Proyect: Bland King - Ayanokouji Kiyotaka en Blue Lock

Raichi: " How are today?"

Kiyotaka: You forgot your pronoun, "you."

At this Raichi ripped apart the papers in his hand and clawed at his bed.

Raichi: How long are we gonna have to do this fucking 'English' training?

Kiyotaka: Until Ego tells us to stop. Now if you're going to keep complaining, I'll stop teaching you English just like Igarashi.

After their match, Kiyotaka and his group were informed by Ego that for the next few days, they would be learning multiple languages in order to go to the world level. Today, Kiyotaka was teaching everyone English. They had already gotten over Spanish and Italian and learned some of the basics. Now English, German, and French remained.

Aryu: How could you complain, Raichi-kun? We are learning from a person who speaks fluent English. If you still want to stay your ugly self, be my guest. But I'd like to get more glam!

Kiyotaka sighed and glared down at an unconscious idiot.

Kiyotaka: At least Raichi's awake.

Shido was sleeping on Kiyotaka's lap very contently.

*FLICK*

With a small flick of his pointer finger, Kiyotaka awoke the sleeping princess and brought him up from his dreams.

Shido: Oh, is it already morning?

Kiyotaka: No, it's 4. We still have another 5 hours of study. Why don't you get the notes I made you and start studying like Raichi and Aryu?

Shido: Tsk, I don't need to speak engl-

Kiyotaka: I guess the real Shido isn't as great as I thought he was. Maybe I shouldn't send passes his way anymore.

Shido: Now why would you go speaking that bullshit?

In an instant, he snatched Raichi's notes and read the first line.

Shido: "Ho you todey?"

Kiyotaka, seeing Shido's desperation in speaking English, smiled slightly.

Kiyotaka: Not even close.

The lessons continued on between the four of them for the remainder of the day until they went to the cafeteria to get some food.

Kiyotaka used the point he got from the World Five game to get a steak and Shido got two and slid one over to Raichi and Aryu to share.

Raichi: Huh? What the hell is this?

Shido: What does it look like? If you guys don't want it, I'll just take it back, geez. I just wanted to feed the dogs for once.

He happily sat next to Kiyotaka. As for Igarashi, being that he was severed from the group, he sat at another table, contempt with the lowest quality food.

*RING*

Kiyotaka: Oh, give me a sec.

He got up from the table and answered the phone call a ways away from the group.

Aryu: Who is calling, Kiyotaka?

Raichi: It's gotta be that girlfriend of his everyone in our team couldn't shut up about. It's just a girl, big deal.

Shido: I really wanna have a talk with her. I mean, she'd know more about Kiyo than anyone of us, hehehe. And I also wanna see what makes her so damn special that she has to keep calling Kiyo every single day.

Aryu: Eh? Isn't that normal for a girlfriend to do-

Shido: Nah, she's just down bad, hehehehe.

Kiyotaka soon finished his conversation with Kei and he came back to the table.

Kiyotaka: What did I miss?

Shido: Nah, ya really didn't miss much. These two are just soooo boring.

Aryu: I'll have you know I have excellent taste in the art of beauty and that is certainly not 'boring.'

Raichi: Me, boring?! Ya must have hit your head on the table and lost your memory or something.

The day continued on with the grueling study sessions Kiyotaka oversaw so the entire team could speak decent English.

Some took longer than others, especially Shido, who purposely feigned ignorance and stupidity to increase their lesson to the night even after their dinner in the cafeteria.

The group had no idea if anyone else had already passed through since it seems they were isolated in a specific place of the facility. They would have to wait until this 'down' time of learning languages and world cultures finished.

...

...

...

Kiyotaka, after teaching a bunch of children, finally tucked himself in his bed. The soft pillow and warm embrace of his sheets was enough for him to slowly drift asle-

Shido: Hey... Kiyo...

A slight poke on his right cheek immediately woke him up and his eyes fixated on Shido's face as he held up his finger to his mouth, telling Kiyotaka to be quiet.

Kiyotaka: What do you want? Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?

Shido: Sleep is overrated. Come on. Follow me. I'll bring you somewhere much better.

Before Kiyotaka could say anything, Shido slightly tugged on Kiyo's pajamas sleeve. He relented and quietly jumped down from the bunk bed, following Shido into the dimly lit hallway.

Kiyotaka: Where are we going?

Shido: I'll never tell.

After walking for a minute or two, Kiyotaka just sighed.

Kiyotaka: We're just going to the field at this point.

Shido: Ah, it was suppose to be a surprise.

Kiyotaka: It wouldn't have been much of a surprise even if you blindfolded me. I have pretty decent night vision.

The two entered the practice field and the lights illuminated the entire area. A soccer ball shot right out of a gun from the wall and down to the middle of the field.

Shido: Alright, let's do this.

