A family thing

Chapter 45 The starting line up

Five hours were left. Five hours until the announcement of the starting line up. Yoichi could feel himself getting nervous. His heart was beating in an unusual frequence. 
"Rin-kun, is your nose, uh... okay?", he heard Tomikatsu talk tor Rin behind him inside the cantenee. 
"Yeah.", Rin replied sharply. "Never mind that, where did that Antennae freak go?" 
"The announcement said they were taking him to the punishment room...", Tomikatsu answered. "He was unconsious though." 
"5 hours left...", Igaguri muttered shakily. Yoichi turned his head towards him. The balded male looked like he was almost pissing himself. 
"5 more hours... I wonder if I'll get chosen.", Igaguri said. "There's 11 spots, so maybe..." 
"You've got a snowball's chance in hell, Igaguri.", Raichi spoke and crushed the monk's day dream. "You even making it to the third selection is a goddamn miracle. Fucking trash monk." 
"WHAT!!!!", Igaguri turned around to face him. "IT'S NOT LIKE YOU SCORED ANY GOALS EITHER, RAICHI!!!!" 
"SHUT THE FUCK UP, DON'T BRING THAT SHIT UP!!!", Raichi shouted back. 
"IF I'M OUT YOU'RE OUT TOO!!!" 
A heated argument broke out. Yoichi sighed. He admit, right now he was indeed nervous. But putting that aside, that heated argument of Igaguri and Raichi was just annoying the hell out of him. Because of those two, he was never able to finish a meal silently. 
'I did score a goal...', Yoichi thought about the reason for their vocal brawl. 'No shit, I scored two. Aside from the crooked top six, the only ones who scored besides me, were Bachira, Barou and Reo... If that's the selection criteria then I've got a chance. And when it comes down to it, I don't even care which position. I just want to be chosen. I want to play against the U20 players in that place where I can change my destiny. I want to fucking fight.'
His heart rate dropped back to a more familiar rate. He took a sip from his glass of water and then looked at the digital clock that was counting down. 4 hours 37 minutes 19 seconds. 

Soon, it was time. The five hour wait was finally over. Yoichi followed the other players to the big announcement hall they went in at the beginning of the final selection. 10 seconds were still left on the ticking countdown clock. 
"Ugh... I'm so nervous.", Nanase, the male standing next to him uttered. They weren't really close, but Yoichi befriended him because of the enthusiasm, the bandana male displayed for his playing style. 
"Take care, so your heart won't leap out.", Hiori replied. 
"Wait, where's Shidou?", Igaguri suddenly asked. 
"Probably still chilling in the punishment room.", Raichi estimated. 
"It's almost time...", Tokimitsu whispered nervously. Yoichi sometimes really couldn't get why a guy that buff could be that nervous constantly. 
"Yeah.", was the only thing Aryu could comment in that moment. The opposite door of the gate they came through opened. Smoke came out from the floor, giving the entering person an extra villain vibe. Ego walked onto the white carpet laid with smoke. 
'Seriously... that villain vibe kinda suits him...', Yoichi thought and watched him walk into the center. 
Good work out there, you unpolished gems. I believe this makes it the second time that we're meeting directly?", he spoke and threw around his tablet. "Greetings." 
"Whoa, it's the real deal...", Igaguri murmered. 
"Ego in the flesh...", Bachira commented. 
"I'll reiterate. For starters, football is a sport where you score goals.", Ego ignored them and started with his speech. "Goals are the entire reason a striker exists. That's why with the third selection tryouts, I decided to form a team centered around the one with the highest goal rate. Steel your hearts and listen hard. I'm about to announce the eleven players who will play against Japan's U20." 
'This is it...', Yoichi thought and listened closely. 
"First, the number one player, Itoshi Rin.", Ego said. "With an average of 2.5 goals, but win by scoring 6 this is the only way a Blue Lock team made up of strikers can win. Destruction begets destruction. You will learn the team embodying this theme. And the following ten players whose names I will call, will become the ammo to escalate that destruction." 
Yoichi's heart started to pump faster. All the work-outs he has put himself in. All the hardship, the pain. Everything was for that exact moment. 
"First, the goalkeeper.", Ego continued. "Gagamaru Gin." 
"Oh, me?", the said one asked unbelievably. 
"With the ability to react to balls at an instant notice and overall flexibility, your physical attribute numbers make you the top candidate for goalkeeper. You will be this team's guardian."
"So that's your basis? Gotcha.", Gagamaru replied. 
"As for the two centerbacks, Aryu Jyubei, Niko Ikki.", Ego named. "A right sided center back that can overwhelm players with height and reach and and intelligent left sided center back with high spatial perception and ball-stealing ability. And on either side of those center backs, we'll have two dribblers that boast speed and technique." 
Hologramms of Aryu, Niko and Gagamaru appeared on the tablet Ego was holding. 
'A 4-3-3 formation...', Yoichi guessed. 
"For the right side, Chigiri Hyouma.", Ego continued annoucing the starters. "... and left side back, Bachira Meguru."
"Yes.", Chigiri answered. 
"I see meow it is.", Bachira sing-songed. "Well no matter what position I'm in, I'm still gonna score." 
"Moving on, ahead of these four in the defense line, the midfielder who will transition to our offense, Karasu Tabito. As the player with the best ball keeping sense in Blue Lock, with your analytical ability to see through goals, you will be the beating heart of this team."
"Tch. I knew it'd turn out like this.", Karasu muttered with a bitter voice. 
"From here on out, I'll announce the attackers. First the ones who will tear down the enemy's walls from either side. Otoya Eita and Yukimiya Kenyu."
"Sup.", came as an answer from Otoya. 
"Gladly.", was all Yukimiya said. 
"The right wing with the speed and stealth to get past their opponent and the left wint with the ability to overwhelm any opponent in a 1v1. And finally in between, at the heart of the offense will be these last two players.", Ego's speech closed its end. Yoichi was still not named. That couldn't be. He has scored two goals. More goals than any other player beside the top 6. 
"First the player who, with his superiour ball control scored goals that went above and beyond the feasible.", Ego ripped him out of his train of thoughts. "A brilliant outstanding talent. Nagi Seishiro."
"Got it.", Nagi murmured lazily. 
"I repeat. With Itoshi Rin at its center, this team's formation specializes in aggressive offense. Meaning it needs to be able to maximize Itoshi Rin's performance. Among all the players who interacted with him, the one who was able to bring out the best numbers, who repeatedly coexisted and asserted himself as Itoshi Rin's shadow, but then glew up several times as light on his own. The one who was still able to surpass him and score his own goals..." 
Yoichi gulped. This was it. The last spot. The last chance. Was he gonna get it? He had so many thoughts right now. 
"As the ideal partner to Itoshi Rin, the last piece is..." 
What would happen if he wasn't chosen to be that last piece? 
"Kageyama Yoichi." 
Suddenly everything went blank. His picture appeared on the huge monitor above. 
"Yes.", was the only thing he brought out from the shock he was in. 
"These are the top 11 who will face the U20 Jpan team.", Ego ended his speech. Yoichi wasn't interested on it anymore. His thoughts and attention were right now only focused on himself and the fact that he made it. 
'I did it. I was chosen.', he said to himself and formed a fist with his right hand.