Chapter Five - Forced Awakenings.

As usual... the day started with Raichi's diabolical screaming as he ranted to everyone about becoming the best. At least he looks in high spirits. During the match yesterday, I had to resort to physical violence. While doing that on field would've resulted in a red card for me, doing it in the lavatory made it much easier. He had quite a lot of stamina but a few calculated kicks that would results in pain but not affect his football skills were enough to make him listen to what I had to offer. Despite how he looks or sounds, he seemed to pretty determined. Once he heard what I had to say he just came to terms with it.

"Well, if we are going to co-operate together then we have to know of each other's weapons. Knowing what area each of us covers would help us in coordinating and scoring more goals." Isagi proposed as he plopped on the bed, a towel around his neck. I stood beside him by resting my back against the wall, utterly silent and just hearing them talk while my wet hair fell on my face as I waited for Chigiri to finish using the hair dryer. He seemed to the most conservative. From the size and shape of his quads he seems to be someone who specialises in high speed maneuvers. I wonder why he didn't run at all.

"That is a good idea. I will start first. My speciality is my long jump." Kuon replied, starting the chain reaction of everyone telling their weapons.

"Mine is my lefty shot and my range." Kunigami replied. It was true that his lefty shots were good but his range wasn't all that good. It could be intercepted easily. However, if he was given proper training, his shots power and accuracy could increase many times over.

"Tackling," Gagamaru said with a confused look, "maybe."

"I can dribble." Bachira said. His dribbling was the finest in Team Z and X.

"My weapon is my incredible shooting technique, and my motto is sexy soccer."

"It's called football you dumbfuck." Kunigami said as Raichi's vein poopped on his temple.

"If I call it soccer, it's soccer."

"We are getting off topic." I said and I could feel everyone's eyes transfer to me.

(3rd person) 

"We are getting off topic," Kiyo said, the words slipping out from between his lips with a sense of urgent calm. Instantly, a heavy silence fell upon the room, and he could feel a palpable shift in the atmosphere. The weight of everyone's gaze bore down on him, their eyes drilling into his soul with sheer intensity. 

Was it something he said? 

Did he unknowingly cross some invisible line? 

Questions crawled in his mind like reeling slugs as he found himself as intensely confused at their intense reaction as they were scared and skeptical at the same time. The look on their faces, a peculiar blend of surprise, suspicion, and perhaps even fear, was enough to make him question if he went too far. 

It was the same for other players. They knew that the match was a draw because of his leadership but they were skeptical of his double sides. The other side of him --- resembling a starved demon that had crawled from the pits of hell that would do anything to not lose. Doubts clawed at the corners of their mind, tempting them to ask him a few questions to seek some explanation for their sudden unease. Yet, the rational part of them warned against it, cautioning that such an inquiry would only solidify their perception of me him unhinged -- a threat.

Kiyo averted his gaze, casting his eyes downward, pretending to be engrossed in some imaginary spot on the floor. Seconds stretched into minutes, each passing moment increasing the tension in the room. The mere sound of his breath seemed deafening in the suffocating silence of the room, echoing off the walls, amplifying the strange and unsettling silence that engulfed everyone.

They wanted to ask him questions but seeing his eyes that demanded a sense of privacy other than the time they were playing together made them decide otherwise. 

After what seemed like an eternity the conversation started to continue again with Kiyo starting it, "Other than knowing each other's weapons there is one crucial part you all must understand."

As he said that everyone's eyes shifted to him. They knew that Kiyo held some knowledge they didn't.

Kiyo, his voice resonating with intellectual vigor spoke, "As previously expounded by Ego in anticipation of our forthcoming game," he commenced, his gaze sweeping over the room, "it has become imperative that we undertake the arduous task of dismantling the foundations of the very pillars upon which our collective understanding of football precariously rests. While seeming impossible it can be effectively accomplished through the execution of two pivotal stages: deconstruction and the subsequent reconstruction of football's core tenets."

A moment of hushed anticipation blanketed the room, the other player's attention hanging on Kiyo's every word.

"To begin this so-called transformative odyssey, we must first focus upon the path of deconstruction," Kiyo enunciated with fervor, extending his index finger, "This involves methodically unraveling the multifarious layers of conventional wisdom that have sedulously enshrouded our understanding of football."

He paused, allowing the weight of his words to permeate the room, an invisible force compelling each listener to venture beyond their preconceived notions.

"Such an act of deconstruction necessitates the liberation of our minds from the shackles of conventional wisdom," Kiyo continued, his voice imbued with the cadence of profound introspection. "We must disentangle ourselves from the dogmas that have restrained our collective imagination, as we seek to forge a fresh, unencumbered perspective upon the hallowed grounds of football."

