Prelude

Football.

A cornerstone of human civilization for centuries that has captivated audiences with its displays of athleticism, teamwork and mental awareness, while simultaneously reflecting the social and political trends of its time.

At its core, football is a game of strategy and skill. Every pass, every tackle, every dribble and every shot is carefully calculated and executed with precision. The so-called beauty of the sport lied in its ability to seamlessly blend individual talent with team strategy. Every player on the field has a specific role to play, and the success of the team relies on their ability to work together towards a common goal.

As I gazed at the flickering sights of the TV in front of me showcasing the football showdown between one of the top teams in the world, I found myself constantly in awe of the strategic complexity of the game, my curiosity swelling.

But was teamwork really what it took to win?

Sure, teamwork was the basic essence of football, making it necessary. However, football is a much simpler game with one purpose at its core.

"What is the basic fundamental purpose of football, genius?" A voice asked, the bleak undertone of his voice echoing with a sharp pitch as it reached my ears, bouncing of the caved in walls of the small room I was sitting in.

"To score more goals." I replied, my eyes set on the screen in front of me.

"And do you need to have compassion for that? A sense of comradeship?"

This wasn't a rhetorical question, rather a straightforward one.

"No." I replied and I could feel the edges of his lips lifted into a subtle, almost imperceptible grin as if he was trying to hide his amusement.

"That is what I want to hear. You have it in you, don't you, demon? The overwhelming ego that pressures you into crushing everyone in your path?"

My eyes lifted up from my bare feet on the smooth white marble as I looked up at the man. He was Jinpachi Ego. "Its soothing, isn't it? Watching everyone fall under your feet as you crush everyone's dream and score the goal?"

"I think there has been a mistake." I replied finally for the first time as the vulpine grin on his face vanished, "I don't seek pleasure in destroying others. The only thing that matters to me is that I win in the end. That is all there is to it."

"But here you are, uprooted like a dying plant from ANHS and into the Blue Lock---your sole sanctuary."

I stayed silent as I heard him talk. The breach in ANHS as professor Sakayanagi was unable to return in time rendered THAT man's grunts to continuously sabotage my time in ANHS. The only way to escape it was to join a programme with much higher influence than THAT man. And Blue Lock was the only organisation that had everything I was looking for.

"Are you ready, Kiyotaka Ayanokouji? To crush the dreams of 300 other people?"

I rose up from my chair and walked past him.

All I needed to do was win and survive this ordeal. This was the only way.

(Author's Note)

This is just a trailer as to the real thing. From the next chapter the real thing would start as this was the basic building block of it. Leave comments and votes if you want to see more of it.

Also, covers are appreciated since my own cover making skills are quite... well, you get the idea.