Chapter 3: SSS

(A/n: I think it's more fun when the story is in Isagi's pov so I'll make him the narrator of the major parts...)

|Isagi's pov|

-3 days later-

It's been 3 days since the game of tag that Ego-san made us play. Ever since then, we've been doing mainly endurance tests.

And, currently, it's very early in the morning, a couple of hours before the match, as I can't sleep due to nervousness. It's definitely bad specially since I have a game to play in a few hours but I can't do anything about it.

Thinking of something that can ease my nervousness, my mind wandered on the events that happened before the 3 days of nothing but endurance training.

With Kai's incredible bicycle shot, Kira's future as a japanese player ended.

After that, Kira muttered some words for a few seconds seemingly possessed before it lead to him snapping out of anger as he tried to punch Kai to which Kai easily evaded while laughing before countering him with a punch of his own making Kira pass out with a smashed and broken nose.

I don't know anything about fighting but even I can tell that he's also a master when it comes to the art of fighting. What a scary guy. I can just imagine what kind of life he has gone through to become the monster that he is currently.

Ego then stepped in appearing in the monitor as he made him carry Kira outside as his punishment to which he happily obeyed with his unchanging nonchalance before he carried Kira like a sack of potatoes outside...

After Kai came back, he then declared Kira out of blue lock before he moved on like nothing happened as he explained how the tag he made us play was actually all about football.

Things like the length and width of the room is similar to the penalty area, how being "it" and not requires skills from a striker, how the time given to us is the average time a player holds the ball during a game- things like those.

And then, after that, he explained the rules.

Apparently, we will play as a team against other teams in this strata (which is the lowest strata among five stratas), in a round robin tournament style. He also explained the points system of match outcomes, the deduction of points incase of foul plays, and lastly, the way to pass even if your team is expelled which is to be the one to score the most goals.

It's basically a system that encourages us to be selfish and just play for our own goals...well, that's what I think atleast.

There's also the highly competitive rules even in the most important things such as food and training equipments. Basically, everything is decided by your rank in the facility. If you have a high rank, then you get to eat and train in luxury. If not, then you get the exact opposite.

That's the cruel but logical rule that Ego placed in this facility.

But still...fried egg sucks man...it's the side dish that I've been eating everyday for 3 whole days...I'm already sick of it...

Anyways, those are all the things that happened before he made us do the 3 days endurance tests.

And, as expected, the one who is topping all of them is non other than Kai.

During the tests, Kai easily crushed all of our records. Even the new number 1, that dude called Bachira, cannot even be compared to him.

Compared to me...

Ah shit. Thinking about him just made me more nervous.

'By the way...'

That Kaizer...except for the weird dude, everyone in the team avoids talking to him...well, I can't really blame them. The dude was so nonchalant even though he just made someone pass out with a punch which is abnormal. They probably want to avoid talking to him lest they somehow made him angry. There's also the unapproachable air around him that makes one hesitate to approach him...

'Wait, what the heck am I even doing.'

Getting up (after pushing Igaguri away who is sleeping in an extremely weird position), I then got out of the room.

'At this rate, I'll be expelled in no time...everyone here is better than me...heck even the supposed to be last rank is so much better than me...'

I then started jogging towards the football field that is in the 2nd floor.

"Practice, practice!"

After jogging my way through the dark hallway, I finally reached the door towards the field as it opened automatically. Apparently, it's always open for us if we ever want to train.

'Man, automatic doors are really awesome.'

As the door opened automatically, I was surprised to see two individuals playing.

---

-Some time before Isagi entered-

|Kai's pov|

*Poom!*

After stepping on the penalty arc, I kicked the ball.

The ball pierced through the air as it goes to the top right side of the goal. Seeing that, I pumped my fist as some buds of sweat either flew or dripped from me.

"Alright! That's 9-6, Bachira. Just 1 to go!"

After scoring a goal, I turned to Bachira who is holding his knees while full of sweat and gasping for air.

We started a first to 10 one vs. one match and never stopped when he entered an hour ago resulting to his current exhausted state.

"*Hah* *Hah* Y-you're really something else, kai-chan. I entered the field later than you yet I'm already so much more exhausted."

Wiping the sweat on me with my sleeves, I responded as I walked towards the ball that was inside the goal.

"Well, that's just one of the benefits of having a body like me."

Grabbing the ball and walking towards the center mark, I saw Bachira straightening his body as he walks towards me before asking.

"How many hours have you been here anyways? I think it's already been about an hour since I entered, how about you?"

Putting my hands on my waist as I dropped the ball and stepped on it, I thought for a second before answering him.

"Hmm I think it's been 3 hours?"

At my answer, a surprised expression surfaced on his face. Well, it's understandable since my answer would mean that...

"Eh~ doesn't that mean that you've woken up at 4 o'clock? That means that you've only slept for 4 hours...wouldn't it be bad for you?" He asked.

