60. CHOICE OF TEAMS

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THE

Neo Egoist League, NEL for short. It took a good thirty-five minutes for Ego to explain it all to you, and all the things you'll have to end up doing. Whether it be assisting the coaches, who are world-class strikers—how exciting! Well, you probably would've been a bit more excited if you knew who any of them were, but still.

Another thing—everything is broadcast live. From the moment you stepped foot within the Blue Lock building, you were on national television. That really is exciting—to Kyouka more than others, with how her face lit up and she kept adjusting her bangs to make sure they looked good.

You, for one, didn't really care all that much about the Blue Lock TV thing—since you did technically get your privacy, and it increased your pay by tenfold.

Speaking of pay—players could now earn bids from clubs, since everything was being broadcast, their skills were on full blast to anybody who wished to recruit them. This fact made your heart warm because for all of them, you truly did wish for the best. They've all come so far, and this is the least they deserve. 

(It also sparks some interesting competition between the players, but you didn't want to mention that. You're supposed to have wholesome thoughts. With each day, you're turning more and more like Ego.)

With so many new people and teams coming into Blue Lock, you can't help but wonder when everything in the place had been changed. The layout was completely different—each section of the Pentagon building was reserved for one team, and they would not be able to leave as soon as they went inside with their selected team.

You were confused but decided that the degradation from Ego would not be worth the answer to your questions.

However, out of all the menial tasks Ego explained in greater detail than necessary, one thing in particular stood out to you.

"Each of you will have a team of choice to manage. You all will get bids as well—depending on your team's performance and how important you are to their organization. Coaches and clubs are looking for diligent, responsible managers who can take care of their players without objection—not whiny brats who give up as soon as they're met with a player who has a difficult personality. Take this into consideration—your team, players, and bids will affect you too."

Bids... If you were truly a good, diligent caretaker, this would be the thing to let you know. If anybody actually wants you—this will let you know. The prospect makes you feel a little nervous. Until now, there hasn't been any direct competition between you all. 

Sure, there was some type of rivalry when it came to being picked as the starting and backup manager for the U-20 match, but it was nothing like this.

Your palms grow clammy, yet the room feels like it's dropped by at least ten degrees.

The Neo Egosist League—you wonder what it will bring about in a place like Blue Lock, and especially what it will bring about in you.

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Two hours... It's displayed in big letters smack in the middle of your temporary room. Your bags lay unpacked and are discarded somewhere on the floor—the only thing you took out was your phone. But you're not using it right now, because you're on the tablet Ego issued to you.

BLUE LOCK : SECOND PHASE
Choose an "environment" among these five choices.

And underneath it were a series of buttons that you could press, each with a different flag. Although you were not all that into soccer, you still knew the basics of each team (also, Ego gave some insight into each of the team's personal styles that they followed).

England, a league characterized by speed and physical battles. Where goals are stolen by the law of physical prowess. We could call it entertainment-focused, as it makes you hold your breath every time.

Spain, a league where technique and creativity are desired. Their citizens won't be satisfied just by seeing goals. It's a place that gathers footballers who want ro express creativity and playfulness. 

Italy, a league that favours slyness and tactics. They hold history in being able to win 1 — 0 while holding their defence. A playstyle that infuses individual strength with robust team organization was born here.

It's also where that curly-haired woman, Bianca, resides.

France, this league is acting as a gateway to success for newcomers and young players. In recent years, their market has received a grand lot of investments, so the money flows constantly. They're currently in a great spot to become the greatest league in the world.

Lastly, Germany, a league that fundamentally understands that football is a sport where you win by scoring the most goals. They favour getting to victory by logical and rational means. And the player who currently holds the title of the best striker in the world, Noel Noa is there.

It's also where that blonde woman, Mariele, resides.

You let out a loud, guttural sigh, and raise yourself from where you flopped down on your bed. Sitting on the floor of your room are all your manager friends, who look like they're having just as much of a hard time as you are right now.

Well, except for one. Merodi raises her tablet in the air and closes her eyes, pressing on a random part of the screen. Kyouka lets out a screech when Merodi taps a random team, without even considering what to pick.

"Merodi!" Komi gasps, eyes wide from behind her reading glasses. The punk-rock girl opens her eyes and her tablet rests in her lap.

She shrugs, "What?" 

Peering down at her screen, from where you sit right now is simple. Your eyes widen when you see what she chose. In big letters in the middle of her screen, it states, FRANCE has been selected.

France... That means there's one less spot open for it.

There was a limit of two managers for each team—including the two foreign women, so for Germany and Italy, there could only be one. This first-come, first-serve mentality certainly made this a lot more nerve-wracking. You don't want to be left with the last pick.

"But... you didn't even think about it?" Even Himara looks surprised at Merodi's actions—despite how impulsive and redundant she seemed to be, even this seemed kind of strange to do.

"Thinking too hard about this isn't going to matter to anything!" She rolls her eyes and says her words like it's the most obvious thing in the world. Even you're confused at this point. 

When Jenny asks her what she means by that, the tanned girl begins to explain, "I mean, you don't know any of the players, don't know anything about the coaches, and I'm pretty sure I can speak for all of us when I say we don't know the first thing about actual league soccer. What's the point of overthinking it? Choose what calls to you, and hope for the best!"

Luck... A strange concept, but in this case, that's all you can hope for—that's what you understand from her words.

