The silence left in the wake of Kyomu Jashin was not merely a lack of sound; rather, it transformed into a dense, palpable presence that enveloped the futsal gym.
A void of meaning enveloped everything, drawing the assurance from the atmosphere.
Itoshi Sae stayed on one knee, the harsh concrete pressing painfully against his skin. The feeling in my body served as a comforting anchor. It truly happened.
What he had just seen—the shimmering air, the overwhelming silence, the ball that appeared to defy the laws of physics—felt like a disruption in the fabric of reality.
His mind, a supercomputer designed for processing football, was in the midst of a reboot, displaying error messages.
Contradiction.
THE PARAMETERS HAVE BEEN EXCEEDED.
PHILOSOPHY_EGO.JPG HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE CORRUPT.
Across the gym, his teammates were not looking at him; instead, their eyes were fixed on the net, where the ball remained still.
Their faces displayed a mix of confusion and a budding, unsettling fear. They had not merely faced defeat.
They had undergone a process of deconstruction. The system they depended on had been shown to be flawed by one quiet, gentle factor.
Sae struggled to rise to his feet, his movements rigid and awkward. The lingering echo of Jashin's words wrapped around his thoughts like a wisp of smoke. "A pen filled with young sheep." He gazed at the players surrounding him. Their shoulders hung low, and their eyes were cast downward.
"Lambs" The word settled in with a disturbing sense of finality.
He chose not to take a shower. He remained silent, not engaging with anyone around him. As he stepped out of the gym, the chill of the night air met his warm skin, creating a stark contrast that invigorated him.
The image of Kyomu Jashin's calm face, the subtle smile that seemed more like a shadow of a smile, was etched into his memory. It was the expression of a man who had not engaged in a game but had instead carried out an experiment. Sae had always been the main focus of his attention.
Several days later, Sae found herself in a clean, contemporary office belonging to the Japan Football Union. He was supposed to talk about his future, his upcoming return to Europe. Instead, he found himself gazing at a man whose sharp, discerning eyes seemed to pierce through the air, while his hair was styled in a manner reminiscent of a cockatoo's crest.
Ego Jinpaichi
"You seem rather silent, Itoshi Sae," Ego remarked, his fingers interlaced in a thoughtful gesture. A sizeable monitor positioned behind him showcased an intricate network of data points alongside the faces of various players.
"Your final report on the domestic talent pool was even more critical than what we typically see. 'Not suitable for its intended use.' 'Devoid of any noticeable self-importance.'"
Sae avoided looking into his eyes. He gazed at the clear, orderly lines of data displayed on the screen. It seemed like a deception at this moment.
"There's an irregularity."
Ego's eyebrow flickered, a subtle indication of deep curiosity. "Oh?"
"A player. He is not a participant in any league. He is without a team. Kyomu Jashin is his name."
As soon as the name escaped his lips, a noticeable change came over Ego's demeanour. The relaxed confidence transformed into the intense concentration of a predator detecting a scent. He began to type several commands on his keyboard, each keystroke deliberate and focused. A fresh profile, largely empty, emerged on the main screen. There is no photo available. There is no history associated with the team. Only a name: Jashin, Kyomu. And there it was, a single, flashing red tag that read: IRREGULAR.
"He's on your radar," Sae said, feeling a cold knot tighten in his stomach.
"He is a hypothesis," Ego clarified, his voice steady and focused.
"A tale of spirits that the young ones share. A player who shows up, disrupts a team's chemistry without netting a single goal, and then disappears. My algorithms have identified him on three separate occasions based on various low-level match data."
"The relationship between psychological breakdowns in opposing players after a game stands at an impressive 98.7%. However, I have not received any direct testimony."
"Share all the details with me."
Sae certainly did. He spoke about the game with a sense of clinical detachment, pushing the words out with effort. The placement. An examination of the spoken word. Jashin not only anticipated moves but also appeared to nullify them in advance. Then came the shot.
"He referred to it as a 'Phantom Blaze,'" Sae remarked, the phrase resonating with both absurdity and fear within the sterile confines of the office.
