Chapter 9: The Liar's Game
The bus ride to the JFU headquarters felt like a trip down memory lane, even though the memories belonged to a different life. Eshan leaned his head against the cool glass. In his previous life, he had watched these scenes on a screen; now, the wind through the cracked window smelled like exhaust and rain. It was real.
Most of the kids on the bus were vibrating with anxiety, but Eshan felt like a man who had finally been invited to play his favorite game. He knew the "Blue Lock" project was a meat grinder, and he was ready to be the one at the top of the pile. He wasn't an emotionless machine; he was a competitor who finally had the perfect playground.
The JFU Hall: A Sea of Ego
The lobby was a mess of tracksuits and tension. Eshan stood near the back, observing. He spotted Ryosuke Kira immediately. The "National Treasure" was playing the hero perfectly. Eshan chuckled. He remembered the district final where he had dismantled Kira's defense. Kira's eyes landed on Eshan, and for a split second, the hero's mask slipped. His jaw tightened. He remembered being made into a "Ghost" by Eshan's silent touches.
Then, there was Isagi Yoichi, looking like a deer in headlights. Relax, Isagi, Eshan thought. The madness hasn't even started.
Ego Jinpachi appeared, looking just as skeletal as the manga had portrayed. He launched into his speech, calling everyone "trash." Kira, predictably, protested about teamwork. Eshan almost rolled his eyes; he knew Ego was just filtering for those who would discard logic for greatness. When the ultimatum came—career-ending risk—the room turned into a stampede.
Eshan didn't rush. He walked at a steady pace, using his Absolute Field Awareness to step into the tiny pockets of space the panicked teenagers left behind. He moved through the crowd like a shark—untouched and calm.
Entering the Blue Lock
The facility was a masterpiece of cold, industrial design. Eshan changed into the form-fitting bodysuit and looked at the number glowing on his shoulder.
290.
He let out a short, dry laugh. 290? Seriously, Ego? Being a "reborn" fan, he knew the building rankings were a lie to provoke hunger, but it was still a funny starting point.
He pushed open the heavy steel door of Room Z. Isagi was there (#299), Igarashi (#300), and the powerhouse Kunigami (#292). Eshan had replaced the space where a boy named Naruhaya should have been.
"Rank 290, huh?" Igarashi called out. "Looks like you're in the same gutter as us!"
Eshan didn't snap. He flashed a lazy, knowing grin. "If you believe a number on a screen is your limit, Buzzcut, you've already lost the game."
Before Igarashi could lunge, the monitor flickered. Ego Jinpachi was back. "Welcome to the Tag Game. The person who is 'it' at the end of 136 seconds is disqualified."
The Tag Game: Chaos and Control
The moment the ball hit the floor, chaos erupted. Igarashi scrambled, flailing, while Eshan stood near the corner. He wasn't hiding; he was analyzing. Kunigami moves in straight lines. Isagi is paralyzed by morals.
The ball ricocheted off a wall and flew straight toward Eshan's head. He didn't flinch. He didn't even take his hands out of his pockets. He simply shifted his weight, catching the ball on his chest with zero friction—Absolute Ball Feel. Before it hit the ground, he popped it up with his knee and balanced it there for a heartbeat.
"Nice touch," Bachira whispered, eyes widening.
"It's just physics," Eshan replied, a spark of excitement finally breaking through. He flicked the ball and caught it on the back of his neck.
"Give it here!" Igarashi charged.
Eshan waited. Just as Igarashi's hand reached out, Eshan used a Ghost Touch. He didn't kick; he let the ball slide off his neck with a microscopic heel nudge. The ball disappeared and reappeared five feet to the left. Igarashi face-planted into the mat.
"You're playing with us!" Igarashi growled.
"I'm practicing," Eshan corrected, his voice cool and sharp. "There's a difference."
With 60 seconds left, Eshan watched Isagi hovering near the edges. "Isagi!" Eshan's voice was commanding. "If you just stand there, you're a background character. Show me something!"
The challenge worked. Isagi's eyes changed. He lunged in, intercepting a pass. With 15 seconds left, Isagi turned his gaze toward the "strongest" person: Ryosuke Kira.
"Bachira! Pass!" Isagi yelled. Bachira didn't hesitate. Isagi met the ball with a perfect volley.
CRACK.
DISQUALIFIED: RYOSUKE KIRA.
Silence. Kira was on his knees, his persona shattered. Eshan walked over, looking down at him with cold, mature pity. Kira had the talent, but he lacked the stomach for the "Absolute" truth of this place.
Ego's voice came through. "Kira, you're a loser. Get out. The rest of you... congratulations. You are the residents of Building 5."
Eshan turned toward Isagi and Bachira. "Nice shot, Isagi. I didn't think you had it in you."
Isagi looked at his trembling hands. "I just did it. I didn't think."
"That's the best way to play," Eshan replied. He looked at the ranking on the wall: 290. He was now the highest-ranked player left in Room Z. The Ace.
"Alright, boys," Eshan said, stretching his neck. "Who's hungry? I've got a feeling the food here is as 'fair' as the game we just played."