𝐎𝐍 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐃 / 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐔𝐒,, 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤

𝟎𝟐

a few days had passed and (name) had returned to blue lock. he had finished creating the physical holograms and made everything ego had requested. food preparations, physical holograms, hygienic items and more. 

today, (name) was helping ego prepare for his speech in front of 300 young teenagers like himself. (name) stood at the side of the stage while helping ego prepare the microphone.

"testing."

(name) smirked in satisfaction as he waved his hands to signal ego to start his speech. ego nods and starts to speak.

"congratulations, you unpolished gems. all of you under eighteen strikers have been chosen solely based on my criteria and biases to be here today. all three hundred of you." ego spoke in a monotonous tone as he stepped forward and continued to introduce himself.

"i am ego jinpachi. my job is to make a team capable of winning the world cup."

(name) blankly stared at the crowd from behind the stage. watching how they all started to whisper and murmur to each other. ego continued to speak again without care on what the teenagers thought of him.

"i'll put it into simple words. japan only requires one thing to become the strongest powerhouse in football and that is to create a revolutionary striker from you three hundred players gathered here today. i will forge the best striker through this project." 

(name) was observing the players while ego continued to speak. (name) brought up the blue lock map on the screen behind ego as he continued to observe the teens that were his age. he had noticed a pretty pink haired male, chigiri hyoma. (name) hummed as he noticed him since he saw him in the files that ego had given him. (name) cleared his thoughts as his focus went back on what ego was saying.

"for this purpose, we have built a facility called blue lock and starting today, you all will be living in this place and will follow mine and my assistant, al (name)'s training regime. you will not be able to go home and as of now, you can consider your football career, as you know it, over."

"you, the last player will become the best striker in the world. this is all the details. nice to meet you." ego ended.

(name) noticed a white haired boy amidst the crowd. kira ryosuke. he began opposing to what ego had said. telling boring stuff that basically meant "teamwork makes the dream work."

of course, (name) understood his point but the sole purpose of blue lock is to make the best striker in the world. not just playing to have fun with friends.

ego sighed and scratched his head. "..a pity. you're all seriously ill it seems. lock off! anyone who wants to leave can go." ego stated blankly as the crowd gasped in surprise.

ego started to argue back to what kira had said. "are your perspectives truly this limited? you'd rather be the top high schooler in a soccer backwater than the world's best striker? the future of japan is in your hands? it's enough to make a man weep."

(name) crossed his arms and looked at ego. finally starting to pay attention to what ego is saying to the three hundred.

"listen up. there's no denying japanese soccer's first rate teamwork. call it the result of our countries characteristic thoughtfulness.. but in all other aspects of this sport we are second-rate." ego spoke while making a peace sign with his hand.

ego huffed in light irritation as he continued, "let me ask you this. what is soccer? is it about eleven players working together? the bond that you form? self-sacrifice? fighting for your teammates?" ego asked in a mocking tone.

"that kind of thinking is why this country's game has remained weak. i'll tell you the right answer. soccer is about one thing. scoring more goals than your opponent does. whoever scores the most is the best, end of story. if you just want a fun game with your pals.. then lock off."

(name) glanced at the crowd noticing most of them in a state of shock and surprise in what ego had said. yet (name) agreed to what ego had said. just teamwork isn't gonna make this country's soccer improve.

"..japan's team isn't weak hmm?" ego hummed out before giving the crowd a psycho smile.

"do you mean the same losers who have never claimed a single world cup? your either the best there is or your trash. got it?" ego said before giving (name) to change the screen behind him.

(name) quickly complied and changed the background screen into noel noa. ego pointed at the screen and spoke again. "'instead of assisting my teammates to win 1-0, it feels better to pull of a hat-trick and lose 3-4.' this direct quote from noel noa who heat out lionel messi and cristiano ronaldo to win the ballon d'or tells us how highly the world's best striker values your precious teamwork." 

(name) changes the screen again to eric cantona. "'i don't care about my team. i just want to stand out..'" the screen changed again to pele. "and from pele, the world's best forward, midfielder and defender, and goalkeeper said 'whichever you ask about the answer is still me.'"

ego smirked and arched his spine back and continued to speak in a mocking yet psycho voice. "what you think? pretty awful right?! but they are three of the best players in history! and their all egoist down to the very core!" ego sucked in a breath and spoke again.

"that's what japanese soccer is lacking, its sad but true.. you can't possibly become the world's best striker unless you're also the world's biggest egoist."

ego snapped his fingers and continued, "which is why we are all here. so i can create a player who has what it takes.. someone who will climb on top of 299 corpses... a solitary hero."

ego placed two of his fingers and tapped his head. "picture this scene. you've made it all the way to the world cup final. eighty thousand people in the stands, you down on the field.. the score is zero to zero in the second half of extra time.. it's the last play.. with a pass from your teammate your through the defense. you against the goalkeeper.. six meters to the right is your teammate.. if you pass your team is guaranteed to score a goal. the championships. the hope of a nation, they're all riding on you.."

"only an insane egoist could take that shot without a second hesitation." the double doors behind ego slowly started to open. "now pass through and be transformed. discard your common sense. remember out there on the field, your the star. nothing should bring you more joy than your own goals. live only for that glorious moment.."

a wide smirk plastered on ego's face, "and if you can't? your no striker at all."

all three hundred of the boys went right past ego through the double doors quickly. ego smirked devilishly as he watch all of them past him. once they were all gone. ego plopped on the ground while the doors closed. 

"all three hundred.. are participating, huh?" ego said while he noticed (name) approaching him. "it seems so." (name) replied while checking his device. anri approached the two and spoke. "there's no going back now. i'll act in accordance to what you two say. i'm thrusting you guys with the futures of japanese soccer and these three hundred boys."

ego hummed in response and removed his mic from his ear. "it might mean ruining two hundred ninety-nine lives... but one great striker will be born. that's what 'blue lock' is." ego said with a crazed look in his eyes.

anri sweated nervously while (name) stood blankly while nodding in agreement. "shall we start, anri-chan and (name)-kun?" ego asked while adjusting his glasses.

anri sweatdropped but agreed. "..yes." while (name) nods. 

"the place where.. the game is hottest in the whole world.."

♥

published: 7/4/2023

1312 words