The Next Stage

Sho quietly yawned as a somewhat tall player with circle-framed glasses approached him. "I watched your tape against Team Z. You seem pretty decent. Wanna join my team?"

Sho must have been too focused on the sliding doors since he didn't notice the relatively tall player approaching him.

"People usually introduce themselves, then ask questions?" Sho suggested, looking towards the black-haired teen.

"Sorry about that, I'm Yukimiya Kenyu. But call me Yukimiya." He replied.

"Alright, do you have anyone else in mind you might want to team up with?" Sho asked.

"Of course, just give me a minute," Yukimiya replied as he walked across the room towards an average-built player with spiky dark purple hair and a peculiar mole under his right eye.

Sho couldn't audibly hear what they said but decided to wait by the sliding doors as Yukimiya talked to the seemingly confident player. A few minutes passed as Yukimiya convinced him to join their team.

As soon as the three verbally agreed to form a team, an oni image of them with their names under it appeared from above them on the flat screen T.V. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Shihoin Sho." Said Sho, clasping his hands together. "Likewise, I'm Karasu Tabito," Karasu replied. They continued making small talk as they walked through the opening doors towards the next stage.

As they went through the dark hallway towards the next stage, Sho randomly looked behind and mischievously giggled to himself—watching both Isagi and Bachira enter the room he was previously waiting in. He turned back to his newly formed team and lightly jogged up to them as the sliding doors sensed their approach, immediately welcoming them to the Third Stage.

The room was currently unpopulated but had a big three painted on the floor as small chairs shaped like soccer balls littered the room. Four Forty-eight inch monitors lined the walls as one immediately turned on. "After six people occupy this room, I'll explain the rules," Jinpachi explained, as he scratched an itch near his cheek.

Immediately after he finished that sentence the, sliding door they previously walked through opened, introducing the second team to make it to the Third Stage.

A tall player with short, flat white hair with a strand of hair in the middle that's dark green walked in with a blank stare but, his expression quickly changed, seeing a familiar face.

"Long time no see, Tabito."

"Oh hey, Eita. How's it been? I couldn't find you back there. You were taking so long I joined up with these guys." Karasu replied as he pointed towards both Yukimiya and Sho with his thumb. Both players kindly waved towards Eita as Eita waved back.

"Where's the rest of your te-?" Karasu asked before he was rudely interrupted by a sudden voice coming from the dark hallway he was previously in.

"We're here." A voice Sho undeniably knew replied.

Yukimiya and Sho took their attention off Karasu's conversation and looked towards the open doors.

"It's nice, knowing I'd be facing you again Bachira," predicted Sho as Bachira came out from the hallway and knowingly grinned towards him. Before the last person on Otoya's team could make their dramatic entrance, Jinpachi voluntarily coughed, gaining everyone's attention.

"Now that I've gained everyone's undivided attention, I'll begin explaining the Third Stage," stated Jinpachi, watching the last player of Otoya's team enter.

"It's a simple three versus three-team battle. The third stage is a mini-game-styled battle with the three you teamed up with. Both teams will have the hologram known as Blue Lock Man as their goalkeeper, and the team that scores five goals first wins, stated Jinpachi, cracking his knuckles.

"Now for the fun part. The winning team will pick one member from the losing team and steal them for their own, forming a four-player team. The team that creates a team of five and reaches the fifth stage will have officially cleared the Second Selection. But. The losing team will be, set down a level until they become a team of two—the moment you lose the two versus two battle and you're not picked by the winning team you'll, be kicked from Blue Lock." Jinpachi explained, resting his intertwined fingers against his lap.

Sho unknowingly yawned, expecting his explanation to be over with but was proven wrong as Jinpachi continued his rant.

"This is where you rob each other's rivals and very possibly someone's future," Jinpachi spoke, emotionlessly pointing towards the players. "You're free to pick whoever you want as opponents but, both teams must accept it."

Yukimiya the round-eyed model politely raised his hand, interrupting Jinpachi. "So we should fight against those teams who have members we'd want on our teams?"

"Precisely. The key to clear this stage is choosing your allies wisely and, to represent that, we've given you new Blue Lock rankings." Jinpachi explained, pointing towards his shoulder.

Everyone in the room heard a quiet sound come from their shoulders and glanced towards their new rankings.

"Your rankings will be the order in which you cleared the first stage, and of course, your ranks will update as you produce results." Jinpachi dramatically paused, putting his hands together, resting them under his chin. "Those who grasp the chemical reaction between egos will be the strikers who claim their ticket to the next stage. Do anything to win and guarantee your future," Jinpachi revealed as the monitor he spoke through turned off.

"Well, that was a lot to take in, right Yukimiya," Sho asked, as Yukimiya nodded. "Well, what do you say Tabito wanna see who's better?" Otoya asked. "I don't mind but, it's up to everybody else," Karasu replied, receiving nods of agreement from both Sho and Yukimiya.

"Haha, I'll agree to the match but, under one condition said Bachira, raising his finger in the air. "I want one night to sleep cause I'm pretty tired," Bachira added, quickly walking out of the small confined room, ignoring everyone's disagreeing remarks.

Everyone reluctantly followed in Bachira's steps and entered a random gate with a sign above it titled, "Break Room Gate."

A new section to Blue Lock neighbored the small previous room they were in as some of them marveled at the new empty dining room. A big eighty-eight-inch monitor overlooked the space as they all stopped and read out the directions to their new rooms.

"This place is a lot nicer than the old one. Sho, are you hungry? Otoya and I are going to get something to eat." Karasu invited him as they both walked towards the kitchen. "Thanks for inviting me but I'm good. I'm gonna go take a nap." Replied Sho as he followed the directions towards his new room. Replied Sho as he followed the directions towards his new room.

Sho opened the door to the new room and was quickly disappointed by the small size of the room and the cell-like walls. 'So, it looks like everyone's sleeping in here.' Thought Sho, looking towards the bunk bed, then the mattress on the floor. Sho dimmed the lights in the new room and grabbed a nearby blanket off the bunk bed, effortlessly falling on the soft mattress, falling asleep.

A few hours passed since Sho began his nap but was soon to be interrupted as a closed fist knocked against the steel door, waking Sho up. He unsteadily got on his feet, wiping the crust off his eyelashes. Sho barely made out both Yukimiya and Karasu's sleeping figures under their blankets in the barely lit room. He hurriedly jumped over his mattress towards the door as the knocks from the steel door grew louder.

"Nya ha, took you long enough," said Bachira as Sho slowly slid his head out of the door, giving Bachira a death stare. "What do ya need Bachira," asked Sho, stepping out into the hallway, closing the door behind him.

"Sorry if I woke you up," said Bachira, noticing his usually tame hair in a mess. "You're fine. Let's find somewhere more private to talk," replied Sho, as he raised his arms over his head, stretching them. "Why did you want to talk anyway," asked Sho as they began walking towards the dining room. "I just wanted to check up on my friend. We haven't got a chance to sit down and talk," replied Bachira.

Both Sho and Bachira leisurely walked towards the new dining room and chose random seats to sit in and begin their conversation. Their hour-long conversation consisted of Sho apologizing to Bachira for pushing him aside at the beginning of the day, and Bachira asking about the moves Sho managed to copy during their first encounter in Blue Lock.

They parted ways with a simple fist bump. Sho's inviting expression changed to a more stern expression as soon as he turned his back to Bachira, while Bachira's goofy expression remained unchanged.

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Everyone on the pitch stretched either their arms or their legs as they prepared themselves. Animosity slowly grew in their hearts as both teams imagined the other under their boot.

A loud whistle reverberated throughout the field, signaling the start of the game.

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For anyone wondering why rin's team wasn't in the room is because he was still picking/finding teammates.

Who do you think the third player on Otoya and Bachira's team is?

(has not been reread so please point out mistakes so I can provide great chapters in the future)