36. UNO, DOS

note: i have realised my behaviour in some books when yukimiya shows up is inappropriate and all i have to say to that is that ITS NOT STOPPING!!

next chapter is wild btw stay tuned pookies

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WITH

Ego's words, a new thought has been brought up to you. You stare up at the face on the screen with squinted eyes, and you stand up, picking yourself up off the ground. How will he even choose who to play?

It seems others have the same thought process as you do because it doesn't take a second before Raichi speaks up, voice as nasally and hard as always, "Hey! Hold on just a sec—I get this is a chance for us and all, but you said Blue Lock's 11. How are you even determining the numbers?"

Gagamaru scratched his ear, face still as much like a blank slate as always when he piped up, "Don't tell me... you're going to have some of us play as midfielders and defenders."

Ego nods in confirmation at Gagamaru's thoughts, a sheen shining bright on his glasses while he taps his fingers together like a madman, "Yeah, of course, and a goalkeeper too. Other than the forwards, we'll have to rush to patch together a team."

Tokimitsu squeals, green eyes shaking in worry, and he shakes his head from side to side, body swaying with the weight, "That's just... too much! Our opponents will have actual defenders and such, right?!"

Aryu strikes a pose, covering his mouth with his hand and showing off his perfectly painted nails, "This predicament... I do not hate such a development."

Ego sneers, lips turning downwards into an ugly frown, pulling at his face and his forehead wrinkles as he talks with clear disdain, "Shut up. Watch your tongues, I'm not a goddamn moron. The formation of the Blue Lock team will centre around the following six whose names I will call out now."

You remember Ego mentioning this in a meeting before—a long time ago, sure, but you were paying attention, unlike your fellow managers in the first selection—about the top six performing players. The top six players... will be the basis of our formation. He's planned this out for a while.

"Given your overall evaluations as of this moment, these individuals rank as the top 6. With the goal of putting together a team in just three short weeks, this method will be our best shot. Those who are called, step forward."

You watch intently for who the top six will end up being—"First, as the overall number one, Itoshi Rin."

That wasn't too unexpected, you think, staring at Rin's bored expression. This doesn't look like it's anything new to him—and you don't doubt it, because Rin really is incredible. His skills flabbergasted you when you first witnessed them, and even watching him after these few days, they still do.

"Moving on, number two, Shidou Ryusei."

The tan boy steps forward with a shit-eating grin, the boy you now know as Shidou. He chuckles, hands stuffed down into his pockets while he walks. "There it is. Bada bing, baby." He looks over to Rin, eyes half-lidded and snorts, "So that dude's number one, huh?"

"Alright, next," Ego calls out, "Number three, Karasu Tabito."

The boy with a beauty mark and gelled-up hair steps forward, pulling at his knuckles when he takes a spot next to Shidou, "Someone gets it." With just this single display of his demeanour and words—you could sense the self-confidence radiating from him.

"Number four, Otoya Eita."

The boy with the green streak in front of his tired, slanted eyes walks next to Karasu, looking as bored as always, "'Sup." 

"Number five, Yukimiya Kenyu."

The handsome model-looking boy steps forward, hands politely tucked behind his back, only after he's pushed his glasses further up his nose bridge, and shoots the Ego on screen a charming smile that almost makes you blush, "Yes, sir. It's an honour."

Just from his mannerisms, he seems so polite—it's almost weird. He carries himself in a way that shows he has at least the basic respect for people... I've been surrounded by egotistic, smelly guys for so long... 

You almost shed a tear. One last person... You can't possibly begin to think who it may be. It has to be somebody incredible—somebody who can stand on the same level as Rin.

"Lastly, number six is..." Ego pauses, beady eyes staring down at the screen with an unmoving, stone expression, "Nagi Seishiro."

Nagi blinks froggishly, standing still in his spot with a dumbfounded, distant look, "Huh." Still, the snow-haired boy steps forward, and the top six of all of Blue Lock stand together in all their glory. You gape at the sight of Nagi's greatness being acknowledged—I always thought he was incredible, but this is crazy.

But still, you can't help but feel a little proud at how far he's come, from a lazy, never-wanting-to-do-anything genius, to a slightly less lazy, wanting-to-atleast-win genius. Good boy, Nagi, I'm proud of you. Maybe I will comply with his stupid offer from before.

"That is all," Ego leans back in his chair and crosses his fingers against each other, resting his chin atop his linked hands. 

Yukimiya raises his hand. "Excuse me, Ego. Thinking about what lies ahead, I've got something of a simple question for you. What's your reason for putting me in fifth place? That is, what's the difference between me and first place?"

Ego claps his palms together, head tilted to the side like a creepy possessed doll, "...It's simple. Among the 35 of you here, the only ones who managed to score a goal against the world's select team were these two—Itoshi Rin and Shidou Ryusei. Next, I took into consideration how many goals you scored during the first selection and the world's select player's personal evaluations. Lastly, I used my own judgement. Does this answer your question, Mister Four-eyes model?"

