࣪ ִֶָ☾.

"[Name]?"

Your breath hitched, slowly you turned to look at the raven-haired female standing at the end of the room. Her hands were clutched as if nervous, but small sweat drops dripping from her forehead were noticeable. 

"Omg, you know the Leonhart Misa personally?!" Aikawa squealed excitedly and rushed toward the young model, asking her several questions as Misa tried to dodge her.

"It's a real shame that you rank four or else I would have adored to team up with you!" The brown-haired girl spilled, "What do you mean? Me and [Name] are going to team up, right?" Misa raised a brow at you expecting you to say yes.

You couldn't look her in the eyes, trying to think of a solution. Unfortunately, you locked eyes with Aya. "It's not like I need you on my team. I only suggested you since we three were the only people present here. You guys are just stepping stones for me to destroy this program."

Frustrated, you grit your teeth. "Are you seriously considering it, [Name]? You're just going to leave me alone like this? What about the promise you made to me?!" Misa shouted. Her face held a look of Disgusting and betrayal. 

"I don't know!" You shouted back, shocking the female, "...I don't know okay? I know I should team up with you but I'm getting an opportunity to explore soccer with other people aside from you! Isn't that what you had wanted for me to experience from the start?"

"I did but I also wanted to be a part of it." The raven-haired female looked down, tears brimming at the edge of her azure eyes.

"Im sorry Misa but I want to grow. Now that I know the taste of defeat...I want to become the best and I don't think sticking by you every second will help me reach that goal." Misa's eyes widened, her brows furrowed, "...So all this time I was just your sidekick? Is that all I am to you?"

"No, you're not! But you need to understand my priorities as well." You shook your head, sadness and anger filling your head. "What about you, me, then?! You were my priority from the start!"

"Well then find a new priority to fixate your obsession on because I'm tired of you." You didn't know what came over at that moment for you to say something so gut-wrenching, maybe you were power hungry, or maybe your ego had inflated, "...You're just dragging me down so it better if we split up and find ways to get better on our terms, I don't need you."

Misa could feel her heart breaking into a thousand pieces, "But after all I did for you..." She barely managed to speak out, "I didn't ask you to do that, did I?" You scoffed and turned around, "Goodbye Misa, I'll see you later." With that pathetic 'sorry' that you hid behind your final words to her you walked towards the door.

"Huh..." Misa slumped down and onto the floor, not understanding the predicament you had left her in, "Are we going or not?" You looked at Aya, "...Mhm." She glanced at Misa who was sobbing on the floor.

"...I don't have a lot to offer but here's a handkerchief for you to wipe your face."  Aikawa sympathized with the young model and ran towards you and Aya. Without a second thought, the three of you pressed hands onto the team-maker.

You kept looking down, feeling too ashamed to make eye contact with anyone. Your heart throbbed but you kept convincing yourself that you were doing this for yourself.

The more your heart fought with your brain, the more you felt like you were leaving a part of yourself behind. That kid would have given up everything just to be with her in her hardest time. It was a little funny how at this moment you were the cause of her worst moment and you will have to live with that for the rest of your unwilling life.

The three of your icons lit up, and the gate opened into a small room. Before entering, you looked back to see more girls entering the room. There was a heavy guilty conscience roaming on your head, but you stepped in, accepting what you had said and done.

Your expressions were similar to a doll's. The emotional guilt and aggression made your body walk on the edge of imaginary and real in some sort of way

. Since childhood trauma had made you shut everyone out, Misa was one of the only people that you had stuck your soul onto, or more appropriately the word would be latched.

Now that you had somehow gone and gotten rid of the only person that you would do anything to be a part of their life, you were going through an existential crisis.

 This consistent feeling of being surrounded by multiple people but still feeling lonely had come back to haunt you.

Was this Blue Locks's purpose? Making you want to strive for better? Or was it just another decision that you had succeeded in pulling off? Staying with Misa had been everything to you but now it had become something else, you felt rather drained both physically and mentally.

"Hey I know you don't want to hear it from me right now but you said too much to her, you should have at least let her off easily, that was not very sty' of you."  The brown-haired female twirled her hair.

