Chapter 3: What's a King, to an Emperor
\Cafeteria\
While Isagi is headed to the cafeteria, he reflected on life at Blue Lock. The players were given pretty bad food, On the other hand, he suspected higher-ranked players in other facilities were treated better., with better amenities, and so on.
Isagi sat down at a table with his teammates. Though he never spoke, he still learned their names. After everyone had gone to bed, Isagi slipped out to train. To his surprise, he found Bachira already there, practicing his dribbling.
\practice grounds\
As Isagi began stretching, Bachira approached him with the ball. "Yo, Isagi!" he exclaimed.
"Hey," Isagi responded nonchalantly. "Blue Lock is amazing, don't you think? They're training us to become the best of the best!" Bachira continued, his enthusiasm unwavering.
"Yeah, I guess," Isagi responded with a shrug.
"Isagi Yoichi, your play against Kira was incredible," Bachira complimented him.
"Get to the point, bangs," Isagi said, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Simply put, I have a monster inside of me," Bachira said, his tone becoming serious. "When I'm playing soccer, the monster comes out and talks to me."
"Monster?" Isagi asked, his interest piqued. "The monster helps me and tells me what to do," Bachira explained. "And in that moment, the monster said to me: 'Yoichi Isagi, he's got a monster too.'
Isagi's expression remained unchanged, but he was intrigued. Bachira slowly approached him with the ball, silently challenging him to a one-on-one, prompting Isagi to comply.
"Weave about more," Bachira said, before attempting to side-step Isagi. "Score a goal," he added. "Those are such examples of what it tells me."
Isagi interrupted him. Whilst calculating Bachira's next play, he also said, "Is that your ego? If you need something to tell you how to play, then your soccer is not worth playing." Bachira was surprised by Isagi's response. He touched and yanked the ball up, but Isagi dashed and got to it before Bachira could touch it.
"What's the point of a monster if you can't play on your own?" Isagi said, his eyes glowing white as he saw an arrow pointing towards Bachira's legs.
The ball traveled between Bachira's legs, as Isagi emerged behind him. "A nutmeg?" Bachira exclaimed, surprised that it had happened to him. "You can't call yourself a striker with an ego like that," Isagi said firmly. "To put it simply, I'd rather die than play like that. Meguru Bachira, Develop your own style and become the second-best in the team. *Once you achieve that, then I'll consider passing to you.*"
As Isagi began to walk away, Bachira looked on in awe, deeply pondering what Isagi had said.
\Rooms: Team Z\
As the players groggily woke up to the sound of bells, they knew that it was time for another announcement from Ego. "Ding, Dong, Dang, Dong," the bells chimed.
"We have finished compiling the test results from the last three days," Ego's voice boomed through the speakers. "Have a look at your new rankings."
The players rushed to their screens to check their rankings, eagerly awaiting the results. Isagi, confident in his abilities, expected to be at the top.
"Hello, are you enjoying your lives here at Blue Lock?" Ego's voice interrupted Isagi's thoughts. "Jinpachi Ego," Isagi thought to himself as Raichi loudly exclaimed, "Shove it up your ass! How can anyone enjoy this shit! Is living in this fucking hellhole meant to make us better?"
Ego's response was quick and cutting. "Shitty football calls for a shitty environment, capiche, Seiyuu Raichi?" Raichi bristled at the insult.
Ego continued, "Let's talk about Blue Lock. This place has 5 different areas, and we have 25 teams going right from B to Z. Each area has different living conditions, equipment, beds, food, and environment. And a better life."
Isagi's eyes widened as he listened to Ego's words. The thought of living in better conditions was enticing. Ego continued, "But you guys are the lowest of the low. Your area has players between 265 and 275. You guys are the worst players in this facility. You're rock bottom. I don't even know if you'll be able to survive. To be honest, you're just here for numbers."
The news hit the players hard, and Isagi could see the despair on their faces. But Ego wasn't finished yet. "But don't worry," he said with a glint of ambition in his eyes. "If you truly aim for a better life here at Blue Lock, keep pushing. The higher your rank, the better your lifestyle. You will be kings. This is what it means to be in Blue Lock. LET THE FIRST SELECTION BEGIN!"
With those words, the players felt a renewed sense of purpose. They were determined to climb the ranks and earn a better life for themselves. Isagi was excited to crush those who dare challenge him, and he wouldn't stop until he reached the top.
\Team Z prep\
Team Z was in their room, preparing for their match against Team X. They nervously played Rock, Paper, Scissors to determine who would could choose their own position.
"Rock, Paper, Scissors, SHOOT!" they exclaimed, and Isagi won. He chose to play forward, as he always did.
Ego's face appeared on the TV screen, and he began to explain the rules of the First Selection once again. It was a round-robin tournament between five teams, and only the top two would advance to the Second Selection. However, there was an alternative way to survive: by being the top scorer on your team at the end of the selection.
Ego announced that the first match between Team X and Team Z would begin in just two hours.
