14. Monsters

"Play ball!!"

The voice was shrill and obviously belonged to a rather hyper brunette. When the two finally left their respective rooms, he finally realized how different they were in skill level.

Y/n didn't know how he knew, but it was a gut feeling. When the butterflies of nervousness in his stomach wouldn't cease and his feet wouldn't move, fear started to creep its way into his mind.

'Three on one? No fair... This is actually rigged. A-And they aren't just metal obstacles obstructing my path... What...what am I gonna do...?' Y/n's mind raced as he stared at the figures before him.

They were way more intimidating than he expected, but he had to face them. The two choices he had was one, to bail, or two, to fight for those last five goals.

He was experiencing pure ecstasy yet he was dreading the moment they moved.

Neither of them played defense, so he had a little bit of a chance.

Ren's clown-ish scars and wide eyes accompanied by a disgusting grin were nothing new to Y/n, but he found himself afraid of the former. He had been analyzing their behavior in situations like this for a couple weeks in private, desolate rooms, but this was the real thing.

Aoi's blank, stoic face was just as bad. It wasn't serious, just blank. His calm eyes stared Y/n down like he was prey. Y/n tried to move, but he couldn't. He was too stunned by the pressure their presence provided and it was hard to swallow his fear and deal with it.

A ball shot out just as it had many times before.

Both boys' expressions immediately changed. They were serious. But Ren's face was absolutely chilling.

Y/n was used to his playfulness and his unserious demeanor. But this was different. His eyes were wide and his face was devoid of any smile or a single trace of emotion.

Aoi's face was as well. Ultimately as scary as the former's. His usual small smile was gone.

Y/n? Oh, he was grinning like a bastard. He was trembling, completely overwhelmed with fear, yet he was smiling like he was having fun.

He wouldn't be in a few moments.

The clock that was ticking on the wall had seemed to stop.

He made a move.

So did they.

He couldn't use logic against a tactical player, because he knew he'd be outwitted. He couldn't use physical force against a well-built player, because he knew he'd be shoved around.

Right down the middle.

He tore right down the middle.

His legs were like wheels.

His heart pumped relentlessly as it beat against his ribcage. He was powered by the fear those two gave him.

He shot the ball into the net.

But they let him.

"Real nice speed," Ren complimented, "but that was a bluff charge."

Aoi sighed. "You wanted the ball and you know it, Ren."

Ren froze. "Shhh..."

Y/n was actually trying. He put so much effort into a move that combatted something that was fake? But they were running right at him. Why?

"Let's get real," Aoi demanded. "Toying with him will just give him a fake ego."

"You're right," Ren agreed.

Four goals left and two boys that made this seem like it's a game to them.

Again, a ball shot from one of the panels. There was no circle. Y/n didn't notice that before, but he stared at the ball, then at the boys before him.

He walked, dribbling the ball slowly down the middle.

Ren stretched his arms and legs, Aoi cracked his knuckles.

Once finished, Ren stood still, harboring an eerie grin. Aoi stood on the balls of his feet and pressed on his back as he arched it to crack it.

Aoi sighed and picked his foot up slightly as if he were about to move.

Ren darted. The explosive power his legs held was enough to paralyze someone with fear.

Not Y/n though.

Scared as he was at the blur of a human charging at him, he pulled the ball back quickly and went around Ren. Y/n bit his tongue and hoped to dear God, if there was one, that he would make it through here without his dreams being eradicated by the unforgiving nature of his opponents.

A loud stomp echoed.

Ren had halted for a moment and then was back on the hunt.

Y/n sped forward desperately, nearly forgetting about Aoi who was on his way.

Cutting front of him with ease, Aoi jabbed at the ball with his foot but almost lost balance. It was something Y/n didn't hesitate to exploit.

He drove the ball between Aoi's legs with an intimidating brunette breathing down his neck. Ren was like a parasite, but it really felt like freedom when he over-calculated and sped past Y/n again.

Seeing this as his first and last chance, he shot. He was close enough to the goal that it would go in and not be stopped by an annoying Blue Lock man.

With his leg a blur and the spotlight shining bright on his figure, he kicked the ball so hard it wasn't even considered to be a Kaiser Impact replica. It highly surpassed the likes of such a goal, but replicating it wasn't possible under normal circumstances. He needed to be in a constant state of distress and desperation.

Ren and Aoi both froze and stared at each other as if silently communicating with one another.

"I'd hate to be on the receiving end of that," Ren gulped.

Aoi gave a subtle nod.

🥀🥀🥀

He had scored again, leaving one goal left. Y/n was sweating profusely and his skin felt sticky. He exhaled deeply through gritted teeth and swallowed a lump in his throat.

One more. Just one more. That was all he needed.

But these two were about to go all out.

Y/n stared at the ball at his feet, only looking up when he heard feet shift from their original positions. They were already pressing him. How...expected.

Y/n shoved by them, knowing full well that Ren was a perfect mix of a tactician and brute force, and Aoi was ninety-percent a tactician.

Forcing his body mainly into Aoi's to knock him a bit off balance, Y/n barreled toward the goal just as he had many other times.

His legs propelled him forward as he felt dread creep into his body once more. Right on his back was Ren, giving Y/n no breathing room.

He knew Y/n wouldn't dare sacrifice a ball for speed, so he sped up just enough to make it in front of the boy.

Impossible to pass the speedy brunette, Y/n paused, ultimately coming to a halt. Ren was doing his best to get the speed out of Y/n that everyone adores so much, but his efforts were in vain every time he tried.

The lone defender that stood firmly in front of Y/n wouldn't dare take a single step from where his feet were planted. Sure, Blue Lock man was there, but Ren posed more of a threat than that hologram did.

Not to mention, Aoi was securing Y/n's back so that there was a higher chance he'd chase the ball around.

He was lost. Completely and utterly lost. He didn't know what to do until he was provoked.

Softly, yet mercilessly, came seven words. "Don't make me think you're weak, L/n."