"I have a gift for you, {Y/n}," Anri says holding a small rectangle box in her hands, it was gift-wrapped in blue wrapping paper.
The girl looked at the small back then back at her sister, "What is it?" She asked taking the rectangle box from her hands.
"Open it," A smile appeared on Anri's face as she waited for her to unwrap the small gift.
{Y/n} found the small tape that was holding it together. She peeled off the blue wrapping paper. It revealed a black rectangle with blue highlights. She looked all around the box and at the bottom of the box was a brand name.
{Y/n} eyes widened slightly and her eyebrows raised, "What did you get me, Anri-Nee?" She questioned when opened the box revealing a pair of glasses.
"Since you mostly stare at a screen all day. I thought I would get you blue light glasses." Anri says in a nice tone in her voice.
"Thank you, Anri-Nee," Her face softened as {Y/n} looked at Anri. She put on the glasses and then sat back in her chair. Now, when she stares at the screen for too long her eyes won't feel dry and ache.
The first match-up for the bottom rank was Team X versus Team Z. {Y/n} would watch over the matches and also be a referee. Along with analyzing the players and gameplay so they can furthermore enhance the players.
As she was waiting for the two teams to enter she was noting things down in a small notepad that laid to the left side of her. Through the speeches Ego has given {Y/n} has been writing the key points down. Every now and then she will decipher the speeches whether they are just for the help of understanding blue lock better or football. She will then write them in her own words helping her to also improve because she cannot afford to fall behind.
♚♛♚♛♚
'I'll do this... in order to become the best striker in the world! My trial to change my life at Blue Lock is about to begin.' Isagi thought to himself as Team Z was walking out to the fifth stratum waiting for their opposing team, Team X to walk out so the game could begin.
{Y/n} watched Team Z enter the stratum on her own little monitor. She pressed down on a button that was connected to a microphone. A calming voice echoed in the stratum, "Good afternoon Teams. I Teieri {L/n} {Y/n} will be assessing your game today and determining fouls."
On the field, Kunigami got his team's attention, "Hey guys, Team X is here."
The [h/c]-haired female clears her throat as she sees Team X walk out on the field, "Now it's time for the first 45 minutes of the fifth stratum's very first game! Team X versus Team Z!" Her lips curl up as she loudly says, "Kickoff!"
Bachira had to ball under his foot as he spoke over to Isagi while the teams got set up, "Fellin' nervous Isagi?" The male in question looked over to Bachira. "Well, I'm all snug. In football, you can't win unless you're having fun!" He sang, a smile on smile on his face ready to take any challenge in this match.
'Bachira...' Isagi looked over to the boy, 'That's right.' Determination in his eyes as he faced forward with narrow eyes, "Yeah."
The game started and Bachira passed over to Isagi. 'There's no need to feel nervous. I might be a low-tier player, second to last in all of Blue Lock. But I just need to fight till I'm the last one standing.' The raven-haired boy ran forward and people from the opposing team also ran head in. 'Woah! They're coming in hot!'
He stopped with the ball under his foot, 'Three guys... I can't break through! I'll pull back to Bachira, and begin the attack from there.' He looked over to Bachira ready to put his words into action.
As he was standing, Raichi took the ball from under Isagi's feet, much to his surprise. "Wha?! Hold on! What are you doing?! Where on the same team!"
Raichi had a grin on his face showing his sharp teeth. "You just gotta score more goals to survive, and I right? Screw the team! I'll play my own way winning this."
As he was about to charge off Kunigami snatched the ball under Raichi, "Don't you get it, Raichi.? If you wanna play by Blue Lock's rules..." The orange-haired male looks back with a stoic expression, "Then you'll have to face me. And you'll do it one on one, fair and square."
The bold haired gritted his teeth, veins popping out. "Kunigami... Guess great minds really do think alike."
"What the heck are those guys doing?! We're on the same team!" Igarashi panicked while running over.
"Are they dolts? Count me in?!" Naruhya comments running over to the drama as well.
Kuno was also running over, "W-wait? Keep your positions!"
Raichi and Kunigami are pushing arms and arms together trying to keep the ball for themselves. "Get Fuckin' lost!" Raichi argues pushing the orange-haired boy.
"You get out of here!" Kunigami relayed back holding his stance.
"Fuck," Raichi grunted. "Kunigami... Think you're so tough, huh."
