A/n: real quick LOOK AT NAGI whoever makes the blue lock official art clearly has favorites and it's Nagi!!
In order for Japan to win the World Cup... We will create the best strikers in the world. Which is why 301 of the best high-school forwards.... Have been gathered for this project.
Y/n's pov:
After Egos speech they told us we would be moving into some kind of lodging and would be taking a bus there.
As I waited to get on the bus everyone sort of stared at me. Some even scooted over, um yeah no. It's gonna be hard not drawing attention here. I finally spotted someone I knew and made my way down the aisle. "Hey Isagi do you mind if I sit here?" I asked him pointing to the empty seat next to him.
"Eh? Oh yeah go ahead." He said previously not paying attention looking out the window.
We stayed on the bus for a while just traveling through the mountains. Let's hope this isn't a ploy to get us all killed. I decided to put on my headphones on and stare out the window.
For a while I just sat there listening to music until I noticed a building at the top of the mountain..... Blue Lock. This is the place that'll change our football careers forever.
After we got off the bus we waited in line to get our uniforms, "Next.... y/n l/n." The pretty lady, Anri said as she handed me my uniform from a separate pile as the others, "and please turn in your wallet and phone." I looked at the number and letter on the arm said of my uniform. Number....... 299...... Z..... what does that mean?
"All right, now each of will go to the room matching you uniforms letter. We'll notify you when to change into uniform." She said to us.
I began walking around through these complicated halls. The room matching our letter, well I'm Z... oh there it is. This is where it starts.
I open the door to see a bunch of guys changing, a buff orange hair guy with his shirt half off and some others getting dressed, "Ahhhh!!!" I yelled out in shock as what I hope is a shirt is thrown at me before I close the door quickly. I think I could hear some others yell in surprise too. OH MY GOD HOW DID I FORGET TO ASK ABOUT THE ROOM SITUATION IM GONNA EXPLODE.
I composed myself before knocking on the door waiting for someone to respond, "Come in." I heard someone respond. Even though they said I could come in I opened the door with my eyes closed.
"It's alright we're all dressed you can open your eyes." The voice was familiar.... It's Isagi! Luckily as he said everyone was dressed I looked around and the only other person I recognized was Kira.
I was glad everyone was dressed but now it posed the question for me... How the hell am I supposed to get dressed in here?!? Suddenly Isagi stood in front of me and turned around with his arms out blocking me, "Don't worry I won't look." THANK YOU ISAGI.
I got dressed in my uniform quickly then thanked Isagi before Kira came over to us, "I'm relieved there's some familiar faces here."
"Oh Kira, haha.... I'm glad too." Isagi said
I looked around the room and noticed a boy with black hair and blond underneath sleeping on the floor "watch out Isagi." I told him as he almost stepped on the boy.
"Hey...Zico...Pass...Pass it...To me...Zico." The boy on the floor mumbled in his sleep. He's.... odd, but cute.
(What's with him? He dreaming or what?) Isagi thought.
I then felt someone tap my shoulder and turned to see the orange haired guy from earlier but with a shirt now, "My bad about earlier, my shirt flew away." I deadpanned at his apology, "heh, no problem." I told him.
(Man I guess I don't need my phone to talk to girls now, this girls pretty hot.) Imamura thought to himself.
I wasn't sure what we're supposed to be doing so I just sat down and scoped everyone out a pretty boy with long red hair.... A brown hair guy who's been staring at me... obviously Kira and Isagi, and the buff orange hair guy from earlier.
I then heard this bald guy start to fanboy over Kira. "Whoa don't tell me you're really Kira Ryōsuke?! The 'Treasure' of Japan right here?! Look a'that it's the real deal!!" He exclaimed excitedly shaking Kira's hand.
"Th-thanks."
"Is this Isagi a friend of yours and that girl too?" He said pointing to me, "Nice to meet 'cha! But how are you here though I didn't know girls were allowed?"
"Oh my name's Gurimu Igarashi!"
"Oh hello..." Isagi said.
I was going to tell Igarashi I don't know how I'm here either before he began telling his life story, "You see, I was born in a temple, so... even though I was basically destined to inherit it, I hated having my life written out like that...! So I made a promise with my old man to forget it all if I become a pro player!"
"That's why that guys speech pumped me up so much! I felt like, wow, I really can change my own fate." He's not wrong about that, Ego should start doing Ted Talks. Actually he's kinda mean about it so maybe not.