"The air shimmered softly, creating a delicate dance of light. There was a cacophony of sound, and then… a profound silence enveloped everything. The net remained still."
Ego remained quiet for an extended period, his eyes shining with an unsettling brilliance. He appeared not to be alarmed, but rather… thrilled.
"That's truly fascinating," he whispered softly. A person who instinctively breaks things down to their core components. He is not constructing an ego; he is demonstrating that all other egos are mere illusions. He stands in stark contrast to my project."
"He referred to Blue Lock as a cage filled with lambs," Sae remarked, the words leaving a bitter aftertaste. "He mentioned that you were inviting a wolf to try out."
Ego tilted his head back and let out a laugh, a harsh, barking noise that carried no trace of amusement.
"Flawless! Truly flawless! He truly comprehends! My project requires a thorough stress test. A driving force for genuine and urgent transformation. He believes he is coming to disrupt my system. He is unaware…"
Ego leaned in closer, his gaze intense as it locked onto Sae's. "…that he will become the very force that creates the first true Diamond."
Sae experienced a chill that seemed unrelated to the air conditioning. Ego Jinpachi showed no fear. He was organising the disorder.
"I want him," Ego declared, a sense of determination evident in his voice. "I will arrange for an invitation to be sent out. One that is, of course, 'Irregular'. He would not reply to a standard summons."
"What happens if he breaks them?" Sae enquired, his voice echoing with emptiness. "What happens if he breaks every player you possess before this 'diamond' has a chance to emerge?"
The smile of Ego was sharp like a razor's edge. "In that case, they were never deserving from the start."
"The resilient will endure. The weak will be removed from the group. The essence of Blue Lock lies in that principle. He is simply… a more effective version of natural selection."
Sae exited the office, a sense of unease lingering within him, stronger than when he had first arrived. He had arrived to proclaim that Japanese football was a hopeless endeavour. At that moment, he found himself faced with a variable so perilous that it stirred the excitement of the madman in control. He had just given Ego the key to unlocking it.
A week later, in a simple yet traditional room that offered a view of a meticulously raked rock garden, Kyomu Jashin sat in perfect seiza. Before him, a solitary, unmarked envelope rested on the low table. He had been aware that it was approaching. The Itoshi boy held a sense of pride, yet he was far from foolish. He would have brought the anomaly to attention.
Kyomu reached for the envelope and held it in his hands. The paper was thick and of excellent quality. He carefully removed the contents. This flyer lacks the vibrant colours and dramatic flair that the others have displayed. The item in question was merely a solitary sheet of black cardstock. The text was presented in a vivid, blood-red font that stood out sharply.
TO: KYOMU JASHIN
YOU ARE AN IRREGULARITY.
A FLAW IN THE SYSTEM.
PROVE YOUR HYPOTHESIS.
BREAK THE CHAINS OF THEIR EGO.
THE CAGE AWAITS THE WOLF.
- EGOTIST
Kyomu's lips formed that familiar, subtle, almost eerie smile. He was not on the guest list. He had received recognition. A challenge arose between one scientist and another.
He rose to his feet and made his way to the shoji screen, gently sliding it open to gaze upon the tranquil garden outside. The stones arranged in perfect order, the carefully drawn lines in the sand—it all created an illusion of peace crafted by human hands. It resembled a system, much like the game of football. Every system possesses its own breaking point.
He had started to chart the fractures in those known as Rin, Nagi, and Bachira, using second-hand data and fleeting observations. However, the individual known as Isagi Yoichi… his file captured my attention the most. A clean canvas with an astonishing potential for development. The ideal control subject.
"Lambs," Kyomu whispered to the still garden, the word a gentle poison in the serene atmosphere. "Get ready for the impending destruction."
He turned away from the deceptive tranquilly of the garden, the dark invitation resting lightly in his grasp. The laboratory stood prepared, awaiting the next steps to unfold. The specimens stood in anticipation. The moment had arrived to start the genuine effort.