3.7. Template

After the game against Kaiser, Y/N hurried down the hallways straight for the game room. He'd gotten carried away, the two of them going head-to-head countless times as Y/N trained his Kaiser Impact, and Kaiser tried to work Y/N's movements out. Near to the end, the German prodigy had started to win more, but Y/N had soundly beat him overall.

Though, it was good training. Kaiser was a much better opponent than any of the Bluelock players, and Y/N had to really put in effort to keep ahead. So he'd waved an enraged Kaiser goodbye after winning, promising to play again next time.

One minute until the game starts... He quickened his pace even more, breaking into a light jog down the hallways towards the game room. The casters' voices were already echoing down the corridors, introducing the players as they spread out across the field.

"I hope you're ready, all of you... Because the second game of Bluelock's Neo Egoist League starts right now! Ubers, PXG, take it away!"

Y/N sped up, bursting through the main doors into the match room literally the moment the whistle blew. His face burned at the questioning gazes from nearby substitutes, taking his seat in between two teams. Quickly taking in the scene, he settled into his seat.

"PXG are on the attack immediately! And what a start!"

"Can Ubers defend against it? So far, they're holding out!"

Shidou was up in the striker's position. On either side of him were Zantetsu and Karasu, hovering around him as he solo ran up the field. They formed a triangle with a tiny boy in the middle of the field, keeping the ball out of Ubers' reach as Shidou ran all the way up.

He isn't from Bluelock... Y/N focused on the small boy. He was even shorter than Y/N was, with bright blue eyes and long blond hair. And he looked relaxed as anything, handling the ball with ease.

Shidou looked back at him. And that was all that the boy needed. His eyes narrowed by a fraction, and in a fraction of a second, the ball was spiralling way over everyone's heads, into a free space a few metres in front of Shidou. That's too far...? Did he miss-

Shidou lunged forwards, shutting Y/N up as he extended one leg incredibly far. He didn't even need to control it, the ball bouncing back into him perfectly. The pass was spot on, in the end. For anyone else it would've been horribly off, but Shidou had it.

He slammed the ball into the back of the goal.

"They couldn't handle it, it looks!"

"Ubers have been a solid defensive team for a long time, so what we're seeing here is a new level of aggression from PXG! Mixing the Bluelock ego with solid teamplay has created an amazing group of attacking players!"

"Charles Chevalier, dishing out yet another good pass! He's an amazing new talent in France, but... will he be able to deal with our very own Japanese prodigy?"

"That's right, folks! PXG have scored the first goal, so the Mercenary has been hired! Ubers now have Y/N L/N on their roster, adding some crazy firepower to their team. But will they use him?"

Y/N stood from his chair. When joining Bastard Munchen, he'd had to do a low bow. For Ubers, it was a little different. He turned to face the Ubers team, giving them a stiff salute and a nod. As he did, he felt his jersey changing, black and white stripes growing from his shoulders down to his hips.

An arrow shimmered to life down his back, three stars alongside it forming the Ubers logo. Y/N strode over to the Ubers substitute bench, well aware that the cameras would be watching him. He took a seat next to Snuffy, reclining into the seat as the match restarted.

"So..."

"So." Snuffy turned to him. "You're not going on. I just thought I'd mention that before you started pestering me."

"Pestering?" Y/N scowled. "I don't pester."

"Noa begs to differ."

"Hey now." Y/N replied. "I rightfully, honourably persuaded Noa to put me on the team. And he was surprised with how well I did."

"You may have done well then, but I just can't. No offence."

"Much offence taken."

"I said no offence."

"And I'm taking it even though you said no." Y/N grumbled. "Why can't I go on anyway?"

"Right." Returning his eyes to the game, as Ubers began working their way upfield, Snuffy continued. "Y/N, do you know how Ubers like to play?"

"Strategy... teamplay...?" Y/N echoed. It was like it was his first time trying out those words, struggling to form the shapes with his lips.

"Yes. But you don't know any of those. I would add you, but I can't do it without you knowing how to play with my team." Snuffy hesitated, cringing slightly. "Also, you... don't really do a lot of strategy. You're probably worse at it than high schoolers. Way too unpredictable, and way too dangerous to use."

Y/N's mouth opened with indigence. Then he closed it again, sighing defeatedly. "You're not wrong."

"Right."

"Yeah, that's what I said."

"What?"

"You're right. Or are you saying I'm right?"

"I'm right."

"Right."

"I know."

They stared at each other for a second, both just awkwardly staring at the game. Eventually, Snuffy spoke first. "If you learn our strategies, I'll put you in for future games."

"I'll do that." Y/N murmured. "When's the next game?"

"Next is BM vs Manshine, in three days. Our game is three days after that, against Barcha."

"Ah, ok." Y/N nodded. "Six days to learn it all. Can't be that hard?"

"I'll send you the document." Snuffy answered. "There's twelve hundred pages."

"..."

🥕🥕🥕

Throughout the game, Y/N kept glancing over at PXG's team. They made more substitutions than he'd ever seen a do before, switching out all of their attacking players throughout the game. First, a trio of Shidou, Zantetsu, and Karasu. Then, a trio of Rin, Nanase, and Tokimitsu.

When Rin took the field, Y/N couldn't help but watch him closely. Sae's call during the break rang in his ears. "My little brother can get obsessive at times..."

He didn't look bad. Though, he certainly was different, Y/N had to give him that. His playstyle was much less refined than it had been before, abandoning the calm aloofness he'd held before in favour of a more brutal, aggressive playstyle. He was stronger, much stronger. And it showed as in just a small space of time, PXG managed to net two goals.

Rin played off his two teammates much more as well, utilising their strengths to easily brush past enemy defenders. It was clear that while Ubers prided themselves on strategy, the things they'd cooked up so far weren't working so well. Maybe a lack of prep time, or the fact that it hadn't been long since the Neo Egoist League had started, but they weren't as effective as Y/N thought they could be.

Lorenzo was amazing, though. Rin was basically unstoppable to all of Ubers, except for him. He managed to steal the ball away before PXG could score a third, organising the Ubers' counter attack.

Y/N didn't miss the look of frustration on Rin's face. He pursed his lips, mentally trying to reassure him over the distance. Just get it back. Try again. Don't get worked up. He hoped Rin would notice him, look at him. But he didn't, too focused on the game. Who cares about what Sae said?!

Swallowing something unpleasant, Y/N glanced at Snuffy. "Are you going to sub yourself on?" He needed some distraction. "Your team needs you."

The man considered it. "I should let my team work for themselves. It's a useful experience. And if I join in, one of them won't get that experience."

"Hmm..."

"If Loki joins in, I'll join too. Even it out. But I don't think he will."

Y/N glanced across at the PXG bench. Somehow, he immediately locked eyes with Julian across the gap between them. Was he already looking at me? The man gave him a small smile, returning his gaze to the game. Y/N just continued to look. He didn't look at all like he wanted to join in.

"Yeah. You're right."

On the field, Ubers began to get their game together as they went on the offensive. Lorenzo passed to Niko, who passed to Aryu, who passed back to Lorenzo. They formed a chain of sorts, moving the ball up and down the field with scary coordination. As PXG players moved in to attack, the ball was passed away, only to return a second later.

Ubers played a strange type of soccer, far different to what Y/N was used to. They didn't all go after their own goals. No, instead, they went for one person's goal only. How do they do it? Do they not like scoring goals...?

That one person was all the way at PXG's goal. Y/N watched closely, growing more confused the more Ubers played. They worked as a single unit, keeping the ball in firm possession as one by one, they passed by PXG's players. Lorenzo moved up from defence, Niko falling back to take his place as the zombie sped upfield.

Then, it was like a switch had flipped. Four Ubers players immediately launched forwards. One of them one either flank, two down the middle, all of them running straight as fast as possible. Yells from both teams filled the room, as PXG tried to mark each of them, and Ubers organised themselves even more.

It turned out, the ball went to none of the four. Instead, it went way beyond them, right to the man standing by PXG's goal.

Barou Shoei.

He wasted no time. As soon as he received the ball, the nearest defender rushed right at him. Barou moved to shoot- but instead of following through, his foot went straight down, chopping the ball. It flew off to one side, completely throwing off the defender. The goalkeeper had both eyes on Barou, closely watching him.

As Y/N gazed on, more Ubers players swarmed the box, followed by their PXG marks. They ran everywhere, some in front of Barou, some behind, others just hanging around. The box filled with players, a huge moving mass of bodies. Y/N's eyes locked onto the ball amidst the forest of legs.