"I said all of that to free her for once. All she has done our whole life is follow me around like a lost dog with no purpose, and I'm tired of that. I did what I thought was right." You stood by what you said.

"Are you dumb or extremely dumb?" Aya said with an irritated groan, "What do you mean?" You spoke up annoyedly, "You think you did the 'right' thing? How selfish can you be?"

"I don't need to listen to you're lecture right now, you said that we are nothing more than stepping stones for you so mind your damn business miss Itoshi." You snapped at the black-haired female.

"...Sure then, you'll understand on your own." She shifted her gaze and went back to minding her business in the corner of the room.

There was a long silence after that. Aikawa understood that you felt uncomfortable and frustrated and decided to leave you alone. The three of you waited for a team to enter so you could start with the next stage.

Suddenly the door opened and you saw someone you wished to never see again, "You..." You scowled at the dark blue-haired female standing in front of you with her two other teammates standing in the back.

"It's not like I wanted to see you either." Fukushima returned your hostility. "[Name]?!" A tuft of familiar strawberry-blond hair spoke up from behind. "Ai-san!" Your mood lit up for a second.

"Woah, you ranked number 3?!" Ai jumped in excitement, "Yeah.." You replied in a rather dry way, "Huh wait a minute, I don't see Misa with you..Oh." The strawberry-haired female gasped.

'I was hoping she wouldn't bring it up but who am I kidding.' You awkwardly shifted, not liking the atmosphere of the room.

Promptly Ego appeared on the screen present in the room, saving you from the uncomfortable talk, "The 3rd stage is a mini-game-styled battle...with the 3 you teamed up with just now. Both teams will have Blue Lock Man as their goalkeeper, And the first team that scores 5 goals wins.  The winning team will then be given a chance to pick one member from the losing team and steal them for your own, Forming a 4-man team." Ego said, making everyone shocked at the rules of the 2nd stage.

"Oh wow...That's harsh." Ai commented.

'There isn't anyone I want but if it would be then I would pick Ai of course.' Ego then continued, " By rising in the stages, you'll increase the number of teammates each time you play a match. The team that creates a team of 5 and reaches the 5th stage, Will clear the 2nd stage. But, the losing team will have to return to the previous stage. Thus, they'll end up as a team of 2. And the moment you lose a 2 vs. 2 match...The person who's not chosen in the end, the one who becomes the last player....will drop out." The black-haired man explained.

"Okay, now it's getting serious." You frowned at the rules of the 2nd stage.

"This is where you rob each other's rivals. The true form of the second selection is...a 'rivalry battle'. Thus you're free to pick whoever you want as your opponents. The match will be made only if both parties agree." The room went silent, 'A cruel but rather egoistic way to outmatch one another.'

"mhm, I see..so more teams of 3 will keep coming," Fukushima said breaking the silence, "Probably," Kagawa said turning towards the female.

'So it's not necessary to challenge them to a game right away.' You observed the tension rising in the room but refrained from saying anything, "Since we steal someone by winning, it would be better to fight against those teams that have the members we would want." the dark-blue-haired female said clearly, shortly glancing at you or to be clear your team before going back to discussing with her teammates.

"Exactly, the key to clear this stage is picking your allies, and to represent that, the new Blue lock rankings are being announced." Ego continued, you looked at your shoulder."And of course, these rankings are real. They have been given in the order in which you cleared the 1st stage. Also, your rankings will once again be updated based on the results you show in matches."

"You standing here are already those who can change '0' to '1' in the field. This will be a survival battle where you can clash those "1"s, Mix them, and heighten them to their limits. Those who grasp the chemical reaction between egos...Will be the strikers who claim the next ticket. Do anything to win..." Ego finished with a final grin before disappearing, his last lines in particular stung a bit.

'So from here on out it will be a battle to rob each other's friends and rivals.' You processed, looking at the others it was likely that everyone was thinking the same.

"Hey, you know what! I have been thinking real hard and I want to play against their team!"Kagawa exclaimed, putting her hands on both of her teammates' shoulders and pointing at you.

Ai turned to Kagawa in shock, 'Looks like Fukushima might be thinking the same thing.' If somebody asked your opinion on this you would have no words, but it could be exciting to play against Ai since you both were on the same team from the start of Blue Lock.

