The 6th Story Arc of the Blue Lock manga series, which centers on the members of Team Z regrouping following their loss against Team X. They're provided a hint from Ego that in order to become true strikers, they must find out what their "football weapons" are. Isagi befriends Rensuke Kunigami due to helping the latter score their team's lone goal against Team X, which Kunigami figures that Isagi has a weapon revolving around instinctive play where he can "smell the goal."
It makes up chapters 8 and 9 of the series.
Chapter 8: Message
Team Z regroups in the locker room following their loss to Team X, which everyone criticizes Isagi for his poor effort as their center-forward. As the team argues who should take over as the new forward to get behind, Kuon calls for their attention by warning them that their loss has put them in a bad spot for their remaining 3 games. That in order to end up as one of the 2 teams that pass the Round-Robin tournament, they need to win at least 2 of the games to have 6 points. Thus, they need to get a score of at least 7 (2 wins and a tie) to end up above the 3 teams that get eliminated. Overall, Kuon warns them that they're now in a position where they can't play for themselves anymore or else they'll be eliminated, which grabs everyone's attention knowing out serious their situation now is.Despite what Kuon said, he remains stumped over what to do. Kunigami points out that they now have a hint how to score goals thanks to the one he managed to pull off with the help of Isagi and Bachira, which everyone discusses if Ego left any further hints connected to scoring. Isagi adds in how he got what Ego was going for where after their first game started from scratch, it was thanks to Baro's play that Team X built up a foundation to rally around, and guided them to scoring goals. That in the end, Ego's message was to be like Baro where all tactics are discarded in order for one to score their own goals while other players surround their top-notch scorer to fill in the other football positions.
Ego then interrupts with an announcement having been listening in on Team Z's conversation, which he informs them that they're on the right track. He also informs them that the V-Z strata's Game 2 has been played. Team V having won their match against Team Y 8-0, which shows Team V living up to its status as the strongest of the strata. Ego then gives Team Z a bit of advice that what they're currently searching for to make a proper team foundation is the core that will allow them to make "something out of nothing." That what they need to discover is their individual powers that go beyond just the simple positions that they take on the field. Thus, Ego announces that in order for Team Z to go through a revolution, what they need to find are their "weapons" that will allow them to become strikers that destroy their opponents. The result is Isagi and company being left wondering what their football weapons are.
Chapter 9: Superhero
During break, Team Z discusses what they believe to be their football weapons. They turn out to be Bachira's dribbling, Raichi's "sexy football" play-style, Gagamaru's close-quarter play, Naruhaya's speed across the field, Iemon being a jack-of-all-trades, Igarashi's unyielding spirit, Kunigami's powerful left shot, Imamura's good speed-and-technique, and Kuon's high jumping power. However, Isagi's unable to come up with what his weapon is, and Chigiri has no interest in revealing his weapon. Writing down everyone's weapons on a notepad, Kuon thinks up the "I'm the Next 9" strategy where the 9 players with weapons will take a 10-minute turn as the lead center-forward that everyone will have to follow behind. Team Z then spends time practicing their strategy for the next match.One break as Isagi's eating dinner alone, Isagi thinks over how along with not doing well so far, he remains stumped as to what his weapon is. Kunigami then arrives to thank Isagi for the pass that netted him a score, which Isagi asks why Kunigami plays football. In return, Kunigami reveals how his dream is to become a football superhero. These being great symbolic strikers that he witnessed in games as a kid, who appear all triumphant whenever they score a goal. He also claims that he will accomplish this while playing fair-and-square. Kunigami then asks if Isagi wants to eat together with him, which he clicks the cafeteria machine to summon out a sirloin steak meal. He reminds Isagi of how players earn points for the goals they score (1 goal for a sirloin meal, 3 goals for cellphone return, 5 goals for a nice bed, and 10 goals for a day outside).
Kunigami provides half the sirloin to Isagi since the latter's assist led to the goal. As the two of them happily eat their sirloin, Kunigami questions why Isagi chose to pass to him over Raichi. In return, Isagi explains how he felt like he "smelled a goal." Mainly because he experienced Kunigami's powerful shot during the Tag game, which Isagi believed that in that specific moment, Kunigami would score. As a result, Kunigami figures that Isagi's weapon might be the instinctive ability to smell when a goal can be scored. Overall, Isagi thanks Kunigami for the sirloin, which they bump fists ready to take on the next game. Isagi having now befriended a second teammate at Blue Lock.