Barou hadn't passed. He'd faked it, sure, but kept the ball for himself. And in the chaos, as all Ubers players began yelling out, running back and forth, he managed a shot through the mess. The goalkeeper didn't even see it coming, frozen in place as the ball barrelled towards the top corner.

It cleanly went into the back of the net.

Y/N leant back. It was impressive, the coordination. But he... couldn't believe it. How did they give up trying to score their own goals? It went against everything Y/N thought about soccer, even against everything that Ego Jinpachi had taught the Bluelock players. "Where's their ego...?" He muttered quietly.

"Hmm?" Snuffy looked towards him.

"Uh, I'm just thinking..."

"Ubers play like a lot of Japanese teams, you know. We do what they do, focusing on teamwork, but we just do it better."

"But it's... so weak? In the end, it all depends on your striker. If Barou couldn't shoot well, then your entire team would be useless."

"You're right." Snuffy replied. "But if our striker is really good at shooting, our entire team will be really good. I believe that's what Ego is trying to achieve with this... Bluelock project. If he can make the strongest striker in the world, then because Japanese strategy is already so good, Japan will have a good chance at winning the U-20 World Cup."

"Maybe so."

"Probably so."

That sounds... horrible. If we had to win by throwing away our ego like that, if everyone had to trust one person only to score... It would be a tragedy. A waste. And sure, one person gets to score, but what about everyone else? Their lives would be ruined.

Y/N clenched his teeth.

I guess I just have to be that one person.

He was beginning to realise that while in Japan, he was one of the best, compared to the entire world, there were plenty better than him. Noa. Loki. Lavinho. Probably Prince and Snuffy too. He was weak, and that feeling of frustration grew every single day.

I need to get stronger.

🥕🥕🥕

"They need to get stronger." A young woman pushed up her glasses, reading from a clipboard. "Some of the guys are struggling with implants. They say the subjects aren't building enough muscle for them to work with."

"It's their job to stimulate that growth, then. They have freedom to do what they want, independent of me."

Dressed in a black suit, Kuroi leant back in his chair. He swung both legs up onto the desk, folding his arms behind his head. As always, he was calm, relaxed, with a light smile playing on his lips. "I believe boldenone undecylenate will help with that?"

"They wanted to get permission before using that, sir."

"They're not children." Kuroi dismissively waved. "Besides, we're all here to experiment. What's an experiment without taking a few risks?"

"I'll tell them that, sir."

"Good."

When the woman had left, Kuroi's head tilted back, staring up at the ceiling. Progress had been fast - incredibly so. The few legal blocks in his path hadn't just been moved, they'd been utterly demolished. With just a bit of secrecy, he could do virtually anything. More people were signing up every day, and they were seeing progress at a much faster rate than the previous Ascension.

Maybe it was the fact they weren't using all younger subjects. The people coming in were of all ages, all nationalities, all backgrounds. But they had one thing in common, and it was that they were desperate. So desperate, to put their lives in the hands of complete strangers.

So idiotic.

Despite all of it, it would take at least a year to get good results. The time spent on the previous Ascension was just over two years, and to get the same results it wouldn't be easy. He knew one year wouldn't be that long, that it was okay to wait, but he couldn't help being impatient. He'd wasted enough time since the last project.

It would help if we had a 'template' of sorts. Someone to base our work on, to build towards. It could boost our progress by... a lot. Or even just using them as a stepping stone. If only I could remember exactly what I did last time... it would be such a huge help.

He removed his feet from the desk, planting them firmly on the floor as he leant forwards to his laptop. One finger reaching forwards to activate his microphone, he spoke quietly. "Get in here."

Footsteps echoed outside. Within just a few seconds, a man ran in, bowing low. "Yes, sir?"

"Would a template help?"

"Sorry, sir?"

"From the previous Ascension. If you knew exactly how I optimised a body in the past, would it be helpful?"

"Yes, sir. We would be able to copy his adjustments, and adjust other subjects accordingly."

"Okay." Kuroi thought to himself. There's four people in the world with 'optimised' bodies. Two of them are natural. Chris Prince, and Adam Blake. The other two... Julian Loki. And Y/N L/N.

"Though, sir." The man added. "We'd likely need to do a full dissection to understand how you did it."

"That's fine." Kuroi's smile widened just a little. He chuckled under his breath, lowering his head as his body shook with laughter. "I've got a plan."

"What is it, sir?"

"You don't need to know. I'll get you your template."