Our sleeping schedule is 12 to 7 o'clock. A full 7 hours of rest.

A schedule of sleep that is on the very edge of the required hours of sleep of a normal adult.

It's obvious that Ego wants to be as time efficient as possible since he didn't followed the required time for athletes which is 9-10 hours.

Which is understandable since the goal of this facility is to create a world class super striker in just six months. To achieve that goal, even a single hour is very important.

If, say, he let's us sleep for another hour, those 1 hour will pile up everyday until it reaches hours that can amount to many days of wasted time.

Anyways, me waking up at 4am would mean that I only slept for 4 hours like what Bachira said...

"Well, it's definitely bad for normal people but...have you heard of short sleep syndrome?" I inquired him.

Putting his index finger on his lip, he pondered for a moment.

"Hmm...nope! Never heard of it. But judging from its name..."

"Yeah. It's a syndrome that makes people need less sleep than normal. For normal people, 7 to 8 hours is necessary to be fully functional for the day, but for people with the same condition as me, 5 to 6 hours is enough. Which is why I can afford to sleep for only 4 hours since that's basically cutting only 1 hour on my required sleeping time." I explained to him.

"Wow~♪ Isn't that a very convenient condition? How envious, Kai-chan~"

Very convenient indeed.

"Yeah, I'm very thankful for it. Some billionaires actually have this syndrome so you could just imagine how they became what they are today with it...anyways, let's continue."

I said as I started dribbling.

"Sure~♪"

He then defended though with noticeable sluggishness from tiredness.

I stepped over the ball with my right foot before I kicked it with my left.

I've had Bachira teach me some basic and simple techniques that I can use and I've already figured out what kind of play I can do to put it on its maximum use.

Simple techniques like la croqueta, chopping, scissors, pull back V, curve shot- techniques like those that are simple and easy to execute.

After all, I only have 3 days as training time so I can't afford to learn techniques that might require some days to fully learn. I might be a genius but it's not like I can copy any techniques that I saw once.

Hence, I only learned simple skills and will use them as efficient as possible to maximize their use.

They might be simple tricks but they can still be effective weapons when held by someone with a tank body and inhuman reflexes like me. Perfect body for the win.

Anyways, after doing a simple scissor and kicking the ball forward, I then used my right arm to hold him off as I run passed him while he tries to keep up with me.

I noticed that the door opened as Isagi entered but I ignored it for now.

After running for a bit, I then used my left foot to chop the ball back before stopping.

Due to his tiredness, Bachira wasn't able to keep up as the momentum carried him away.

"Whoa!"

After trying to stop the momentum with his right foot, he decided against it as he just lets his body fall. Looks like he ran out of gas completely huh.

"Oh well~" saying that, he then fell on the ground as I kicked the ball towards the goal.

*Poom!*

It then goes on the top right side of the goal again though a little lower.

*Swif!*

Hmm not bad. Looks like my aim is already on the level of an average striker. Definitely not bad for someone who just trained for 3 days.

"And that's a 10-6. Good game, Bachira."

"Nyahaha~ You're such a monster, Kai-chan, you can already beat me with only 3 days of training~"

He said while laying on the field. He looks completely out of gas and really tired as the rapid rising up and down of his chest made it obvious.

"Well, what can I say but thanks, I guess...anyways, wanna join us, Isagi?"

Hearing me, Bachira turned towards the door as he saw Isagi watching us.

"Hiya isagi~"

"Hello...the two of you seems to be having...fun..."

He said walking towards us. From the eyebags under his eyes, it looks like he wasn't able to sleep...

"Well, ya can count me out for the fun since I don't have any energy anymore~ by the way, did you not sleep, Isagi? You look a little tired."

"Yeah...It's embarrassing to say but I was too nervous thinking about our upcoming match so...yeah..."

I see...the threat of not being able to play for japan if we lose had that much impact on him huh...

"Well, ya can play with Kai-chan here to stop your nervousness if ya want~"

"That's right...so, want a 1 v 1 too, Isagi?"

I said looking at him. I still have energy to spare so might as well spend it since there's still a couple of hours left before our match.

He then nodded.

"Alright, let's do rock paper sci-"

Before I could even continue with my rock paper scissors suggestion, a woman's voice sounded from the speakers near the ceiling.

[Ding dong dang dong]

[Ahem. We have finished compiling the test results from the last three days...so hurry back to your rooms and look at your new rankings.]

Hearing that, I looked at Isagi awkwardly.

"Nyahaha~ looks like ya were a little late, Isagi~"

"What he said..."

Isagi then laughed awkwardly in response as he scratches his head.

With that, I carried the completely exhausted Bachira on my back as we went back to the team's room.

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-End-

(A/n: I originally didn't want to end it here but my mind is already too tired for some reason...)

2105 words.

Please drop some stones if you enjoyed reading.