Blue Lock chapter 308: Buratsuta reveals his deal with Ego as Sae Itoshi plans to join Blue Lock Japan

With the release of Blue Lock chapter 308, the manga series finally revealed Hirotoshi Buratsuta's plan to bring back Seishiro Nagi to Blue Lock. However, Nagi, despite being desperate to return, rejected the proposal. Moments later, the manga also revealed Sae Itoshi's plan to join Blue Lock Japan in the knockout stages.

The manga's previous chapter saw Yoichi Isagi head to Spain to watch the Copa Del Rey Finals. However, before he went to the stadium, Isagi entered a restaurant to have lunch, where he met a peculiar prankster with a big scar. It was only later that Isagi realized that the prankster was a starter for FC Barcha.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the Blue Lock manga.

Blue Lock chapter 308: Seishiro Nagi rejects Hirotoshi Buratsuta's offer

Seishiro Nagi as seen in Blue Lock chapter 308 (Image via Kodansha)

Blue Lock chapter 308, titled Pride Chicken, picked up from where Blue Lock chapter 306 ended as Hirotoshi Buratsuta approached Seishiro Nagi. Buratsuta believed that Nagi was a talented player whom Ego Jinpachi had removed unjustly from Blue Lock. With that, he offered Nagi a chance to return to Blue Lock.

As revealed by Buratsuta, the minimum roster for the U-20 World Cup was 23 players, however, a team could register 26 players. While how many players a team wished to register was left to each team's discretion, Ego Jinpachi and Hirotoshi Buratsuta had made a deal beforehand.

In exchange for giving Ego the ridiculous budget for Blue Lock TV, Ego agreed to give Buratsuta three spots on the roster to fill as he pleased.

Hirotoshi Buratsuta as seen in Blue Lock chapter 308 (Image via Kodansha)

In other words, in addition to the 23 players picked by Ego, the Japanese team would also include the "Buratsuta 3." With that, the JFU Chairman asked Nagi if he was willing to take the devil's back door to join the team. That said, there were conditions to joining the Buratsuta 3.

Firstly, Nagi was to pass the selection tests devised by Buratsuta. Secondly, if Nagi passed the tests and became one of the Buratsuta 3, he must give the JFU Chairman control over his future soccer career and contracts. Lastly, after returning to Blue Lock, Nagi's sole purpose would be to prove Ego wrong, forcing him into an early retirement and allowing Buratsuta to take over Blue Lock.

While, as expected, Nagi was very intrigued by the offer to return to Blue Lock. However, he had to reject the offer as he did not believe Ego was wrong to remove him. While Ego ejected him from the project, if it wasn't for the Blue Lock Manager, he would have never been fired up by Isagi and Reo.

Buratsuta was notably bugged by Nagi's rejection and labeled him "Pride Chicken," cursing him to live the rest of his life thinking how great he used to be.

Just as Nagi started walking away from Buratsuta, the JFU Chairman received a call from Sae Itoshi. Sae informed Buratsuta that the groups for the U-20 World Cup had been drawn, and Japan was seeded in Group A alongside Nigeria, England, and France.

The moment Buratsuta learned that Japan was in the same group as France, he decided to use one of his slots for Sae Itoshi, hoping the genius would help Japan clear the group stage.

Sae Itoshi as seen in Blue Lock chapter 308 (Image via Kodansha)

That's when Sae revealed he was not planning to play in the group stage. The only reason he wished to play in the U-20 World Cup was to play against Spain. Surprisingly, Ego agreed to this stipulation and asked Sae to join the team once Japan was in the knockout stages.

While Sae was prepared to join the team, Japan needed to clear the group stage before that. As per him, only those with big egos can win at such stages.