(Just like me!) Isagi thought.
"My ambition's gonna be what makes me win..."
"Same here." Isagi agreed with him.
Suddenly a familiar face popped up on the huge screen that is on the wall, "Are you done changing, you unpolished gems?" Ego asked. So he can just pop up on that screen any time?! What if we weren't done changing?
"Hey, hey..." he began with a creepy look, "The people in your room will be both your room-mates... AND YOUR RIVALS." I deadpanned, well isn't that just great the people I embarrassed myself in front of are going to be with me 24/7.
"We have estimated your potential based on my judgment and my peers' calculations... Represented by your ranking. It's the number attached to your uniforms.With it you can gauge your position among the 301 players in the facility."
I peered down at my number.......299!?! So that's what that means! Damn I'm so low, I mean I didn't expect to be at the top exactly but I'm practically at the bottom?! This has to be sexist! And did Anri have part in deciding these rankings, I thought you were better than this Anri-chan what happened to girls sticking together hmp!
"Your rank will be changed daily based on several factors. For example going up or down based on your training or the results or your games," Ego went on, "And unconditionally the top five players...will participate in a certain tournament six months from now... they will become the selected strikers for Japan's U-20 National Team at the World Cup."
So he was serious about that whole 'World Cup' thing that's a HUGE DEAL! Wait, the U-20 National Team? That's an all men's team... of course, would I even be allowed to play? No, I wouldn't be here if Ego didn't see potential in me or if I wouldn't even qualify.
U-20 World Cup a worldwide tournament consisting of only players below the age of 20.
"Also those who are defeated at Blue Lock will be permanently barred from Japan's National Team." Banned? is he serious? "We are looking for one crucial component here 'ego', that is what we will measure as you live here in this facility."
"Well now... time to play 'tag'." Ego said in his famous creepy voice.
Suddenly part of the ceiling opens up and a soccer ball falls out, most of us stumble back. "The time limit is 136 seconds, the player with possession is 'it'."
"Huh?!" Isagi said.
"Whoever is 'it' when time runs out...Can get the fuck out of here. And of course no using your hands. Those are the rules."
"'Tag' is one but many exercises pro players warm up with. This 'egoism test' I have devised will provide great insight into the selfishness behind these strikers... prepare and attack. This isn't your average game of 'tag'." Ego said before he went away now with a timer showing 02:15.
We have only a little more than two minutes.
"The hell...?! A test as soon as we move in?! It's not even football..." said the angry blonde Bakugo variant... Raichi? I think.
"Oh shit! The doors not opening?!" Said the brown hair boy who was staring at me earlier, who was now fumbling with trying to open the door.
"301th... So the worst player is the first to be 'it'...," Igarashi started saying. Oh that's right he came up on the screen earlier. "I have to do this... so... whoever gets expelled don't hold it against me..."
"Wait a sec... that thing about Japans U-20....do you really believe what that guy said?! That must've been a bluff!" The brown haired guy, sheesh I should learn their names, said.
"I... dunno for sure. But what if he was tellin' the truth?! I'll do it... If I lose I'll have to become a monk at the temple... If I lose I'll be a monk at the temple." Igaguri said.
I had no idea what he was talking about but I let Ego's words replay in my head 'Those who are defeated at Blue Lock... will be permanently banned from Japans National Team.' What's up with that, can he even do that? Probably.
I'm honestly nervous especially with me being pretty low in ranking, can I even beat these guys? It doesn't matter I don't have time for this I just have to win, I WILL become the next top striker no matter what. Although I can't believe my soccer career relies on a game of 'tag'.
Kickoff...!!!
"Graaaaaa!!!" Igaguri quickly began to run towards where a lot of us where in the corner because everyone scrambled there, obvious move; all of us bunched together so an easy target. I quickly ran away from the corner so not to be targeted before remembering the two hair colored boy on the floor still fast asleep sucking his thumb. How is he still asleep did he not hear any of that?!
"Wait...don't all come here!!!" Imamura yelled.
"Gh..." Isagi said.
"We're stacked in the corner air out!!" Raichi yelled at everyone.
Unfortunately for Isagi, Igaguri started targeting him, "Sorry Isagi! I'm coming for you Mr. 300!"
"O' great Buhhda!" He yelled.
"What?! Whoa!" Isagi yelled as he jumped out of the way of the ball.
