𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐔𝐒™ || 𝐁𝐋𝐔𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐊

3

Chapter 3: Moving In

*This section going on forward contains mild swearing.*

Ayumi barely registered the series of events that followed her initial steps. One moment, she was walking through a door; the next, she found herself signing a letter of consent, her mind numb with disinterest. Now, she was on a branded bus, her destination uncertain and her thoughts drifting. For all she cared, she could be heading straight into the Indian Ocean. The experiment was a joke, but she was playing along.

As the bus rattled on, Ayumi noticed the oddest thing-no one seemed to acknowledge her presence. It was as if she were invisible. "Do I not have feminine features?" she wondered briefly, then dismissed the thought with a mental shrug. "No, maybe they just... don't give a damn."

A faint, bored sigh escaped her lips. "Good. I hope no one gives a damn."

The bus screeched to a halt, jolting her out of her thoughts. As she stepped off, the murmurs started, eyes subtly turning toward her. "Great, now they've noticed me," she thought, her irritation barely surfacing. She shuffled into the queue forming at the entrance, indifferent to the attention.

Ahead of her, people were handing over their phones and wallets into a box held by a red-headed woman who stood by the entrance. Her posture was casual, yet there was a sharpness in her eyes that made Ayumi's skin crawl. "I already hate this place," Ayumi muttered under her breath as she reached the front.

When it was her turn, she handed over her phone and wallet with reluctance. The woman gave her a once-over, then smiled-a practiced, hollow gesture.

"You're Ayumi Aya, right?" the woman asked, her voice smooth yet distant. "We've been expecting you. If you need anything, come to my office." The smile lingered just a moment too long, but Ayumi barely reacted, offering a half-hearted nod.

Ayumi was handed a uniform and directed to her assigned room. The door simply read "V."

"Room V," she repeated to herself with a flat tone. The number 242 flashed through her mind-a rank, not a room. She did a quick calculation, feeling a mild sense of discontent. "If there are 300 people here, I'm ranked 242... just great."

She trudged to the room marked "V," her feet dragging as she went. When she entered, she found it empty. "Private rooms? Or am I just early?" she wondered, letting out a small, bored sigh. Without much thought, she changed into the tight-fitting suit, annoyed by how it clung to her body. The idea of someone walking in didn't faze her anymore-it was all part of the same irritating scenario.

After changing, she curled up in a corner, not because she needed to, but because it was the most out-of-the-way spot. "I miss my phone," she muttered, letting the sterile coldness of the room wash over her as she drifted off to sleep.

It felt like only minutes had passed when she was jolted awake by a grating feedback sound from the large monitor mounted on the wall. The voice that followed was crisp, yet completely devoid of emotion.

"Are you done changing, you unpolished gems?" The voice sounded almost amused. "Hi, hi."

Ayumi's eyes barely registered the figure on the screen as it continued. "The others in your room are both your teammates and your rivals. You're here to push each other higher."

"Yeah, sure," Ayumi thought, her eyes glazing over. The figure on the screen spoke with a confidence that Ayumi found herself too bored to challenge.

"I've used my personal judgment to quantify your abilities and rank you. The number on your uniform symbolizes your current rank." Ayumi glanced down at her number, a flicker of irritation quickly fading. "Second in this room, but overall, I'm ranked 242... Whatever."

A voice broke through her thoughts. "Wow... I'm ranked super low." The tone mirrored her own detachment. She turned her head, spotting the white-haired boy-Nagi, wasn't it? And of course, he was with that purple-haired chatterbox. "Still don't know his name," Ayumi noted with a mental shrug.

"The ranking will change daily based on training and game results," the voice on the screen continued. "Those who finish in the top five will be automatically registered in the upcoming tournament six months from now... in the World Cup as a forward."

Ayumi let the information wash over her, feeling nothing but a vague sense of annoyance. "This bluelock thing is dead serious, isn't it? I wanna go home..." she deadpanned internally, her boredom deepening.

"And for those who fail... you will forever lose your right to represent Japan. What you need to succeed here is Ego," the voice emphasized. "Now, we'll hold a little entrance test to measure your aptitude."

Ayumi sighed, her irritation briefly spiking. "Fuck no..." she groaned inwardly, rolling her eyes.

"Now then," the voice said, almost gleefully, "time for some tag."