Chapter 4: [Demon] Tag
"Noel Noa, the world's greatest striker, who outshone Messi and Ronaldo and dominated the Ballon d'Or, once said: 'I'd rather score a hat-trick in a 3-4 loss than assist a teammate for a 1-0 win.'"
"Eric Cantona, a legend of the 20th century, declared: 'The team? Doesn't matter. As long as I shine.'"
"And King Pelé, three-time World Cup champion, said: 'Best striker, best midfielder, best defender, best goalkeeper—ask about any position, and the answer's me!'"
"These are the words of era-defining, world-class strikers. They're all *exquisite egoists*." Kira Ryosuke's voice carried a fierce edge as he stepped forward, his gaze locked on Ego Jinpachi. "So, Ego-san, I believe in your vision."
He strode confidently to the stage, standing beside Ego and facing the door behind him.
"I'm here to become the sole hero, standing atop the ashes of 299 others!"
The crowd below exploded into chaos.
"Is Kira Ryosuke that cocky?"
"Even for him, that's way too much!"
"Hey, hey, hey, is this kid looking down on us?" Shidou Ryusei's wild grin spread as he eyed Kira like a predator sizing up prey.
"Pathetic," Itoshi Rin muttered, his voice dripping with disdain.
"Kira…" Isagi stared at the figure on stage, his mind racing. *How can he stand there and say that so confidently? Defeating everyone here… I can't even imagine it. Do I lack even that kind of belief in myself?*
"Perfect!" Ego Jinpachi's laugh was sharp, almost manic, like a preacher reveling in a convert. "That's the spirit to carry Japanese football into the future!"
His expression snapped back to deadly serious as he resumed his speech.
"Picture this, all of you…"
"It's the World Cup final. Eighty thousand fans roaring in the stands."
"You're on that green pitch. The score's 0-0, deep in stoppage time."
"It's the final attack. You've shaken off the defender, got the ball from a teammate—"
"You're one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Six meters to your right, a teammate's wide open. Pass to him, and it's a guaranteed goal!"
"But in that moment, with the world watching, the championship on the line, can you pull back your leg and shoot without hesitation?"
"Only an *exquisite egoist* can keep charging forward!"
Bam!
The door behind Ego swung open, punctuating the vivid scene he'd painted. Every player in the room was lost in the fantasy, imagining themselves as that striker, ready to fire.
Without a second's pause, Kira turned and strode through the door, leaving only his silhouette against the light.
"Throw away common sense," Ego's voice echoed after him. "On the pitch, you are the protagonist. Your goal is the ultimate thrill, the only thing worth living for—that's what makes a *striker*!"
Kira kept walking, a faint smirk on his lips as Ego's hypnotic words faded behind him. He started a silent countdown.
'Three, two, one.'
Tap, tap, tap, tap.
The sound of footsteps erupted behind him, a stampede of players rushing through the door. 'Just like the manga. They're all coming. But this time, I'm leading the pack.'
Outside, Isagi Yoichi's body trembled, his heart pounding. *Why has no one ever put it like that before?*
Watching Kira's back vanish into the crowd, he thought, *How does he know? Has he always seen himself as the star of his own story?*
"I'm going too!" Isagi shouted, breaking into a sprint after the others. "I'm a *striker*!"
...
Some time later, at the entrance to the Blue Lock facility.
Buses rolled in one after another, unloading the 300 high school players selected for the Blue Lock project. Eager young men stepped off, their eyes wide with ambition and nerves.
At the reception, a woman in a sharp suit stood with staff, handing out tight-fitting blue uniforms. Her name tag read "Anri Teieri," the mastermind who'd pitched this radical project to the Japan Football Union.
"Hand over your phones and wallets!" she announced.
"What? That's harsh!"
"No way, that's inhumane!"
Grumbling, the players complied. In this day and age, who could survive without their phone?
"Once you've got your uniform, head to the room matching the letter on it. Change and wait for further instructions."
