Blue Lock: Fast Lane

Toys

James' eyes flickered to the team opposing him, clad in fluro yellow singlets, sizing up the lead striker of the opposing team. Tabito Karasu, based on what he remembered from Blue Lock's Manga, Karasu was a deadly tactician who was able to pick apart his enemies.

As he walked over to the ball, Karasu's eyes followed him with a small smirk playing on his lips. "I guess I finally get the chance to play against the disrespectful genius. I must say if you play as well as you did in the drills you might give me a run for my money"

James gave Karasu a cocky side eye paired with a smirk of his own. "Running your mouth already? I haven't even started to cook you yet"

Karasu laughed, small parts of his ego beginning to emerge from his body. "Cook me huh? I'm not too sure you can do that, the hype that you generate is getting to your head"

James rolled his eyes as he cracked his knuckles. The whistle blew and James refrained from touching the ball. "You've got an interesting mouth there friend, care to put your money there? It'll be easier for me to collect once I've shredded you and your false sense of superiority"

King, not wanting to indulge the crow anymore kicked the ball back to Kurona as he sped off to a place where he wanted to receive the ball, he was going to make a statement, one that was big and flashy enough to shut Karasu up.

He chuckled as he received a fast and accurate pass from Kurona, who was already moving to a nearby location. It seemed like the crow had gotten under his skin after all. He passed the ball, smirking at the speed in which he was playing. Perhaps he was a fool to neglect the youth league after all.

He sped towards the sideline, Kurona placing a pass to the exact location King wanted it. As he trapped the ball he felt a hand placed on his back, judging from the aura it was the crow that had gotten under his skin.

Skimming a look down the sideline he spotted another defender about fifteen meters away, the distance was not ideal to speed past Karsu with, but he could do it. Back heeling the ball through the legs of Karasu he spun around the crow and exploded past him.

Touching the ball as the secondary defender approached him with haste, however it was not fast enough. King's left foot tapped the ball further forward, skimming the shin of the defender. Once more, King accelerated and caught up with the ball.

He looked up and spotted no friendly vests, which meant that he would have to do this himself.

Dribbling the ball to the box another defender attempted to stop him, performing a quick spin he thwarted the defender and was now in range to score. The tall lanky boy had just managed to get into the box and was already screaming for the ball. King ignored him as he wound up for a shot.

The familiar sensation of a certain goal spread through his veins, as did the words Karasu had said to him. The degradation was really playing with his head, two voices battled inside of him. One telling him to rise above the provocation, the other more egotistical voice screamed for him to humiliate Karasu by scoring a soul shattering goal.

As his foot descended to the ball James's ego exploded. He was an egoist after all, he craved the feeling of ripping apart people's expectations and reforming them into his own desire. That dark red mist like aura now bubbling like lava as the goalkeeper performed an anticipatory dive to the bottom right corner.

James stopped his foot's acceleration at the last moment, tapping it further towards the goal as he shifted from a sure goal to a dribble.

The keeper scrambled to his feet as James King came closer to him, though internally something was screaming at the keeper not to lunge for the ball again. Reluctantly he did so and was the victim of another fake shot. This time as he slid across the ground he knew the next time that he would be getting up, it would be after a goal had been scored.

King spun around the fallen keeper and backheeled the ball into the goal, looking at Karasu who was across the pitch, a look of shock and cockiness spread across his face. It seemed like that was not enough to make the crow submit.

There was no need for celebration, it was a practice match after all, King slowly walked towards the center of the pitch, the taller boy joining him, a look of disdain on his pace clearly written. "Look man, you didn't have to do that."

King glared up at the taller boy, that red aura simmering in his eyes. He scoffed "And do what? Pass to you?"

The taller boy went to open his mouth but King caught him off guard and interrupted him. "As long as I'm a striker I'll never pass to some talentless worm like you."

King continued to walk away, those that overheard the one sided exchange grimaced. It seemed like the rumors of King being disrespectful were true. As King approached the middle line, Karasu looked at him and smirked once again.

"I'll admit, I don't think I could have done that genius" the crow cawed, causing King to roll his eyes as he thought ahead, beyond the match. Breaking a talent like Karasu's would only harm his chances of leveling up in Europe.

"I've given up on breaking you crow" James explained as the ball was kicked back to the middle. He chuckled, that was a lie. "...At least for now"

Karasu chuckles at the mention of James breaking him. He wasn't one to bow down. "What do you mean by that... you sadistic King?"

"Your talent will serve me well when we're in Europe" James explained as he crossed his arms confidently. "I can't have a broken toy and expect to play with it no?"

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As the game came to an end, Kurona collapsed onto the floor. Despite this being a practice match, he had never run himself this far. Panting as he shifted his head to look at the scorecard, 3-1 in their favor. Yet he never scored one of those goals, all of them went to James King.

James sat down next to him with an emotionless face. "Feels sucky doesn't it?"

Kurona quickly became confused. What King said made no sense. "What do you mean? We won?"

James shook his head. "No, I won. What did you do to make this win our win?"

A spark of rage emerged from Kurona, had King really been that blind. "Are you serious? My passes helped you score"

King once again shook his head. "No, none of those were assists. Sure you were useful when I was getting through the field, but I could have gotten through the field by myself"

The arrogance that steamed off the foreigner made Kurona even more mad, to the point where he sat up and openly glared at James King. "That's very arrogant of you James King"

James responded with a curt chuckle. "I know it is, and I know I'm pissing you off right now. But I know you can do better. All you need is to develop an ego that will push you to becoming a tier above these scrubs"

Kurona hummed in thought and frustration as James stood up and held out his hand. "C'mon Shark Boy, its time for you to unchain yourself"