(Y/N) takes a deep breath. His memories flash back to him. Just a while ago, he was some no-name center back, and now he had an opportunity to become a forward for the U-20 team. He chuckled to himself and focused his attention on Ego. He listened closely, letting a smirk creep across his face as his eyes flared up. 'I'll show you despair, Luna.'
Raichi was the first to answer back. "Hey!! Wait a second! I get that we're not guaranteed a spot, but...who's gonna be on his "Blue Lock XI?!"
"Do we...Have to pick mid-fielders and defenders from this group?" Gagamaru added.
"Yeah, of course. We need a goalkeeper as well. We'll have to do our best with this ramshackle team," Ego responded.
Tokimistu looked worried. "But...that's crazy! The other team will have defense specialists!"
"I don't...hate this new development," Aryu responded.
Ego frowned. "Oh, Shut up. How stupid do you think I am? Blue Lock will assemble a team focused around the following six players. These are top-ranked players at present. Putting together a team in just three weeks will require a rational gamble."
Ego cut out, with static replacing the screen. "Will the following players please come forward...
First, our top player...Rin Itoshi."
Rin walked forward with an emotionless expression.
"Next, Number two...Ryusei Shidou."
Shidou walked forward with a grin. "There it is. Wahoo~"
"Huh? You're that awesome?!" Igaguri said, surprised. "I thought you were just scary..." he whispered.
Shidou, with his cocky grin, exchanged glances with Rin, still emotionless as always. "So he's number one?"
Isagi looked on with determination.
"Next up...Number three. Tabito Karasu."
"I knew that, idiot," Karasu responded.
"Number four...Eita Otoya."
"'Kay," Otoya lazily responded while stretching his shoulder.
"Number five...Kenyu Yukimiya."
Yukimiya gave a slight smile. "Okay. It's an honor."
The top 5 have been shown, leaving just one more spot open. This fully caught (Y/N)'s attention. Was he good enough to be in the top 6? He glanced at Ego, in which he swore Ego looked back. He smirked, covering his expression with his hand. Nah...Ego wouldn't put an injury-prone amateur like him that high.
"And last, number six...Seishiro Nagi."
"Oh," was all Nagi responded with.
Isagi looked heartbroken as Ego continued. "That's all."
Yukimiya raised his hand. "Umm, Ego-san. Just a simple question for future reference...but why am I number 5? What's the difference between me and number 1?
"That's simple." Ego pointed to Rin and Shidou. "Out of the 35 remaining here...The only two who were able to score a goal against the world all-stars...were Rin Itoshi and Ryusei Shidou. The rest were determined based on goals scored since the first selection...and the personal evaluation of the five world all-stars. And finally, my own judgment. Are you satisfied, four-eyed model guy?"
"Yes! Thank you."
Gagamaru and Raichi whispered something to each other, yes very surprising that Raichi can whisper, but (Y/N) paid no attention.
"Now...it's time for the next selection. First, we'll divide these six into pairs... assign them ranks: A, B, and C...and thereby create three teams."
"Next, the remaining twenty-nine players must decide...which team they'd like to join. Then, three people will randomly be assigned to the team that they chose...to form teams of five. After that, the completed teams...will have a five-on-five match against each other."
"This is a way for players who fit with the top six's attack patterns..." Isagi whispers to himself.
"Don't distract yourself," (Y/N) responds, surprising Isagi. "If you're able to score more goals than the top six in this selection, Ego won't hesitate to form the attack pattern around you."
Isagi nods to himself as Ego continues. "For form's sake...the top six will play in multiple matches...But the only other twenty-nine players only get...one match. This is the revised final test of the third selection. Consider it tryouts for the right to represent Japan...in the U-20 cup match."
"One match...basically 'Show us what you've got.'" Aryu explains.
"This seems really...pro-like," Tokimitsu says worriedly.
Igaguri slams his fists together. "Ha! Works for me. Bring it on!"
"Also...when the twenty-nine players outside of the top six team up...they'll form nine teams of three. And only one team will only have two members. So as an exception, two players will play in two matches, splitting the time between each other for the second match. Tied at the rank number seven, just after the top six...Meguru Bachira and (Y/N) (L/N). You'll fill that role."
"Finally, some recognition," (Y/N) replies.
"Okay, can do," Bachira says with a smirk. He shoots his fist out to (Y/N).
The boy eyes it before returning the fist bump. "Don't underestimate me."
"Never did."
"Huh! What makes these two better than me!" Raichi shouts.
Ego pulls a side-by-side video of Bachira and (Y/N), showing both players getting past one member of the World 5 and their passes leading to a score. "These were the only players to successfully create some space from a World 5 player and assist with a goal."
Raichi grunted with no response.
Isagi looked at four specific players: Rin, Nagi, (Y/N), and Bachira. 'Those guys are above me,' he thought.
"First, the top six...can advance to the next room," Ego commands as he points toward the door. It opens as Rin, Shidou, Karasu, Otoya, Yukimiya, and Nagi walk through, none of who look back. "That said...this is just the ranking at this point in time. Even if you're in the top six, your ranking can still decline based on your performance in the tryouts...So please play with that in mind. And a word to the remaining 29 of you. The keys to clearing the tryouts...with regard to the top six...are assertion and coexistence. The top six are players who already possess powerful individuality and scoring ability. You must assert your own worth to them...And prove yourself irreplaceable through coexistence. And finally, show you can surpass them!! To you, the top six are the supreme opponents you must challenge! They are not teammates for you to play alongside! They're stepping stones to make you stand out! Now, within the next twenty-four hours, choose the allies whose hands you want to hold your destiny!"
