Chapter 7

-Third Person POV-

“talking”

‘thoughts‘

Gento: “Come on, let’s hit the showers I’m too sweaty for a heart-to-heart”

After taking a quick shower Gento makes his way back into the locker room where the rest of Team Z were arguing.

Raichi: “It was a mistake to make Isagi the striker in the first place! Next match I should be the striker!”

Kunigami: “You’re just pissed ‘cuz Isagi didn’t pass to you on the last play!”

Gento: ‘Really? Still bitching about that?’

Igarashi: “I don’t wanna play on defense anymore!”

Gento: “Not like you actually did anything.”

Seeing Isagi still deep-in-thought, Gento makes his way over to him and sits down beside Isagi.

Gento: “Yo Isagi, still hung up on what that wannabe King had to say?”

Isagi, hearing the younger boy’s voice, looks to his right.

Isagi: “Yeah, I mean he has a point no? I fucked up that last play, if I want to be the best striker I need to score those chances.”

Gento “So, who gives a fuck?”

At his proclamation Isagi looks at the white-haired boy surprised.

Isagi: “Huh? What do you mea-“

Gento: “What I’m saying is who cares that you fucked it up? Just do better next time, should be obvious. Try to think of a way for us to win and I’ll help you out, if your plan doesn’t suck.”

Kuon: “Give it a rest all of you! This isn’t a game!!”

Isagi: “Kuon…”

Kuon: “We’re a team that’s already lost once. Do you understand what position we’re in?!”

Igaguri: “What are you talking about?”

Kuon: “Listen up, the first selection is a round robin tournament with five teams. Only the top two teams get to stay. Hypothetically, if every team got two wins and two loses we’d all have six points.”

Gento: ‘Wow, real genius that one.’

Kuon: “That means our goal is to get more than six points. We need at least seven! Of course this can change if the others get a lot of draws but we need at least two wins and one draw to guarantee our survival.”

Gento: “So if we lose twice we’re effectively fucked.”

Kuon: “Correct, two losses put us in the dead zone, meaning this team is already one loss away from the end!! That’s why we shouldn’t think of ourselves right now. If we don’t get a serious plan for us to win we’re fucked.“

Hearing this all of Team Z goes silent for a minute letting the information sink in.

Igarashi: “So you got a plan?”

Kuon: “No…. not yet.”

Igarashi: “Wow so that didn’t help at all.”

Kuon: “But we still need to-“

Kunigami: “I got a plan.”

Hearing the ginger speak up Team Z turns towards him.

Kunigami: “The goal I got wouldn’t have been possible without Bachira and Isagi, I think that goal can be a hint for our victory.”

Raichi: “Fuck off muscle-head!! You just want to score more goals to go through as top-scorer.”

Gento: “Did you guys forget he isn’t the only one who scored? Also thanks for completely ignoring my contribution to your goal ichigo-wannabe.”

Upon hearing the usually quiet Gento speak up the team turns towards him.

Gento: “Honestly using Bachira and Isagi is a good way at opening up scoring opportunities but if I’m being a hundred percent honest I have no fucking clue how to make the eleven of us work together.

As soon as Gento finished speaking, a buck-ass naked Bachira walked in after finishing his shower.

Bachira: “But that last goal was seriously amazing. Definitely the goal of the game, let’s just do that a bunch so we can win. Right Isagi, Gen-chan?”

Gento: “Dude put your dick away.”

Isagi: “Bachira…”

Igaguri: “I still don’t get the whole eleven forwards thing. Does this have some kind of special meaning?”

Chigiri, whilst getting up to get a drink, begins to speak.

Chigiri: “I don’t think everything that Ego’s saying is true.”

Iemon: “Chigiri…”

Chigiri: “I mean he said this is to win the world cup and he was talking about world-class strikers like Christiano Ronald, who might I add hasn’t won a world cup. But he did say ‘This is a battle to rebuild soccer from zero’ that’s probably a hint of some kind.”

Isagi: “Hey everyone. I still don’t know what we need to win this thing, but I think I know what ‘Rebuilding soccer from zero’ means.”

Gento: “Hmm?”

Raichi: “What the hell, loser spit it out then.”

Isagi: “In that game, at the start both teams only thought ‘Hey I want to score a goal’ which turned into us just chasing the ball. I think when Ego said to rebuild soccer from zero, that situation was the ‘zero’ he was talking about.”

Igarashi: “Well that wasn’t really soccer was it?”

Gento: ‘Yeah, you guys sure as hell didn’t play actual soccer’.

Gagamaru: “Yeah, that was lame.”

Isagi: “The thing that shattered that ‘zero’ was Barou’s play. After his first goal he gave the rest of his team the path to victory so they started passing to him.”

Gento: “But you guys just ignored my goal, kinda rude to be honest.”