"Ah" Igaguri was shocked he dodged, "This is way to hard! Fine I'll go for everyone! C'mon...!" Everyone ran frantically from him.
As I watched everyone run Kira came up to me, "y/n-chan this has to be a joke right?... There's no way pros train like this! I'm only here here so I can reject that guys rotten ideology..."
Igaguri tried hitting Naruhaya and Raichi but missed.
"Trying to stake our futures on a two-minute long game of 'tag'... is completely screwed up...!! I won't let that guy destroy my future!!" You could hear the determination in Kira's voice, it made sense. If your football careers really end here Kira would lose a lot. I get what he's saying but my goal is to just avoid getting hit.
"Fuck, I can't hit anyone!! Come back ball!!" Igaguri yelled before turning to the sleeping boy.
"Zzz." The boy snored.
"Haha!! That's the guy! Lucky me, he's still sleeping!!" Igaguri goes after him with the ball.
"Hey! kid sleeping wake up you're gonna get tagged!!" I yelled out to the boy.
Before he could 'tag' him sleeping boy then pushes himself up and kicks Igaguri hard in the face. I sucked air through my teeth, oooh I KNOW that hurt. What's worse is Igaguri didn't even get to 'tag' him.
"Ngh?! That hurts... HEY!! That's a foul! A FOUL!" In a match you'd get a red card!"Igaguri shouted pointing at the boy.
"Munya~ wasn't the only rule no using hands?" The previously sleeping boy... Bachira I'm pretty sure said rubbing the sleep from his eye. "Mornin'."
Kunigami put his hand on Bachira's shoulder, "Hey, I hate that dirty shirt. Play fair and square." he lectures him.
"We'll ain't you serious, oh and you! Girl," he said turning to me, "Thanks for waking me!" He said sticking his tounge out mischievously with a thumbs up.
Suddenly the ball goes flying into Kunigami's face. Dang! Again?! Hit them somewhere else!
"Hah found an' opening! O' great Buhhda!" Igaguri cheered. That's a low blow Igaguri especially after he was distracted lecturing Bachira because of YOU.
The screen now showed kunigami as being 'it'.
He had a dark look in his eyes "...fucking bastard... yer' goin down Igaguri...!!" He growled prepping his shot. Get him Ichig- I mean Kunigami!
He shot towards him but at the last second Igaguri grabbed on to me, "hey! What are you doing?! Stop it this has to be harassment!!" I yelled before kunigami kicked the ball and it slammed into my stomach and I made a, "oof!" Sound as I flew back.
"Oh, my bad... that wasn't for you." Kunigami apologied.
"O, great Buhhda." Igaguri kept away from me, who was still laying on the floor.
"Y/n-chan!"
"Y/n!" Both Kira and Isagi yelled.
"Shaddup Igaguri! You say that again you're gonna NEED Buhhda!" I had a fiery look in my eyes as Stood up. Igaguri squealed and tried hiding, I'm starting to not like that guy already.
The screen now showed my little icon as being "it". Shit! No way am I letting my soccer career end in a stupid game of 'tag'! I'm not losing to a bunch of teenage boys again! But I'm not stupid either, everyone in this room was also hand-picked from all over the country, it's unlikely I'll be able to straight up hit them easily.
I scanned the room before doing a dramatic kick so that the ball would ricochet off the wall luckily hitting someone....Isagi. I had noticed a couple of the others including Isagi, Naruhaya, and Imamura standing close together watching my moves intently, I knew if I just tried straight up shooting the ball they would just dodge so I made a calculated effort. Plus it didn't really matter to me who it hit so I let the ball decide their fates. Though I felt bad it was him I hit I'll have to apologize later.
Isagi was hit in the chest pretty hard so now he was sweating contemplating his next move on one knee. He was now shown on the screen as 'it'. Isagi attempted hitting others but he missed, he was having trouble keeping up. Before he noticed Igaguri.
"Alriiiight I gotta give it my all for the last minuteeee!! Time to run for my lifeeeee!!" Igaguri said as he in fact, ran for his life from Isagi.
Only 50 seconds left on the clock, Isagi ran after Igaguri, "Nyaha ha~" Bachira laughed as he clung to kunigami's back.
"You little... bastard!" Get off me! Hey!!" Kunigami yelled at him.
"Lookie here, a chance~!" Bachira told Isagi.
"Go there! Go there!" Igaguri pointed.
Kunigami grabbed onto Bachira's arm that was around his neck, "I told ya fair and square...!! SO FUCKING PLAY BY IT!!" He flung Bachira over his shoulder.
"Whoa?!" Bachira fell on Igaguri, "Gah?!" He yelled out.
"Ouchie ouchie."
"Get off already!!" Igaguri yelled as Bachira got off him but something was wrong, "ah shit... wai... timeou... " Igaguri held his arm out. He must've hurt his leg.
"Go!! Isagi-kun!! Take the shot!! Do it now!!" Kira yelled.
Isagi stared down at Igaguri as he begged, "H...hey... H-hold on... don't come... I said don't!!"
"Look I'm sorry for aiming at you earlier!! I don't want it to end like this so please!!" It's true Isagi could just hit him and he would be 'it' but that would be low too, praying on the injured, I don't know him that well but I know that it would be like a meaningless point.
Isagi revs up to kick the ball, Igaguri with a face of terror puts his arms out waiting to be hit, but Isagi doesn't do it, instead he runs over where Bachira is, "Well ain't you nice." Bachira says
"That's right~ if you wanna defeat everyone," Bachira then steals the ball from Isagi before running the other way, "You gotta go for the strongest guy~!!" Bachira's icon came up as 'it' with only 10 seconds left, he runs for Kira.
"He's going for me?!"
"Kira-kun?!" Isagi exclaimed.
Bachira kicked the ball but Kira jumped before it hit him,but he kicks his leg towards Kira's head luckily he dodges under and runs as Bachira kicks the ball... over Kira's head?
Actually no time to think about that because the ball was actually coming.... for ME?! Crap only 3 seconds left if I let it hit me it's over.
"Y/n-chan..." Kira said. I contemplated what to do I looked to my left where Isagi was as he nodded towards Kira.
I thought about what Bachira said earlier, "The strongest... among all..." I then volley it towards Kira, hitting him straight in the face.... Hard.
"Bon!" Bachira yells.
"Ah..." I say.
Kira falls back.... 1 second left.... 0 seconds left. The screen shows Kira's icon but now it says LOSE. He stared at me in awe, "Y/n.... chan? What are.... You doing?" Holy shit did I seriously just do that?! Did I just...... end the National Treasure's career? "Huh? What...? What the....?"
"I-I Don't..... Sorry I..... I-I mean...." I was honestly at a loss for words. "It- the ball came so fast.... I didn't mean to..." I tried to explain but I didn't know myself, it was like my body moved on it's own. Like I was still holding some kind of grudge about losing to Kira that I used my chance to beat him. Maybe that is what happened.....? But I feel a little bad... kinda.
"...what? What the fu-"
"Good job you unpolished gems," Ego said as he appeared on the big screen, "Let us continue to the results. The player we will get rid of is- Ryōsuke Kira! You are expelled!"
"What the fuck? Do you think you'll win the World Cup with this dumb...shit?! With these stupid games... why was I...?!" Kira began, "How could you erase the future of a player as talented as me?! Aren't I Japan's 'National Treasure'?! Huh?! So why the fuck don't you expel Igaguri or Isagi.... or l/n instead?! Huh?!" Okay, I was feeling less bad about beating him.
"Say what?!" Igaguri said.
"Kira...?" Isagi said.
Kira continued yelling, "What's even the point of this stupid game?! Tag ain't fucking football!! So why're we even doing it?!"
"At Blue Lock... everything you do is related to football. Have a good look at your surroundings, you sham of a talent." Ego said pointing to his head.
"Huh...?"
"The area of that room is... 16.5 x 40.32 meters the exact same portion as a penalty area. About 75% of all goals are scored from this little area, you could say it's the domain of a striker. In other words in this small space, the positioning skills of a striker mean everything."
"Therefore those unable to survive under such conditions... can hardly qualify to be talented strikers." Ego said.
"So... so what?! Okay sure, the room's width is exact or whatever! But tag's got nothing to do with footbaaaaaaaal!!" Kira shouted back.
"The skills required by the fleeing side... is tactical awareness.In other words positioning, as for the pursuer, what they need is not accurate dribbling... but the precision to make shots that will hit their targets. For example y/n l/n was 'it' earlier and took note of her surroundings and deducted the best way to gain a precise shot was a wall assist. That's what makes a optimal football training... jeez." Ego said leaning in his chair.
I blushed and scratched my neck at Ego's mention of me and some of the others looking at me as he said it.