Kira glanced at his uniform: Z-289. Ego's psychological jab, ranking everyone from the start. The real rankings would shift later, but for now, this was his place.
Same as the manga. Even after my performance, nothing's changed.
He frowned, thinking. 'This is tricky. Room Z is stacked with guys all gunning to be the protagonist. If we're not careful, we'll lose matches just like in the original. I need them to work together—or at least not self-destruct. But how?'
Decision made, Kira set off to find Room Z.
...
Soon after, he stood before a door marked 'Z.'
"Found it." He pushed it open.
Eleven other players were already inside, their chatter halting as they turned to stare at the last arrival.
"Kira!"
"Finally, someone I know's in here!"
'Wait, Isagi beat me here?' Kira blinked, confused. 'Wasn't he the last to arrive in the manga? And did he just steal my line?'
Shaking off the thought, he reminded himself he was a transmigrator—things wouldn't play out *exactly* like the original. 'Butterfly effect, huh?'
Kira grinned back. "Yo, Isagi. Seeing you here makes this feel a little less crazy."
He caught a flash of movement to his right and dodged just in time as a piece of clothing sailed past his face.
"Whoops, my bad! My shirt got away from me," a tall, muscular guy said, his tone sheepish but friendly. He was mid-change, his chiseled torso on full display.
Rensuke Kunigami. Kira recognized him instantly. Strength, long-range shots—this guy's a beast.
"No worries," Kira said with a chuckle, brushing it off.
"Watch your step," Kunigami added, nodding downward.
Kira glanced at the floor and stifled a laugh. Bachira Meguru, sprawled out, sleeping and giggling like a kid. How'd I miss him?*
The guy was muttering in his sleep, completely unbothered by the chaos around him. *Even knowing the plot, seeing this guy in person is something else. What kind of nerve does it take to nap like that here?*
Shaking his head, Kira joined Isagi at the remaining lockers and started changing into the blue uniform.
A guy with spiky, chestnut-colored hair approached, his eyes wide with excitement.
"You're Kira Ryosuke, right? The new football star everyone's buzzing about? It's really you!"
Igaguri, Kira thought, suppressing a sigh. Average at best, but somehow hung on in the manga without getting cut.
"Hey, yeah, that's me," Kira replied, keeping his tone polite but distant. No attributes to absorb here, that's for sure.
"I'm Igarashi Gurimu! But you can call me Igaguri. You and Isagi are buddies, right? My family runs a temple, by the way…"
Gurimu launched into a nonstop ramble. Kira nodded along, barely listening, his mind on the first selection. Isagi stood nearby, offering an awkward smile as Gurimu droned on.
"Diamonds in the rough, you done changing yet?"
Ego Jinpachi's sharp voice crackled through a large screen on the wall, snapping everyone to attention.
"You've all been ranked based on my subjective judgment. The number on your uniform is your current standing among the 300."
"Those rankings will shift daily, based on your training and match results."
"And the top five? They'll automatically secure spots in the starting lineup for the U-20 World Cup in six months."
"Oh, and one more thing—get eliminated here, and you're banned from Japan's national team. For life."
"What? No national team eligibility?"
"That's way too harsh!"
"What if he's serious?"
The room buzzed with panic. Kira caught Isagi glancing at his own ranking—*299*—his face falling as he realized he was near the bottom.
Kira smirked inwardly. Ego, you sly bastard, messing with the kid's head already.
"Next up, the entrance exam begins." Ego's grin was almost feral. "It's time for [Demon] Tag!"
Kira felt a jolt of tension. In the manga, the original Kira Ryosuke was eliminated by Isagi in this very test.
Not this time. I'm rewriting that script.
----
Who do you think will be eliminated here? Isagi? Bachira? Maybe Igaguri?
Or perhaps the main character will be eliminated, who knows. Write your thoughts in the comments!!
Give me your power stones!!! 💎💎💎