Ethereal ✦ Blue Lock

23||The Invincible Trio

Chapter 23: Mysterious Fox, Speed Demon and Happy bee

Song: Me too

If I was you, I'd wanna be me too.

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Ryouta's POV:

I finished my last shot of the first stage and walked off the field, heading into the next room. It was massive, packed with people milling around, all trying to figure out their next move. I glanced up at the screen and saw the instructions: "Create teams of 3."

Scanning the crowd, my eyes moving over the sea of faces, but none of them were familiar. It felt like a blur of strangers all lost in their own thoughts, trying to figure out their next move. Just as I started to feel a little out of place, a familiar voice cut through the noise, full of energy and excitement.

"Ryu-chan!!" Bachira called, his eyes practically glowing as he made his way toward me, weaving through the crowd. I couldn't help but smile at the sight of him. His enthusiasm was contagious, and it was exactly what I needed to break the tension in the air.

"Bachira!!" I shouted back, practically grinning from ear to ear. Without missing a beat, we slapped a high five that was probably loud enough to echo across the room. It felt good to see a friendly face, especially in a place so full of strangers.

"Finally, a familiar face that's not an egotistical king or a depressed mess!" Bachira grinned, his expression lighting up as if he'd just stumbled upon a hidden treasure.

I leaned casually against the wall, crossing my arms. "So, you still haven't made a team?"

Bachira shrugged nonchalantly, his eyes still scanning the room. "Nope. I was waiting for Louis, Isagi, and the others, but I heard they already left. No big deal, though."

I raised an eyebrow, curiosity getting the best of me. "Huh, who's their third?"

"Nagi," he replied with a hint of amusement.

I nodded slowly, a sense of weight settling on the name. "Ah, Nagi..." The silence that followed was thick. We both knew exactly what that meant, and the idea was already swirling in our minds.

Bachira broke the silence first, his grin stretching "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

I met his gaze, my smirk matching his. "Probably. Great minds think alike, after all."

Without missing a beat, he draped an arm around my shoulder, and I mirrored the move without hesitation. It was strange how natural it felt, like we'd known each other for years rather than just moments. Our energy clicked, as if we'd been in sync from the start.

"Okay, so who's our third member?" Bachira asked, scanning the room like he was searching for something.

I glanced over at the gate. "Whoever walks through that gate first."

"Deal!" Bachira said immediately.

As if on cue, the gate swung open, and in walked a guy with striking pink hair. He looked like he'd just stepped out of a magazine—ridiculously handsome, with his long hair practically glowing under the lights, as though he'd been designed to turn heads.

Bachira started walking toward Chigiri, practically bouncing on his feet. "Yo, Chigiri!" he called out, waving dramatically as he moved in for a high five.