BLUE LOCK CHAPTER 23: UNTIL THEY MET

Chapter 23 opens with Team Z watching the result of Wing 5’s ninth match, where Team Y secures a 1–1 draw after Niko scores an unexpected goal. That single moment reshapes the standings and gives Team Z a narrow path to survival. With only one match left, they sit in third place, and the rules make their situation clear: only the top two teams advance. A draw in their final game won’t be enough. Their fate now rests entirely on defeating the strongest team in Wing 5, the undefeated and high-scoring Team V.

The players absorb the pressure as their coach breaks down the math behind the rankings. Team V has won every match with overwhelming offensive power, and Team Z must win outright to move forward. Even with Niko’s surprising contribution, tension hangs in the monitoring room. Isagi realizes that certain players grow stronger after losing, and Niko’s performance proves it. That thought stirs something inside him, a mix of excitement and dread, as he prepares to face opponents who are evolving just as rapidly.

When the focus shifts to Team V, the chapter introduces their three extraordinary forwards: Reo Mikage, the flamboyant playmaker with six goals; Zantetsu Tsurugi, the relentless sprinter with five; and Seishiro Nagi, the prodigy who leads with seven. Their dominance sets them apart, but the story then zooms in on their origins. The scene transitions to Team V’s locker room, revealing Nagi’s aloof nature and Reo’s near obsessive admiration for him. This becomes the doorway into Reo’s past, showing a boy born into wealth, privilege, and expectations so large that they left him empty rather than fulfilled.

Reo’s backstory unfolds step by step. Despite being gifted with beauty, intelligence, and talent, he grows up surrounded by a life that hands him everything except genuine meaning. Nothing excites him until he discovers soccer during his first year of high school. For the first time, he sees something worth chasing: the dream of lifting the World Cup. But his father dismisses the idea, crushing his newfound ambition with the logic of obligation and probability. Reo’s frustration simmers beneath the surface, and his desire to take control of his own life intensifies.

The chapter reaches its emotional turning point when Reo meets Nagi by chance. Nagi’s effortless athleticism, natural instincts, and disinterest in effort itself fascinate him instantly. In that moment, Reo recognizes the “treasure” he has been searching for, someone with the raw, unshaped brilliance he could build a dream with. Their meeting marks the start of a partnership that fills Reo’s life with purpose. The chapter ends by drawing a parallel between Reo’s boredom and Nagi’s untapped potential, setting the stage for the formidable force Team Z must face in their final, decisive match.