11 Chapter 11

As they walked towards the Japanese Football Federation building, Reo couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. He was finally going to learn if this place was Blue Lock, and he couldn't help but wonder what kind of training would they go through if it was and the opportunities it would offer.

Nagi, on the other hand, seemed a bit more laid-back. He had always been a talented football player, but he never took the sport as seriously as Reo did. Still, he was excited to see what the project had in store for them.

When they entered the building, they were greeted by a huge crowd.

Reo and Nagi made their way through the crowd, looking around in awe at the other players gathered in the lobby of the Japanese Football Federation building. Reo's eyes scanned the room, taking in the familiar faces of some of the schools top forwards of in the country.

"Wow, look at all these forwards," Reo said to Nagi, pointing out some of the players he recognized. "I didn't realize they were all going to be here."

Nagi nodded, looking around with a mix of laziness and boredoom. "Yeah, I didn't expect so many people to be here either. I wonder what this project is all about."

Just as Reo recognized a few more faces, a voice boomed over the loudspeakers, commanding the attention of everyone in the room. It belonged to a man dressed in a sleek black suit, with sharp features and a piercing gaze could be seen through his glases, that seemed to take in everything at once.

"Congratulations, you unpolished gems," the man began. "All of you here are under-18 strikers, chosen solely based on my criteria and biases to be here. All 300 of you."

The man stood tall and confident in front of the crowd of players, his eyes scanning the room as he continued his speech. "I am Jinpachi Ego," he said. "My job is to make Japan a team capable of winning the World Cup."

"I'll put it in simple terms," Ego continued. "Japan only requires one thing to become the strongest powerhouse in football. And that is the creation of a revolutionary striker. From you 300 players gathered here today, I will forge the best striker in the world through a certain project."

Ego stood tall and confident in front of the crowd of players, his eyes scanning the room as he continued his speech.

Reo's heart began to race as Ego pointed upwards, a holographic image of a building structure and photos of its rooms appearing behind him. "This is the Blue Lock facility," Ego said. "Starting today, all of you will live in this building and follow, down to the letter, my personally designed training regime. You will not be able to go back home, and as of now, can consider your football careers as you know them, over."

The crowd was silent, hanging on to Ego's every word. Reo felt an uncontrolable grin creep up on his face out of excitement. He really was in BLUE LOCK!

"You the last player standing..." he said "Will have become the best striker in the world."

"That is all for the details." he said, "Nice to meet you all," The crowd was silent, hanging on to Ego's every word.

Reo still had a grin on his face as he glanced around the room and saw the other players, all with different expressions on their faces - some determined, some confused, and some defiant. Ego's words echoing in their minds as they tried to process what he said.

As Ego finished his speech, one of the players stepped forward, a young man with a determined look on his face.

As Reo looked at the player, he immediately recognized him as the star player of his first opponents. Nagi, standing alongside Reo, noticed the change in his friend's expression and asked, "Hey, do you know that guy?"

Reo nodded, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. "Yeah, I remember him. He was a good opponent back then."

Nagi raised an eyebrow and tilted his head, his face a picture of oblivious confusion. "Really?" He looked at the player, then back at Reo, his expression still one of bewilderment. "I don't even remember him. Was he any good?"

Reo chuckled. "Well, he was decent. Not the best, but he could hold his own on the field..."

Reo turned his head towards the player, Kira, eager to hear what he was going to say.

"Hey! Sorry but, I can't agree with what you said just now." Kira said, his voice firm. "We all have teams that are important to us and nationals coming up. We can't abandon them, there's no way I'll throw my own team."

A murmur of agreement went through the crowd as the players voiced their concerns.

Ego's expression hardened as he addressed the room. "I.... see. You're all fucked in the head," he stated, "Get lost, then. Those who want to leave, may leave now. But I ask you, is becoming the number one high school team more important than becoming the world's best striker?"

Ego's lips curled into a sly smile. "I cringe at the thought of Japan's future in your hands. Japan may be the best in organizational skills in football, but in everything else, they are second-rate. What is football to you? A sport where you try to score goals in teams of 11 players? That thinking is wrong."

"Football is, at its core, a sport about scoring goals even at the expense of your teammates," Ego declared. "The best player is the one that scores the most goals."

Kira's expression changed instantly, his defensive posture showing his anger. "What you said is insulting players like Honda, Kagawa, and others who shape Japan's National lineup," he retorted. "The value of team play instilled in them is what sets them apart, not just individual goals."

Ego's words dripped with sarcasm as he let out a smirk. "Ah, so you boast of the likes of Honda, Kagawa, and others who helped mold the current state of Japan's National lineup. But I ask you, what has that brand of team play truly earned you? A squad that, despite its valiant efforts, has yet to claim a World Cup victory. It's a travesty, don't you think?"

Ego's smirk grew wider as he continued, "The true greats of the sport, such as Noel Noa, Eric Cantona, and the legendary Pele, they all possessed a level of rebellious egoism that Japan's current lineup so desperately lacks. Can you imagine the weight of a nation's hopes resting solely on your shoulders? That, is the true measure of a striker. If you possess the courage and ambition to shoulder that burden, then step through that gate and show the world what you're made of."

Ego's words were like a siren song to the players. They had never heard anything like it before. He was offering them the chance to become legends, to become the best in the world. "Throw away your common sense," he said as he gestured towards the door behind him. "On the field, you are the star. Nothing brings more joy than your own goals. That is what it means to be a striker. You'll never become the best striker in the world unless you have the ego to match. Those who want to be part of this experiment, come with me."

The crowd erupted into chaos, every player was running towards the door with determination in his eyes. One by one, more players joined him, ready to take on the challenge that lay ahead.

Reo's eyes were filled with excitement as he heard Ego's words. He really was in Blue Lock and couldn't wait to be a part of the experiment.

He turned towards Nagi and gestured towards the door behind Ego. "Come on, Nagi," Reo said, eagerness in his voice. "We're going to be rivals in this place and without you, it would be boring."

Nagi, being his usual lazy self, rolled his eyes. "Do we have to? It sounds like a lot of work."

Reo chuckled and grabbed Nagi's arm, pulling him towards the door. "It's going to be worth it, trust me. You'll see."

As they walked towards the door, Reo couldn't help but feel a rush of elation and anticipation.

...

Amist the chaos, Ego stood tall with a small smirk playing on his lips as he watched the players, knowing that he had just set the stage for one of the most intense and grueling competitions in the world of football.

**Dear readers,

I have observed that there is some confusion among you regarding Reo's memories from his previous life. I would like to confirm that he does retain these memories, albeit with some degree of haziness due to his current status as a reincarnated being. The only exception is his experience and conversation with the entity, as well as the wishes he made during that encounter, which he cannot recall.

I hope you found the chapter to be enjoyable. Your feedback on the chapter would be greatly appreciated. ;)