Chapitre 14: Chapter 14 : This isn't BL!
While Raichi rested in Team Z's room, nursing his bruised pride and aching back, the rest of the team made their way to the cafeteria. The chatter among them was light, a stark contrast to the tension that had filled the air earlier. They entered the bustling space, the aroma of freshly prepared food wafting through the air, and each player went to collect their meal.
Isagi moved through the line, his tray in hand, before making his way to a corner table. No sooner had he sat down than Bachira and Kira joined him, each with trays of their own. Kira, however, had an extra plate in hand. Without a word, he placed it in front of Isagi, the enticing scent of sirloin steak rising from the plate.
"Thank you for the pass, Isagi"
Kira said with a genuine smile.
Isagi blinked, looking between Kira and the perfectly cooked steak. The juices glistened under the cafeteria lights, the tender meat puffed slightly as if straight out of a gourmet advertisement.
"You sure? Wanna share instead?"
Isagi asked hesitantly, his gaze shifting from Kira to the steak. The mere thought of splitting it pained him more than the memory of his earlier takedown of Raichi.
For a brief moment, Kira considered the offer, but then he shook his head.
"No need. I basically just slotted the ball into an empty net. That goal was all you, so enjoy it."
Hearing this, Isagi hesitated no longer. He picked up his fork and knife, cutting into the steak with the precision of someone who hadn't eaten anything this luxurious in years. The first bite melted in his mouth, a rich burst of flavor overwhelming his senses.
'Living in a manga world where things like this are perfect… Yeah, that's the dream'
Isagi thought, stars practically sparkling in his eyes as he savored each bite.
Kira chuckled softly as he watched Isagi devour the steak with a childlike enthusiasm, the memory of Isagi's earlier ferocity still fresh. Just hours ago, this same teammate had slammed Raichi to the ground with the strength of a beast. Now, he looked like a ten-year-old savoring his favorite candy.
"You want a massage?"
The voice and the sudden hand on his shoulder snapped Isagi out of his steak-induced euphoria. He turned to find Kunigami standing behind him, his expression calm yet sincere.
"Wh-what? No! No, no, don't even say that!"
Isagi exclaimed, shivering slightly as Kunigami's hand remained firmly on his shoulder, sending phantom tingles through his back.
"Oh, that would be awesome! Right, Isagi?"
Bachira chimed in from his seat, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. He was thoroughly enjoying Isagi's flustered reaction, his usual playfulness in full force.
"He doesn't mean he'd give it to you"
Kira interjected with a laugh, deciding to spare Isagi from further panic.
"It's one of the rewards you can get for one point."
Kunigami nodded.
"Yeah, that's what I meant. Thought you might want to use it. You've earned it after today."
"There's no need—oh, wait, of course, there's that reward"
Isagi stammered, realizing the misunderstanding. His face reddened slightly as he shook his head.
"Thanks, Kunigami, but I think you should use it for yourself. That goal of yours was all you."
Kunigami simply smiled and gave a small nod before heading back to his seat.
Bachira opened his mouth, clearly about to suggest something of his own, but Isagi fixed him with a pointed stare. His expression screamed,
"Do you really want me to repeat what I just told Kunigami?"
Bachira chuckled, holding his hands up in mock surrender.
"Fine, fine. No need to glare at me like that, Isagi."
The table fell into a comfortable rhythm, each of them enjoying their meals as the tension of the day melted away. Even amidst the fierce competition of Blue Lock, moments like these reminded them of the camaraderie that bound them together.
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As the group finished their meals, they left the cafeteria together, heading back to Team Z's room. The air was lighter now, a rare moment of camaraderie settling in after the chaotic day. When they entered the room, they found Raichi sprawled on his futon, deep in sleep.
"Oh, they discharged him already"
Bachira remarked, tilting his head as he studied Raichi's snoring form.
"Yeah"
Kunigami added with a smirk.
"Honestly thought he'd be out for a week after that takedown."
The team chuckled quietly as they began laying out their futons, each stealing occasional glances at Raichi.
"That shark-face bastard's physicality is something else"
Isagi said, settling onto his futon.
The comment earned him a wave of amused glances—though not because of what he said, but because of what he held in his hands. Isagi had traded in three of his hard-earned points to reclaim his phone, and now, as he casually tinkered with it, the rest of the team couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.
