Chapter 39

**"Hungry"** (飢餓 (ハングリー) , *Hangurī*?) is the 39th chapter of Blue Lock manga series.

## Summary

Survivors of the first selection prepare for their following trials up ahead. Meanwhile, at Team Z's room, Raichi screams furiously at the monitor. Frustrated, he demands Ego to clarify why the second selection will not start immediately. Ego replies, saying that it will take time before the next trial to begin. To compensate for the waiting period, the players would instead undergo extensive physical training. During the said training, players will not be allowed to handle the ball, no matter the reason. Shortly after, Iemon and Igaguri join Raichi's complaints. Annoyed, Ego tells Team Z to not get too arrogant. Ego reminds them that their team is the lowest among the whole facility. Also, he notes that the training will only stop until he tells them to do so.

Several hours later, the hellish physical training started. Their program consists of 2-hour endurance training, extreme trunk training, weight training, and sprinting. After the sprinting exercises, players are allowed to rest during their dinner time. Nonetheless, most players, like Isagi and Naruhaya, find themselves too exhausted to even eat.

Three days passed, with the hellish training still ongoing. Players of Team Z were pushing their bodies' limits every single day. As a result, some players were vomiting because of extreme fatigue.

Luckily, after 10 gruesome days, Ego announced that the first selection has been completed in all of Blue Lock's strata. Ego then instructs the remaining players, those who survived the first selection, to put on their training suits and proceed to their corresponding stratum's basement.  After hearing the announcement, Team Z is ecstatic. Their hellish training is now over, and they are now one step closer to becoming the world's best striker. He then greets his so-called "unpolished gems" and congratulates them for working hard during their previous training. Afterward, Ego declares that not a single player in the basement came from the first, second, third, or fourth stratum. He reveals that none of those strata existed in the first place. Instead, there were 5 strata considered as the fifth stratum. Ego explains that he did this to make the players believe that they were among the worst in the facility. By doing so, all of the players fought painstakingly to prove their worth.

After Ego's revelation, some of the players were displeased. A player shouted furiously at Ego because of his dishonesty and betrayal. Ego remarks that by misleading the players, he was able to shred the player's soft hearts and confidence. By doing such, he was also able to nurture a goal-hungry mindset so that they might have the potential to become the world's best striker.  He comments that Blue Lock was created for the sole purpose of cultivating players who starve for goals. Following this, Ego announces the start of the second selection.

## Chapter Notes

* After the first selection, players underwent a strict and hellish training program.
* The training lasted for 10 days.
* Following the training, players went to their corresponding stratum's basement, as per Ego's orders.
* Ego reveals to the remaining players that there had never been a first, second, third, or fourth stratum.
* Ego explains that he misled the players so that they would turn into goal-hungry idiots, fighting for their place and worth in the Blue Lock facility.
* After Ego's revelation, he announces the start of the second selection.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

1. Anri Teieri (cover)
2. Jingo Raichi
3. Jinpachi Ego
4. Rensuke Kunigami
5. Meguru Bachira
6. Yoichi Isagi
7. Gin Gagamaru
8. Asahi Naruhaya
9. Hyoma Chigiri
10. Okuhito Iemon
11. Gurimu Igarashi
12. Wataru Kuon
13. Yudai Imamura
14. Zantetsu Tsurugi
15. Seishiro Nagi
16. Reo Mikage
17. Shoei Baro
18. Ikki Niko