Kiyotaka: What? Do you want a 1v1?

Shido: Why not? I need to release all this dopamine. Let's go crazy.

Kiyotaka walked over to the soccer ball and touched the ball forward.

Kiyotaka: Are we keeping score?

Shido: If that's what you want Kiyo, hehehehehe.

Shido aggressively pressed forward and the two began to clash.

Utilizing his captivating speed, Kiyotaka blitzed right through Shido by sending a ball ahead of him and raced all the way down to the other side, tapping the goal in.

Shido: Aw, cm. I know you're pretty fast, but you don't need to rub it in.

Kiyotaka: It's nothing special. There's someone that's faster than me and he's only a couple of months older than me. I'll only be satisfied when I reach that level, godspeed.

Shido: HEHEHEHEHEHE!!!

Shido took the ball from his net and pressed forward, charging through the unexpected Kiyotaka.

Kiyotaka: Hm?

Shido: Caught ya off-guard.

Shido charged forward to the goal but soon, the space between him and Kiyotaka dwindled as he accelerated to his full speed, stopping his advance.

Kiyotaka: You got me there.

Shido: And I'm gonna charge right past you again-

*SWISH*

Hitting another gear, Kiyotaka stripped the ball from Shido and from such a long distance out, he smashed the ball dead in the center.

It sailed through the air and curved through the net.

Kiyotaka: You're going to have to try a bit harder than that if you want to salvage a goal.

Shido smiled.

Shido: Ya won't be acting cocky for long. You're gonna get a front row seat to my explosions!

...

...

...

As their little sparing matches raged on, the two quickly forgot the amount of goals the other scored and it quickly turned into endless running and fun.

After a couple of hours of intense 1-on-1, their training ended when Shido collapsed on the ground from exhaustion and Kiyotaka sat right next to him, sweating profusely.

Kiyotaka: Was that enough to satisfy your urges?

Shido: That was a blast. It must have been fun for you two. I see ya sweating there, hehe.

Kiyotaka: Exhaustion can cause hallucinations. Your eyesight might not be so good.

Shido: But that was pretty fun... I got a couple of goals around you at least.

Kiyotaka: You're a poacher by trade. It makes sense you'd lose in a 1v1 with me.

The two looked up at the lights of the field as Kiyotaka sighed loudly.

Shido: What's the matter, genius? Still pondering about how we got our asses kicked?

Kiyotaka: It's not that. I just didn't think I'd be given such an opportunity.

Shido: Hm?

Kiyotaka: Let's just say I wasn't expecting I'd get to experience this kind of freedom again after I got expelled.

Shido began to laugh.

Shido: You? Expelled? And you were acting all high and mighty with me when you were a delinquent this whole time too, hehe. So what'd ya do to get yourself kicked out?

Kiyotaka: I failed a test. So it's nothing extreme like you were imagining. I have a pretty strict household, so I would have had to return to my mundane life, but then Ego entered me into this competition.

The masterpiece looked down on his right hand and squeezed it.

Kiyotaka: At first, I didn't think much of this program. What will a couple of teenagers do that adults and specialists tried and failed to beat? But I was proven wrong. I began to slowly enjoy the competition... and I liked it.

Shido, surprised by this new side of Ayanokouji, remained speechless.

Kiyotaka: Of course, it's only because of you that I'm like this. While you think about soccer as some sort of biological phenomena, I just think of it all as a game for entertainment. And yet, I've never had so much fun. I feel like I can finally realize the emotions I've been searching for. 

He held his hand up for a fist bump.

Kiyotaka: Thanks, best friend.

Shido smiled.

Shido: No problem, Kiyo. Just keep entertaining me.

As the two were preparing to leave, Shido's legs gave up on him and he was promptly anchored to his spot on the grass.

Shido: Hehehe, I must have overextended. Lend a hand?

Kiyotaka sighed.

Kiyotaka: You're really hopeless, aren't you?

Instead of just grabbing his hand and pulling him up, Kiyotaka crouched down and turned his back to Shido.

Kiyotaka: What are you waiting for? Hop on.

Shido: You're kidding, hehehe.

Kiyotaka: Then I guess it's fine to leave you he-

Taking up on Kiyotaka's offer, Shido wrapped his arms around Kiyotaka's upper chest as his legs were supported by Kiyotaka's hands.

Shido was receiving a piggy-back ride from none other than Kiyotaka.

Kiyotaka: Don't try anything funny or I'll drop you.

Shido rested his head on Kiyotaka's right shoulder and smiled.

Shido: I wasn't planning too. You're ruining the mood.

The two journeyed back to their dorm as Kiyotaka laid Shido comfortably on his top bunk. He then went into his own bed, earning himself a comfortable repose.

...

...

...

Now with the protagonist of this tale sleeping peacefully in his bunk, another participant didn't sleep so soundly. Instead, all he kept thinking about was the sequence of their final clash where Kiyotaka had surpassed his might and won the match on Shido's goal.

The player in question was Itoshi Rin.

And although telling the intricacies of this stubborn man's challenges across the second selection after his defeat would make for incredible moments, the real story is far more interesting. So a summarization will follow right now.

///

After his defeat, Rin had a sort of PTSD if you will. As already explained he succumbed to nightmares of that same scenario over and over and over again. To him, it was almost as daunting as his own experience with Itoshi Sae.

Since him, Bachira, and Tokimitsu were dropped down to the 3v3, they soon met the competent trio of prominent players:

Karasu - Analytical Ability, Ball Control

Otoya - Stealth Walk, Agility, off the ball movement

Yukimiya - Street Dribbling, Gyro Shot

Karasu struck a nerve at Rin, exclaiming that despite being the first to finish the 100 penalty challenge, he is still in the 3v3. He concluded that they must have lost and was curious as to who they lost to.

Rin, still enraged from his previous loss, had been waiting for a powerful opponent and decided to take the trio on alongside Bachira and Tokimitsu.

The match was set between the two trios. Despite an incredibly close game going to the wire 4-4, Rin showed his dominance by making the 5th goal from the middle of the field, winning the game. The person chosen by Rin was none other than Karasu, sending Otoya and Yukimiya down to the 2v2.

As quickly as they fell, they instantly went right up to where they were prior, the 4v4. When Rin, Bachira, Tokimitsu, and Karasu entered, they were met by none other than Isagi, Barou, Chigiri, and Nagi.

This completely shocked Isagi as he was for sure certain they had already passed the second selection. He began to question Bachira, but he pulled him away to talk with each other alone.

Bachira: Who'd of thought you'd end up with the king of all people.

Isagi smiled.

Isagi: It just sort of happened but it's better than nothing. But back to you, where did you go? We were waiting here for a day but your group never showed up. Wait, don't tell me... you lost?

Bachira sighed and chuckled slightly.

Bachira: Yeah we took another match because Rin wanted to and we ended up losing by a single goal.

Isagi was beyond shocked to say the least.

Isagi: But, I don't know a single team that could even put a fight against you guys.

Bachira: Sure ya do. Remember, Kiyotaka?

His eyes widened at this.

Isagi: Eh? You can't be serious. Kiyotaka knocked you guys out?

Bachira: There was also Raichi and Igarashi.

Isagi: What the hell kind of team is that?

Bachira: But here's the kicker. You know that weird tan looking guy Kiyotaka was talking to before we went in for the second selection?

Isagi: Yeah.

Bachira: He joined his team and the two of them became this killer duo. Kiyotaka's a completely different monster altogether. He got me all hyped up!

Isagi: No way... but if you lost then why wasn't Rin or you chosen? Why did they take Aryu?

Bachira: It was Kiyotaka's decision. He just went up to Rin-san's face and said he was a corpse. It gave me goosebumps.

Isagi and Bachira soon end their conversation and return to their groups, requesting the other for a match to decide who moves up.

...

One floor down, the pair of Kunigami and Reo, who lost Chigiri to Isagi's team, began to choose their opponents carefully. But eventually, they decided to go against Otoya and Yukimiya, who both went down when they were defeated by Rin.

And the result of this match, for the moment, is unknown.

...

Back to a more important part of the story, it was the 4v4 between Isagi and Rin. Unlike the first meeting, this game went down to the wire. After tying the score 4-4, Isagi and his team were riding on the momentum to secure a win against Rin.

But then, when it seemed like Bachira's shot got completely blocked by Isagi, the ball luckily skipped and bounced towards Rin as he took the chance and smashed it in for the goal.

Rin: (Who gives a shit if it was luck? A win's a win. The faster I advance, the closer I can get to you, Kiyotaka.)

The winning team ended up taking Isagi into their match with the World Five, to which they got destroyed 5-2 with two goals from Rin, who looked on in sheer disappointment at the loss.

///

Back to the real story, Kiyotaka woke up to Shido staring at him from atop his bunk. Those two along with Igarashi, Aryu, and Raichi, all changed as Ego announced through the speaker in their room, that every team must meet in a barren room, similar to the one they were in right after the first selection.

Kiyotaka: It's finally time for the third selection.

Shido: 'Leps have fung!'

Kiyotaka almost let out a chuckle but he kept his mouth shut with his right hand.

Kiyotaka: Not even close but a valiant effort.

Aryu: Don't think you two are just going to leave me in the dust! My glam will shine through!

Raichi: I'll make sure to lock up everyone's asses.

Igarashi: And I'm no spectator!

Kiyotaka couldn't hear Igarashi's final cheer as the group entered the barren room first, ready for the next challenge that was awaiting them.