3.4. Putting On A Show (Part 1)

The game started at full intensity.

Kaiser instantly passed the ball to the side. He could feel it. He'd spotted Y/N watching him from the sidelines even before the game had started. The enemy, trying to get a feel of his playstyle. Smirking, Kaiser shot forwards. I'll show him just how much better I am.

As usual, he passed to Ness. He took off up the field, threading between the enemy players and relishing the air blowing past his face. Ness, don't fuck up now. First impressions are everything.

Ness glanced from side to side. Two Barcha players pressed him. While sidestepping to find a gap in between them, he fired a perfect pass right between them. It allowed Grim, on the complete other side of the field, to receive it at full speed. All was going as Kaiser intended.

Grim barged his way past two defenders, eventually managing to break out into a free space near the goal. He locked eyes with Kaiser, intending to pass, but Kaiser just shook his head subtly. There were too many defenders around him.

Instead, Grim sent the ball yet again to the other side of the field, with a perfect high pass over everyone's heads. Gesner easily received it, threading his way past two more players. Defenders peeled off Kaiser to go deal with him, as Bastard players filled up the entire right wing.

Kaiser was open. Behind him, the orange-haired guy called Kunigami. He seemed decently built, compared to most of the Japanese players. The ball flew right to him from Gesner, and the result? Well, it wasn't disappointing.

Sticking both arms out to forcibly push away defenders, Kunigami used his insane physique to just... steal the ball. He trapped with his chest, at the same time fighting players on both sides. Shoved his way forwards. And... took a shot?

This guy... wow! Kaiser's eyes brightened. Is this the mentality of all the Bluelock players? Egoism? It's crazy. He had been completely open to a pass, but the man had chose to shoot. And for that, Kaiser held a grudging respect. Delusional people are always the most fun to bring back to reality.

He could almost feel it. He'd broken many people, just as he'd been broken himself. And he always got a sick sort of pleasure watching as people realised that they were not, in fact, the centre of the world. I am.

Well, even though he'd shot, he'd missed. The goalkeeper had leapt across, slamming the ball to one side. And with that, Barcha had received the ball.

Kaiser slowed slightly, backpedalling to maintain a good position near the enemy's half of the field. Barcha was counterattacking, the ball being passed from defender to defender, and finally to the boy at the centre of the field. Another Bluelock player, huh? Does he also have an ego like Kunigami?

The question answered itself a second later. The boy took off down the field, his bob cut bouncing as he moved upfield. From the stands, the yells of 'Bachira!' rang out loud.

He came face to face with a defender. Kaiser hesitated, watching as Bachira just stopped moving forwards. His legs kept passing the ball from side to side, the ball practically glued to his feet with how close he kept it. But he didn't move forwards at all.

When the defender moved forwards, Bachira moved too. He shot past on the defender's weak side, perfectly predicting the man's movements. Another player came in from the side, and with a fancy aerial juggle of the ball, Bachira managed to power right past him as well.

Then, it was Bachira against Kunigami.

One looked happy. "I don't know what kind of comeback match you've won, but good to have you here!"

The other didn't react at all in the same way. "If you're looking for a dance partner, bumblebee, I'll take the lead."

Kunigami moved forwards. Bachira let him make the first move, flinging the ball out to his right side. His body turned too, faking out a dash to the right. And as soon as Kunigami moved... Then I go this way!

Using his back foot, he suddenly swapped the ball, going left. Yet, somehow Kunigami had followed that, using his incredible power to switch directions.

I guess I just have put out an even juicier bait. Bachira sped up, dribbling from side to side in a taunting manner. As soon as Kunigami took the bait, shooting forwards in an attempt to tackle him, Bachira moved. He tapped the ball past Kunigami even faster, zipping past.

From there, it was all easy goings. Two more players pressed him, but Bachira simply just lifted the back of his foot, passing the ball through the air all the way to his teammate, Ignacio. They played one touch soccer, Ignacio passing the ball on. Otoya had lurked all the way up the flank, and tapped it right into the centre as Bachira ran straight down the centre.

It was time to finish. Bachira could've done any manner of shots. But only one felt right. He leapt into the air, swinging his leg wide and slamming his heel into the ball.