As the two were brawling it out, someone from the opposing team stole the ball away. Both the males were surprised like it wasn't their own fault for letting their egos get in the way. Now Team X was all trying to take the ball from themselves.
Meanwhile {Y/n} was watching them all brawl it out, and she was, to say the least, bored. "Jinpachi! Why did you think this was a good idea? They are all just fighting to be the best, and it's kinda boring." She leans back in her chair facing Ego. "This is taking my sweet time away."
He hunches over in his chair, "This is essential, {Y/n}. Just wait and who cares about you sweet time."
The female faces back toward the screen just in the nick of time to see someone who goes by Baro Shoei charge through the mess of people with the football under his control. 'Someone broke through? Maybe this is the highlight, Baro Shoei.' She gets closer to the screen making sure to jot every detail down.
"Get out of my face," On the field number 10 from Team X ran toward Isagi, "I'll fucking end you."
The raven-haired gritted his teeth a little threatened by those words but still didn't want to lose. 'I have to stop him!' Baro approached Isagi while he carefully examined the movements. 'Come! The right? Left?.'
Baro slid the ball over to his left foot. 'Is this it?! The left!' Isagi monitored the ball ready for the black-haired male to go left and stop him. Though he had different plans, Baro hell-flicked the ball over the boy's head.
Baro passed the rest of Team Z scoring a goal for his team. "Remember this, amateurs... Peasant trash like you... Are no better than the ball I kick." He spread his arms out, his team cheering him on. "We're not here to be friends... You're only here to make me shine. After all, on this pitch... I am the one True King."
"Hey Iemon, You're the goalkeeper, so why don't you do your job?!" Igarashi scolded though he had no right.
Iemon stated back, "Like I can do any better when it's my first time?! Kawashima himself couldn't have stopped that one, y'know?!"
"We're only down one point! We'll be okay if we stay focused," Kuno stated, trying to help the team out as there was no time for panic.
"That's right, guys!" Isagi agreed, whipping off some of his sweat with his elbow. "If we stop playing selfishly, stick to our positioning, and actually pass we can..."
"Huh?" Raichi stood in front of Isagi, "And won't you be the one scoring the goals if we do that, master forward?" He looked at the boy with a vein popping out of his face with a rather annoyed expression on his face, "Little shits like you should stick to defense! The best thing all of you can do is pass to me like a good boy!"
"Screw that pass to me instead!" Igarashi proudly proclaimed.
"Fucking what?!" Raichi shouted
"Nah to me," Gagamaru joined
"To me, To me" Narahaya added pointing to himself.
Chigiri just watched minding his own business
"Team Z, get your head back in the game, this isn't some fighting arena." {Y/n} announced letting go of the button so she could no longer be heard. She spun her chair around before she was stopped by her sister. She leaned her head back to face Anri, "I think I have an idea of how this match is going to go."
"Oh really," Anri's interest was piqued as she raised her eyebrows.
"Yup..."
On the field, Isagi had some ideas of how to win. 'First I need to calm down. The match's only just begun, after all. What is this first selection testing us for? Well, that doesn't matter right now. It'll be real bad for Team Z to lose here.' He set the ball down on the line. He looked up to Baro who showed little to no expression on her face, "If I could break through that guy, then there should be a chance.'
"Bachira!" Isagi called, grabbing the male's attention, "Let's just pass it between the two of us for now." He passed the ball over
"O~Kay," Bachira rang, giving a thumbs up.
As the ball was nearing where Bachira was, the bald kid snatched the ball.
"Wha-? Igaguri?! Hey, you! Your spot!" Isagi shouted confused and panicked as to why the boy got the ball and wasn't in his position.
"Are you dumb, Isagi?! Whoever scores the most goals gets to survive! I will never pass even if it kills me! Protect me, great Buddha!" Igarashi says running forward.
"You bastard get back here!!!" Isagi shouts being unheard by the bald boy who kept on running.
"I know what Blue Lock's first selection's all about! It doesn't actually matter whether we win or lose! The only important thing here is my drive to score all the goals I can." He exclaimed, thinking he knows what the importance of the first selection is.
Team X, on the other hand, took away the ball from Igarashi. Leaving him shocked.
"Did he seriously just lose the ball..." Raichi gritted his teeth veins popping.
