Blue Lock: Fast Lane

The distance between

"Kira! May we take a minute of your time?" A reporter asked the Jewel of Japanese Football, mere seconds after training had just finished. It was the last scheduled one before the Nationals Finals.

"How can I help?" The football player asked, wiping some sweat from his brow.

"Did you watch the interview with James King? The one directly after their 1-0 win against Raiju Tech?" The reporter responded before shoving a microphone into the young man's face.

Kira recalled the interview, a shiver went down his spine as he recalled the intense stare coming from James. "I did"

The reporter was joined by other media vultures, a small crowd formed as he asked his question. "What do you think about his response? About not knowing and caring you existed"

Kira formulated his response in his head, he needed to word his emotions in a clear but acceptable way. "I think he was lying, there is no way that someone as prideful as him wouldn't know about the striker the JFA picked instead of him for the U16 team. This childish outburst might just be his way of saying that he doesn't recognise me as the better player"

"So you think that you are a better player than James King?" The reporter asked, the other reporters leaning in unconsciously.

"Of course!" Kira replied instantly. "Why would the JFA call me the Jewel of Japanese Soccer if I wasn't the best? Why wouldn't I if I'm in a National Squad? Everyone's said that I'm the better player and my record in high school proves it!"

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"What are your thoughts on today's matchup Anri-chan?" Junpatchi Ego asked his newest contact within the Japanese Football Association. He managed to get seated tickets to this heavily marketed event, ones that landed him and Anri in the front row.

"Despite what the media thinks, Kazehaya High has the better team on paper. They should be able to pull through this one" Anri stated, causing Jinpatchi to nod in agreement. "What about you Ego-san? What are your predictions"

"I think that... James King will score a hat-trick" Ego replied confidently as his eyes scanned the pitch. "The media have pushed him into a corner, it's time he bared his fangs"

"It sounded like he had never heard of Ryosuke Kira before... why do you say that?" Anri questioned, she didn't understand what Ego was getting at.

"Put yourself in his shoes for a second Anri-chan, you are arguably the best talent the Japanese football scene has ever seen in action" Ego began as he played with his fingers, all this waiting was making him nervous. "Then as soon as you leave middle school the media replaces you with their 'hero'. Who has not achieved much compared to King"

Anri nodded as more and more people made their way into the stands, the game was going to start soon.

"Then the JFA, an incompetent organisation, claims that this challenger is better than you because he fits their mould for striker better than him. It's all over the news, saying that this person is better than him, when he hasn't accomplished half the things that he had done" Ego finished, Anri gaining some understanding of the situation. "How would you feel about being replaced by someone lower than you?"

"Angry" Anri replied quickly.

"That's probably how James King feels, which is what makes this game interesting." Ego said as his smile became wider, confusing Anri.

"How?" She asked, the burnout from working overtime at the JFA doing more harm than good.

"Because we're going to see James King put his heart into a game of football for the very first time" Ego said as his own aura started to trickle out, startling Anri. "We're about to see his ego bloom into existence"