In a strange way, you think you've been inspired by her. She's right. None of you know anything about whatever team you pick, and can only hope that your intuition leads you towards the right direction. Sometimes, impulsiveness is not that bad.

You smile. The weight on your chest feels lighter. "You're right. There's no use overthinking it when we basically don't know anything about the teams. We just have to listen to our intuition."

"You get it!" Merodi grins wide, eyes flitting down towards her tablet screen. "So France... they got a ton of money flowing in, so the teams gotta be kind of generous, right? Cool. I'm set."

Idle chatter about the teams fills the room. It stays like this for a while, until it's broken by a loud ring bouncing off the walls into your ears announcing that another choice has been made. Surprisingly, the next person who ended up choosing their team... was Komi.

Kyouka turns to her with wide eyes, "Komi?"

The pink-haired girl looks hesitant to speak, but placing her tablet down, you see on her screen the big words, SPAIN has been selected.

"Spain? Seriously?" Jenny blinks, lips parted in shock. "I thought you'd choose something like Germany since you're so uptight, and they're such sticklers for rationality. Sounds perfect for you. What's up?"

Komi sends the blue-haired girl a heated glare, but shrinks down within herself and pulls her knees up to her chest to make herself look as small as possible. "I... was thinking about choosing Germany. But... when Merodi told us to follow our intuition... I thought about it some more, and... I've decided I'm going to go against what I believe in. Maybe... this whole thing with creativity and imagination will be good for me."

Komi's always been strong-willed and stubborn, but now, she's changing her ways because she believes in herself, and most of all, is trusting her friend's judgement. 

You find yourself growing soft and fuzzy. I shouldn't be surprised. After all... I'm not the only one who has changed after all this time.

Her cheeks glow as pink as her hair with the silence that forms after her words, "Ugh, don't look at me all stupid like that. You know what, I take it all back—"

She's abruptly cut off by Merodi leaping at her, taking them both tumbling to the ground. "KOMIIII!!! YOU LOVE ME!"

Even as Komi screams in shock and tries to tug her off, nothing works to deter Merodi from showing her love. The sight makes you giggle, accompanied by the laughter that fills the room. 

Jenny speaks up, over the laughter, "You know what? I'm gonna trust my gut. Yeah. I'm going to Spain too. Sounds chill as hell."

The woman's voice announcing that Jenny had selected Spain rang throughout the room. This causes a chain reaction within your group, picking and selecting the teams they wish to go to based on gut instinct alone.

"England sounds good for me," Kyouka grins wide as she presses on the flag icon.

Himara selects her team next, pressing on the Italian flag, "Tactics are the most important thing in any game. I think I'll quite like it there."

It's not too long until you're the last one, the only one who hasn't selected your team. The room grows quiet and tense and suddenly all eyes are on you. Komi speaks up first, "You shouldn't feel pressured. You can pick any of the teams, it doesn't matter whether we're on them or not."

"But... it'd be nice if you picked England! We could stay together again!" Kyouka smiles cutely, and it makes you consider your options.

Spain and Italy are out of the question because there are two managers for them already. England, France, and Germany were the only options you could pick. 

You weren't too keen on the whole physique football thing, as much as you'd like to bunk with Kyouka again. France did sound like a good option (you didn't want to spoil anything, but a certain pen pal of yours happened to be the coach), and you were tempted to pick it.

But...

Something in you is telling you not to pick it. Your finger hovers over the screen, weighing each of your three options carefully. 

Physique, money and opportunity, or rationality?

You could easily tell which of the three resonated with you the most.

You aren't too sure why you feel so drawn to the German team, perhaps it was the mystery that lay behind that blonde woman's striking eyes, or maybe it was the prospect of the number one striker in the entire world being your coach—whatever the reason was, it propelled you to press your finger on the screen, and a voice rings out through the room.

"GERMANY has been selected!"

Merodi, from where she lay atop Komi (who's given up trying to get her away at this point) turns her head to you with a shocked expression, "Germany?"

"I thought you'd choose France." Komi leans up with her elbows propping up her upper body. Her glasses are tilted to the side slightly, undoubtedly due to Merodi's ministrations, "You do know the coach, right?"

Yeah, you do. It's also perhaps the easiest way to get a bid, because the money is so generous, and it has all the opportunities for the young players—but you're deciding to trust your gut, and choose the one that's tugging you towards it.

"I don't know what it is... but I really think I'll do well within the German team." You shake your head, and the tablet lies flat on the floor. "It's just a gut feeling."

Merodi slings herself off Komi and kneels in front of you, smiling wide. You think this is the first time you've ever seen her without that awful shade of black on her lips. "Yeah! You get it! You gotta trust your instincts, otherwise, you're done!"

The giggles that escape her unpainted lips soothe your heart a little bit. Still, in front of you, it's almost impossible to see Merodi, because all you're thinking about is what's to come.

There's a beep. Once, then twice.

When the room is silent, Ego's voice rings out, "It's time. Every player has chosen their team, and you should all make your way into your new homes. Don't bother bringing your belongings, that will be done for you at a later date—all that matters now is meeting the team you will be managing for the next hundred days."

One hundred days...

You're hoping your team will be nice, at least.

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note: just a chapter for all our fav managers !!! are we excited guys kaiser gets introduced next chapter!!!! his and mc relationship is certainly something.