactly. The real test will be seeing how he matches up against another top-tier striker."
...
"This is huge, absolutely huge, Shinichi. You're really about to blow up!"
Looking at the constantly refreshing comments in the Italian section of his phone, Aiku couldn't help but glance with admiration at the unflappable man at the center of the locker room: "Just one match, and your valuation has already jumped by a hundred million. If you keep this up, where will your price be by the end of the New Hero Battle?"
"It won't go that high. This sudden spike in valuation is just clubs confirming that my seemingly enticing talent has the potential to be realized. Combined with the intel they've gathered, it's pushed the price to six hundred million. But in reality, unlike you guys who are still under evaluation, these clubs genuinely want to sign me immediately. They're considering my future prospects, so this is likely their ceiling for me."
What's truly admirable is that even in the face of such gains and overwhelming praise, Shinichi remains calm, detached as if he were an outsider, rationally analyzing from a spectator's perspective. "The New Hero Battle, at its core, is just a training camp for young players. The price they're offering me is simply an investment in my future. In matches of this level, the value of a single goal isn't that high, not even a hat-trick changes that. Once the threshold is raised, even if I continue this performance, my valuation won't fluctuate much."
"But there are still three matches left. If you can score a hat-trick in each, the ceiling might reach seven hundred million," added Niko, joining in on the speculation about the valuation.
Shinichi didn't refute this, seemingly accepting the guess, but he still shook his head. "In reality, the focus has never been on this. Temporary gains and losses don't matter at all."
"The focus has always been on the second phase of the New Hero Battle."
"Is it the official matches where the mentors will play without restrictions?" Niko frowned beneath his bangs. Training under Snuffy had indeed brought him significant progress, but deep down, he didn't believe he stood any chance against players of that caliber. "Is that kind of match really useful? Honestly, I feel like none of us have any possibility of competing with them. In the end, it'll probably just turn into a battle between the mentors."
"Hmph, no ambition at all. If your goal is to be the best in the world, then no matter who the opponent is, you should crush them one by one. How can you be afraid before the match even starts?" Barou, who had barely played in the match, chimed in with a cold expression, anxiously refreshing his phone to check the latest valuations. "In fact, isn't this the best opportunity? If you take down a few mentors in those official matches, wouldn't that skyrocket your status?"
"Haha, little Barou sure knows how to crack a joke," Lorenzo casually stuffed a handful of popcorn into his mouth, scattering food debris everywhere, which infuriated Barou.
Despite his disgust, Barou kept cleaning up after him while angrily lecturing him, though how much Lorenzo actually listened was questionable.
"Actually, in a way, Barou is right," Shinichi surprisingly agreed with Barou's point. He glanced around at everyone and explained in a low voice, "The second phase of the New Hero Battle is when valuations will skyrocket. That environment is very close to the real top five leagues, with a sufficient number of qualified role players, a core mentor-level star, and possibly talents like Lorenzo who can serve as secondary players, combined with a few unique players like you, Niko."
"Aside from the top-tier teams, most other teams have this kind of setup. The performance under such pressure is what clubs truly value. At that point, it won't be these small-scale valuations anymore, but real offers like those clubs make for player transfers in reality."
"Which mentor to pair with, how to showcase your abilities, and how to make your value visible—these are all things you'll need to think about later. So, it's not just about integrating into your current team; observing the styles of your opponents is also crucial in the first phase. This will help you make informed choices during the free market period."
"So, the first phase is just for us to adapt? No wonder that 'prodigy' didn't even bother to step onto the field when his team was being shut out," Kunigami nodded seriously. "But this free market... what if a lot of players want to join the same team? Wouldn't that create a huge disparity in strength between teams, making the evaluation meaningless?"
"Well..." At this point, Shinichi seemed to recall something amusing, a strange smile curling at the corners of his mouth. "You don't need to worry about that. Ego Jinpachi and I have designed some very interesting and comprehensive rules for the second phase."
"Trust me, you'll like it. So, focus on boosting your valuations—that's the most important thing." As if unwilling to reveal more, Shinichi abruptly changed the subject. "Oh, right, your valuations seem to have come out. Don't you want to take a look?"
"Let's see!!" xN
Although they were curious about the meaning behind Shinichi's triumphant smile, nothing tugs at people's heartstrings more than things that directly concern their own interests.
Almost instantly, the members of Italy's Ubers gathered around the large screen in the lounge and opened the latest valuation list.
**New Hero Battle Bidding Prices**
**Updated: One minute ago**
As the title appeared, the first name that caught everyone's eye was, unsurprisingly, the one who stood at the pinnacle of the New Hero Battle, far ahead of everyone else—Kanzaki Shinichi, Valuation: 600 million
In second place was a man named Michael Kaiser, Valuation: 300 million
"Germany's team should have already played a match, right? Why hasn't this Kaiser's valuation changed at all?" Niko was the first to spot the anomaly. Shinichi, however, seemed unfazed. "As I mentioned earlier, once a player's valuation reaches a certain threshold, it becomes difficult to increase further. Clubs have pegged this player's value at 300 million, so unless there's significant improvement or decline, even with goal stats, his value to the clubs remains unchanged."
"I see, so it's not just about focusing on stats," the group nodded thoughtfully and continued scrolling down. Since the other players were directly brought in from their respective teams, none of them, like Kaiser, were preparing to leave.
