𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝

𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝟐: 𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭!

❝𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝟐: 𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭!❞

Early in the morning, the monotonous drone of the announcer's voice jolts us all awake. I stretch lazily, my mind still fuzzy from the lack of sleep, as the voice continues echoing throughout the building.

"The first selection has ended. All participants, please gear up and head to the central basement area."

I yawn, reaching for my gear, bumping into Reo in the process. "Watch it," I grumble half-heartedly.

"Feeling cranky today, Y/N?" Reo teases, his voice full of the usual light-hearted amusement.

"You're always in my way, that's why," I shoot back with a smirk, though I can't help the fond tone that creeps into my voice.

Nagi's sleepy voice filters in from the other side of the room. "Do we have to go now? Can't we just... sleep for five more minutes?"

"No," Reo and I answer in unison, and I can almost feel Nagi roll his eyes at us. With everyone finally ready, we head down to the central basement.

As we walk, Reo and Nagi are discussing something about seeing players wearing Team X and Team W's uniforms. I frown. "Wait... weren't they eliminated last selection?" I ask.

"Yeah, that's what we thought," Reo mutters, sounding just as confused as I am. "Something's off."

When we arrive, the room buzzes with tension. The players in Team X and W's uniforms are mingling among us, their postures a little too casual for people who were supposed to be booted out. Before any of us can speculate further, the familiar sharp voice of Ego echoes from a large screen mounted on the far wall.

Ego's face fills the screen, his expression unreadable as ever. "I assume you've all noticed by now," he begins, his voice as cold and direct as ever. "There are no players from Buildings 1 to 4. And the reason is simple... because only Building 5 exists."

A ripple of confusion passes through the room. Reo and Nagi exchange bewildered glances, and I tilt my head. "What the hell does that mean?" I mutter under my breath, sensing the unease growing around us.

Ego smirks on the screen, clearly enjoying the chaos he's caused. "You were all led to believe you were the lowest of the low, fighting tooth and nail in the first selection. But that was nothing more than a ruse. I had to break your half-baked confidence and instill in you a hunger—a hunger to become the best striker in the world."

A hush falls over the room as Ego continues, giving an example about Noel Noa, who grew up in the slums with football as his only escape. My attention wanes slightly as he goes on about players born in poverty and the hunger that drives them, compared to the comfortable lives most of us have in Japan. I've heard it all before—football is war, only the strong survive, yada yada.

I cross my arms, only half-listening as Ego explains the second selection. Five stages, only the ones who clear each stage move on. He mentions something about a training camp with top players he's handpicked, but honestly, my mind is elsewhere. This whole egoist speech is just Ego being Ego.