As they gathered in the changing rooms and prepared the team sheet, Kuon spoke up. "Alright people," he said, grabbing everyone's attention. "We don't have much time to come up with a game plan, so our only method is to send the ball to Isagi and let him do the finishing. We have to believe in him." Bachira replied, "Al~ Rightt~♫," and everyone else voiced their agreement.
\Locker Rooms & Field\
Isagi tried to calm his nerves, reminding himself that he was the best player on the field. He walked out with confidence, leading his team onto the pitch.
As they entered the center field of the fifth stratum, Isagi felt an overwhelming pressure.
"Team X is coming," Kunigami warned them. Team X emerged from the tunnel with arrogance and pride written on their faces.
Isagi felt a rush of excitement. "This is going to be amazing!" he thought to himself.
Suddenly, Isagi locked eyes with the tallest and most egotistical member of Team X, Barou.
Isagi approached him, standing right in front of him and locking eyes. "Do you seriously think you're better than me?" Barou asked, his tone dripping with arrogance.
Isagi smiled and replied, "Yes, I do."
Barou scoffed. "Well, sit the fuck down, you donkey. I'm the king of this field."
Isagi chuckled to himself.
"What's a king to an emperor?" he retorted.
Barou's anger boiled over. "Shut the fuck up, you donkey! I'll destroy you and your shitty team!" he shouted, veins popping on his forehead.
Kunigami intervened, separating the two. "Hey, you two, break it up!" he commanded.
The tension was palpable as both teams took their positions on the field.
Isagi could feel the eyes of both his teammates and opponents on him. He knew he had to prove himself as the best player on the pitch.
Isagi receives the ball and three opposing players immediately rush towards him, but his eyes remain focused and determined. "You think I'm just an amateur with this rank?"
(A/N isagi is the highest rated in team Z.)
Isagi smirks as he surveys the field, calculating every possible scenario and analyzing every player's movement.
He sees Bachira wide open and prepares to make the pass, but suddenly, Raichi intercepts the ball from Isagi's grasp.
"Pass the ball, you idiot!" Isagi yells at Raichi, his eyes glowing fiercely.
But to his surprise, Raichi grins mischievously and responds, "You don't get it, do you? To win this game, YOU have to score the most goals. Fuck the team."
Kunigami steps in, and steals the ball from Raichi. "If you want to play by Blue Lock rules, you'll have to do it with me, one on one."
The chaos on the field only intensifies as the players clash for the ball.
Isagi watches with a smile on his face, his eyes flickering with excitement at the endless possibilities.
He charges towards the warring players, eager to join in the fray, when suddenly a towering figure emerges from the crowd.
Barou Shouei, the self-proclaimed king of the field, snatches the ball from amidst the chaos and races towards the goal post.
Isagi watches with amusement, as Barou unleashes a powerful shot into the top left corner of the box, scoring a goal that echoes across the field. - 0-1 -
Isagi chuckles, which slowly turns to laughter, and says, "Is that all the King has to offer? If that's the case..."
His eyes shine brighter than before, "It won't even be a battle."
Team X starts from the top and passes the ball to Barou.
He tries to dribble through the middle, but the ball is stolen by Isagi. "You're too simplistic," Isagi says, with an emotionless gaze.
He then heads forward, dribbling alone. Isagi analyzes all the possible routes, noting the arrows that appear in his mind.
After careful consideration, he chooses the most optimal route and begins to weave through the defenders.
He sees the arrows in his mind as he beats the defenders one by one, leaving them in the dust. Isagi finally reaches the goalkeeper, who prepares to make the save.
With a quick fake, he sends the goalkeeper diving in the wrong direction, and then walks the ball into the net. "Pathetic," Isagi says with a smirk. - 1-1 -
As Isagi celebrates, he can see the looks of shock on the faces of the opposing team. The King's team had been outmaneuvered, and it was clear that Isagi's skills were not to be underestimated.
With Barou and Isagi both scoring, the players on the field quickly realized that the chaos strategy was no longer effective, and they began forming actual teams. The game grew even more intense as a result.
As Team X attempted to make their way through the middle once again, Isagi's eyes scanned the field, searching for any weakness to exploit.
The moment the ball was in range, he moved like lightning, effortlessly stealing it from his opponents.
Isagi took a moment to assess the situation before making his next move.
He noticed that one of his teammates seemed eager to score, so he passed the ball to the top left corner of the field, leaving it open.
Red hair could be seen flowing in that direction, as Chigiri appeared racing towards the top left.
He took a shot, but it was blocked by the keeper. However, someone was quick to recover the ball and took another shot at the goal.
Isagi remained unfazed. "Whatever," he thought to himself, "I'll do it myself."
In an instant, he appeared by the ball and executed a spectacular scissor kick, sending the ball flying towards the back of the net with incredible force and accuracy. -2-1-
He slowly walked back to the starting position.
As the game progressed, Barou noticed that everyone was focusing on defense and not attacking. He couldn't believe it and stood alone at the half-field mark.
He glanced at Isagi, who was standing still, watching him closely and waiting for him to make a mistake.
"What's wrong with them? They're all playing like scaredy-cats," Barou muttered under his breath.
In that moment of distraction, the ball was stolen from Barou by Bachira, who cheekily stuck his tongue out at him. "You're not paying attention, Barou-chan," Bachira teased.
He then sent the ball to Isagi, who received it with a beautiful touch, sending it over the head of a defender.
Barou immediately sprinted towards Isagi, trying to use his size advantage to push him off the ball.
But Isagi had positioned himself in such a way that he couldn't be moved, using his keen observation skills to find the optimal position.
"What the hell, he's like a brick wall!" Barou exclaimed in frustration. He tried again, but Isagi moved quickly with the ball and then decided to cause more chaos by passing it to Bachira, who seemed to understand Isagi's intention.
"Here ya go, Bachira," He said as he passed the ball.
"Thanks," Bachira dribbled past a defender with an elastico move, leaving the defender in a spin.
He was then trapped by two other defenders but kept his cool, he then stuck his tounge out at them, looking at them with determination.
With a sudden move, he did a no-look pass to someone, surprising the defenders.
"What the... did you see that?" one of the defenders exclaimed in disbelief.
Gagamaru tried to head the ball into the goal, but it went past him.
Suddenly, we see bright orange hair zooming towards the ball. "Leave it to me," Kunigami said as he lined up for a long-ranged shot.
He kicked the ball with all his might, sending it flying towards the goal, which stunted everyone. The goal was magnificent. -3-1-
/Half-Time/
As the players of Team Z entered the locker rooms during halftime, they were all eager to get the ball from Isagi.
However, his attention was fixed on Bachira, who was standing across from him."Switch positions with me, Bachira. I'll get you a goal,"
At this remark, Raichi yelled, stating about the chance of the others getting a pass.
Isagi glared at Raichi, and an overwhelming aura emanated from him, making everyone in the room feel uneasy. "Watch your tone, Raichi," Isagi said in a low voice that carried a dangerous undertone.
The rest of the team followed Isagi out of the locker room as they prepared for the second half of the game.
\Second-Half\
In the second half, Team X finally scored their second goal, bringing the score to 3-2.
Isagi was surprised but unfazed. "Not half bad, but in the end, it's all still pointless." he said calmly.
Isagi received the ball and started to dribble through the defense, displaying his skills once again.
He chipped the ball over the last defender, and it floated in the air for a few moments before landing right in front of Bachira.
"Damn, the monster inside of me really likes this guy because I'm all fired up now," Bachira thought to himself as he saw the ball coming towards him.
He kicked the ball and scored a goal of his own.
Walking over to Isagi, Bachira said, "Good pass." "Just make sure you're ready for the next one." Isagi said, uncaringly.
As the game progressed, it was becoming clear that Team X was struggling to find a way through Team Z's defense.
In the midst of it all, Bachira was a standout player on the field, moving with incredible speed and agility, evading the defenders with ease.
With a mischievous grin on his face, he laughed as he danced around two defenders, leaving them in his wake.
As he approached the goal, Bachira's excitement was palpable.
With a quick burst of speed, he found himself face to face with the goalkeeper.
In one fluid motion, he executed a back-heel shot that sailed past the keeper and into the net, bringing the score to 4-2.
Isagi, impressed by Bachira's skill, made a bold statement. "Bachira is free to do whatever he wants in my presence, while the rest of you can squander around in defense."
The rest of the team protested, but Isagi's commanding voice cut through the chaos. "My orders are absolute on this pitch."
As Bachira received the ball, he noticed that he was being surrounded by Team X.
He could feel their eyes on him as they closed in, trying to strip him of the ball. But he was not one to back down.
With quick footwork, he juked to the left, sending one defender sprawling to the ground.
Then he darted to the right, leaving another defender in the dust.
The rest of Team X struggled to keep up with his lightning-quick movements, but Bachira remained in control of the ball.
Finally, he saw an opening and passed the ball to the middle near the top of the field, where Isagi was waiting.
He had been closely marked by two defenders, but as soon as he saw Bachira's pass, he made his move.
With fast reflexes, as well as the use of his \Supreme Vision\, he darted between the defenders, who were caught off guard by his sudden change of direction.
Then he jumped and hit the ball with a powerful volley, sending it soaring towards the net. -5-2-
The keeper of Team X tried to stop the ball, but it was too fast and too well-placed.
As the ball hit the back of the net, Isagi raised his arms in triumph. He had scored the final goal of the match, securing Team Z's victory.
________________________________________________________________________________
A/N: Thank you for reading this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it. I apologize for any mistakes that may have slipped through. As you may have noticed, Isagi's skills are incredibly overpowered, but I hope that we were able to give some of the other characters a chance to shine as well. - Author-san
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Shlawlu
Shlawlu Barou or Isagi?
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone