Chapter 1: The Awakening

In the region of Valencia, one of the quarter-final matches of the second regional league is being played in a packed stadium. The teams on the field are CD Roda Infantil C and CD Castellón Infantil C. The score remains 0-0 in the 60th minute, a reflection of the intense competition between both teams.

The left winger of CD Castellón, wearing jersey number 9, manages to steal the ball from an opposing midfielder with a skillful interception.

"Nicely done, Ryu!" shouts a midfielder from his team.

Ryu breathes heavily, visibly tired, but determined not to lose this match. Quickly, he starts advancing towards the opposing goal. A central defender heads towards him, but Ryu keeps control of the ball, swiftly moving it between his feet. With a skillful move, he confuses the defender and passes the ball through his legs, performing a nutmeg. However, the defender doesn't give up and starts running after him.

Ryu remains unfazed and continues advancing with determination. The last defender stands in front of him, blocking his path. Ryu assesses the distance: he's about 9 meters from the goal. He raises his foot, indicating he's preparing to shoot.

"Ryu, don't be selfish! Pass the ball to Gabriel! You're a winger, your goal is to break through the defense," shouted the Castellón coach from the sideline, his face red with the intensity of the match. The players on the field could feel the pressure in every word from the coach, while the expectant crowd murmured.

Ryu sighed resignedly and moved his left foot, feigning a shot attempt. The two defenders closed in, imposing their tall, robust physique; it was a tough task to get past them, as they seemed experienced beyond their ten years. In a moment of indecision, Ryu assessed his options: he couldn't move or pass the ball without taking a risk. He decided to go for it and began maneuvering the ball between his feet, evading one defender and finding space for a potential shot.

At that moment, Ryu spotted Gabriel unmarked and sent him a direct pass at his feet. Without showing gratitude for the pass, Gabriel adopted an arrogant expression as he positioned himself to shoot. He kicked the ball, but the shot was deflected. The ball struck the crossbar and hung in the air.

"Always the same. I pass to my cousin and he misses every shot. He's the center forward, but he seems unable to get past the opposing team's defense. If it weren't for my uncle, Gabriel's father and the coach, I doubt that genius would still be the center forward... I can't lose," Ryu thought as he rushed towards the left crossbar. His reddened eyes shone intensely under a series of chains surrounding him. Unaware, one of the chains broke, unleashing his potential.

The sudden burst of speed propelled him forcefully from the crossbar. Ryu moved his feet with agility and precision, feeling the energy pushing him upward, jumping several meters towards the opposing goal. With the ball in mind, he moved his right foot and sarcastically muttered, "Go to the goal."

Ryu scored with a bicycle kick, the ball shot out with an unstoppable effect, scoring the first goal of the match in the 70th minute. The broken chain reappeared, the light in his eyes faded, and he fell to the ground with a sharp impact, groaning in pain from the fall. He struggled to get up and watched his teammates celebrating the goal, except for Gabriel and his father.

"I don't know what happened to me, but I'm sure I'll have problems when I get home," Ryu thought as he slowly got to his feet. His teammates swarmed over him, jumping on his back and causing him to fall to the ground again, groaning in pain.

"That was incredible! You're the best, you should be the center forward," exclaimed his teammates.

"Psh, it was just one goal. I can do much better," responded Gabriel arrogantly, annoyed by the praise towards Ryu.

Ryu struggled to his feet, hurrying to get back into position on the field. As he started to running.

Ryu was in the middle of the game, focused on his position when suddenly, like an invisible punch, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. It was as if his heart was bursting. Unable to bear it, he collapsed to the ground as his teammates ran towards him in confusion and concern. He tried to say something, but the pain robbed him of breath, and he could only vaguely make out the paramedics arriving quickly and taking him on a stretcher.

He woke up in a white and green hospital room, dazed and disoriented.

"I'm in the hospital," he whispered to himself, feeling the tight bandages on his chest. A dark foreboding feeling came over him as he reflected on what had happened.

"Oh, I see you're awake," said a nurse as she entered the room.

"What happened? Why am I here?" asked Ryu, his voice filled with concern and confusion as he looked at the nurse.

"Son, you were playing a match and unfortunately pushed your body to its limit. That caused a serious issue in your body," the nurse explained solemnly, her words resonating with an ominous tone.

"What do you mean by that?" replied Ryu, a sense of unease growing inside him.

"Son, by pushing your body to its limit, you also pushed your heart to its limit, which has damaged it," said the nurse as she looked at Ryu with compassion, noticing the anguish in his eyes.

Ryu felt a lump in his throat and tears began to well up in his eyes. "What are you telling me? What's wrong with my heart?"

"Ryu, you have a serious heart condition. You won't be able to play soccer or engage in any other sports anymore," the nurse said solemnly before leaving the room, aware that Ryu needed space to process the news.

Ryu silently wondered why it had to be him instead of that idiot Gabriel. Soccer was his only true skill, and now he was forced to depend on his uncle.

Tears streamed down his cheeks as he murmured to himself, feeling the overwhelming weight of injustice.

In that moment, his uncle burst into the room with a cruel, contemptuous smile.

"Kid, if you hadn't been so selfish and had let Gabriel shine, we wouldn't be in this situation now," his uncle snapped harshly, his disappointment and disdain evident in his voice.

Ryu's uncle's words ignited fury within him. "Gabriel, that idiot. If I hadn't passed him the ball, he surely would've scored the goal and I wouldn't have had to push my body," Ryu thought, clenching his fists angrily as he blamed his uncle for everything.

"Stop crying already and let's go," his uncle snapped indifferently before leaving the room.

After his uncle arranged for his discharge from the hospital, Ryu returned home to find the irritating sight of Gabriel mocking him. His aunt laughed loudly at Gabriel's antics, as if he were the undisputed hero of the match. Ryu felt outraged by the injustice of the situation. "What's so funny about it?" he thought sarcastically, holding back his frustration.

Sighing bitterly, Ryu entered his room. From the hallway, his aunt reminded him, "Remember, tomorrow is cleaning day."

Ryu sighed resignedly at another day of cleaning, a routine that seemed to encompass every day of his life. While he struggled to keep the house in order, his beloved Gabriel enjoyed himself carefreely watching television and playing with his friends. The injustice of the situation filled him with deep resentment; why did he have to stay with his aunt and uncle?

Entering his room, he bitterly surveyed the sparse furnishings: just a bed, a table, and a wardrobe filled with Gabriel's used clothes. He sighed with resignation. Despite being just a child, the loss of his parents remained a painful memory. He vividly remembered that fateful day when he was only 3 years old. They were traveling with his parents to Spain; his father, Samuel García, owned a company that exported Spanish products to other countries. His mother, Hikari Fujimoto, originally from Kyoto, Japan, managed several clothing stores in different Japanese cities. She had jet-black hair and fair skin, with eyes as red as rubies, features he had inherited almost entirely.

Though his appearance leaned more towards Spanish, most of his traits came from his mother. The day started as planned by his parents: after breakfast, they drove to the airport and flew first class. Ryu had fallen asleep until that fateful moment...

He woke abruptly when his mother shook him forcefully. He opened his eyes to see his mother visibly distraught and his father frantically searching for parachutes.

"Mom, what's happening?" he asked fearfully, hearing the desperate screams of the passengers.

"Nothing, sweetheart, everything's fine," Hikari replied with a forced smile, trying to calm her son.

But everything was not fine. At that moment, on the plane, an engine exploded, causing the aircraft to plummet with no possibility of parachutes.

He watched as his father returned with a parachute, and the other passengers, in a desperate act, began fighting him to take it from him. Using a suitcase as a shield, he knocked several of them unconscious while struggling to reach them. From a distance, Ryu observed his parents engage in a brief conversation.

"There's only one," Samuel said sadly, his gaze fixed on his wife with a hint of desperation.

"There's only one," Hikari repeated with melancholy, feeling a lump in her throat as she understood the difficult choice they had to make.

"Use it for the boy," Samuel insisted firmly, though his eyes reflected deep anguish.

"No... I can't leave you," Hikari replied stubbornly, clinging to him as if her life depended on it. "We're in this together, Samuel."

"He needs you, you're his mother," Samuel argued, struggling to convince her as he felt time slipping away.

"He needs you too, you're his father," Hikari said with determination, her gaze serious and resolute. "Plus, what if it can't hold both my weight and Ryu's together?".

"You mean..." Samuel began, but his voice faltered under the weight of what they were about to decide.

"Yes, that's what I want. I will stay here with you and he'll have that to increase his chances of survival," Hikari said with a touch of sadness in her voice, aware that she would never see her son grow up.

They both looked at each other with eyes filled with determination, knowing they were making a decision that would change their lives forever...

I vividly recall how they looked at me with strained smiles of anguish as I adjusted the parachute, and how they uttered their final words.

"This is uncomfortable, Mom," I murmured, struggling to adjust the awkward parachute.

"Even if it's uncomfortable, promise me you won't take it off," Hikari said with a forced smile, trying to hide her concern behind a calm tone.

"Okay, Mom, I promise," I replied shakily, my eyes full of trust in her.

She hugged me tightly, as if she wanted to protect me from everything bad that could happen. Then, my father looked at me with eyes full of determination and said:

"Remember, son, when you're out there and feeling very scared, pull the cord," Samuel advised me with a seriousness I had never seen before.

"I will, Dad," I responded with a mix of innocence and bravery, though I didn't fully understand what it meant.