The ball flew right into the back of the goal. Bachira landed on one leg, taking a bow as Otoya and Ignacio both laughed. "Vamos!"

It was a playful, creative style that perfectly embodied the ideas Lavinho had tried to express onto Y/N.

He couldn't help but... enjoy watching it. From the sidelines, he could only look on wide-eyed as Bachira and Otoya ran around the field, grins wide on both of their faces. For a second, he wished he could've chosen a team like them.

They look like they're having so much fun... and the plays they cook up! Imagine what I could do in that team... I need to see Lavinho. He said he would train with me. Holy shit, I need to see him. Please.

"What a spectacular goal!" The casters screamed. "Start to finish, both teams are putting on a show!"

"Bachira Meguru, making a statement here with a stunning run down the field, accompanied by an amazing shot! And on the other side, Kunigami Rensuke, showing off his brute force and shot power with that attempt!"

"And with that, the first goal of the Neo Egoist League has been scored! The Mercenary System is now in effect. Y/N L/N has been placed onto the Bastard Munchen roster, and can now be substituted on for their team."

Y/N picked himself up from his chair on the sidelines. He opened his arms wide, following the pre-choreographed moves as he bowed low to the ground. All the cameras were on him - and he knew it, adding in a cheeky wink as he felt a strange sensation over the jersey he was wearing. It flickered in the light, turning from a plain colour into shades of black, gold and red. He kept his head bowed, waiting exactly five seconds.

It had taken... way too long, if he was honest, to rehearse it. And lots of convincing that he wasn't hallucinating. He knew what was happening. Like magic, his jersey was transforming into a Bastard Munchen one, a huge sword and shield drawing itself on his back. And he still didn't understand how it worked. The casters didn't either, voicing their surprise and excitement over the change.

Making his way over to the rest of the Bastard substitutes, Y/N looked over the rows of chairs. Most of them sat in groups of ten, but Noel Noa sat in front of them on a separate row of chairs. The rest of the chairs on his row were empty.

Plonking himself right next to Noa, Y/N tapped his shoulder. "When do I go on?"

The substitutes' bench behind him filled with whispering. Y/N noticed a few familiar faces in there, but also a lot of new people. "What's wrong?"

"That's where Kaiser sits..." Someone said. "Next to Noa."

"He doesn't own the seat, does he?" Y/N shrugged, tapping Noa again. "Do I go on now?"

Noa stared down at him blankly. Y/N's leg bounced energetically as he smiled up at him. "No."

The smile faltered. "Wait, what?"

"No. You don't play."

"Why not?"

"I told you, I don't allow irrational players on my team. And you are perhaps the most irrational player I've ever seen."

"Whaaat?!" Noa tried to return his gaze to the game as they kicked off again, but Y/N tapped his shoulder a third time. "Please! Please please please please!"

"No."

"Why not...!" Y/N whined childishly. "Please! Just for a few minutes! I can be rational too! I'll show you! And also, surely the most rational approach is whatever scores the most goals! I can score goals!"

Noa did his best to ignore the boy repeatedly tapping at his shoulder. Y/N didn't give up. "Please! Noaaaaaa... you're the greatest striker in the world! I'll do anything! I'll be rational! I'll let you teach me!"

When that didn't work, he tried more... unorthodox ways of persuasion. "I'll give you money! Well, I'll get Sae to give you money! I'll get Loki to bring you sightseeing in France! I'll suck your d-"

Noa's unimpressed yellow eyes turned on Y/N. Y/N paused, face going red. "Is that a yes?"

"No."

"Come on!" Y/N threw himself back in the chair, sighing dramatically. "I guess I'm just gonna waste away on the sidelines... so close to the game but not playing in it... with a coach that won't put me on... oh, what wasted talent... all the viewers must be missing me..."

He flopped back over his chair, placing the back of his hand on his forehead. "Oh, what a shame... there goes a bunch of sponsors... imagine how much merch of me would sell for..."

Then when it was clear that wasn't working, he went right back to annoying Noa. Pinching at his arm, tapping his shoulder, knocking his head against the larger man's shoulder. He drew his knees to his chest, leaning against Noa's side. "Pleaaaheaaaheeaaasee!"

Noa groaned. Why do so many good players behave like children?