Chapter 5: The Proud Lion
"The time limit is 136 seconds. Whoever gets hit by the ball becomes the [Demon]," Ego Jinpachi's voice cut through the room, sharp and commanding.
"The person who's the [Demon] when time runs out gets sent home."
"No using your hands—it's against the rules."
"And the lowest-ranked player starts as the Demon."
Boom.
The ceiling split open with a loud creak, and a football dropped from above, landing with a heavy thud in the center of the room.
After laying out the rules, Ego Jinpachi's smirking face vanished from the large screen. A digital timer on the wall flickered to life, counting down from 136 seconds. Next to it, Igarashi Gurimu's portrait appeared, marked with a bold red [DEMON] label that loomed over the room.
"What is this? What kind of test is this? This isn't football!"
The room exploded with confusion and disbelief. Everyone had been fired up by Ego Jinpachi's speech, arriving with the mindset that they couldn't miss this chance to change their lives forever. But to think a childish game like tag would be used to pick football players? It was absurd to imagine their dreams could be crushed by something so simple.
The players started arguing loudly, their voices overlapping in a chaotic mess.
Isagi Yoichi, the original protagonist, stood frozen in place, frowning deeply as he tried to make sense of the bizarre situation.
Kira Ryosuke, standing off to the side, knew this game wasn't as simple as it looked. [Demon] Tag was a training drill used by pros during warm-ups to sharpen their instincts. Ego Jinpachi was using it to force these new Blue Lock recruits to grasp the essence of football: exquisite egoism. The pitch was a battlefield where the weak were prey to the strong. Players without the drive to chase victory would be eliminated, no question.
There were twelve players in the room, including himself. One would be cut—the one still stuck as the [Demon] when the timer hit zero.
Kira's palms grew sweaty as he recalled the manga's plot clearly. His original self was eliminated in the final moment, taken out in the last second by Isagi Yoichi, who got a pass from Bachira Meguru and kicked the ball at him. That Kira lost his chance to join the national team forever.
The national team… Memories from Kira's previous life flooded back, raw and painful.
"Kid, football is for rich families. We can't afford the training fees, so give it up."
"Do you know how expensive a pair of football boots is? Why are you being so unreasonable?"
"Mom and Dad are begging you, okay? Study hard, forget about football. When you get a job and have money, you can play all you want, isn't that enough?"
"…"
When I grow up? After I get a job? That meant football could only ever be a hobby. He'd dreamed of wearing a pro player's jersey, of hearing the crowd roar on the green field. Why couldn't he even get a chance to try?
In his previous life, Kira had no shot at his dream. He accepted it, studied hard, learned diligently, but a car accident took his legs, stealing even the chance to play football for fun.
But now, fate had given him another shot, dropping him into the world of Blue Lock.
Here, where he finally had a real chance to become a professional player, there was no way he'd let it slip away.
But how could he guarantee an absolute advantage and avoid being eliminated so easily? Kira racked his brain. Compared to the others in the room, his edge was the original Kira's solid skills—his dribbling and shooting were a bit better than the rest. Plus, he had a cheat: the Attribute Trial Cards, a game-changer no one else had.
Even with those advantages, Kira felt a nagging unease he couldn't quite place. Something about this setup didn't sit right with him.
"Hey… you've got to be kidding me. I'm the first [Demon]?" Igaguri's voice trembled as he spoke, his face pale with shock.
"Well then, everyone, let's do this. No matter who gets eliminated, let's not hold any grudges, okay?" Though his body shook slightly, Igarashi started moving shakily toward the football, determined despite his fear.
"Hey, wait a minute, Chestnut-head!"
"What that guy Ego said about the national team ban, that's gotta be nonsense, right?"
"Yeah, don't let his words trick you into playing this stupid game!"
The others tried to calm Igaguri down, wanting time to think about their situation and question whether Ego Jinpachi's threats were real.
But their actions betrayed their words. Isagi, Kunigami Rensuke, and the others slowly backed away, scattering to the four corners of the room, putting as much distance as possible between themselves and the football. In their eyes, even if they weren't sure about Ego Jinpachi's claims, what if they were true? So, they retreated, playing it safe for now.
But Igaguri wasn't a fool either.
"I don't care if it's nonsense! What if it's true?"
"I'm going all out. If I lose here, I'll be stuck as a monk at my family's temple for the rest of my life…"
"A lifetime of chanting at the temple? No way I'm letting that happen…"
His voice quivered, thick with nervous energy, but it was clear he was dead serious about not wanting to lose.
Don't want to lose.
At that moment, Kira's unease clicked into place. He realized why he felt so on edge. This Demon Tag game meant that whoever got hit by the ball became the Demon. The Demon had to dribble and kick the ball at someone else to pass the tag. That meant the Demon could be eliminated if they held the ball too long, but they also had the power to eliminate others by hitting them. If you could land a hit in the final moment, the Demon would be safe. Because in that last second, the Demon couldn't be hit back.
The source of his unease was clear: the ball wasn't in his hands yet. The initiative still belonged to someone else.
So, in this test, Kira made his decision. He would take control, become the Demon himself, treat the other eleven players in the room as his prey, and seize the power to eliminate others for himself.
At that moment, Igaguri had just finished his shaky outburst, and the room fell into a tense, heavy silence.
Igaguri's words hit home. Losing national team eligibility meant the dazzling World Cup stage would be out of reach forever. Who would be willing to gamble their football career on that?
Just as Igaguri hesitated, unsure of his next move, a steady rhythm of footsteps echoed through the quiet room.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
The sound was deliberate, each step ringing with purpose. Everyone's breathing grew heavier, the air thick with anticipation.
In their view, a figure moved toward the football, his steps calm and firm, exuding a quiet confidence that radiated an almost tangible sense of dominance and authority.
"Kira?" Isagi's voice cracked with disbelief.
While everyone else was avoiding the football like it was poison, why was Kira Ryosuke walking straight toward it?
"Isn't that the guy who spoke up in the hall earlier?"
"Is he giving up? Why's he going for the ball?"
The others were caught between intimidation and confusion, rattled by Kira's commanding presence.
"No, that's not it," Isagi muttered, his instincts kicking in. From facing Kira on the pitch, he knew this wasn't someone who'd surrender voluntarily.
"Eh? Kira, what are you doing?" Igaguri stammered, full of confusion, but he froze, overwhelmed by the aura Kira gave off, stopping his approach to the ball.
Kira acted like he didn't hear the question. He lowered his head, walked to the football, and placed his right foot on top of it with deliberate ease.
Then, he slowly raised his head, his eyes scanning every player in the room with a fierce determination, as if he held the entire game in his grip.
"Everyone, I've got something to say," Kira said, flashing his breezy, charming smile that carried a dangerous edge.
Everyone felt an inexplicable chill, like something massive was about to happen if they didn't let him finish.
"I want to make a bet with all of you. I'm challenging every single one of you, by myself."
"If you're the Demon, you kick the ball straight at me, no holding back."
"If I'm the Demon, I'll kick it at one of you… whoever I feel like targeting, depending on my mood."
"If I lose, I'm out. Done. But if I win, I'm in charge of football matters in this room from now on. Deal?"
As he finished speaking, the screen flickered, showing a 120-second countdown. The [DEMON] avatar switched to Kira Ryosuke's portrait.
And Kira stood in the center of the room, ball at his feet, like a proud lion defending its territory, daring anyone to challenge him.
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Do you think what Kira did was smart? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Give me your power stones!!! 💎💎💎