Even after Ego's explanation Kira was still furious, "That's... that's... how do you expect me to know all that shit in just two minutes?! A game of football lasts more than 90 minutes!!"
"The average time a player possesses the ball during a match... is about 136 seconds. You were given the exact same opportunity you would have in a real game." Ego stated.
"Th-then what'd you expect me to do in just 10 seconds...?!"
"Is that what you would say if this were a match?" Ego asked, "Remember from the time the ball hit you, until the clock ran out... you still had about 1 second left. There was plenty of time to survive by shooting at a injured Igaguri. And yet you wasted that chance." He told him.
"Imagine this you are in the middle of a match standing in the penalty area... it's the very last play of the game... your teammates shot doesn't reach the goal. And instead hits your body! When this happens... you've already given up inside. Which is why you didn't notice... by sheer luck the ball had fallen... right before you. And if you had just tapped that ball with your knee you could have been saved from your own mistake. " I imagined it.
"The one who is 'it' in tag... that is, the one who has the ball, decides who they want to 'win'... but also gets to decide who they want to 'lose'." He continued, "A striker carries all the responsibility on his or her back. A striker is the one who keeps on attacking until the very last second. Y/n l/n who used her awareness to 'tag' her opponents after acknowledging her ability and someone who chose to take down a opponent higher ranked than her... Isagi YoichI who, instead of aiming for the injured Igaguri decided on a different way to win... And Meguru Bachira with the initiative to aim for the strongest player... are perfect examples of people who, rather do what was best for the team, had the tenacity and courage to pursue their own will... that is exactly the 'egoism' that I am looking for."
"And that is why this is your loss, Ryōsuke Kira. Now fuck off." Ego can be so scary sometimes.
"That's... she.... Suddenly... Bachira... came so fast... QBK!" Kira stammered.
"Ki...ra" I tried saying, but if looks can kill,everyone would be planning my funeral with the look he gave me.
"This is wrong... this is.... So wrong...." He says before leaving.
I can't believe what just happened....,"You... why...the hell did you pass it to me?!" I pointed to Bachira.
"Yeah if she didn't take that shot.... You would've been expelled wouldn't you?!" Isagi questioned him.
Bachira had a cute little devil smile, "So? I thought you'd kick it. So I passed it to you. Looked like ya would." Yup I was right this kid's crazy, why is everyone here crazy?!
"I mean results are everything in this place, right? I believed in you, so I won~ didn't I?" He left me dumbfounded.
"That's... just plain nonsense...from beginning to end..." Igaguri protests.
"Non-sense...?"
"It is nonsensical indeed, but then, so is the world. Either you win or you lose while you were getting excited over your mediocre success, true strikers... tread a path of winning or losing everything... every single day, in order to keep on surviving. How was it? Since you were born... wasn't this the first time you felt true danger? Said Ego as he popped up on the screen again. Seriously does this guy have nothing else to do?!
"Were you scared? Shocked? That... was just a taste of Blue Lock's essence, you understand that much right? The football you've played all your lives us for weakling! Didn't you get the shivers? 'Nice I survived'...! That is the feeling of 'victory'! So shove it in those brains of yours! Since each time you rejoice in that feeling, your 'ego' will steadily grow. And you'll need it to climb to the top and be the best striker in the world.
"Congratulations. You have passed passed Blue Lock's entrance test! Your room was designed for no more than 12 people... so from now on you'll cohabitate together. You fated 12. You may cooperate with each other... and also betray each other... you, and the rivals you'll have to trample...
Wataru Kuon.
Jingo Raichi.
Yudai Imamura.
Okuhito Iemon.
Asahi Naruhaya.
Gin Gagamaru.
Gurimu Igarashi.
Hyōma Chigiri.
Rensuke Kunigami.
Meguru Bachira.
Isagi Yoichi.
Y/n l/n. (Pic of you bbg)
...Are Blue Lock's 'Team Z'!"
A/n: OH MY GOD. I'm sorry it almost took me out trying to write this chapter!! Ego always has something to say which takes FOREVER 😒. Anyways we finally made it to the actual playing soccer/football part. FYI I had a realization that this might have been better told in a 2nd person's pov not just y/n's but TO LATE plus I wanted to be able to hear her thoughts, but don't worry I always intended when we meet Nagi I could just switch povs. Something I don't want to do EVERY time another character has a thought so it'll be in parentheses when another character has a thought not said out loud. Anyway see you next chapter. <3