BLUE LOCK: UNDYING FLAME

[PREVIOUSLY]

Nikolai and Alexei exchanged glances, a weight of mild annoyance hanging between the two of them.

"Zat rat scored, shouldz I handle him." Alexei asked his brother, his tone even more gruff than his brother, but confident. He had been tasked with marking Baro, and the boy wasn't a problem as he had a physical advantage over the boy, evident on the fact that he kept him quiet throughout the whole game.

Nikolai shook his head, his own eyes narrowing with a sharp focus "No. I'll stayz on him. He wontz score again. Ve'll shutz down any hope for them." He said, his voice low and brimming with an icy resolve, his eyes shimmering with a dangerous steely aura.

It was clear now-the two brothers were done playing lightly.

______________________

___________

[SEIRAN LOCKEROOM]

The team had an uplifting mood now, a hope for a comeback didn't look so far away now. At the center of that hope was, of course, Neron.

The boy chuckled scratching his head at the praise from his teammates. "It just happened, and I wouldn't have scored it if it weren't for you guys." He said humbly. The team chuckled heartedly at the gesture.

Sophia clapped her hand to regain the attention of her team. A white board stood beside her. "Okay guys, I know we're all hopeful now. But it's not over just yet." She reminded them, though they were on high hopes now, if they were complacent, it could all come crashing down. She needed them to know that.

She pointed towards the whiteboard. "We'll continue with the plan going forward, using the wingers. Now Takeshi and Ton, I'll need you to make overlapping runs for them, freezing the defenders and making them think twice." She instructed, earning a nod from the two.

Sophia threw a worried glanced at the quiet Shinji.The boy remained silent in the background, his head down and his shoulders slumped, a depressing aura around him. Sophia sighed in worry, noting to encourage the boy later on.

"Now for the two defenders, we've not had much luck against them. Baro, Neron, either one of you should try to draw them into the midfield so that the other one of you can enter into that space." She said. Neron nodded, and Baro grunted, a silent determination in his eyes to win his battle against Alexei, who had kept him out of the game throughout the whole game.

Finishing on her instructions, she turned back to the team, her eyes held a determination and hope. "Okay, let's do this guy's. Go out and show them who we are. SEIRAN FIGHT!!!" She shouted, the team reciprocating her vigour.

The team walked back out into the pitch with a hip in their step, and a determination to come back and win this game.

"THE TWO TEAMS ARE BACK OUT ONCE AGAIN, THE SECOND HALF ABOUT TO COMMENCE." Akira spoke, then turned towards his fellow commentator for his input.

"THATS RIGHT AKIRA. NO CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE BETWEEN THE TWO TEAMS SO FAR. SO THE LINEUPS HAVE REMAINED AS FOLLOWS." Taro answered, pulling out a sheet containing the lineups of the two teams.

"FOR KYOTO IN THEIR 4-3-3;

GK- HIROSHI

RB- YAMADA

CB-ALEXEI

CB-NIKOLAI

LB- YOSHITO

DM- KAZUKI

LCM- NOBORU

RCM- RENJI

LW- KOSUKE

RW- MASASHIRO

ST- SAITO

AND FOR SEIRAN IN THEIR 3-5-2, WE HAVE;

GK- KAZUKI

RCB- TAKUMI

LCB- RYO

CB-DAICHI

DM- TON

DM- TAKESHI

AM- SHINJI

RM- HAYATO

LM- KAITO

ST- NERON

ST- BARO

THATS THE LINEUPS FOR THE TEAM GOING INTO THE SECOND HALF." Taro concluded.

"THE FIRST HALF HAD A LOT OF MOMENTS, FROM THE YOUNG STAR, RENJI'S SCINTILLATING RUN, AND THE PENALTY FOR KYOTO, MAKING IT 2-0." Akira began

"TO THE WONDERFUL SCORPION KICK GOAL FROM SEIRAN'S NUMBER 14, NERON TO BEING IT BACK TO 2-1. NOW WILL SEIRAN BE ABLE TO COME BACK OR WILL KYOTO MAINTAIN THEIR STRANGLE HOLD ON THE GAME." He asked to the crowd, not expecting an answer, the two turned back to the game.

