(Chikaru's POV)
After heading through the doors, we were ushered onto buses. When I got on one of the final buses, I immediately was stared at by everyone on it. As I walked through the rows of seats, people either didn't make eye contact with me, probably hoping I wouldn't ask to sit next to them, or moved their bags to the open spot next to them. Luckily there was a single vacant spot at the back of the bus.
Looking out the window at the scenery, I saw the big building we were approaching. It was a black building with a large blue stripe in the middle. On one side it held the words "BLUE LOCK" and between there was what I presumed to be the logo for this program.
...
Once we got to the facility, This woman had us form single file lines beside our bus. As we stood there, our names were called one by one to receive our uniforms as well as confiscated our phones and wallets. The guy in front of me didn't particularly enjoy standing where he was with no one between me and him.
"Gurimu Igarashi-kun!" Seeing as the guy in front of me started to move, I assumed that was is name. But before he left my arms reach, I decided to leave an impression on him.
I quickly put my hands on his shoulders and shouted "BOO!" the shaved boy gave a small yelp before he sprinted off to get his stuff and enter the building. What a funny little runt.
...
After what seemed like hours.
"Next... Syouji Chikaru-kun." My name had been called. There didn't seem to be much people left, but for the ones that were still there, I gave them a quick menacing glare flaring my ego. Some of them seemed to shrink at my challenge, guess they're not worth my time. As such I continued to the woman who called my name.
"Cell phone and wallet please?" I took out my phone and wallet and held them up to the woman, but when she tried to take it from me, I put up a small amount of resistance. "It is okay, you might be able to get your phone back, and we won't steal anything out of your wallet." With that statement, I released be grip on my valuables. "Thank you, here is your uniform and you may head to the room corresponding to the letter on your uniform, get changed, and stand by." Done with the instructions, I entered the building.
"Now I just need to head to what room again? Oh right she said it was on my uniform." Looking down at the clothing in the plastic wrap, it said '263 W' W? Does that mean there are at least twenty-three rooms in this facility? Oh well, I'm sure it will be explained, for now I've got to head to room W.
...
Walking through the dense concrete walls I found the room. The door had glowing green text that read 'Room W.' This finally starts. Blue Lock.
The door slides open to reveal eleven people wearing their Blue Lock uniforms. Scanning the room, there are only two faces I recognize, not that I'm gonna talk to them. When everyone finally acknowledges my presence, I immediately go to the lockers in the room and start changing.
"So that's The Crimson Striker, huh?"
"Yeah, I don't think I've ever seen him this close before."
"He looks more disheveled in person."
"I can hear you." I say as I look over my shoulder at who said the last comment. The boy gave an audible Eep! Black hair, Grey eyes, and no defining traits... I'm not gonna remember him. Though he was sitting with two others. One had short tan-colored hair and Brown eyes, great another extra. The other had... wait where did the third one go?
"Hiya!" I turned toward the voice behind me with a start. I was surprised the third one was suddenly behind me, but I'm not going to show it. Seeing the boy again and taking in his features, White hair and a smaller build than anyone else in this room, but there was something else interesting about him, his eyes. The two orbs were two separate colors, his left eye was a dark Indigo color, while his right was a bright cyan. I'll remember him, or at least his eyes. "My name's Mukai Seiichi! It's so cool to meet you!"
Well I'll humor him. "Hey, I'm-"
"Oh I know who you are! Syouji Chikaru! The Crimson Striker! The Blood Baron! The-!"
"Okay now you are annoying me." I say as I grab the smaller boy's face to stop him from talking. But he wasn't the only source of annoyance in this room as the other two annoyances were approaching.
"Alright Chikaru, let him go. He was just being friendly." Annoyance #1
"Yeah, unlike you. I mean who just puts a hand in someone's face?" and Annoyance #2
I let go of the small one as I look towards Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. "What do you want, Burai?"
"Hey! I'm here too!" The extra named Touya said.
"What I want is-" Fortunately he was cut off by the screen in the top of the room turning on.
The screen changed from black to The same man with glasses that led us all here, Jinpachi Ego. "Are you done changing, you lumps of talent...?" Upon hearing the man's voice, anyone who was lazing about slowly rose to a standing position. "Hiii, Hi." He said as he awkwardly curled his fingers at us. Was he trying to wave at us? "The others in your room aren't just your roommates. They're your rivals, and you will push each other higher."
