Blue Lock: Natural Selection

Chapter 18: Awakening

Zantetsu passed back to Reo, as Naruhaya and Chigiri doubled the former. "Reo! Build it up one more time!"

Reo barely kept the ball away as Raichi pressed close behind. 'Tsk. This stalker's annoying,' he thought.

"Hey, what's the matter? Going to report me to the police?" Raichi taunted. 

Reo didn't respond, but Raichi was stuck in his brain. 'He's been running non-stop. Doesn't he ever get tired?'

"I'll admit that you're good. But I'm starting to see how to stop you. When you receive a pass, the first thing you do is look for Nagi!"

"Tch."

Meanwhile, Igaguri was taunting the so-called genius. "Yup, you don't scare me anymore, genius. Amen! You can't do anything unless Reo tells you to."

"Same goes for you, Reo! Without that genius, you're just a master of none!" Raichi taunted.

"You bastard." Finally sick of the taunting, Reo elbowed Raichi in the neck. 

"BZZT! Team V #9, Reo Mikage, Yellow Card for elbowing an opponent," the VAR system blared out.

Raichi gave a little chuckle, seeing as his taunts worked. "Go on, get frustrated. One more card, and you're off." Raichi quickly inbounded the ball to Chigiri. "Go, missy! Do your thing!"

Zantetsu was quick to cover Chigiri as the redhead stopped. A few seconds passed as Chigiri bombed a far pass to himself. Zantetsu had beaten him in the first few meters. However, in the end, Chigiri's overwhelming speed allowed him to reach the ball first. With Zantetsu behind him and another player coming up, Chigiri aimed for the top right and banged in a goal, tying the game 3-3. 

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Ego's Monitoring Room

Ego sat, watching the game and sipping on his coffee. Despite the fantastic goal, he was looking toward two specific players. "An awakening can only happen in extreme situations. For example, when faced with a formidable foe, the weak crank their skills up to ten...to create a new formula to win. Thirty minutes until the end of the match. The best striker in the world is... the one that can dominate...this blue frenzy."

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The team complemented and hyped around Chigiri, while Kuon looked nervous on the sidelines. (Y/N) took a quick glance before shrugging it off.  

"What the hell are you guys doing?! Put some effort in, idiots! Aren't you ashamed that you're getting outplayed by ten men?!" Kuon yelled.

Reo gave him a dirty look. "Shut up, scumbag." Reo charged forward, thinking to himself. 'I won't let them make this a comeback win. I can't lose here. I'm not their toy. I'm not someone who is satisfied with stuff being handed to me. Until I can prove that I can get what I want on my own...I can't afford to lose!'

Reo, however, was stopped by Raichi, who smirked with a deadly aura. "Are you that terrified of losing? You sheltered preppy shit! Don't you know loss? I'll give you a taste of your very first defeat!" 

(Y/N) had a small smile on his face. He couldn't do it with Joey, but maybe he could with Team Z. Something caught his attention. Despite Nagi being covered by him and Igaguri, something felt off. 

Reo paused with Raichi in front of him and Isagi at his side. 'This bastard again! Because of him, my passing options to Nagi have become extremely limited. Breaking through down the opposite wing won't be easy. I want to shake this stalker, but...Their Number 11 occupies the space, waiting to pick up the loose ball. If I force it, they'll steal the ball. I can't let them make this a comeback win. But how do I...This field is completely owned by Team Z.' Reo looked scared. He felt what many other teams felt against them. Despair. 'Am I...Are Nagi and I... losing?'