Back on the pitch, seeing that the two teams were ready; the ref adjusted his watch to the time, brought the whistle to his mouth and, "PHEEEEEEWWWWW!!!" The second half starting with Kyoto, the score 2-1.

The Kyoto's striker passed the ball back to the midfielder, then judged forward.

SEIRAN immediately looked to pounce, man-marking their players, as they had the advantage in the midfield.

The ball found its way back to Nikolai. Looking to drive into the midfield, he took off with the ball.

But as he continued, the figure of Neron appeared to stop his advance.

Nikolai looked impassively at Neron, "Ziz game iz already over. That goal you scored wontz be replicated." He spoke out, eyes narrowed with seriousness.

Neron merely gave him a challenging grin, "But then I still scored, never count out a persistent person. We're winning this game." Neron rebutted.

Nikolai's eyes narrowed in mild annoyance. "Letz me show you a taste of reality." He said, winding back his right foot-he pinged the ball over the top of SEIRAN'S highline.

The ball sailed to the right hand side of the pitch. Nikolai took into account the wingers of SEIRAN, and chose the side without Hayato, as he concluded the boy's speed would be able to track back. But with Kaito, it wasn't a problem, and he also took into account Daichi, so he chose the right hand side, away from the leaping boy.

Renji took off running, Takeshi immediately followed him in pursuit.

The ball rotated in the air, then started to slow down, dropping rapidly to the ground; right at the feet of Renji, who as soon as the ball hit the ground, hit it to the left hand side, away from Takeshi.

Daichi ran towards the approaching Renji, with Tayumi in support.

Renji just smiled, "Another rehearsal, okay then" he said giddly.

Renji tapped the ball with his left foot taking off with the ball. He stepped into Tayumi's space; unbalancing the boy. Daichi immediately pounced, his fast reflexes showing as his leg shot out to the ball. But with even faster reflexes, Renji gently chopped the ball with his left foot, avoiding the tackle and immediately took off showing strength as he passed the two.

Renji kept going, looming closer to the goal. The goalie, seeing his defense was passed by, rushed forward, trying to make himself bigger to try and fluster Renji. The boy just giggled, "Aren't you to far off your line." He said. Kazuki's eyes widened as he tried to backpedal, but it was too late. Renji dinked the ball over the goalie, the ball sailed beautifully over him. Kazuki tried to save it, jumping desperately, but he wasn't enough. The ball rattled gently into the net.

"GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!! ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL GOAL BY THE YOUNG STAR OF KYOTO, RENJI, AND A WONDERFUL ASSIST BY THE CAPTAIN, NIKOLAI." Akira spoke out.

"THATS RIGHT, EXPLOITING SEIRAN'S HIGH LINE, NIKOLAI GAVE A DELIGHTFUL BALL OVER THE TOP TO RENJI. BUT HE STILL HAD MUCH TO DO, BUT WITH WONDERFUL DRIBBLING, AND A DELIGHTFUL CHIP, THEY ADD TO THEIR LEAD NOW. THE GAME SEEMS OVER NOW FOR SEIRAN." Taro added.

The score was now 3-1.

Neron panted. He wiped his head with his sleeve, a grin look on his face. He passed the ball back, advancing forward. The composed Nikolai stood in his way. "Zis game iz over." Nikolai said simply.

Neron just gave his usual grin, his teeth clenched slightly in frustration at the statement. He has to score again or make something happen to give the team hope, but he'll see that not everything you wish for comes true.

SEIRAN kept trying to use the wings, but any and all attacks were cut off by the twins. They were monstrous at the back, stopping all attacks and keeping all the attackers quiet.

Renji had scored his third goal, with another delightful long pass from Nikolai, earning a hat trick and another assist respectively. The Captain later added to the misery, scoring from a free kick; heading the ball home over the exhausted Daichi.

Neron and the rest had tried their best to score another goal, but any and all opportunities were cut off by the twins.

Neron received the ball, Nikolai marking him. Feinting to the left, then passing the ball to his right foot. Neron tried to drive past Nikolai, but the boy just bodied him out of the way.