"Crimson is my rival?! I'm doomed!" The black haired boy said.
"This'll be fun." Seiichi stated.
I just glared at Burai. He was my rival before, and I can't even escape him here?! Fine, I'll just crush him earlier than I planned on. "I've used my personal judgement to quantify your abilities and rank you. That's the number displayed on your uniforms. Now anyone can tell with a glance where you stand relative to the other two hundred ninety-nine." Everyone in the room looked at the numbers on their shoulders, I'm 263. There is NO way that there are two hundred sixty-two people here that are better than me. I refuse to believe that. Quickly scanning the others in the room, I can tell that everyone in this room is ranked from 257 to 269. I'M NOT EVEN THE HIGHEST IN THE ROOM?! Top three, who are they? My eyes dart from person to person to find number 257, There.
He is a boy with black hair that reaches the top of his shoulders in the midst of the dark hair he has blue sporadic highlights that was obviously dyed recently. Though I did notice that while listening to Ego he was picking his nose.
"The Rankings will change by the day and will go up or down depending on training and games. In the end, Those in the top five will unconditionally be registered for the U-20 World Cup happening six months from now."
Number 258. This guy had a buzzcut and glasses. He held himself well, crossed arms and a grounded stance. I knew this guy was smart, why? because he was staring at me and judging if I was a threat. My blood eyes locked with his emerald ones, I glared at him and he did the same right back.
"By the way, those of you who fail Blue Lock will forever lose the right to represent Japan. What you need to succeed here is ego. So first, we'll hold a little entrance test to measure your aptitude."
Then in finding number 259, my blood started to boil. It was him. The person who single handedly ruined my football career in high school. Junnosuke Burai. He was not better than me. And I will prove it the first opportunity I get.
Ego formed a crazy look in his eyes. "Now... Time for some Tag." Then in the ceiling, a trap door opened and a football fell out of it landing in front of some random person. "The time limit is one hundred thirty-six seconds. If you get hit with the ball, you're 'it.' Whoever's 'it' when the time runs out has to piss off back home. Also, you can't use your hands." With that the screen flashed and turned into a display to show the timer and who was 'it.'
So it's a game of survival huh? Or no. That's what I would have thought had I been one of these weaklings. For me, this was a game of elimination, where you choose who you want to get eliminated. "Wait! I'm it?! Is it because I'm the lowest rank in the room?" The curly hair boy exclaims. Sure enough, when I looked at the screen...
IT
RANKING 269
HIROMASA TOUYA
02:16
"Alright. I mean no disrespect, but I'm not going home. SO-" Touya was getting ready to have this heartfelt speech just like a certain talented transfer student. But I wasn't going to listen to all of that. So what did I do? I stole the ball from him that's what.
IT
RANKING 263
SYOUJI CHIKARU
2:15
"DID HE JUST?!"
"IS HE CRAZY?!"
"Of course I'm crazy! Have you heard who I am?" After grabbing the ball, I had to set my targets. The Top three. "And I'm coming for you, number 257!" Hearing his number, the black and blue haired boy lazily turned toward me, still picking his nose. But unfortunately for him, he was to late. For by the time he started turning I was already rearing my right leg back for a high-powered shot to his face.
My shot flew with deadly accuracy directly into the boy's hand sending a finger further than one should go.
IT
RANKING 257
IKEHARA SABURO
2:13
"AAAAAHHHHH" The boy now known as Saburo screamed in pain.
"CHIKARU! How could you do such a thing?!" The orange eyed ravenette stomped over to me.
"Easily, I just kicked it into his face." I knew a deadpan answer would rile him up more.
"You knew he wasn't ready for it and you kicked it anyway!"
"Maybe he shouldn't have been picking his nose like an idiot." I crossed my arms and leaned into Burai's face.
"He's right, you know." number 258 said as he walked over. "He wasn't ready for this game, and that's his own fault."
"But-!" Burai started but was immediately stopped
"Well! I'm ready now!" The boy that was now 'it' got up and had an angry look on his face, along side his new expression he sported a gnarly nosebleed. I would have laughed at the guy, but in doing so, I would have caught a ball to the face just as he did. So, Instead, I opted for ducking the shot hearing it whip past my head and hitting the person directly behind me.
IT
RANKING 258
SAKO UZUSUKE
1:46
I look back at the new 'it' to find him still standing, with his head blown back where he is looking at the ceiling. "Alright, it's time to get serious." he says as he move is head back down, realizing that his glasses have a crack in them. Uzusuke then turns and sprints toward the ball. Landing his foot on the ball, he puts all of his weight on the ball and spins, stomping his other foot back down on the concrete floor. Through his cracked lenses, he peers at everyone in the room trying to find an easy target I presume.
Then that's when I notice the runt with the different eyes behind Uzusuke. In his blind spot. I need to take that into consideration. The heterochromic boy then starts to sneak up on the current tagger. "Uzusuke behind you!" Someone in the room said. Oh that's cold. Springing into action, the boy with glasses lowered his stance and shifted all of his weight to his left leg. Doing this allowed him to swing his right leg and foot around to the front of the ball and shoot with a back heel shot giving the boy behind him no chance of reaction.
IT
RANKING 262
MUKAI SEIICHI
1:39
"Aww, such a spoil sport." Seiichi states as the ball bounces harmlessly off his stomach. "Guess it's my turn, huh?" That's when he gained a smile across his face and a weird look in his particolored eyes. "Then you better start running!" As he finishes, he dashed forward towards everyone in the room. This made others start panicking and running to my side of the room.
Who is he going for? I need to watch him. I see his eyes looking up at other players. Just then, someone passed in front of me, blocking my vision for a second. Wait. Where did he go!? Did he seriously use the momentary lapse in my vision to disappear?
"Where did he go?!"
"HE JUST VANISHED!"
So I'm not the only one. But no. I need to be better! I need to find him before he uses his advantage! I need to scan the other players...
Black hair...
Tan...
White...
Brown...
Wait! White hair!
He's shooting!
JUMP CHIKARU!
Springing upward I just barely dodge an incoming black and white sphere. "I was sure that would have got you Crimson... Guess you are better than I thought! I'm gonna have sooooo much fun!" I landed and saw the vanishing boy dash past me for the ball. I need to move! But I can't lose him! He reaches the ball, plants his foot on it, and turns over his shoulder to look at me. "Ah I see you are keeping a better eye on me now. But do you think you can spot me again?" He says with a smirk.
I relax into a lower stance, ready to move. "I won't need to. Because you aren't pulling the same trick again." I can't even blink with this guy. I must keep my eye on him.
He fully turned toward me and tilted his head. "Oh I've got more tricks up my sleave! Just watch!" He then kicked the ball toward the crowd in the corner. He just gave up the ball? Why? I turn back to ask him that question, when I realized.
He was gone.
He kicked the ball to make an opportunity to slip back into my blind spot! Damn it! Who has the ball?! I look to the screen to find the answer to my question.
IT
RANKING 264
YOSHINORI HOSHINO
0:59
Okay, one rank under me, Brown hair, with less than a minute left... I need to be on my toes.
Wait.
Why am I getting so riled up? This isn't a survival game. This is a game to cull the weak. A game that the person with the ball controls. Which means...
I need to be running toward the ball!
Making a mad dash into the crowd, scaring anyone around in the process, I search for the spherical object that may be switching between people. Feeling this flare ignite from inside me and lighting my feet on fire with a blue hue.
There it is! Right under someone's foot. "Don't mind if I do!" I shoulder check the person that had the ball and swiping it from them.
IT
RANKING 263
SYOUJI CHIKARU
0:47
I burst through the crowd with all eyes on me as I am the one who controls the ending. "Wow, that was crazy! I'm glad you live up to your reputation, Crimson." Now realizing in my state, the person that I dominated in a battle of strength was the white haired boy, Seiichi.
0:45
But no time to dwell on that. I need to make my decision here and now. Who in this room will push me further by eliminating them. 257, Saburo? I already proved I can hit him. 258, Uzusuke? No, it would be a cheap shot to take out a person when they can't see.
I know my target.
Scanning the room to find this thorn in my side, it felt like time slowed. Seeing all of the eyes of the people in the room, I saw many emotions. Fear, Wariness, Admiration, Disgust.
0:40
Then. Red eyes met Orange.
Focus met Shock.
Chikaru met Burai.
Hey Readers!
I hope you did enjoy this chapter! And I hope the action sequences read well!
If you have any feedback, I'd love to hear it!
Also, What do you think Chikaru/Crimson's Weapon is gonna be?
And How did you like my new characters in Team W?
(I hope you like them, cause you are going to see them and others during this First Selection.)
Thanks For Reading!