Ascension│Bluelock x male reader

19. Preparation

"The last game ended in a draw, with Team Y drawing against Team W, 1-1. Ikki Niko scored the equaliser."

Iemon flicked to the next slide of his powerpoint, which showed the round robin table, mostly filled in. "We're currently in third place. If we draw, we won't move on. We have to win this game."

Y/N had joined them for their morning strategy meeting for once, in their training room surrounded by equipment.

At the sound of Niko's name, Y/N glanced up from where he sat at the back of the room. He didn't particularly care what they were talking about, but he did care about Niko for some reason.

Raichi glared at Kuon. "Hey, the traitor is listening in on this. Should I kill him?"

"Yes, please." Y/N blurted.

Everyone stared at him with shock. Y/N shrugged nonchalantly, and Raichi grinned shark-like at him. "You know, that's the first time we've agreed on something."

"I'm not sure that's a good thing." Isagi interjected.

"Anyways, it's a miracle Team Y came away with a draw." Igaguri said. "Without that, we would be properly out."

"Was Niko even the kind of guy to take shots himself?" That was Chigiri, leaning on his knee in the middle of the room. He'd been growing more and more relaxed since his goal against Team W, talking to the rest of Team Z.

"He got inspired by a certain someone!" Y/N knew Bachira was talking about Isagi, but at the same time he felt a bit of pride that Niko was performing. Like the younger boy was his little brother.

"Focus." Iemon said sternly. "Now, Team V has three key players that have scored eighteen goals in three games. This is due to their stupidly good attacking skills."

He put up clips of each of the three players, and Y/N momentarily realised just how alike Bluelock was to Ascension. Everything was monitored.

"Tsurugi Zantetsu, with five goals. Mikage Reo with six goals. And their team's top scorer is Nagi Seishiro, with seven goals." Y/N was pleasantly surprised. I knew they were good, but that's impressive.

"In order to win, we have to shut them down."

The entire time, Raichi had been stalking Kuon, growing closer and closer, and finally he struck, grabbing Kuon by the shoulders and putting him in a headlock. "I haven't forgiven this little bastard!"

"You're going to spill the beans to someone again, aren't you!" He choked Kuon, yelling loudly. "Let's take turns punching him!"

Iemon threw down his remote and turned off the powerpoint, probably wondering why he had to be put in the team with a bunch of children.

Isagi rushed to stop Raichi. "Hey, don't injure him! We need him for the game against Team V!"

"Are you kidding me?" Kuon ripped Raichi off of him, taking a few steps back. "I'm not playing. Even if Team Z loses, I still get to move on as their top scorer."

Kunigami walked slowly over to him. "If I score three goals in the next game, then I'll be the top scorer with four goals."

"No way you can do that, playing with ten men-"

"I'll do it." Y/N nodded, impressed by the show of courage as Kunigami steelily stared Kuon down.

The brown-haired boy was quiet, leaning against the wall before he spoke. "You can't play soccer alone. I know that better than anyone." He slid down the wall, sitting onto the floor. "I've been working so hard to make my dream of winning the World Cup a reality, and I'm not stopping here."