"Are you joking Kagawa? These guys here are the top 3! We're gonna get our ass beat by them." Ai scolded the girl but she only ignored her in response. Ai sighed before turning to Fukushima for her opinion. 

"Say Ai, why did you team up with Fukushima? I thought you would team up with Fujioka and Ejiri?" You asked the female, "There was no exact reason, I was early and couldn't find anyone to team up with and I saw these two having trouble finding a third partner and I took the opportunity to join them."

"But why didn't you wait for the others?" Maybe you were seeking the same as you had picked, "...I could have but it was in the spur of the moment. Im not sure, it did cross me for a second but I thought this was the time to explore more playstyles." You grinned and nodded.

"Hey Fukushima, you there?" Kagawa snapped her fingers in front of Fukushima, snapping her out of the daydream session, "Huh? Oh um...I don't know." Fukushima replied. Kagawa rolled her eyes to the back of her head in boredom.

"I don't even why they are taking so long to decide something so simple." Aikawa sat beside you on the floor, "It doesn't matter who the opponent will be. I want to win quickly and go forward." Aya brushed her bangs.

"I said this earlier but you two are nothing more than tools to me." You ignored her for the second time, letting her have her moment but Aikawa had enough, "You might look good and all but you have no right to talk to [name] and me like that." She stood up but Aya ignored her.

"You...Who do you think you are to ignore me?" Now Aikawa and Itoshi were having a staring contest. You looked at the other team in the room and decided to resolve their little bickering, 'Why do I feel like im going to need to step in from now on?'

"Stylish?" Kagawa whispered in an amused tone to the female next to her, "I think she meant trendy?" Ai whispered back, scratching her head in confusion.

"Okay let's break this little fight up?" you said and separated the two females. The two looked at you and continued to give each other the death glare.

"Fight? I think you're mistaken. I didn't start this first. Don't misunderstand, I only happened to team up with you two because you showed up first." Aya looked at you and the brown-haired female.

 "I don't like to repeat myself but 'Blue Lock' and you two are mere leverages for me to keep winning and get into Japan's women's u-20. I am just taking advantage of the circumstances and the system." Aya looked down at her hands, "All this effort will lead me to become Japan's representative and crush both Itoshi Rin and Sae."

'I know Itoshi Sae but who's this Rin? Another brother I guess.' The black-haired female looked down at you with her cold and icy glare.

"Oh wow~" Kagawa whistled, "Just how much of an egoist is she?!" Ai gave her a look, "I don't know what you are saying, all I see is two weirdos aside from [Name]." The strawberry blonde-haired female shrugged.

"Your uprising is also stylish? I guess you are qualified to be my teammate, then." Aikawa said, leaning in to take a better look at Aya's face but she leaned away, "Ai...Kagawa, I'm sorry." Fukushima said and looked at them apologetically.

Her words caught your attention while her teammates stood confused, "You're fine with whoever right?" Fukushima stepped forward.

I know those guys seem tough.

"what do you mean?" Aya looked at her, her body posture straightened, "Let's do it." Fukushima said, looking at Aya with eyes filled with hunger. 

But, my ego is telling me...

"That's the way to go!" Kagawa cheered, "Fukushima-san?!" Ai couldn't believe her ears at the decision Fukushima made. She looked at you with a weary look and went quiet.

I want to defeat her!

"Mhm, anyone's fine," Aya said, looking down at Fukushima. You could see by the look of her eyes that she didn't even acknowledge her as a player.

and most importantly

The two teams went up to the door clicked a button that showed up on the screen and scanned their fingerprints. This identified who was playing in the match, shortly all the players' names started showing up.

I want this girl!

You made eye contact with Fukushima but she didn't look interested in you in the slightest. Her eyes were more focused on Aya, 'Ego makes anyone go mad I guess.' It was laughable to see Fukushima in such a state. Soon enough both teams were on the field.

2nd selection, 3rd stage

3 VS. 3 team rivalry battle

kick-off!

۶ৎ

A/N:- I really tried hard to portray [name] as Rei said in the book desc and I hope I did well or then it will look rlly bad :( Also if you guys have any feedback or ideas to give then please feel free to do so!!