Isagi ignoring Gento’s comment continues his rant.

Isagi: “Barou took the ‘zero’ of that chaotic scramble and changed it into a ‘one’ by stealing that goal. The other ten players used that ‘one’ as a compass to focus their plays and so now that team can go from ‘one’ to ‘ten’ or even further. What we need to create that ‘one’ is overwhelming individuality and talent.”

Gento: ‘Fair point, but honestly there’s no way that’s gonna happen with our team. Most of our team would probably prefer to eat the rest alive over actually working towards another’s goal.’

Kunigami: “So pretty much the striker turns the ‘zero’ into a ‘one’ and then the defenders and midfielders turn the ‘one’ into a ‘ten’ or ‘one hundred’ makes sense, I guess.”

Kuon: “Indeed, normally I don’t think very deeply about that stuff.”

Gento: “So Ego made this system where whoever scores the most gets to stay in order to find out who can turn that ‘zero’ into a ‘one’.”

Isagi: “Probably thanks to that rule, he got us to bring out our egos, throw away our positions and tactics and focus solely on stealing goals for ourselves and only the ones who can survive that clash of egos can become a true team.

‘Soccer and teams are born from an overwhelming striker’ I’m sure that’s Ego’s message.”

Ego: “Yep, you’re getting warmer.”

Hearing the unexpected voice Team Z turns towards the monitor.

Gento: ‘Does he just watch us all day? Kinda creepy.’

Ego: “Howdy, you lumps of talent. The second match in wing five just ended. Team V crushed Team Y 8-0. So here’s the current standing.”

Rank 1 – Team V – 3 pts – +8

Rank 2 – Team X – 3 pts – +2

Rank 3 – Team W – 0 pts – 0

Rank 4 – Team Z – 0 pts – -2

Rank 5 – Team Y – 0 pts – -8

Gento: ‘8-0?! Holy shit.’

Igarashi: “8-0!!”

Ego: “From ‘zero’ to ‘one’ huh? You’re on the right track with your thinking but it seems, you don’t understand the vital method of turning ‘zero’ into ‘one’.

First off, let’s talk about Japan as an example. Japanese people like to be given rules to fulfill. They’re skilled at devoting themselves to their roles and they see that as a virtue.

Putting this into the world of sports, it’s easy to understand which major world sport Japan can compete in.

And that’s Baseball.

Pitcher, Catcher, Infielder, Outfielder, First batter, Fourth batter and above all, the innings are divided into offensive and defensive turns all on a large field where nobody collides with each other. This sport in which players have clearly defined roles that they can totally pour themselves into is extraordinarily suited for Japanese people’s idiosyncrasy, which is why they’re so strong.”

Gento: “But soccer is different right? It’s not clearly defined but in constant motion.”

Ego: “Correct, in this game offense and defense are combined. The open field allows for a high degree of freedom, and there’s the aspect of hand-to-hand combat.

The game is designed so that you can’t win just by focusing completely on your assigned role. That’s why what’s needed is individual effort. Your own personal power.

Do you know which positions Japanese soccer is known for by the rest of the world?

Midfielders and Fullbacks! It makes perfect sense that this country would produce excellent players whose role is to put the team before themselves and turn their striker’s ‘one’ into ‘one hundred’! Without that devotion and willingness to sacrifice, Japanese soccer would never have advanced this far!

But at the same time it’s why a revolution will never happen.

Now, you lumps of talent, time to rewrite your consciousness. Scoring goals in soccer means destroying your opponent’s organization. Basically, a striker is a destroyer!”

Gento: ‘Destroying my opponents?’

Ego: “Scoring a goal means destroying the enemy’s system. It’s causing a revolution on the field!

You must take up arms, strikers! Make fools of your enemies! Twist their arms! DESTROY THEM!

And do that using your own personal weapons!

The beings known as first-class strikers all have their own original weapons that no one else has! Probe your depths, wrack your brains. Find out what only you can do with your body and brain!!

Achieving the revolution known as a “goal” can only be done with your own weapons! That’s the only place you’ll find victory!”

Igarashi: “Weapons…”

Raichi: “My own weapons…”

Gento: ‘What only I can do, huh?’

*Back in Team Z’s Room*

Bachira: “My weapon is dribbling.”

As soon as Bachira finishes speaking, he falls over, already asleep.

Gento: ‘How the fuck do you do that?’

Raichi: “My weapon is my incredible shooting technique! And my motto is ‘sexy soccer’.”

Gento: “So no weapons got it.”

Raichi: “The fuck did you say to me you little-“

Before Raichi can finish his little insult he gets interrupted by the rest continuing to name their weapons.

Gagamaru: “Mine is tackling. I guess.”

Iemon: “I’m an all-rounder”

Igarashi: “Mine is my relentless spirit!”

Naruhaya: “Mine is getting behind the enemy!”

Kunigami: “My left leg shooting power.”

Gento: “Let’s just go with freekicks for now.”

Raichi: “The fuck do you mean ‘let’s just go with…’ if you’re gonna pull shit out of your ass don’t make it so obvious!”

Gento: “I’m not lying though mister ‘sexy soccer’ whatever that’s supposed to mean.”

Raichi: “Don’t make me come over there you little-“

Raichi again gets interrupted by another of his teammates.

Kuon: “Mine is jumping power, so next, Isagi?”

Isagi: “My weapon is… uhh.. I wonder?”

Gento: “Your vision, probably.”

Igarashi: “Passing, right?!”

Isagi: “No, it has to be as a striker…”

Gento: ‘Fuck me, I guess? I’ll just go to sleep then.’

Seeing his input get ignored, Gento uses the bumblebee as an example and decides to just go to sleep.

Gento: ‘How does he sleep so fast?’

Raichi: “Okay, next! If you can’t say your own weapon, then you’re out.”

Whilst the rest of the Team begins to interrogate Chigiri, Gento finally manages to go to sleep.

The next few days Team Z threw themselves onto training to get ready for their new plan “Operation: Me, Next 9“.

Gento is seen sitting in the dining hall with Isagi.

Isagi: “Natto again, ahhh man, I’m beat.”

Gento looking down at his bacon and eggs.

Gento: “I would over you some of my food, but I’m starving.”

Isagi: ‘Way to rub it in my face Gento’ “We’ve been here for a week already, Gento do you think we’ve actually gotten better at soccer?”

Gento: “Huh? What are you talking about?”

Isagi: “To be honest, I’ve just been losing confidence. I’m not like you, Bachira or Kunigami, I don’t have a weapon I can boldly declare. It’s so pathetic how I couldn’t think of anything right away.”

Gento: ‘Wouldn’t be in that situation if you listened to me, dipshit.’ “Isagi it’s only been a week and we played one game, that’s not that much time to improve enough for you to notice.”

Kunigami: “Good work today Isagi, Gento. Mind if I sit here?.”

Hearing their teammate’s voice Isagi and Gento turn towards the entrance of the dining hall seeing the ginger walking towards them.

Gento: “Oh Kunigami? Sure thing.”

Kunigami: “Is your side dish always Natto, Isagi?”

Isagi: “Yeah this is what it’s like for us low-rankers.”

Gento: ‘Can’t relate.’ “Are you not going to eat, Kunigami?”

Kunigami: “I ate earlier. I actually wanted to talk to Isagi, I didn’t think you would also be here Gento. Anyways I realized I didn’t get to say thank you.”

Isagi: “For what?”

Kunigami: “That pass, thanks man!”

Gento, already bored with the conversation tunes out for most of it, choosing to focus on his food instead.

Isagi: “Wait a second, Kunigami! Why do you play soccer, you too, Gento?”

Kunigami: “Why do you ask?”

Isagi: “Well the two of you have your weapons, so i was wondering what people like you think about all this.”

Kunigami: “Oh that’s easy, I play soccer so I can become a superhero.”

Gento: ‘That mindset’s not gonna last long in Blue Lock.’

Kunigami: “When I was a kid the ones I looked up to weren’t Power Rangers oder Robots or the pirate king it was the strikers who would run around the field and steal goals to win. That’s the kind of person I want to be.”

Isagi: “Are you serious?”

Kunigami: “Of course I am. For the sake of my dream I’ll fight the world fair and square. There’s nothing embarrassing about that.”

Isagi: ‘Kunigami really is someone amazing.’ “What about you Gento?”

Gento: “Oh umm… It’s kind of weird to be honest. It’s nothing noble like Kunigami.”

Isagi: “Come on it can’t be that weird can it?”

Kunigami: “Yeah you got me interested Gento!”

Gento: “Actually the first time I played soccer was because my mom forced me to be part of a club in school.”

*Flashback to 10 Year old Gento*

Tsutsumi: “Come on Gento, try to make some friends okay? Maybe join a club in your school!”

Gento huffed in annoyance not wanting to actually join a club, however not wanting to make his mom sad, he chose the first thing that came to mind.

Gento: “I’ll join the soccer club, I guess.”

*Back to present*

Kunigami / Isagi: ‘That’s it?’

Gento: “Also growing up I’ve always been interested in horror movies, something about the suspense of not knowing when, or what is going to happen felt exciting to me. During my first matches I noticed that I got a knack for ‘appearing out of nowhere’ as my teammates put it.

So at some point I realized that I can be that monster from the movies. So what got me truly hooked to play soccer was the thought that

I can turn the pitch into my personal haunted house, I can be that ghost from the movies.“

– End of chapter 5 –