"The second half is just about to kick off! Natsuki, any thoughts?"
"Too many to say, Tereasa! I mean, it's been a stunning game so far. The U-20 is known for their defences, yet Bluelock have consistently managed to break through with their superior attacking patterns. I mean, it's been a huge shock to me, and probably to the rest of you guys in the audience!"
"Yep! I've just had a look, and social media is blowing up. The Bluelock project is going all over the top posts, and every single player is having their name thrown around. It's not just in Japan, though. Internationally, it's beginning to gather huge attention, from just 45 minutes of play!"
"To any international viewers, it's a pleasure to have you! The players are coming out onto the field as I speak, and they all look ready to roll!"
"Hold on, Natsuki. There's apparently been a substitution during half time, and it's actually from the U-20 team...?"
"Really?!"
"Look, there! Let's get a camera zoomed in on the player. Number 13, Y/N L/N, replacing Wakatsuki Itsuki!"
"I've never heard of this guy before...?! To be replacing someone like Wakatsuki for the second half of this game, it's a huge gamble from the U-20 team! He must be hell of a forward for them to have such trust!"
"Wait..."
"What?"
"He's not going into the same position as Wakatsuki! Folks, both in the stadium and watching from home, this unknown Y/N L/N is taking the striker's position on the U-20 team!"
"Are you serious?!"
"Deadly!"
Ego Jinpachi, standing on the sidelines with the rest of Bluelock, watched the players as they spread out onto the field. The commentators were having a field day, probably never having casted a game with such drama before. The audience was cheering louder than ever, thousands of voices yelling support for the U-20, cheering them on.
Though, he caught quite a few cries in favour of Bluelock. More than a few, actually. Along the lines of a thousand or so.
"There he is." Anri spotted the slight figure of Y/N, standing near the centre of the field with Sae. The U-20 team were kicking off - something that was a huge threat to Bluelock. "Next to Sae."
The striker was wearing the same jersey as the rest of the team, a large number 13 on the back. He looked excited, bouncing in place with bright eyes, head on a constant swivel to take in the entire stadium. He looked the same as always. Cheerful, energetic, and gentle.
Ego knew different, of course.
Different players, he'd found, had different types of ego. Over the past years, and especially over the past few months inside Bluelock, he'd seen many. Shidou Ryusei, and his eccentric, almost feral playstyle. Rin Itoshi, and his cold, puppetmaster-like playstyle. Yukimiya's playstyle of street soccer, Otoya's playstyle of stealth and speed - each player's way of playing said so much about their unique ego.
A player's way of playing the game, especially at the highest level, was tailored so much to that person's individual life. Sae Itoshi, with his playstyle of destroying beautifully, came from his own destroyed dreams of being a striker, changed into a new dream to become the best midfielder in the world.
Y/N L/N? His playstyle was different. Against the World Five, Ego had watched him run straight at the enemy. He'd abandoned logic, going straight for the paths that would cause the most destruction.
When playing in the second selection, he'd forced each player to fight him using their best weapons, challenging each of them one on one in order to completely destroy them. It was a baffling way of fighting, one that had left Ego scratching his head over. Why did Y/N play like that?
But as he looked more into it, he'd found something terrifying. Y/N L/N wasn't just running at them. Every time he played, it was like he purposefully chose the most painful way possible to destroy the opponent. He wanted the enemy to feel shame. He wanted them to feel weak. To feel helpless. He wanted to cause them pain.
Probably because of Ascension. He doesn't even do it consciously, but it's like his body just wants to share the pain. Make other people feel the sheer pain that he had to go through.
So Ego knew that while Y/N looked gentle enough on the surface, he was nothing but a twisted sadist of a striker.
"Right." He shook himself out of his thoughts, eyes locking onto the small boy. "They'll be fine. We've trained them for this."
"Yeah..." Anri's eyes didn't move off of Y/N. "It's gonna be fine."
🥕🥕🥕
Y/N knew people were watching him, but he didn't particularly give one. He focused only on himself, on the rising anticipation in his gut and the slowly increasing speed of his breath as he pumped himself up.
A few of the Bluelock players were giving him strange looks. Chigiri looked almost sorry for him, and Yukimiya was giving him a cautious, yet curious look. Reo looked weirdly guilty, being one of the only people not looking at him.
He didn't care. He just stood there, letting the sheer excitement overwhelm him. For this game, Y/N wouldn't pull any punches. Bluelock was his enemy. That was all they were. Not friends, not companions, but complete strangers.
