𝔩𝔦𝔪𝔦𝔱𝔩𝔢𝔰𝔰 (blue lock x male reader)

ch. 2 - egoism

you stepped into the building, immediately overwhelmed by the sheer number of people around you. the room was filled with chatter, each person doing something to pass the time --some stretching, others standing off in small groups, or scrolling through their phones.

you sighed. your original plan was to find reo and nagi, but searching for them in this sea of hundreds made you reconsider.

oh well, surely you'd run into them at some point, right?

as you got lost in your thoughts, someone suddenly bumped into you, jolting you out of your trance-like state.

"ouchie... it hurts."

'who the hell says 'ouchie' unironically?' you thought, turning around to see the person who collided with you.

he had bright yellow eyes and a bob-cut that reached his chin, streaked with golden underlights. he rubbed his arm where he must've hit you, but there was a playful glint in his eyes.

"sorry about that," you said, a little embarrassed. "i was spaced out and didn't even notice you."

he grinned, already forgetting about his arm as he curiously looked at you, his yellow eyes flickering with interest. "no worries! i kinda do that too sometimes."

there was a pause before he leaned in just a bit closer, his gaze scanning you like he was searching for something.

"by the way," he said, his voice dropping to a curious tone, "what's your name? i'm bachira meguru."

you introduced yourself, and just as you were about to brush off the awkwardness, bachira's eyes lit up, like he'd found what he was searching for.

"you have one too, don't you?" he said suddenly, his grin widening into something almost mischievous.

you blinked, confused. "what do you mean?"

"a monster," he said, tapping his chest lightly. "just like me. i can tell -- you've got one inside you too."

'is he mentally okay?' you thought to yourself. but then you began wondering what he meant by 'monster' could he be talking about your talents? your abilities? your skills? you weren't sure, but bachira seemed interesting.

right then and there, you decided you'd make the effort to be on good terms with him.

"a monster, huh?" you said, half-joking. "guess we'll see about that."

bachira's grin widened, clearly pleased with your response. "oh, we will."

the two of you continued talking for a bit, quickly striking up a strange but natural friendship. bachira was easygoing, with a quirky, carefree attitude that made him easy to talk to. despite his odd statements, you could tell he was sharp, always observing.

just as the conversation started getting comfortable, a figure suddenly emerged in front of the group, cutting the chatter and drawing everyone's attention.

the entire room fell silent, your conversation included, as you all focused on the man now standing in front of the crowd.

"congratulations, diamonds in the rough," the man began, his voice sharp and commanding. "you are the chosen strikers, selected based on my arbitrary and biased decisions."

he paused briefly, letting his words sink in.

"i am ego jinpachi, the man hired to make sure japan wins the world cup."

the crowd shifted uneasily, confused glances exchanged all around, but ego continued, unfazed by the growing tension.

"simply put, japanese soccer needs one thing to become the best in the world," he stated bluntly. "the birth of a revolutionary striker. i'll be conducting an experiment to turn one of you into the best striker in the world. that's what blue lock is for."

the atmosphere grew heavy as ego's message sank in. "starting today, you'll live here and undergo my special training. no going home, and say goodbye to the soccer life you've known until now."

the room buzzed with murmurs, the weight of the situation hitting everyone. some looked uneasy, their realities shifting before their eyes. "but if you survive and outlast everyone here, i promise you this: you will become the world's greatest striker."

he paused one last time, his words hanging in the air.

"that is all. nice to meet you."

the room erupted into whispered chaos, uncertainty clouding everyone's faces. bachira, standing beside you, was grinning, clearly intrigued by the challenge.

as for you? you weren't rattled. ego's words only fueled your excitement. this wasn't just any opportunity -- it was the opportunity you've been looking for this entire time.

"this just got interesting," you muttered, a smirk tugging at your lips.

amidst the murmurs, a white-haired guy with sharp brown eyes stepped forward. "excuse me, i can't agree to these conditions. we have teams, nationals coming up. why should we abandon that for this program? who even are you?"

others nodded in agreement. "yeah, i've got nationals too. this doesn't make sense."

ego, unfazed, let the silence hang before responding, "i see. you all seriously don't get it then." he paused, eyes cold. "lock off. anyone who wants to leave can go."

the room went still.

"is being the top high school team in this backward country more important than becoming the world's best striker?" ego's voice cut through the air. "just knowing japan's future is in your hands makes me lose hope."

ego continued, "what is soccer? is it about teamwork, self-sacrifice, and playing for others? that's why japanese soccer is weak. soccer is about scoring more goals than your opponent. whoever scores the most is the greatest. if your idea of soccer is playing friendly games with your buddies, then lock off."

his voice sharpened, driving his point home. "you can't become the world's best striker unless you're the world's biggest egoist. i want to create that kind of player here -- someone who will step over corpses of the 299 people here -- a solitary hero."

he leaned in, eyes narrowing as he delivered the challenge. "imagine the world cup final. you're through the defense, it's just you and the goalkeeper. your teammate's open for an easy goal. but only an egoist takes that shot themselves. forget common sense. on the field, you're the star. isn't that what it means to be a striker?"

ego's words hit you like a jolt. everything he said made perfect sense. your heart raced as you thought about that moment -- the tension, the pressure, the thrill of it being just you and the goal. the idea of relying on anyone else in such a critical moment felt absurd. 

in that situation, it wouldn't be about teamwork -- it would be about proving yourself, about being the one who rises above all.

you're not someone who typically gets interested in much, and most things fail to grab your attention. but this? this was different.

this sparked something in you, a sense of excitement you hadn't felt in a long time. the chance to rely solely on yourself, to stand above everyone else -- it was almost intoxicating.

ego stepped aside, his gaze sharp and expectant, gesturing to the door behind him. "this is the gate to blue lock. cross this line, and you step into a world where only the strongest ego survives."

the challenge was clear, and as if on cue, a boy with short, dark blue hair and intense eyes darted forward without hesitation, sprinting toward the door.

"isagi!" the white-haired guy from earlier called out in shock, his eyes wide as he watched isagi move with unwavering determination.

you glanced at bachira, who was grinning wider than ever, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "see ya on the other side, monster," you muttered, giving him a quick nod before taking off after the blue-haired guy.

your legs moved with purpose, and as you surged forward, you felt a rush of adrenaline. others followed, some hesitant, others with determination, but all driven by the same hunger for greatness.

in the end, you all crossed the line, stepping into the unknown, where only the strongest would emerge.