banner by IntoxicxtedHoe !!

UPON HEARING EGO'S MESSAGE, you all gear up to face Team X. Based on your research, their team is heavily dependent on their star striker, Barou Shoei. His physical abilities allow him to charge straight ahead and pave the way for a goal.

Someone like him needs to be avoided at all costs.

You tie your laces and exhale a breath you did not know you were holding. 'Barou seems like an exemplary striker...I have to avoid him if I have any chance at winning.'

'Oh, who am I kidding? Winning? Please—our team is completely out of their league.' You widen your eyes at that thought and shake your head rapidly, shutting your eyes in the process. 'No, no, no! Don't think like that, [name]! Our team is...'

You turn to look behind you and see Raichi and Imamura arguing. Raichi throws one of his cleats at the boy in anger as Kuon holds him back from causing more collateral damage.

A drop of sweat slides down your cheek. '...unique.'

You turn back to your tied shoe before calming your nerves with a few breaths. It didn't help with your confidence, but it did stop your panicking. At least this suit can easily dry your anxiety sweat. 'Okay...'

"It's almost time," Kuon says to everyone. "Ready?"

"Yeah!" You hear Imamura say.

"Let's go!" Bachira cheers.

Your heart begins to accelerate again as you join your team on the main field to face off against your opponents. Your eyes could burn holes into the floor with how hard you were staring down. However, the floor was the most interesting thing right now...! So much more interesting than the match that is going to take place...yeah...

"[Last Name]?"

"EEP—! Oh, y-yes?" You snap your head towards Kuon. He stares at you with a concerned expression, as he notices your shaking hands.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh—of course!" You nod. "Just a bit nervous..!"

He gives you a friendly grin. "Same here, but let's just give it our best."

"Right..."

You watch as he walks off from your side to the front. Despite the reassurance, you continue to worry over your fate.

The lights of the field were blinding and you squint as your eyes adjust to the light source.

Wing Five's central field is just like your average soccer field.

As you look around you hear Kunigami's voice after a minute or two. "Heads up. Team X is here."

You see the team pull up like they were delinquents ready to fight in a gang vs gang battle royal. And leading them forward was Barou Shoei. His red eyes stay blank and dreary as he looks down on you all—almost like he couldn't care less about this match.

You gulp down the lump in your throat as you follow your team to your position on the field. Being rendered down to defense wasn't bad...even though you sucked at it back when playing against other women.

Well—no time like the present to improve!

Soon, kick off begins and you all sprint to action...well...not you.

You stand there and watch as your teammates and the others clash in a battle of wits. Your heart beats out of your chest as you watch Isagi handle the ball.

'Come on, [name]...do something!'

You hesitantly make it over and attempt to join the fray, but what stunned you is seeing Raichi steal the ball from Isagi like a rogue.

'What the?!'

Even Isagi is shocked. "What are you doing?! We're teammates!"

He is met with Raichi's egocentric smirk. "You just gotta score the most goals to survive, am I right? Screw the team! I'll win this playing my way!"

"How's that going to help us win?!" You ask him.

"Don't get it, Raichi? If you wanna play by Blue Lock's rules..." Kunigami utters lowly, looking at him with, "Then you'll have to face me. And you'll do it one on one, fair and square."

"Kunigami..." He drawls with a frustrated grin, veins popping from his fair exterior, "Guess great minds really do think alike...!"

"What the heck are those guys doing?! We're on the same team!" Imamura says.

"Are they dolts?! Count me in!" Naruhaya pitches in.

"W-Wait! Keep your positions! Remember our strategy!" Kuon desperately calls out as you, Naruhaya, and Imamura run with him.

"Get duckin' lost!" Raichi yells, grabbing the orange haired male.

"You get out of here!"

"Damn...Kunigami...Think you're so tough, huh..."

You could not keep up with the action. It seems your entire team is going against each other. You watch in horror as the other team seems to do the same thing and attempt to steal the ball for themselves. Based on what Ego told you all...you know in your heart that building soccer from zero is like this.

'What the heck even is that? Building soccer from zero...'

You kept your eyes open as you stay in defence—looking for any type of clue to help you connect the dots to this conundrum.

Suddenly, your heart stops at the crushing weight on your shoulders as you spot the lion himself charging toward you with the ball. Barou Shoei. His reputation precedes him, and here he is, barreling down the field like a freight train. You barely have time to register how he got the ball before his red eyes lock onto you. His gaze is cold and menacing, as if he doesn't just want to score — he wants to crush you beneath his feet.

Panic wells up in your chest. His every stride is like a drumbeat pounding in your ears, the ground almost shaking with his approach. Your legs feel like lead, glued to the spot, as if you've already been caught in his web.

"[Name]—he's yours!"

"Get the ball!!"

You gulp, your throat dry and constricting. 'I-I have to stop him, but... how?'

Barou's movements are sharp and calculated, a flick of his foot sending the ball from his left to his right, his body moving like a predator closing in on its prey. 'He's going to run me over. Oh god, he's actually going to flatten me!'

He flicks the ball with his heel, passing you with ease, and the world seems to slow down around you. 'No, no, no!' You can only stand there, helpless, watching as the lion devours the field.

"Sorry, Kuon! He's heading your way!"

"Okay, I've got it!" Kuon yells, but his voice feels distant, muffled by the roar of blood in your ears.

"It's two on one, we're fine!" Imamura shouts.

But you know better. Barou isn't just any player. He's a beast. And within seconds, he proves it by nutmegging Kuon and Imamura in one clean motion. You watch in horror as the ball soars past Iemon and into the net.

You can't breathe. Your knees threaten to give out as Barou's words echo through the field, sharp and arrogant.

"Remember this, amateurs... Peasant trash like you... are no better than the ball I kick. We're not here to be friends... You're only here to make me shine. After all, on this pitch... I am the true king."

The way he says it makes your blood run cold.

He's not just trying to win. He's here to dominate, and you're nothing more than an obstacle in his path.

You look down at the ground with a frown. 'Am I even considered an obstacle? This guy's a friggin' beast...it's not my fault—he's scary!'

For the remainder of the match, Barou continued to score relentlessly against your team. One point soon became 5, and Team Z soon began falling into despair.

You fall onto your knees and stare at the ground. 'Now what..?'

'This guy is nuts...completely out of control! Besides...putting a young woman like me with guys much stronger than me?'

Your eyes narrow and you clench your shorts. "Damn it..."

Amidst your feelings of defeat, Ego's words resurface into your brain once more.

"It's time for you to step out and rebuild soccer from zero."

You look back up to see Barou's teammates huddling around him like flies.

'Soccer from zero...'

Flashes of the match zoom in and out of your eyes as you begin to analyze previous events. Barou scoring goals...his teammates huddling around him...

'Soccer...'

The whistles of each goal echo in your ears as the opponent passed to Barou.

'From zero...'

Barou scored.

Your eyes widened. 'So that's it...'

You slowly stand up, the cogs in your brain turning as you finally realize what the hell Ego meant.

You glance at Bachira and Isagi and they seemed extra determined to score a goal.

'But...it's probably for the best...I just have to adapt and do my best!'

Despite your fear and doubt, you braced yourself as the whistle blew.

And then, you begin to run.

The field reawakens with new energy oozing from each team. While Team X found their teamwork in the midst of utter chaos, Team Z is still in the works. The gap between each team is going to be a rough one to close, but with the time you all have now, you just have to keep moving.

You survey the field from the back, watching as Isagi receives a pass from Bachira, and run after him as he sprints off.

However, his path is immediately blocked by Barou.

His red eyes bore into Isagi's soul as he lowly mutters, "I told you I'm the King."

"Just try to get past me, loser."

Panic settles on his face as he grows indecisive of what to do next. Despite your open position, you hesitate to call out for him. I mean—even if he did notice you, it's not like he would pass to you anyway. You fumbled the first time, how are you not going to fumble this time?

Your eyes get clouded with these thoughts and you look away.

Luckily, he acted just in time and passed to Kunigami, who eagerly shot the ball straight into the goal, giving you guys 1 point.

"Eat it!!" Kunigami roars in triumph.

You watch in awe. 'What power...I didn't even get to blink...'

Soon, the whistle blows, ending the game and allowing you all to rest.

However, you were not save from Raichi's onslaught of verbal abuse.

You felt a rough tug on the collar of your jersey.

Raichi's words sting like barbed wire, wrapping tight around your chest. "What the hell was that out there, [Name]?!" he shouts, yanking you close until his face is inches from yours. "Are you even trying?!"

Your mind goes blank, your thoughts scrambling to piece themselves together, but nothing coherent comes. 'Say something,' you beg yourself, but the words stick in your throat, locked behind the fear tightening your chest. You've never felt this small, this... exposed.

His grip tightens, shaking you just enough to make the humiliation burn hotter. "You gone deaf or somethin'?!!" His voice is sharp and venomous, each word digging deeper. "You're just dead weight out there, standing around like an idiot! Do you even know how to play?"

'Of course, I know how to play, ducking idiot..' The thought sounds desperate even in your head, but it's all you have.

You open your mouth to protest, to tell him this isn't who you are, that you're better than this, but no words come out—just silence. You feel your heart pounding against your ribcage, so loud it's all you can hear.

He shoves you back, the force making you stumble. "Pathetic," he spits. You hear the word echo in your mind, louder and louder until it's deafening.

"Raichi, that's enough!" Kuon's voice cuts through the haze, but it sounds distant, muted. Even his calm tone can't pull you out of the panic that's consuming you. 'Get it together,' you tell yourself. 'Focus. Don't let him get in your head.' But it's too late—his words are already circling like vultures, picking apart your confidence piece by piece.

You stare down at your hands, clenching them so hard your knuckles go white. 'He's right... Isn't he? Was I just standing around out there?' The memory of Barou tearing past you flashes again, and you feel the humiliation all over again, a brutal reminder of how easily you'd been overwhelmed. How can you possibly keep up with these guys?

Maybe... maybe you don't belong here after all.

a/n: thank you so much for reading guys!! ily all sm!! And also a special mention to BunnyBlossom5 for this!!

GOLAZO NAMEEE SJSNSJSNSJ SHES SO FCKING CUTE ❤️❤️😭❤️❤️