Sae placed his foot on the ball, throwing Y/N a dull glance. "Ready?" It was only over a few metres, but Y/N barely caught it over the sheer noise of the crowd.
"Ready."
He kicked off.
Y/N was immediately sprinting forwards, completely ignoring everyone and everything except Sae. Like a bullet fired from a sniper rifle, he dashed between the first few players, blocking out both his teammates' shouts of confusion and enemies' yells of panic.
As he ran past, he locked eyes with Isagi. The boy was watching him, his own eyes narrowed with determination. Does he see me as an enemy? Looks like he doesn't have any qualms about fighting against me.
Good.
Neither do I.
Karasu and Bachira attempted to follow him. They rushed in from either side, clearly attempting to cut off his breathing room. It was a fast reaction - maybe a little too fast. What have they been planning?
It didn't work, though. Y/N dashed right, then left, throwing them off as he threaded the gap between the two Bluelock players. To most of the players on the field, it was their first time watching him play live. They'd seen recordings, but they were nothing compared to playing against the real thing.
Y/N just didn't seem affected by the laws of physics. As Bachira attempted to chase him, he changed directions in an instant, letting Bachira overshoot by a mile. He made his way further down the field.
The crowd was in uproar, all eyes following him as he strafed between players like they were nothing but training dummies. Sae was moving forwards fast too, two midfielders supporting him as the three players easily progressed through the chaos Y/N had created on the field.
As Karasu tried to follow him for a second time, Y/N sped up. He pulled away from Karasu at top speed, leaving the dark-haired boy in the dust as he blitzed down the centre of the field. Sure, his teammates were on both sides of him, supporting him, but they were nothing but bait.
Sendou sped up at the same time Y/N slowed down, screaming out across the field. "To me! Now!"
Momentarily, the attention switched to Sendou. Karasu took a step towards the so-called ace of the U-20, and Y/N was left free. He didn't even have to look towards Sae, before there was a thud from down the field and the ball was flying towards him.
It was a perfect pass, drawing a straight line across the field as it flew just above the grass. Isagi twisted as it passed him, calling out to his team. "It's going to Y/N!"
That it is. Instead of continuing his run, Y/N paused. He calmly, gently stopped the ball at his feet, completely throwing off the entire stadium. Familiar pink hair flashed in front of him, before Chigiri was facing off against him.
The princess looked pretty tired, after a whole half of running at top speed. Yet, he was still crazy fast, placing himself into Y/N's path. Because Y/N had stopped, more and more Bluelock players arrived, the sound of Karasu's footsteps behind him growing louder and louder.
The commentators loved it. "What's this?! Y/N L/N has slowed down?"
"I don't know what he's doing there, maybe a bad trap? But it's a huge mistake, slowing down! It's given time for Bluelock to set up their defences, and he might even lose the ball!"
There were two people rushing for Y/N. As Karasu approached behind him, Chigiri lunged forwards in a double press to get the ball away. There were many people Y/N could've passed to. Sae was behind him, Sendou to his right, another forward to his left, but did he pass?
Of course not.
His body tilted to the right, and Chigiri and Karasu could barely even reach him before he was already a few metres in that direction. Y/N didn't even react as a tall, lanky figure challenged him next. Oh, Aryu.
He was dangerously close to the goal now. If they didn't keep up the pressure, Y/N was well in range to score. So, Aryu had no choice but to take him head on.
With the top of his foot, he lifted the ball into the air like he wanted to throw it over Aryu's head. The tall boy's eyes flickered upwards, his legs poised slightly differently to jump, and that was all Y/N needed. His knee shot forwards. He slammed the ball back to the ground, right between his legs.
It didn't even have time to bounce before he was in possession of it again, having broken straight through Bluelock's defensive line. Players ran at him from three sides, yelling orders in a panic. His own team called out for the ball, voices overlapping with the steadily rising roar of the crowd.
But despite all of Bluelock's efforts, he was untouchable. Y/N somehow dodged two players while keeping the ball in the air. He flicked it over his own head, catching it flawlessly in the bridge of his foot.
Two more players ran in front of him. They threw their legs out, leaping to block the shot that was to come. Another defender slammed into Y/N from the side, trying to knock him off balance in a move that was probably a foul.
"We can cut him off!"
"Block his shot course!"
"Keep the pressure up!"
None of it mattered. The ball stayed with Y/N, and even as he was knocked sideways by the force of the foul, he pushed off the ground.
Then he spun, slingshotting the ball directly into the back of the goal.