So he really is a model! You can't say you're surprised. With the drop-dead gorgeous smile he shoots Ego from where he stands, a hand over his chest, you'd be more surprised if he told you he wasn't a runway diva. Yukimiya thanks Ego with clear sincerity, and you can even sense envy boiling from a few guys behind him.

"Now then, I'll explain your next selection," A cubical object appears within his hand—swirling into digital pictures and colours within the next moment, "First, the top 6 will separate into pairs in descending order, and will be assigned A, B, and C ranks, to make three teams. Next, the 29 players will decide at their own discretion which team they want to join. They will be added to their chosen team in random groups of three, to make a complete team of five. Then, each of these teams will have the chance to play in one game against another, five vs five styles."

"Well, as a formality, members of the top six will be playing in multiple games, but the remaining 29 will have just the one chance to play. Within each of these teams will be a personal manager—chosen by my own hand. Just as the players—the ones not chosen for the top six pairings, will not have the chance to participate in more than one game. With this out of the way, I will disclose the evaluations."

Those words catch your interest, and you look up at the large screen with expectant eyes. Egi pushes up his glasses, leaning back in his spinny chair and visibly folding one leg over the other—he looks much like a manga villain at this moment—with a blank look he announces, "Paired with the number one, Itoshi Rin and number two, Shidou Ryusei, will be..."

He pauses, and you can almost feel his eyes on you. "[name]." You shiver, lips slightly parted in shock at the sound of your name ringing through the room, in Ego's shrill voice. Still, you nod and step forward, beside Shidou and you fix your hair a little as you walk.

"That's fine." You quip, trying your hardest to ignore the feeling of eyes on you. You feel them following your each and every move—whether it be from jealousy or admiration, you aren't too sure—there is a thin line separating the two, after all.

Shidou looks at you from the corner of his eyes, eyeing you up and down before smirking, "Not bad." Rin doesn't bother to even glance at you, eyes trained to the ground like it'll knock him dead if they move. It doesn't bother you.

"Paired with number three, Karasu Tabito, and number four, Otoya Eita will be Merodi."

This is the first time I've heard that name, you think, watching intently at each of the girls for who it may be. The girl in question makes it abundantly clear who she is—pumping her fist in the hair with a wide grin. Your eyes widen at who it is. 

* Her voice is deep and calm, and if you listen hard enough, you think you can near a low note of a song playing from the one earbud stuck in her ear, "Wrong Itoshi. His brother's probably Sae Itoshi. That's the pro player. Pretty famous. Part of the Under 20's national league." She shrugs, and she blows a bubble with gum. You have no idea where she even got something like that in Blue Lock, where candy is all but a dream.

It pops beside your ear, and it bothers you, so you give her a look from the corner of your eye. The girl giggles and hides her black-painted lips behind her hand as she walks away. Weirdo, you think, shuffling your feet on the floor.

The girl, with the silver piercings, neon hair and raven lips, runs up and takes her spot beside Otoya, grinning wide enough that you can see the bubblegum in her mouth peeking out behind pearly whites. "Hell yeah! I knew it!" She pumps her balled hand up and without even a glance, lowers her fist towards Otoya, who gladly returns the fistbump.

Merodi... You squint, scrutinizing her with your gaze, In a way, it fits her.

Ego wastes no time in continuing, "Next. For the last pair, number five, Yukimiya Kenyu and number six, Nagi Seishiro, their manager will be Jennifer."

The chubby girl with royal blue hair and a charming smile steps up, taking a place beside Nagi and flipping a strand of shiny blue hair over her shoulder, "Jenny is fine."

From your first meeting with her, she's seemed laid-back and carefree—maybe, you admired it a little. A part of her practically radiated confidence, with the way she walked like she owned the place—but not overbearingly cocky. You should talk to her soon.

Ego doesn't acknowledge her request, tapping his fingers against each other and leaning forward with his elbows propping him up on his desk, "That is all. This is the final task of the revised third selection... with a position as a regular on Japan's national u-20 team on the line... It's time for your tryouts."

The ending sentence of his speech fooled you into thinking Ego was finally done yapping away—but as always, he has bamboozled you, and you curse yourself for not knowing better. Of course, Ego is not done talking yet—he has only been speaking for a good ten minutes instead of twenty! "Also—once the 29 who aren't in the top six divide into groups of three, three times nine teams makes 27 people. One team will be one member short, making them a team of two. So, as an exception, just one more person will have the chance to play in two matches. That honour will go to the runner-up of the top six, number seven... Bachira Meguru. You will assume that role."

You look over towards your former teammate and friend, eyes wide with shock at the expression he's making. A coy, cheeky grin that is core to his character lays on his face at Ego's words, and you can hardly find yourself believing that both you and Isagi had paired up with not one, but two of the top six players.

Ego speaks up once more, and this time, you really do think he's almost finished, "First, the top six, and consequent managers, you will all proceed to a different room." 

You stretch out your arms a little and as soon as Rin starts trotting towards the opening doors, you follow, hearing Ego's voice grow distant and quieter the longer you walk in the room. You feel relieved to be out of his suffocating digital presence, if only for a little while.

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* 17 — PLEASE TAKE CARE OF ME