"You're really going to rub that in, huh?"
Bachira teased, leaning closer to get a peek at Isagi's screen.
Isagi grinned, holding the phone protectively.
"Hey, I worked for this. Being able to connect to the outside world is worth every point."
"It's a good thing you kept your cool during the match"
Kira said, sitting down on the futon beside him.
Isagi paused, his fingers stilling on the phone.
"Yeah… I didn't want to get booked."
He sighed, setting the phone aside. The match had been a mental battle as much as a physical one, and he knew his temper could have spiraled the situation into something far worse.
"Well, let's talk about today's game"
He said, switching gears.
"The mess on the field shouldn't happen again—not even with Raichi."
The group turned their attention to Isagi, though Raichi remained blissfully unaware, still snoring softly in his corner.
"Got any plans, Isagi?"
Kunigami asked, sitting cross-legged.
Isagi nodded. "Look, we won today, but let's be honest—it had a lot to do with Team X being disorganized. If they'd been more focused, we'd have had a much harder time keeping up."
"That's true"
Imamura agreed.
"Especially trying to mark that gorilla dude, Barou. Felt impossible."
The group murmured in agreement, each reflecting on the chaotic moments of the match.
"Now, about that 'creating football from zero' thing Ego mentioned"
Isagi continued, his tone growing serious.
"What he's saying is that having one dominant striker—a leader of the pack—can make a team revolve around them without needing words. Barou almost made Team X into that kind of team after his first goal. But my goal right after broke their momentum and threw them off balance."
"That makes sense"
Kira said.
"We didn't have that problem because we played as a team from the start—except for one person."
His gaze briefly flicked toward Raichi.
Naruhaya, eager to move things along, leaned forward.
"Alright, but how do we make sure that doesn't happen again? What's the solution?"
"What Ego wants"
Isagi said,
"is for us to find a reliable weapon—a skill that can be used over and over with fewer chances of failure. Barou's shooting ability is a great example of that. Tomorrow, we need to work on figuring out everyone's strengths.
"My suggestion is this: we do ten-minute rotation drills. Everyone gets to play as a striker, midfielder, defender, even goalie. That way, we'll understand our skill sets better and figure out how to cover for each other in a game."
The room fell silent for a moment as the team considered his proposal.
"That's… fair"
Kunigami said, breaking the quiet.
"Yeah, it makes sense"
Imamura agreed.
"Everyone gets a chance to show what they're good at"
Kira added with a nod.
As the team voiced their agreement, the screen in the corner of the room flickered to life. Ego's sharp gaze and unsettling grin filled the monitor, his presence immediately commanding their attention.
"You imbeciles are finally grasping what I've been drilling into your thick skulls"
Ego began, his voice cold and cutting.
"But don't let this newfound clarity lull you into complacency. This isn't a game where you figure things out leisurely. It's survival. Next match will be another step in forging a striker from nothing. And if you fail to adapt, you'll be nothing more than discarded pawns."
The team exchanged uneasy glances but stayed quiet, knowing Ego's words carried more weight than they cared to admit.
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After Ego's speech, the room slowly fell into a heavy silence, the weight of his words lingering like an unshakable shadow. One by one, the members of Team Z drifted off to sleep, their bodies and minds worn from the day's match and its aftermath.
But Isagi remained awake.
Lying on his futon, his eyes traced the faint patterns on the ceiling, his thoughts too restless to let him drift into slumber. With a soft sigh, he turned his head toward his phone, his fingers itching to scroll through something, anything, to distract him.
Instead, a thought sparked, and he called out softly in his mind:
'System?'
A familiar voice echoed within his consciousness, exasperated and tinged with irritation:
[For the love of the Creator, this is the last time I'm saying this: THIS IS NOT A BL WORLD. So relax!]
Isagi blinked, his cheeks heating slightly.
"I didn't even ask about that!"
He whispered defensively, glancing around to make sure none of his teammates had stirred.
[Oh, sure. You didn't ask, but your lingering thoughts after Kunigami's 'massage' offer earlier paint a very different picture, buddy.]
"I—I wasn't thinking about that!"
Isagi shot back in his mind.
[Denial's a strong look on you, Isagi.]
The system's tone was laced with amusement now, clearly enjoying his flustered state.
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État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone