Kuroko no Basket: Honored One

Chapter 521 - 223: A Battle of Wits with the Great Scholars

Klopp was very optimistic about Tendou, believing he would become the core of Liverpool for the next decade.

The itinerary Liverpool had arranged for him today was very detailed.

In the morning, he would first tour the team's training ground. Before lunch, he would meet the players, and then they would all dine together.

In the afternoon, he would undergo a physical assessment at the training ground.

There was originally a technical test as well, but Klopp had canceled it.

He believed there was no need for this kind of test; Tendou's performance in Blue Lock was proof enough.

Klopp also felt that Tendou possessed the best physique among the young generation in football today.

His speed was just right. For someone like Loki, whose footwork had to manage his extreme speed, the difficulty was immense.

The same went for physical confrontation.

Noa and Prince are both center forwards.

For this type of player to score goals, they must be able to hold their own in the penalty area against powerful defenders.

The fact that Tendou could go up against Prince and Noa without being at a disadvantage meant that this was not something to be overly concerned about.

Of course, before all that, there was a press conference.

And at this time, the news of Liverpool signing a 17-year-old kid in the middle of the season had already swept across England.

Although Blue Lock had a "global" label, in the eyes of the fans, it was still a youth-level competition, and many fans were simply not interested.

Soon, the media revealed a piece of news that was hard for Liverpool fans to accept: it was said that Liverpool had spent 8 million Euros to sign this Asian player.

"What, 8 million Euros? This must be fake news!"

"Of course it's fake news! How could the board make such a stupid deal?"

"8 million Euros is enough for us to buy any starting-level midfielder from the Bundesliga, but we don't need a player of that level!"

"Do you guys know what position this kid plays?"

"The report says he played as a full-field free man on BLTV."

"BLTV? What's that? The latest action movie website?"

"Does he speak English? Does our whole team have to say 'yamete' with him?"

The Liverpool fans were all discussing this transfer, believing it must be fake news.

Who would spend 8 million Euros on a 17-year-old kid who hadn't proven himself?

And an Asian, at that!

But what made the Liverpool fans uneasy was that the news was soon confirmed.

This was a nightmare.

"Damn it! We already have Keïta and Fabinho! Why is Klopp spending so much money on a little kid?"

"Can this kid even play football? And isn't that damn country the one that makes those kinds of movies? Why are they playing football?"

"Wait, this kid is so fair-skinned and clean-cut. Is he really not one of those sissies?"

"Fake news! Definitely fake news! Liverpool must be putting on a show with the Japanese. This is a movie, it's all hype, it's fake!"

As the media reports continued, the Liverpool fans became more and more dissatisfied with this transfer.

They didn't think the great Liverpool had a place for a little kid.

Trent Alexander-Arnold?

That's our own fucking lad!

The Liverpool fans were very proud of their team.

Because they were one of the most famous giant clubs in Europe. Before that damned old man Ferguson appeared, they had the most league titles in England.

Their trophy room wasn't like Tottenham's, where you see nothing when you walk in. Theirs was almost overflowing.

Every time the team's past glory was mentioned, Liverpool fans could proudly hold their heads high.

Although after 1992, they had never won the league title again, they believed they would this year.

And the team had spent so much money this year precisely to break this embarrassing record. Where was the time to train a little kid?

After completing his medical, Tendou attended the press conference and then completed the signing ceremony in front of the media.

Next was the media Q&A session.

The shutters in the press conference room clicked non-stop. The handsome guy was well-prepared, attending with his heirloom sunglasses, not caring how the bastards took his picture.

"Asian guy, go back to your Asia!"

"Why are you wearing sunglasses?! Liverpool doesn't welcome you! England doesn't welcome you!"

"You'd better get the hell out now, or I'll beat the shit out of you!"

"..."

There were also many Liverpool fans at the scene. They felt that this kid was too damn cocky.

Who wears sunglasses at a signing ceremony?

And this kid was a bit too handsome. They hated sissies like him.

And Tendou?

In his mind, he had already cursed these Liverpool fans back eighteen generations, but on the surface, he maintained a calm and elegant smile.

"These fucking idiots dare to boo me? Just you wait. I'll remember you. I'll never give you an autograph in the future!"

The reporters and football hooligans saw this and felt even more annoyed. How can he still be smiling so calmly?

"Allow me to ask an offensive question. Do you think you are worthy of an 8 million Euro annual salary?" This was a reporter from the London Evening Standard.

His question was more than just offensive; he might as well have said, "You're not worth 8 million at all!"

"If a player is great, he won't be cheap. If he's worth the price, you shouldn't disrespect him."

"If you disrespect him, he won't speak ill of you in return. He will only work hard to make himself worthy of that 8 million."

Tendou was clearly talking about himself.

The media, the hooligans, and even Liverpool's press officer were a bit surprised. This kid could be so poised in his first media appearance.

"TJ, do you understand the history of this club?"

Damn it, that insult is so ugly.

TJ, referred to Tendou Kageyoshi.

These damn reporters thought his name was too hard to pronounce, so they just used the first two letters of his last name and first name.

Tendou roared in his heart, "I am not a eunuch!"

(The reporter used the initials 'TJ.' In his mind, Tendou heard the word Tàijiàn—eunuch.)

On the surface, he remained calm and said, "The necessity of history's existence is to allow later generations to take fewer winding paths. If we blindly immerse ourselves in the past, we will only be buried by history."

Liverpool is great, but they haven't been that great in recent years. What are you talking to me about history for?

Tendou felt even more annoyed in his heart and announced to everyone with great confidence.

"I came to Liverpool to create new history."

His voice was powerful and confident, but the Liverpool fans still weren't buying it.

"Your weekly salary has reached 150,000 Euros. This is the level of a starting player in a top league. This kind of remuneration means you must do something for the team. So what do you plan to do?"

"Victory. To bring victory to Liverpool at all costs is what I will do."

This time, some Liverpool fans started to applaud him.

Regardless of whether this kid was worth 8 million, these words were exactly what Liverpool fans wanted to hear.

"Then now that you've come to the Premier League, what is your understanding of our league?"

Tendou hated these media people in his heart, but he also knew that before he proved himself, he would definitely be discriminated against by the fans.

Even superstars like Messi and CR7 were criticized when they played poorly, let alone him.

"I am very clear about the football in the Premier League, or rather, in England. They are as strong as tanks, but these tanks are four-wheel drive, and they run like cannonballs being fired."

"Their footwork is not flashy; they pursue efficiency above all else, and discipline is almost in their DNA."

"In the past, to adapt to the weather and environment, they were like a group of pirates flying around in the sky. But the Premier League did not rest on its laurels. It has continuously absorbed advanced techniques and tactics, which has made it the top league in the world."

"To play in the best league in the world is a great challenge for me."

This time, most of the media and fans were too embarrassed to give him a hard time.

The kid's words were really sweet. Even those football hooligans from Liverpool began to look at Tendou with respect.

A welcome development!

...

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