Thus, the clubs hadn't placed bids on them, leaving only the Blue Lock players in the remaining list.
Third place: Shidou Ryuusei, Valuation: 30 million
"Wait, what? Shidou Ryuusei didn't even score a goal, did he? How did his valuation jump so high? I remember he was below Itoshi Rin's 10 million before," the group exclaimed, unable to stay seated. The fact that Shidou had become the highest-valued player among the remaining Blue Lock members was completely unexpected.
"Click on it and take a look. Blue Lock has partnered with the World Football Association, and professional scouts provide detailed analyses for each valuation," Shinichi said with interest, already imagining Rin's reaction upon seeing this ranking.
"Let me see... uh... the scout report says..." Niko clicked on Shidou's player profile and began reading aloud, "Although he didn't score a goal, his exceptional athletic ability and physicality were fully displayed during the match. Additionally, his instincts are remarkably sharp, making him a player who can precisely seize opportunities. His unyielding fighting spirit in desperate situations is also a pleasant surprise. His super combination with Charles left a very deep impression, showing potential to become a top-tier striker."
"The evaluation is surprisingly high. It seems professionals don't just focus on stats," the group gradually accepted Shidou's ranking, realizing that his performance in the match indeed matched the scout report.
"Don't dwell on it, let's keep going," urged Aiku, prompting Niko to continue clicking through the players' scout reports in order.
Fourth place: Hiori Yo, Valuation: 27 million
Top-tier organizer, possessing a broad field of vision and exceptional passing ability. Although his physical attributes are slightly lacking, making it difficult for him to become a top-tier defensive player, he can still fulfill a defensive role to a certain extent. In the match, he delivered an assist.
Tied for fifth place: Itoshi Rin, Valuation: 25 million
A highly versatile player with superb skills in various areas, showing clear signs of improvement. Although his performance was limited due to being closely marked by Lorenzo throughout the match, this does not negate his talent and ability. However, the lack of effective synergy with his teammates is a concern.
Tied for fifth place: Bachira Meguru, Valuation: 25 million
Possesses exceptional dribbling skills, his nimble movements dancing past opponents like a performer. He also has above-average passing ability, though his vision is slightly weaker. Struggled to keep up with the pace of the attack led by Germany's two organizers. In the match, he scored one goal and provided one assist.
Seventh place: Isagi Yoichi, Valuation: 20 million
A player whose physical attributes and technical skills are not outstanding, but he possesses a keen sense of positioning in front of the goal and a broad field vision, with the potential to transition into a midfield role. His off-the-ball movement is also top-notch. Although not a player who can independently drive the attack, he is perfectly suited for the shadow striker role, lurking in the shadows to deliver strikes. In the match, he scored one goal.
"Wait, aside from Shidou and Rin, the rankings are dominated by players from Germany and Spain's matches," Aiku exclaimed indignantly. Despite participating in the match, the four teams that played that day saw the lowest valuation increases for their side, which felt incredibly unfair. Fuming, he turned to Niko, "Keep scrolling! I want to see how they evaluate us!"
Eighth place: Oliver Aiku, Valuation: 14 million
A formidable defender with excellent vision and first-rate physical attributes. His wealth of match experience makes him a versatile player who can shine in any position on the backline. However, the presence of Lorenzo's defensive support slightly diminishes the value of the clean sheet in this match.
Ninth place: Kunigami Rensuke, Valuation: 12 million
Defensively still a bit raw, but his excellent physical attributes make up for it. He was able to keep up with a player like Shidou throughout the match.
Although he is more suited to a forward position and didn't get the chance to showcase his attacking abilities, making it difficult to fully evaluate him, his defensive capabilities alone are enough to earn him a valuation.
If he can fully utilize his physical advantages in the future, his valuation is likely to see a significant increase.
With two consecutive valuations for Ubers players, the group finally breathed a sigh of relief.
However, Aiku and Kunigami then turned their resentful gazes toward Lorenzo, who looked completely indifferent, and Shinichi, who remained calm.
"Hmm, it seems that having teammates who are too strong can also hinder our ability to showcase our own value. I'll keep that in mind and factor it into my considerations during the second phase's free market," Niko pointed out, breaking the awkward atmosphere.
After all, having one teammate who monopolized the offense and another who could provide defensive support across the field did somewhat diminish the perceived value of their performances.
Tenth place: Tabito Karasu, Valuation: 10 million
A very composed player with solid ball retention and passing abilities. He can coordinate well with teammates and execute tactics accurately, but his vision is a weakness, making it difficult for him to keep up with the pace when the situation becomes complex.
Eleventh place: Shouei Barou, Valuation: 6 million
Excellent physical attributes and athleticism. Defensively inexperienced, and his offensive capabilities were not showcased, but his physical attributes and athleticism are very good.
"What?! What does this scout report mean?! It's basically saying I'm nothing but physical talent!" Barou exploded upon reading this, slamming the table and standing up.
It took both Aiku and Lorenzo, who was enjoying the spectacle, to restrain him and prevent the screen from being destroyed by Barou's rage. Still, he shouted furiously, "Who are we playing next? I'm definitely going to change those amateur scouts' minds in the next match!"
Hearing this, Shinichi took out his phone and checked the match schedule: "Next up..."
"It's Italy's Ubers vs. Spain's FC Barcha."
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