"Igaguri, you dumbass!" Narahaya shouted
"Don't go after him! Pull back, all of you we need to defend!" Kuno commented though no one really listened.
Meanwhile, Team X was starting to get organized and form a real team that would pass and support Baro. And Team Z was quite the opposite and falling apart even more. Team Z tried its hardest to mark Baro, but since he now had a team, the other members of Team X caught the ball making them score another goal putting the game at 2-0.
'This is really bad...' Isagi thought his breathing becoming heavy. 'We'll lose if we keep playing like this. Those guys more or less managed to become a team, but...' Team Z was fighting with each other blaming each other that they lost the ball and couldn't score. 'Our's is falling apart. There's no way we can win like this. How did it all become such a mess?'
Team X on the other hand was cheering and rooting each on. 'Team X was just like us moments ago. They played totally independently of each other.' Blue eyes looked at the main player of Team X. 'It's because of Baro... Baro's first goal made Team X a "Team". Baro's play... was able to breathe life back into Team X.'
Isagi thought back to Ego's words from before about creating a team from scratch to work on your foundations. 'Trying to pass was useless, then as soon as I gave up the ball, it was chaos! Then, to make a foundation for this team... Somebody just needed to take that one shot. And Baro stepped up to it with his outstanding play. And that strong foundation... Become the blueprint for his teammates. By following its plans, they could start making strategies to win.'
He was staring to grasp what Ego's words meant. 'Just like that, he created a team. Is that what Ego meant by "Working on your foundations"?! And now, Team Z is powerless to stop them.' Just like that Team X scored two more goals. And Team Z just fought with each other.
'The more the score gap widens, the more everyone will focus on scoring themselves, without creating a team foundation. Meanwhile, our opponents' teamwork will only get stronger! There's not enough time... It's impossible. This game is already...' Baro shot another goal making the score an uneven 5-0.
"Their loss." {Y/n} cups her hands together watching with widened eyes not even noticing it herself.
Bachira looked up at the timer seeing only three minutes remained. "We haven't been able to do anything but run... It's impossible to make a 5-0 comeback in three minutes. But, if it's just the two of us, I think we could goal."
"Bachira." Isagi looked over.
"With a five-point lead, the other team is relaxed. This might be our only shot to try something without being marked. It may be desperate but... Wanna do it?" The dual yellow-haired asked facing Isagi with a look of excitement and determination.
"Let's go!" Isagi's eyes burrow more than ever ready. 'If no one else will step up... Then I will be the one to become the foundation for Team Z!'
"I'll bait in all the defenders all can. Then pass it straight to where they'll be less focused, and you'll pick it up, charge ahead and shoot" Bachira planned "Run for your life, Isagi." he whipped some of the sweat.
"Okay, Bachira!" Isagi passed the ball over. 'I'll score a goal! Get in front of the goal.' He took off running toward the goal just like how Bachira said it. Like his life depended on it. 'Of course, it's impossible to recover for a 0-5 with only 3 minutes left on the clock... But whoever manages to score a goal... Might become what this team needs. That's what it means to become a foundation! For the sake of this team. Bachira and I have to give it a shot. For the sake of winning out next game.'
As he was running down the field, Bachira kept an eye on him for the perfect moment to pass. Ad everyone was around Bachira trying to take the ball away, no one was on Isagi just what was planned. "Here, Isagi." He kicked the ball over
'We'll be Team Z's guiding light!'
'It's here!' Isagi watched as the ball curved his way. He just barely got the ball. He was not right in front of the goal now a 1 on 1 with the goalkeeper. 'I'll shoot!'
"Number 11," Baro erupted from the shadow appearing in front of Isagi stopping him and no longer making it a 1 on 1. "You dare stand before me? Only I am the true King. Bow down, you peasant."
'Baro?!' Isagi gritted his teeth confused as to why the king himself showed up so fast in front of him. 'Why's he here? Our plan was that predictable?! What can I do?! Retreat? If I'm up against him... I might mess up, right what would I do?! At a time like this, a striker would...' Isagi stood there stumped not knowing what to do. Baro guarded making sure he wouldn't be able to get through. His faith was lost, that was until he heard to familiar voice behind him.
"Isagi, behind you!!" Raichi yelled running up to the boy, and no one was guarding him.