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Third Selection Large Dining Hall
(Y/N) sits by himself with a plate of ramen noodles with some pieces of tempura, meat, and vegetables. Oh, how much he missed ramen. He puts his hands together and says, "Itadakimasu," before digging in. He ponders about the possible teams. Team A with Rin and Shidou; Team B with Karasu and Otoya; or Team C with Yukimiya and Nagi. The only two play styles he knew of were Shidou and Nagi. Team A seemed likely for a chance to assist, but wouldn't wow Ego. Playing with the top 2 wouldn't only prove to Ego that you're a background player. It would take a real egoist to steal a goal from them. However, he and Shidou did click. Team B didn't seem like an option. He knew nothing of Karasu or Otoya, and not to mention, Karasu seemed just too cocky. Team C also seemed interesting. He knew nothing of Yukimiya, but Nagi would be a good fit for (Y/N). Not to mention they were ranked numbers 5 and 6, so they would be the easiest to steal the spotlight off of. Team A or Team C?
He wouldn't get to ponder much more as Igaguri, followed by the rest of his Team Z teammates (at least the ones who made it past the second selection), sat down at (Y/N)'s table. Chigiri sat on (Y/N)'s right, with Isagi on his left. Bachira sat next to Isagi, followed by Gagamaru and Igaguri, while Raichi sat across from (Y/N).
"Huh? What are you guys do-"
"Hey, Igaguri! Did you take some of everything?!" Raichi asked.
"It's an-all-you-can-eat just for tonight! How can I not eat everything?!" Igaguri shoved a gyoza into his mouth before mumbling out, "Don't underestimate my desires!"
Gagamaru grabbed one of his gyozas and pointed to Igaguri's gyozas. "Gimme one of your desires."
Igaguri immediately complained, with Bachira laughing along and Isagi offering a pair of chopsticks. Chigiri kept to himself as Raichi yelled at them to keep it down.
"(Y/N) let me have one of your tempuras!" Gagamaru said before taking one.
"What are you guys doing here?" (Y/N) asked.
"Huh?! Has all that time with Igaguri made you dumb?! We cleared the second selection just like you!" Raichi shouted.
"I thought we broke off ties before the start of the second selection. Not to mention I sent Kunigami home."
They sat in silence before Chigiri spoke up. "This is Blue Lock, after all...our safety isn't guaranteed. I'm sad about Kunigami being sent home, but if Reo was the best fit to move forward, that's that."
"I really didn't think Kunigami would get sent home in the knockout tournament. He's real strong," Bachira added.
"Yeah..." (Y/N) mumbled.
Isagi put his hand on (Y/N)'s shoulder and shook his head. "Don't put this burden all on yourself. Kunigami fell to the two v two because I challenged him in the three v threes. There's no point in looking at the past. Iemon, Naruhaya, and Kuon are also three that got knocked out. We're all that is left of Team Z, so it's best we stay together, right?"
Isagi smiled as a smile crept on (Y/N)'s face. It was good to see that Team Z still saved a spot for him despite acting cold. It made this heartbreaking program just a bit more enjoyable.
"More importantly," Chigiri stated. "If we lose this U-20 match, this whole place will go down. None of us have time to worry about anyone else."
Raichi flipped his sheet of paper up. "Right! We have until tomorrow to choose...have you decided which team you want yet?"
"I'm going, Team A," Igaguri stated. "Since I was teamed up with Shidou before..."
"I'm thinking Team B or C. Just going off intuition," Gagamaru said.
"Since we can use the monitor room to watch all the games that have happened so far, I'm gonna check that out and see who I'd be the most compatible with..." Raichi states. "What about you, Bachira?"
"I'm gonna choose randomly! Regardless, me and (Y/N) will have to choose one team to agree on for our last game, though."
"Ah, gotcha. Also, I can't believe you two are the ones from Team Z who are doing the best."
"Well, I'm an egoist now! What about you, Chigiri?"
"I haven't decided...Isagi?"
"Hmmm...I'm..."
"A or C, right? To be with Rin or Nagi?" Bachira questions.
"Huh? Ah, yeah...you're right. What about you, (Y/N)."
"Same boat, but I might end up doing a coin flip."
"If you want to make a chemical reaction with your weapon, then you should choose Team C since you can use combinations with Nagi," Bachira explains. "And if you want to gamble on unknown possibilities, then go with Rin's Team A. Right?"
"Right," Isagi responds.
"Hold on," (Y/N) interrupts. "You're underestimating this. The problem is to stand out with a risk or blend in with a miss."
"Hey, that rhymes!" Bachira states.
(Y/N) coughs. "Besides the point. If you choose Team A, there's a chance you won't touch the ball, let alone score a goal. However, if you prove yourself, you'll no doubt be a starter, and Shidou and Rin will score nicely. On the other hand, Team C lets you stand out with Nagi and Yukimiya; not saying they're bad, but they'll be easier than Rin and Shidou. They also let a nice blend, but if anything, you'll just be assisting them, and you won't be able to stand out to Ego."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Third Selection Shared Bathroom
(Y/N) relaxes in the bath. "Should I choose A or C? A or C? Man...whatever, I'll decide when I'm there. Whichever one makes my heart explode...Isn't that what Shidou always said? For some reason, I'm wondering how Joey is doing. For some strange reason, my heart seems to beat faster when I think about him coming back.
.
.
.
I'm not gay, am I?! No! I'm excited to see him again and show him how much I've grown.
.
.
.
Or maybe..." (Y/N) grabs a fistful of his hair and grins.
.
.
.
"It's something else..."