Chapter 154: Sendo's Calculation
"If I'm reading this right, the actual score of the match doesn't even matter," Niko said, walking to the front of the group as he processed the logic. "The real winners of this war are the ones who manage to put their personal value on display."
"Exactly. Though for a striker, that value is measured in goals. For a keeper, it's how many shots you keep out of the net," Ego said, glancing at Niko. "And for a defender, it's about how many plays you shut down."
"I get it," Niko replied with a sharp nod.
"It's a massive opportunity, sure. But look at the flip side," Sendo interjected, his voice tight with anxiety. "If you choke out there, every major club in the world is going to mark you as a bust. This isn't just a game. It could kill our careers before they even start."
"It's terrifying," Fukaku Gen added, his shoulders tensing.
"These adults are just treating us like toys," Nanase said, a trace of fear in his voice.
Shidou, however, was far from afraid. His eyes shimmered with a manic, predatory light as he licked the corner of his mouth. "Heh. I like this."
"Now that's a face with some serious earning potential. Keep it up," Ego noted, catching Shidou's expression.
"Huh?" Shidou blinked, looking genuinely confused. "You saying my face is worth money now?"
"Are you curious why the world's elite clubs and superstars agreed to participate in this little experiment?" Ego asked, snapping his fingers. "Your struggles and your rivalries are all part of a live show. Right now, over eight million users have subscribed to the feed. For a monthly fee of five hundred yen, the world gets to watch the rising stars of Japan collide with the best the world has to offer. Welcome to Blue Lock TV."
Kira could only think one thing: 'Classic.'
In cities across the globe, people of all ages were currently glued to their screens, debating the talent on display.
"Whoa, Japan actually pulled this off? This is better than the World Cup!"
"Kaiser is definitely the future of the game. He's built different."
"Wait, look at the white-haired kid. Where did he come from? He's a monster."
"I never liked that emo kid though… acts like he's the main character in a football manga."
Comments flooded the Blue Lock TV chat interface. Standing in the center of the pitch, Kira finally understood the reason for the ubiquitous cameras. They were the stars of the world's biggest reality show. He caught Rin looking his way and offered a casual shrug, but Rin immediately snapped his head away. Rin was clearly still fuming over the loss and wanted absolutely nothing to do with Kira.
"That's the big picture. The next round is set for ten days from now," Ego announced. "Germany vs. England. Italy vs. Spain. Same time, ten days. Don't miss it."
Ego's face vanished from the screen.
"This is insane," Sendo muttered, still unable to wrap his head around the scale of the operation.
Kira looked around and noticed that Snuffy and the Ubers academy players looked completely unfazed. It seemed the Blue Lock kids were the only ones kept in the dark; everyone else had known exactly what they were signing up for.
***
Over in the Barcha locker room, Bachira was doubled over, his chest heaving as a pool of sweat formed at his feet. Otoya leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, watching him with a mix of concern and resignation. Bachira had given everything he had, but the trio of Kaiser, Isagi, and Kunigami from Bastard Munchen had been too much to handle. They had lost a 3-2 heartbreaker.
"Whew... Hey, Otoya. Our next game is against Kira, right?" Bachira looked up, and there wasn't a trace of disappointment on his face. His eyes were burning with anticipation.
"Uh... yeah," Otoya replied, momentarily caught off guard. He'd expected Bachira to be dissecting their loss, but the kid was already focused on the next challenge.
"I lost to Isagi today, but I feel like I finally broke through a new ceiling," Bachira said, staring at his palms. "If I hadn't evolved, I'd be too depressed to even face Kira. But now? I'm ready."
"Bachira..."
"Help me, Otoya. I want to win this one. I want to beat Kira."
The room went silent. Otoya didn't answer immediately. The image of Kira's overwhelming dominance flashed through his mind, and he felt a natural urge to back down. But then he saw the fire in Bachira's eyes.
"Alright. Let's do it. I'm all in."
***
The Ubers locker room was buzzing with post-match activity, but Sendo looked restless. He kept darting back and forth in front of the cameras, checking his angles.
"Sendo, you idiot, what are you doing?" Aiku finally barked. "You're making the former U-20 look like a bunch of amateurs. Stop preening."
"Ego said everything except the showers and dorms is being recorded and edited for the show!" Sendo hissed, striking another pose for a nearby lens. "I need to make sure my brand is on point!"
Aiku rubbed his temples. He wondered if Sendo would ever actually grow up.
"Honestly, I get where he's coming from," Fukaku Gen said, his voice quiet.
"Oh?" Aiku looked at him.
"It's easy for guys like you and Kira. You're elite. You're already the core of the team," Fukaku said with a self-deprecating laugh. "But Sendo and I haven't even stepped on the pitch yet. Our futures are a total question mark. It's hard not to be anxious when your value is literally zero."
"Look, man. Regardless of what anyone else thinks, you're the best keeper I know," Aiku said, his tone turning serious.
"Really?" Fukaku's eyes lit up.
"Of course not. If you've got time to mope, go find Kira and ask him to blast some shots at you so you can actually improve your save rate," Aiku said, losing his patience. "My teammates are all airheads."
"I'm always down for some extra reps," Kira said, walking by with Niko and Aryu. He flashed a bright, confident smile that immediately sent a surge of motivation through Fukaku.
Fukaku realized he'd been overthinking it. Instead of worrying about the cameras, he needed to put in the work with the best striker in the building.
Back in the corner, Sendo had stopped posing. His face was grim. He wasn't as clueless as he let on. There were only four matches in this league, and one was already gone. If he didn't find a way onto the pitch in the next three, his career was dead in the water. But he knew he couldn't compete with Kira or Barou for the striker spot.
He needed a new angle. Aiku's comment about Fukaku training with Kira gave him an idea. His ultimate goal was still to marry a Hollywood star, and a Hollywood star wouldn't care if he played striker or wing-back, as long as he was a superstar.
Sendo looked at Kira, a plan forming in his mind. He just had to find a way to swallow his pride.
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A/n: I heard u guys. I'll be updating this fic every 2 days for now. If it gets the same attention as before I'll go back to the old speed. It all depends on the readers' interest so don't forget to support by dropping your power stones. Have a good one