Both prepared to open the emergency door. At that moment, a sense of foreboding gripped me as I watched them with fear and determination.

Understood, here's a more dramatic and emotional version:

They both opened the emergency door and looked at me with eyes full of love and desperation.

"Remember, Ryu, your father and I love you more than words can express," Hikari said with a choked voice, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I know you may not understand everything I'm saying now, but promise me you'll remember. Brush your teeth every day, avoid alcohol in the future because it's bad, and find a woman who loves you as much as I love you."

Samuel, with a mix of pride and sorrow, placed his hand on his son's shoulder and added firmly, "Grow strong and brave, son. You're our champion."

My mother gave me a quick yet heartfelt hug, and then my parents pushed me towards the open door. The cold wind from the altitude whipped against my face as the plane plunged towards the ground.

I was disoriented, not understanding most of what was being said around me. When they threw me out of the plane, I thought they were abandoning me and began to cry. As I rapidly approached the ground, fear overtook me, and following my father's advice, I pulled the parachute cord. The parachute opening slowed my fall, and I ended up landing in a tree. At that moment, all I could do was sob, believing my parents had left me alone.

I didn't understand Spanish back then, as I lived in Japan and hardly ventured out. I had no idea how I ended up in the house of my uncle José and his wife. At first, little Gabriel thought we would be playmates, but over time, his presence began to annoy me. He played strange games like competing to see who could eat more, which I didn't understand how that wouldn't make it possible for him to gain weight.

I had to learn Spanish and English, the latter because it is a useful language worldwide, especially if I want to become the best soccer player. Since my parents died, I knew that my life would change drastically. Seeing my uncle José alone confirmed that this change wouldn't be for the better. I don't know how, but my uncle José came to own the money and company of my father, and he's now a soccer coach. He is determined to turn his son Gabriel into the next great Spanish soccer star, despite the fact that Gabriel does not excel as a striker, but rather as a defender thanks to his speed and strength.

Every time he does not pass me the ball, Gabriel runs into me and takes it away from me, something that has happened several times. My uncle José warned me not to speak of what I did not understand and praised Gabriel's talent, something that I envy. All I want from Gabriel is his parents; I long to have mine back.

"Even though my heart is shattered, I will keep playing soccer!" exclaimed Ryu, a fiery red flame burning brightly in his eyes. Feeling the weight of his words, he allowed himself to be embraced by the gentle yet firm grasp of fatigue. He closed his eyes slowly as the sounds of the outside world faded into the distance, surrendering to the sleep that claimed him as a temporary refuge from his pain and determination.

"Have you seen the new volume of Blue Lock?" asked one boy excitedly.

"Yeah, it's volume 17," replied the other, his black hair falling over his eyes.

"That's the volume where Blue Lock faces off against the Japan U-20 squad," the first boy recalled enthusiastically.

"Yeah, but the chapter focuses on Eyelashes," remarked the black-haired boy, his voice softly resonating in the room.

"You mean Rin?" inquired the first boy with curiosity.

"Is there any other character with eyelashes that long?" responded the black-haired boy, his tone almost hypnotic.

"Then, let's read it," suggested the first boy, his words hanging in the air.

"Alright," nodded the black-haired boy as he carefully opened volume 17 of Blue Lock...

The room echoed with Ryu's ragged breaths, each one a reverberation of his internal anguish.

He woke abruptly, his heart hammering against his chest with the familiarity of a dream that wouldn't leave him in peace. Sitting up suddenly in bed, cold sweat beaded his forehead as he struggled to catch his breath.

Since his parents had passed away, Ryu had been haunted by these strange dreams where his football idols came to life as unreal manga characters: Noel Noa, Lavinho, and Marc Snuffy. Although he knew they were nothing more than illusions of his subconscious.

He descended the stairs with the sunset casting the house in golden hues. Rushing to the kitchen, he grabbed some bread and returned to his room. There, his thoughts mingled with the growing darkness of the night. He sighed deeply as he nibbled on the bread, feeling the weight of loneliness and the void his parents had left behind.

After eating, he lay down on his bed and stared blankly at the ceiling. He closed his eyes slowly, allowing weariness and sadness to once again envelop him in the dream world where anything was possible, even a fleeting moment of peace and memories reunited with his parents.

2 years later.

Location: Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Year 2024.

In a public park in Barcelona, early in the morning with the sun just peeking over the horizon, a 12-year-old boy stood out amidst the tranquility of dawn. Despite wearing worn-out sports clothes, obviously hand-me-downs from his cousin, with a faded shirt and well-worn white sneakers, nothing could dampen his passion for soccer.

The boy, with jet-black hair, sparkling ruby-red eyes, and pale skin contrasting against the fresh green grass, mastered the ball with surprising skill. Each touch was precise, every movement a display of his innate ability. Despite the early hour, the park was quiet, only interrupted by the gentle sound of the ball and the determined steps of the boy.

