A family thing

Chapter 46 Rest

"What the hell?", Natsu muttered and looked at the news on her phone. Apparently her brother has been somewhat thrown out of the door in order to get Nimir, the dutch opposite hitter. Those were the news from yesterday. She was looking through it right before a big game of a new tournament, the Kurowashiki. The All Japan Volleyball Tournament. 
"What is it?", Kagaya asked and glimpsed at the phone of her friend. "Holy shit..." 
"Yeah, I know right?", Natsu agreed. She was about to call him, but something prevented that to happen. 
"What the fuck!!!?!?!?!", their captain suddenly shouted from the other side of the locker room of the Sendai Sports arena. 
"Language!!!", Megumi shouted the other side while pulling on her knee pads. 
"What is it?", Natsu asked and walked over to Kaeda. Her captain wasted no time and shoved her phone directly into the face of the orange haired. 
"Look!!", she commanded and pointed at the news on her phone screen. Natsu took it from her hands to get a better look at the content that made her captain swear so badly. It too made her want to curse the same way Kaeda just did. 

Hinata Shoyo, the Japanese Volleyball Superstar has signed a contract with Ali Roma for the upcomming playoff and next three seasons. Reasons for this unexpected change was probably the dissatisfacting and in public opinion, unreasonable drop-out from ASAS Sao Paolo. However, sources also state that reuniting with his former high school and current national teammate Kageyama Tobio was also one of his moving reasons. To clear things up to the public, ASAS Sao Paolo has scheduled a press conference today at 5.35 pm. 

Natsu couldn't believe her eyes. Why would ASAS do such thing? But she also had to admit that she was quite interested in the gameplay her brother would bring to Ali Roma. It was quite interesting. After years of playing against each other, they will reunite as a team again. 

Shidou looked around the plain room he was locked in. Nothing but walls out of concrete. Not even windows. He couldn't move because he was strapped to a litter like a terrorist inside a torture room of the CIA. It felt like prison. The only light source came from a smalll lamp right above him. 
"Let me out, you fucking four-eyes. I swear I won't hit anyone anymore, okay~", he negotiated with the man behind the monitors. Nothing came back. No reply, no answer. Only silence. As if he was put on mute in a Zoom call by the admin. 
"I KNOW YOU'RE FUCKING LISTENING, YOU'RE DEAD MEAT!!!!!", he then shouted impatiently. "FUCKING FUCKITY FUCK!!!!!!" 
Suddenly, the only door leading to this prison cell creaked open.
'The building of this huge fucked up facility is new and they're already having rusty doors.', he thought whilst seeing some light from outside coming inside. 'Finally, the four eyes is coming.'
"Hello, my little demon.", a voice from behind the door spoke. 
'That was not four eyes' voice.', Shidou thought. "Who the hell are you?" 
"Blue Lock is a cage, much too small for you, ain't I right?", a male walked in. He was wearing a black coat over a plain white shirt and had a bored look on his face. 
"What?", Shidou replied confused and tilted his head as much as his straps allowed him. 
"I will free you.", he continued ignoring everything Shidou was saying and walked closer and closer. "I want your ego. Go wild for my sake."

'Who was the player Itoshi Sae chose from us?', Yoichi thought as he awaited the result of it. 
"...Itoshi Sae chose not any of you here.", Ego revealed the truth. "But Shidou Ryusei instead." 
Yoichi took a look at Rin. It was just like he imagined it would be. Pissed off. 
'Same old Rin...'
"For real, then Shidou...", Igaguri muttered. 
"Will play as a Japan U20 teammember against us.", Ego finished his sentence. Yoichi on the other hand had mixed feelings and thoughts on that. It was indeed a new challenge and he liked the idea of it, but this time, he wasn't really sure if he could lock him down like the way he did during the tryouts against team A. This time, there was a world renowned offensive midfielder there to assist him, not a bunch of supposed to be talented high schoolers. No, this time it was actually someone from the big leagues from overseas. It was both exciting but also kind of scary. What was he supposed to do? Nagi lacked firing power and he didn't want to rely on Rin. It was too boring for him. 
"Well, at any rate...", Ego continued and regained his attention. "This team was always going to center around either Itoshi Rin or Shidou Ryusei. In my head these were the only two viable options for team Blue Lock. Itoshi Rin's playstyle involves his surroundings and synergizes with them while ate present, Shidou Ryusei won't link up with anyone no matter who he teams up with. His playstyle is selfsufficient. They may both have an individualistic playstyle but when pressed to choose between those two different egoaisms... I chose Itoshi Rin and Itoshi Sae chose Shidou Ryusei as for which one of us chose correctly... that will be determined in 15 days, in front of the enteirety of Japan. Additionally, inculding those of the bench the team can register 23 players. The remaining 12 haven't yet been set in stone. Those of you who didn't make it this round, show me what you got to seize a spot on the bench. That marks the end of the announcement of the starting lineup. There was a bit of irregularity but the stage is now set. If you lose this battle, Blue Lock will be dismissed and your future will be crushed along with it. We have 15 days left. In that remaining time... in order to form a battalion to pulverize the U20 team, you will undergo training to become a team. Venture with the resulve to risk it all, ya unpolished gems. There is no longer any room for future." 
Yoichi yawned as the long explaination and speech of Ego came to an end. He looked around the room. Mixed reactions could be seen on the faces of the present Blue Lock members. But it didn't end there because in that moment, Rin decided to speak up. He coughed for a second. Every single eye in this hall were now laid on him. 
"How lukewarm of you, four-eyes.", he started his speech. "To me this match is just another stepping stone for becoming the best in the world." 
"Right on, I've been all in with my life since the moment I set foot in here.", Bachira sing songed as always. Yoichi stopped listening to the other chants of his teammates declaring themselves taking part in that race. Ego even praised that egoism. The raven haired silently walked out of the room. However, he felt like he had to leave some sort of message to all those fuckers inside. He stopped in his tracks and turned around. 
"You know, I like your meaningless spirits about the tournament of becoming number one. However, I just want to let you bunch of motherfuckers know one thing.", he spoke in the most dangerous voice he owned. "I don't give a fuck because in the end, in the fucking end, the one pulling the levers of this shit, will be me."