Neron desperately tried to reach the ball, but...

"PHEEEEEEWWWWW!!!" The ref blew the whistle, the game was over.

"WHAT A MATCH. THE OPENING FIXTURES FOR THE SHINSEI CUP HAS CONCLUDED. KYOTO ABSOLUTELY DEMOLISHING SEIRAN 5-1, WITH A HAT TRICK FROM RENJI AND TWO GOALS FROM THE CAPTAIN, NIKOLAI. AND FOR SEIRAN, NERON SCORING THEIR ONLY GOAL, WHICH IN HONDA WAS ONLY A CONSOLATION." Akira spoke.

Taro nodded, "THATS RIGHT, AND IN OTHER FUXTURES, NAGOYA VS SENDAI HAS ALSO JUST CONCLUDED, WITH NAGOYA WINNING THE GAME 3-0, WITH A GOAL FROM THEIR ACE AND AN TWO ASSIST AS WELL. SO THIS IS HOW THE TABLE ACROSS THE CUP LOOK NOW.

(A/N:| Matches played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals scored | Goals conceded | Goal difference | Points | )

GROUP A:

SHIZUOKA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 |

CHIBA 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |

VANGUARD 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |

HIRO 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | -7 | 0 |

GROUP B:

KYOTO 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 |

NAGOYA 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |

SENDAI 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 |

SEIRAN 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 0 |

GROUP C:

YOKOHAMA 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 |

OKINWA 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 |

GIFU 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 |

NARA 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 |

GROUP D:

OSAKA 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 |

HOKKAIDO 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 |

IBARAKI 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 |

SAITAMA 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 |

GROUP E:

MIYAGI 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 |

KUMAMOTO 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 |

FUKUOKA 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 |

NIIGATA 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 |

THATA MATCHDAY 1 FOR YOU." He concluded.

Neron took a breath, taking in his first loss. He looked to the floor, collecting his thoughts before releasing a sigh, as he got up. He went to Nikolai, hand outstretched for a shake. "Nice game."

Nikolai stared at him, then his gaze went down to his hands. "I zon't shake hand from lozers." He said simply, then walked away.

Neron stared at his hand, then let it drop to his side. Going back to his team, his fists clenched to his side, his mind was on one thought. 'I didn't do enough.'

_____________________

__________

In the bus, the mood of the team was very quiet. The loss heavy on their minds and the one suffering it most was Shinji. He felt useless at the moment.

Sophia sighed seeing this, she was not the best at encouraging people. The mood reminded her off the years before, when the team always failed. She bit her lip, 'Is it going to be same again.' She thought, before shaking her head. "Guys, this loss is heavy, I know that. But we can't just sit around and mope. We have to get ready for the next game on Saturday against SENDAI, who have also lost." She spoke.

"Go back home and take a rest, we'll meet up tomorrow at the usual time for training." She said, earning nods from the players.

________________________

_________

Baro and Neron walked in silence together. Neron looked at his friend with concern, he hadn't spoken since the match. A heavy sigh escapes his lips as he looked up to the sky, the sun soon setting.

Baro finally spoke up after a while, "We weren't good enough." He said. Neron didn't answer as he knew he wasn't as well.

"We'll try harder, and get our damn revenge on those bastards." He grunted, his red eyes burned in determination as he stared at Neron.

Neron looked at Baro. He nodded in agreement, a determined smirk on his face. "We will, we'll train even harder than before. We'll show all of them." He replied, hand out for a fist bump.

Baro grinned, bumping fists with him as well.

Today was not a good game for the two young strikers, but their determination to get better raises their spirits. Will they succeed, well only time will tell.

_______________________

____________

A/N: Damn, my guys got bopped 5-1, sheesh 😅. Well, at least baro and neron are determined not to give up. Shinji's mind now is in the gutter, as he felt useless in that game. And the defending champions just bopped a team 7 goals, Neron has a tall task to win this cup.

As always guys, tell me your thoughts and feelings on the Chapter and don't forget to vote the book.

God bless 🙏