Kunigami the other one running up yelled for him to get the past while someone was guardian him. Raichi and Kunigami wanted the ball for themselves and wanted a pass from Isagi.
'Raichi... Kunigami?! A pass... No way, it has to be my own goal, right?!' He didn't want to pass, what he learned, he needed this goal, not anyone else.
At the time Baro took the opportunity to charge forward and going to take the ball while the raven-haired biy was focused on something else.
In the split second Isagi pictured the field and plays that could go down. Something clicked with him. As soon as Baro was right in front of Isagi, he passed the ball over to Kunigami without even noticing himself, his body just took over for he didn't know what was the best play. Everyone around was even confused by his action.
"Nice one, Isagi!" Kunigami commented watching the ball roll his way. He moved his left leg back, then kicked the ball with a powerful shot that not even the goalkeeper saw coming making Team Z score the first goal of the game and the last goal of the game.
Everyone was out of breath, but also confused more of Isagi who didn't understand his actions. Kunigami celebrated his goal as everyone watched.
Raichi grabbed Isagi's shirt collar pulling him, "Are you fucking shitting me now, Isagi? What the fuck was that for? Why'd you go and pass to Kunigami, huh?! I was unmarked, so you should've fucking passed it to me, idiot!" He cursed, furious by the actions that happened.
"Wait," Isagi said his breath shaky and out of air. "Hold on... First I was planning to shoot. But then... my body just moved." He confessed telling word for word what happened.
"Are you retarded or what? You the kind of idiot who'd pass instead of taking the shot when you've got the chance?!" He yelled telling the boy what he should have done.
Meanwhile {Y/n} sat in the staff room watching Team Z quarrel eating some snacks that lay beside her. She was half amazed by the last goal that Kunigami made, she was also half uninterested. The only interesting part of the whole game was when Baro took the game over.
At this moment she didn't believe in Team Z. From she saw what happened she lost hope in Isagi, to her he failed as a striker in that moment. It was because of the past, but rather because he couldn't realize what he could have done better.
♚♛♚♛♚
{Y/n} was making something to eat for herself. She was minding her own business when she heard her name being called by Ego.
"{Y/n} come here," He called over, not facing her way.
She rolled her eyes walking over to his chair looking at the screen. Team Z was talking in their lock room, well more of Isagi telling his team what he found out during Team X's match. "What about Team Z? They just figured out the obvious, Ego." She thought for a little bit wanting to say more but nothing would form into words. Until it clicked, "Oh, that's right. I forgot they're on the high school level. Not to sound rude or anything, Jinpachi, But these boys are going to need a little more guidance than what I received." With that, she walked back to her chair. Though {Y/n} faced it toward Ego so she could pay attention.
In Team Z's locker room, the tv turned on making a slight sound that alerted the room. "Well well, you're on the right track," Ego spoke his face showing up on the tv. "Listen up, you unpolished gems. The second match of the fifth stratum concluded just a few moments ago. And Team V trampled over Team Y with a score of 8-0. These are the current standings." He showed the difference in points and goals through V-Z, with Team V in the lead.
"„Beginning from scratch" and „making a foundation". I see you have been thinking about my words but... It seems you haven't found the core of what's needed to „create something from nothing". Ego held up a hologram of 0 to 1.
"To accomplish that, let us talk first... About our country Japan. The Japanese are people who rejoice in having a fixed role to play. Whether as a society as a group, or nearly anyone... It's a good national character to fulfill one's role. One day it's a virtue. And it's easily applicable to sports. Can you think of a major sport where Japan competes against the world?"
"That would be baseball. Pitchers, catchers, infielders, outfielders. First batter, fourth batter... and more importantly, a system of defense and offense in innings. A field where players are isolated and rarely interact. It is plainly a sport where one performs a single role while giving it their all, perfectly matching Japan's character. Thus we are strong. But in football is different."
"Offense and defense intertwine continuously on the field, and the sport is played in close quarters. It's a game that can't be won by perfectly fulfilling one role. Thus what we need... is „individual power". That's where each of your strengths comes in. As Japan stands now, do you know what positions we can be proud of? Mid-fielders and side-backs. Those who work hard for the team's sake. Positions mainly focused on following established patterns leaving it to the strikers to become the team's foundation. It only makes sense for us to be so prolific in such positions!" He exclaimed Egos eyes widen when talking.
"And yet thanks to that selfless sacrifice... It can also be said that Japan's football hasn't evolved beyond that! Like that, there can be no revolution. Now then, you unpolished gems, rewrite your common sense." He stretched his arms out, his voice was slightly louder "You see scoring in football means... „Destroying" your opponent's structure!! In other words, strikers are „Destroyers"!! A goal is nothing but instilling chaos in your opponents!! A revelation on the field!"
Ego balls his hands into a fist, "Strikers! Don't confine yourselves within the boundaries of a role! A striker carries a Weapon! Something to disrupt the enemy's organization! To make them yield! To destroy them! Every single elite striker... Carriers their own unique and unparalleled weapon! Reflect on it! Deliberate on it! What are your bodies and brains capable of?!"
He calmed down. "It is only with your weapons, that you can make a revolution! And only then will you find victory." With those last words, Ego dissipated from the screen, leaving Team Z with those words to expand and think upon.
♚♛♚♛♚
{Y/n} laid her blue light glasses on the desk having just finished announcing the last game of the day. She turned her chair around facing Ego and Anri, "I'm going for a run. Don't bother looking for me." She got up from the chair and out of the staff room.
She stretched and then took off with a nice jog which slowly became a run the further she ran. She stopped when she came across a room with the lights on. Slowly pecking her head in the room she saw a tall muscular figure kicking footballs.
She stepped into the room going unnoticed by Baro. {Y/n} sat by the entrance on the floor just watching the male practice all by himself. She examined his every move from when he kicked the ball into the net to him just standing there. It was interesting to her, examining people I mean. She found little flaws not even the person could catch, maybe even finding some strengths. It was all fun it games to her, because doing this allowed her to get in people's heads.
"Your match with team Z was a clean sweep, was it not, Baro?" {Y/n} finally decided to speak up alerting Baro that someone was in the room with him.
Though the male looked her way for a second then his attention back to training. She sat there for a little longer before finally deciding to engage with him.
She grabbed a football placing it right in front of her feet. {Y/n} was about 21 meters away from the goal when she shot it into the goal. "Wanna practice together, Shoei?" She smirked lightly kicking the ball to his feet.
Baro was intrigued by her request and faced her, "Like you can stand a chance against the King, {Y/n}." His face said it all, a cocky look saying the female was not much of a challenge. Playing against a female like he was going to be an easy win for himself. Or that's what he thought at least.
"Then first to 5 wins."
——
"Looks like your ego was lying to itself, Shoei." {Y/n} shoots the last ball into the goal before Baro could even reach her. Turning around the man himself was laying on the ground most likely exhausted from trying to keep up.
Crouching down to his high {Y/n} grabbing his cheeks with one hand making him look up at her seeing the prideful smirk on her face. [e/c] eyes stared into his newly half-sharted soul. "You can't have a king without a queen to keep you in your place. Now can you, Shoei?" She let go of his face. Brushing herself off she got up walking out of the field to continue her run.
-🔒-
Baro stood up furious that he lost to someone like that. Oh, how the mighty have fallen, fallen under the queen's fingertips. And that's what made his anger rise, he was right under her grip and there was no way he would even try to get away.
{Y/n} was done with her run and was now walking back to the staff room. She was looking at her watch when she bumped into someone, "Oh, sorry. I wasn't paying attention," She apologized backing away to see who she bumped into.
When she looked up she was three people, Reo was the one she bumped into, plus Nagi and Zantetsu were standing right beside the purple-haired male. They were heading back to their room from being in the cafeteria.
"Shouldn't someone as beautiful as you be getting her beauty sleep?" Reo winked with a grin appearing on his face when he saw {Y/n}.
"If I was sleeping you wouldn't have had the chance to say that to me. Guess who the real lucky one is here." {y/n} directed back a smile. "But you are right, I should be heading back." As she was turning around Reo called out.
"Do you want to hang out with us for a while? I bet the staff room is boring."
The [h/c]-haired female thought for a bit before answering. Turning back around she nodded her head and the four all walked off together back to Room V. They had a few nice conversations and got to know each just a bit more.
This warm feeling in her chest, at first it felt weird but it was nice.
a/n: This chapter is a little rushed (it at least took me a week to finish). From here on out they should be a little better from this one.
Next: 𝚆𝚎𝚊𝚙𝚘𝚗𝚜