Blue Lock: Genius

Flow

Blue Lock Observation Center

SLAM!

The door was slammed open as Keisuke walked into the room.

"So what is it that you want from me?" Keisuke asked he leaned onto the wall.

"Not much... I just wanted to satisfy my curiosity... So Takeyama Keisuke would you please take a seat and let me explain what it is you did in last game's second half." Ego said from the chair as he turned around.

'So... Weird.' Thought Keisuke as he sat on a chair.

"You're probably still wondering what it is that you did last game, so let me explain it to you what 'Flow' is... Flow is that which one obtains through one's 'Optimal Experience'... The state of total 'Immersion'... In that moment's trance they shall know happiness..." Said Ego as he leaned forward.

'Flow... So that's what it's called.' Keisuke realized.

"When a person focuses on something, they can get so absorbed in their work that they don't notice the passage of time. Taking enjoyment in the process, their brain enters a state of excitement. To put it simply, that's 'Flow'."

"It's possible for a shogi player to experience it in a match... And it's also possible for a lady working the register on her part-time job to experience it. Programming, mountain climbing, musical performances, other artistic expressions... Regardless of the scale of activity, it is something that can occur to anyone."

"And this state can also occur in sports. Football is not an exception. Think back. The moment you broke out of your shell. You must have experienced it. A moment in which you put your everything in a play."

"So that begs the question, how does one enter a state of flow? There are several conditions, but... The one I want to discuss is... 'Challenge centered focus'."

"This involves attempting an objective at a suitable level of difficulty. Take a look at this figure. This shows you the balance between 'challenge' and 'skill' that is necessary to enter flow." Said Ego as he showed Keisuke a chart on the screen.

"If someone challenges something at a lower level than their skill level, unable to find any enjoyment in the task, they will become 'bored'. On the other hand, if they challenge something at a level too far above their skill level, convinced of imminent failure, and unable to concentrate, they will become anxious."

"To put it shortly, one cannot achieve happiness when in a 'bored' or 'anxious' state... Which is why 'Challenge-Centered Focus' is about accurately understanding your abilities, gaining your control over them, and setting up clear, suitable goals for yourself. That is how you can immerse yourself in flow state."

"It is in such moments that mankind takes new steps forward, and push themselves up to even higher heights, meaning... Plays that may seem like 'miracles' to others are in fact, brought by your individual state of 'flow'.

"However, that is no easy feat. In our society, people cannot easily become immersed in something... Your everyday life, overflowing with a constant stream of information and entertainment is an infinite hell designed to distract your from you 'boredom' and 'anxiety'."

"Perhaps you could say that it's easy to become immersed in your phone screen... And indeed, you'll be able to forget about both time and yourself with that. However, that is not a unique state of immersion that you actively obtained for yourself."

"Something as passive as that cannot be called Ego... That exaltation of scoring a goal. That elation of obtaining a new weapon. That happiness which belongs only to you. You've experienced it already, so you understand don't you? That is Ego..."

"But you did something different didn't you? How did you do it? Your abilities completely jumped up and so did your physical attributes." Ego asked Keisuke as he blankly stared at him.

"All of what you said was no where near what I was thinking about. What happened was I simply thought of myself as a god on the field. It felt as if the spotlight was simply on me and me alone. Everybody was watching me destroy everything on the field. I felt like the protagonist." Keisuke said to Ego as he closed his eyes and replayed the match in his head

"As for what the flow state did was it allowed to surpass my body's limits and I was able to feel every muscle in my allowing me to fully use them and control them."

"Interesting... " Ego said as he turned his chair and went back to the computers.

"You can leave now..."

'Such a weirdo but at least I learned what it was that happened to me.' Keisuke thought as he stood up and left the room.