The room brimmed with a palpable sense of anticipation; the audience entranced by the promise of an intellectual paradigm shift.

"After the easy step of deconstruction, we have to face something that is the precipice of a herculean endeavor," Kiyo proclaimed, his voice monotone despite the seriousness of situation. "Reconstructing the very bedrock upon which the concept of football is hardest part and something not within my concious grasp, yet this is the main blueprint of how things are supposed to be."

His words hung in the air, a symphony of intellectual gravitas, as the other members despite the tension between them absorbed the weight of his proposition. A hush fell upon the room, a pregnant silence that bespoke the collective realization that they were on the cusp of a paradigm shift, poised to reshape their understanding of football in ways they had never dared to imagine.

'Oh... I see. This is what I have been lacking.' Isagi thought to himself.

Kiyo looked at him, "You get it what I am saying, right?" He asked everyone in general but directed his gaze at Isagi. Isagi nodded his head. 

"Ohhhhh... I understood nothing at all." Bachira said as he rolled over his bed.

"Among all of us, only you don't need to follow the same curriculum as us."

"Why is that?" Bachira asked with a confused look, his body naked as he got closer to him. 

"Your dribbling is not rigid. It is extremely elastic, ever-changing. As long as you are provided with an environment, a new form of dribble would be born everytime. However, you depend too much on others." 

"How do you know that? We haven't really seen his skills that much." Kunigami asked however this time Isagi replied. 

"It is simple. He is always placing himself in a situation where he forces himself into a zone that attracts most attention. Using his creativity, he creates multiple goaling opportunities for others who could place themselves into the scoring zone." Isagi replied, surprised at himself, not believing the words coming out of his mouth. 

Kiyo looked at him with a satisfied look and was about to speak when the screen suddenly flickered, "Hello, you lumps of talent. Ego Jinpachi here." He spoke in a bored tone, like not wanting to call them the so called 'lumps of talent.'

"It was an interesting conversation," he remarked and looked at Kiyo, "the concept of deconstruction. What Ayanokouji here just now said is the simplest form of what I had told you lot. Deconstruction. Destruction. Dismantle. All of these words are usually used in different contexts, but their core meaning is the same. What I want from all of you unpolished gems is to not only forget everything you've learned until now but completely eradicate it from your mind. Forge a formulae in your mind that would help you score goals.," Ego paused as he smirked, "After all, a striker's sole purpose is to produce goals. A striker who doesn't score goal is a useless existence... not required in the least and should be gotten rid of." 

A chill went down everyone's spine. 

"Now. There are 24 hours before your next match. The results of today's match resulted in Team V crushing Team Y with 8-0." Ego announced as Kiyo looked at the scores with his back against the wall. His eyes glinted. 

"Who was the top scorer?" He asked. 

Ego looked at Kiyo before letting out a deep breath, "Would that benefit you?" 

"No. It is merely my curiosity." Kiyo replied. 

"Nagi Seishiro." 

Kiyo lowered his head, thinking about something.

Scratching his head Ego extended his palm with a standings table, "Here are you standings as of now." 

     TEAM               RANK        POINTS        POINTS DIFFERENCE

|| Team V                1                     3                               +8          ||

|| Team X                2                     1                                0            ||

|| Team Z                3                     1                                0            ||

|| Team W               4                     0                                0            ||

|| Team Y                5                      0                              -8            ||

"Scoring goals is everything for a striker. Scoring goals is destroying other people's hopes and dreams. A striker is a destroyer. He is the one who brings revolution on the field. You mustn't let yourselves be held back by your past confines. Take up arms, strikers. Fool your opponents, trick them, manipulate them. Destroy them and get closer to your ultimate goal," he paused and looked at Kiyo, "and freedom." 

The air around Kiyotaka started to blur as he looked back at Ego. 

Freedom. Ultimate freedom.

It was the sole purpose Kiyotaka accepted the invitation from Blue Lock. 

"Achieving the revolution known as goal could only be obtained by using your weapons to your best. That weapon is the only way for you to find victory." Ego concluded his speech as everyone started to think about their weapons. The screen blurred and the transmission ended. 

ISAGI: 'My weapon... what is it?' He thought to himself. 

"Didn't I tell you?" Kiyo suddenly whispered to Isagi, "your ability is superb awareness of your surroundings. That is your weapon. You just need to utilise it perfectly." 

 ISAGI: 'He is right. I think I know what I have to do!' 

"Thanks, Ayanokouji. I think I know what to do now."

"Hmm." Kiyotaka just nodded his head before moving away from him. "I wonder how the next match will go." 

(***)

"They're here." Raichi said as he looked at member of Team Y march into the field.

Both the teams were in the same position. If they lost even one more match the possibility of them advancing with whole team could end up in smoke. 

Team Z gathered together in a circle. 

"We will win this time. We have "operation; me next 9" this time. We will bring out all of our training and show them what we got."

"""""Yeahhhhhh""""" Everyone roared in excitement except Kiyotaka who let out a small, uninterested cheer. The operation Team Z talked about was to form formations in intervals which focuses on individual weapons of every player.

-----KICKOFF-----

The game started as Kunigami passed the ball to Bachira. 

ISAGI: 'Bachira's weapon is dribbling. His dribbling side is highly independent allowing him to break through ranks and the rest of the team can focus on supporting him and clearing out the obstacles from his path.' 

KIYOTAKA: 'Something is off about the placement. It seems like a convenient moment and Team Z is breaking through the defenses way too easily. Their ace striker, Ohkawa is stationary as well.' A series of simulations started to run at a termendous speed in his mind as his eyes landed on Bachira. "Oh, so it's that." 

"Only two? Do you think 2 are enough? I will get right past you." Bachira spoke as he kicked the ball between one of the defender's legs and held the ball between his legs, jumping upwards as he dodged another tackle. 

"No. It is actually three of us." Suddenly a boy with black hair and teal eyes - Niko, appeared in front of him, blocking his advance, "your dribbling is quite educational." 

"Oh, you got me, Bangs-kun. Time to send it back," Bachira said and was about to kick it to the monk, but he stopped instantly. The murky dark texture of Bachira's monster manifested in a near instant, trailing in the far-off distance as it became one with Kiyotaka's figure. "Kiyo-chan, you are the best." He said with a smirk and kicked the ball with all his might towards the left flank where the defenses were the weakest. 

'He caught up quickly. He is on a next level. How did he end up in Team Z?' Niko thought, "Everyone, mark the one trailing the left flank." He ordered as three defenders started to rush towards him. 

'6 second in the least. 7 if I am lucky. I need 10 seconds at least to get into my preferred goaling area,' Kiyotaka thought to himself before sighing heavily, 'it's troublesome but I guess I will give it a try.' 

Resolving himself, he looked in front of him and started to charge into the three defenders. 

???: "He isn't moving in another direction. He is coming right at us. Prepare to take the ball away." 

???: Let's get him.

???: YEAH!

NIKO: No... no. That is what he wants. He is fast but the actual weapon lies in his...

Before Niko could speak anything, Kiyotaka arrived in front of three defenders, only about 1.2 meters of distance between them. As the confident expressions over their faces started to spread, Kiyo bent his body and almost seemed like he fell on the ground. The defenders' eyes widened as they saw him twist and turn before the could even blink and performed a perfect Roulette, spinning around them and getting behind their backs before dashing forward again.

NIKO: "Your acceleration is almost unreal. It is like a chettah but more refined. However, it ends here. Your route was quite easy to see through."

"You arrived just in time." Kiyo spoke as Niko's eyes widened. Stopping almost instantly, Kiyo rolled the ball and kicked it in air such that it reached his chest level before kicking it with the back of his heel towards the only open spot. 

"It reeks... reeks of the smell of a goal." Isagi spoke out loud as he arrived in front of the ball, his eyes gleaming in a green aura and a hungry look over his face. It was almost time Kiyotaka's harsh methods of putting Isagi in situations where he has to surpass his limits forcefully awakened him. "You can see it too, right Niko?" Isagi addressed him before kicking the ball straight into the top left corner. 

*BEEEEEEEEP* 

Team Y 0 - Team Z 1

Niko looked at both Isagi and Kiyotaka as they stood in the middle of the field, there presence casting a veil of hopelessness and shiver ran down everyone's spine. However, seeing Kiyo outplay Niko didn't discourage him. It sparked a fire inside him. 

"Your name is Ayanokouji, right?" Niko spoke as he wiped the sweat off his face. 

"You can call me Kiyotaka." He replied with an air of indifference. 

"Next goal would be ours." Niko said with a confident look over his face, his eyes burning with a revived energy.

Looking from the corner of his eyes, Kiyo sighed, "We will see about that." 

***********

I tried to edit pictures for the first time in my life. Hope it's not too edgy. 💀 I've decided to make his aura colour purple since from what I remember no one has purple other than nagi's meatrider (whatever his name is)