His focus was absolute, as if the world around him faded away while he juggled the ball. In that moment, there was no one else but him, the rising sun, and the serene park environment where soccer was his sole passion and companion during those morning hours.

In the quiet of the park, after finishing a series of ball juggles, the boy counted each touch with determination: '296, 297, 298, 299, and 300, I did it!' he exclaimed fervently as the ball bounced for the last time on the ground. With steady steps, he picked up the ball and headed towards the park's exit, his mind filled with determination and his heart full of ambition.

Ryu hurriedly arrived at his uncle's house and was surprised to find him already awake, which was unusual since he typically got up at 9 in the morning.

"Where the hell have you been, brat?" roared Uncle José, fixing a furious gaze on the black-haired boy.

"Anywhere but here," Ryu replied firmly, ignoring the rage reddening his uncle's face. Without another word, he quickly turned around and locked himself in his room, slamming the door shut behind him.

Ryu lay on his bed, overwhelmed by his darkest and most discouraging thoughts. It had been two years since he fully immersed himself in soccer, but every attempt to play a match was cut short by sharp pain in his chest, as if his heart were on the verge of exploding. He knew there was an operation that could save him, but the prohibitive cost of 100,000 euros seemed insurmountable under his Uncle José's skeptical gaze.

Despite his condition, he clung to hope. He decided to dedicate himself to perfecting his ball control, making it a natural extension of his body. He felt deep pride in his skill, but watching his cousin Gabriel's progress, that pride was tinged with a pang of bitterness. Gabriel was shining in Barcelona's academy, specifically in the youth team known as La Masía. Not only was he excelling as a central defender, but he was earning the nickname "The Unbreakable Wall."

From a distance, Ryu watched Gabriel's success and tortured himself with the question of what would have happened if, at that crucial moment on the field, he had chosen to attempt a goal instead of passing the ball.

"No need to dwell on what could have been," murmured Ryu as he felt the gentle light of dawn seeping through his window.

But then, in a barely audible whisper that broke the morning's silence, he continued with a voice choked with frustration and desperation: "But if I could just play again... just to play... I'd sell my soul to the devil himself." He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned as white as the light of the new day peeking over the horizon.

"100% ambition! 100% selfishness... 95%... ding... ding... ding... 97%... ding... Ding... ding... ding... 99%... 100%! Ego System activated!" echoed a robotic voice in Ryu's mind, resonating ominously like an echo in his head.

"What the hell?" exclaimed Ryu upon hearing the voice, feeling his head throb with piercing pain. He clutched the bedsheets tightly as he groaned, unable to endure the intensity of the moment. Finally, exhausted, he collapsed onto the bed.

My eyes snapped open, the pain abruptly fading away. I remembered... I don't belong to this world... or rather, I've been reincarnated into who I am now. I don't recall everything, but I know in my previous life I wasn't like this. Those dreams... they weren't mere fantasies; they were vivid memories of my past life. I was an ordinary yet deeply contemplative student. I questioned God and everything that exists... humanity... even death itself. How did I reach the point of deciding to end my life to resolve doubts about God's existence? I didn't care about facing eternity in the flames of hell; I simply craved certainty. And now, here I am, reincarnated into this world that in my previous life would have only been considered a manga — I thought, paralyzed and stunned by the revelation.

Ryu shook his head firmly. That past life was no longer his, though the memories persisted like ghosts in his mind. He had died due to an absurd existential doubt, a mistake he now deeply regretted.

"Host, do you wish to heal your heartache?" echoed the robotic voice, as a window emerged with two clearly outlined options: [Accept] or [Reject]. Without hesitation, Ryu pressed [Accept]. In an instant, a wave of fatigue engulfed him, causing him to collapse violently to the ground.

"Host, healing your heart is crucial to reset your attributes. All your attributes will revert to 5 to heal your heart," declared the robotic voice with an impassive yet urgent tone.

"Damn it, and you're telling me this now...?" exclaimed Ryu in frustration as his body succumbed to the weight of pain. With one last sigh, he fell into a deep coma.

Upon hearing the sound of something falling in Ryu's room, Uncle José startled and hurried to Ryu's room. He slammed open the door, exasperated.

"Damn kid, what's wrong?!" José exclaimed, concern battling with irritation as he saw Ryu lying on the floor. "It better not be some joke."

As he looked at his nephew's lifeless body, a shiver of unease ran down his spine. "Damn it, now I have to get him to the hospital," he muttered under his breath. "I'd let him die if it weren't for needing him alive to keep using my idiot brother's company money," he thought bitterly as he hoisted Ryu's body like a sack of potatoes.

José quickly drove his nephew to the hospital. After being informed that Ryu needed to stay admitted for a week, he left without further ado.

"End of Chapter 1."

"This was made by FanficZone."