Blue Lock: Natural Selection

Chapter 7: New Teammates

Kira grows agitated as he starts shouting. "Don't mess with me! How is this supposed to help us win the world cup? Why does someone as talented as me need to have his future destroyed? I'm the Jewel of Japanese soccer! Got me?! Are you saying Isagi or Igarashi have more talent than me?! What was the point of playing tag anyway! This isn't soccer! What does this have to do with soccer?!"

Ego scratches his head. "In Blue Lock, everything relates to soccer. Take a good look around, you mediocre elite."

"16.5 by 40.32 meters. The same size as the penalty area," says (Y/N).

"Exactly! About 75% of your goals happen here. It's a striker's workplace. If you can't do your work in this space, you have no talent as a striker," says Ego.

"So...So What?! Tag is nothing like soccer!"

"If you're the one running away, you need a keen sense of interpersonal space, tactics, and positioning. If you're the one doing the chasing, your dribbling and aim must be precise, and the quality of your kicks must be high. That makes it an excellent soccer training drill, wimp."

"Even so, how can you know anything about me in just two minutes? A soccer match is 90 minutes!"

"On average, the total time any player spends on the ball in a 90-minute game is about 132 seconds. You wasted the chance that was afforded to all of you equally. But nothing could be done in those last ten seconds... Would you say the same thing if this was a match? When the ball hit you, there was still one second left on the clock. You could've survived if you'd blasted it at the immobile Igaguri. But you didn't see it. In a way, it was the last play right before the final whistle. The moment your teammate's shot missed the goal, you gave up and accepted defeat. That's why you didn't see it. You missed your chance at victory by not taking that extra step. Whoever is "IT" in this game of tag might be the loser if he holds onto the ball for too long. But he might also be the winner, as only he has the power to choose who is hit next. A striker shoulders that responsibility and fights until the very last second. Isagi Yoichi targeted someone ranked higher than him, not the fallen Igaguri. Bachira Meguru stole the ball off him and went after who he believed was the strongest guy. (Y/N) (L/N) took the pass from Isagi instead of ignoring it, even as the lowest ranked. That's a selfish obsession with a victory that isn't affected by the group's common sense. That's the egoism of the striker that I'm looking for. You lost because you ran away from it. Kira Ryosuke, lock off."

"But...But he came at me..."

"Geez, you're fucking annoying," says (Y/N). "You're just like a spoiled brat."

"The fuck did you say to me!" Kira grabs onto (Y/N)'s uniform.

"Hands off, bitch." (Y/N) slaps Kira's hand off his uniform.

"Who the hell even are you? Wait. I remember you. You lost to my team last year. You got a couple of goals only because of Joey. You didn't do shit as a defender, you fucking loser." Kira grows a smirk as he belittles (Y/N). 

"Yes...And here we are. I made it past this round, and your ass is being sent home. I can play in the World Cup, and you'll never play a game for Japan again. Who's the real loser...Kira Ryosuke." (Y/N) looks deep into Kira's eyes as the latter slowly backs off in fear. Kira made his way to the exit.

"Y-you...why did you pass to me? If I hadn't kicked it...Then you would've lost!" says Isagi.

"Hm. I just thought you'd kick it. Your face said so. Results are everything here, right? I won by trusting you...just like how you trusted (Y/N), right?" says Bachira.

Isagi looks at (Y/N) as the latter rolls his wrist.

"This...is absurd...Is it going to stay this way?" asks Igaguri