Yukimiya Kenyu found Icarus in the infirmary, who was currently drinking from a blood bag. The blood bag was very familiar; it was the one drawn from him a few days ago.
Seeing the infirmary door pushed open suddenly, Icarus’s eyes widened. Discovering it was someone he was familiar with, he relaxed again, lazily biting on the blood bag as he greeted Yukimiya Kenyu.
“Hi~”
The black-haired model stared fixedly at him, without uttering a word.
Icarus tilted his head in confusion. At this moment, there was a streak of red at the corner of Yukimiya Kenyu’s eye, which seemed to have been roughly wiped away just a moment ago. A fragmented glimmer shone within his warm orange pupils, and his body was trembling slightly; it seemed as if he had suddenly confirmed certain matters and had been struck by a massive shock of joy.
Icarus knew at a glance that the result of the match must have made the striker before him very satisfied. But from another perspective
“Yukimiya, you actually don’t believe in my medical skills!?” Icarus was heartbroken, so much so that he stopped drinking from the blood bag. “I’ve emphasized this many times, right? In my Blue Lock project, there are no injured strikers allowed! None!”
Icarus wouldn’t tarnish his own reputation.
“Mmm, it is my fault,” the orange pupils were filled with smiles, and the black-haired model took a step forward, casually closing and locking the ward door.
Icarus watched his movements silently, his gaze shifting from the hand that had just locked the door back to his face.
Yukimiya Kenyu, you little brat, there’s something a bit off about you.
“Only having this little bit of blood bag, there’s no way it’s enough to satisfy you, right?” Yukimiya Kenyu half-squatted, bringing his line of sight level with Icarus, who was sitting on the sofa, and said softly.
Only Yukimiya Kenyu himself knew how heavy the pinch marks on his palm were right now, as he tried to maintain his outward calm so as not to frighten Icarus.
“I am very happy right now happier than I’ve ever been.”
“This is no different from giving me a second rebirth.”
His warm orange pupils were contracting with excitement, and the adrenaline after the match combined with a brain controlled by dopamine meant Yukimiya Kenyu had tossed his usual calmness and restraint to the winds.
He pulled down his training shirt on one side of his neck with one hand and said words he would usually never utter.
The black-haired model lowered his voice, as if coaxing.
“If you want it, I have absolutely no objections.”
…
On the other side, Nagi Seishiro and Chigiri Hyoma, who had just been defeated by Yukimiya Kenyu in the 1v1, remained on the field.
“The world’s number one striker.” In the silent stadium, Nagi Seishiro muttered.
He suddenly remembered the world’s number one striker that Icarus always kept on his lips. Icarus’s attention would forever only follow outstanding strikers, and now that a more outstanding Yukimiya had appeared, had he been abandoned?
If one day, he was no longer Blue Lock’s No. 6, then would the gaze cast upon him become even less?
An inexplicable panic gripped Nagi Seishiro’s heart, making him feel as if he couldn’t catch his breath at this moment.
Noticing the suddenly pale complexion of the person beside him, Chigiri Hyoma frowned and asked, “Are you alright?”
Although he was unwilling to have lost to Yukimiya Kenyu, soccer was an 11-man sport. He couldn’t stop Yukimiya, but if Isagi Yoichi or other teammates were there, Yukimiya Kenyu wasn’t unbeatable.
Nagi Seishiro ignored Chigiri Hyoma; he staggered away from the field.
He urgently needed to find Mikage Reo right now.
…
Yukimiya Kenyu knelt on one knee on the sofa, relying entirely on the support of his right hand to barely maintain his upright posture.
Even at a time like this, he absolutely did not want the other party to see his weak and helpless side. Although the slight blood loss brought waves of dizziness, and the edges of his vision had already begun to distort, the black-haired striker’s back remained held very straight.
Darkness would amplify the sense of touch, but his vision brought more information. This was Yukimiya Kenyu’s first time clearly perceiving exactly how he was being bitten, from the perspective of having regained his light.
The black-haired model lowered his eyes to look at the black hair at the edge of his vision, and his exhaled breath seemed to carry heat. A slightly moist tactile sensation came from the side of his neck, and a sense of itchiness arose from deep within his bones, which he forcefully suppressed by clenching his fists.
He could see Icarus’s neck, which was gradually dyed a crimson color. And in the gaps between the sucking, he saw those mesmerizing red pupils on the face of the person beneath him.
His heart was jumping powerfully, pumping blood to the core of his body, one beat at a time. The orange pupils, usually calm and composed, were gradually stained with a hint of bewilderment, but deep within that bewilderment remained a profound stubbornness and clarity.
Yukimiya Kenyu, who had long worked in the modeling industry, often dealt with all sorts of people, having cultivated a set of skills for reading people and keen powers of observation. Over the period of interacting with him, he had quickly realized that Icarus was definitely not just an ordinary doctor; even from various clues, Icarus might be the person behind Ego Jinpachi, meaning the ultimate investor in the Blue Lock project.
Yukimiya Kenyu had secretly observed the way Icarus and Mikage Reo interacted. He was surprised to find that, as the heir to the Mikage family, Mikage Reo’s attitude toward Icarus was actually very cautious. This meant that, at the very least, Icarus possessed strength not inferior to the Mikage family.
Thinking of Icarus’s statement, “I will have you well before the next round of selections. If you aren’t better, then we will postpone the next round,” a deep thought flashed across Yukimiya Kenyu’s eyes.
Since he wasn’t an ordinary person, Yukimiya Kenyu, for the time being, didn’t want to think about why Icarus had had the sudden whim to come to Japan to run this project. But ultimately, judging by the results, it was beneficial to him. He had cured the eye disease that had plagued him for years here; his soccer career had been reborn.
But…
Having experienced illness once, Yukimiya Kenyu understood better than anyone the importance of physical health to an athlete. He was lucky enough to be able to join Blue Lock’s project and meet someone like Icarus. Then what about later?
Suppose he ran into any accident on the field next time; having already graduated from the Blue Lock project, would he still have a second stroke of luck to find such a doctor?
Yukimiya Kenyu knew he was merely blindly anxious at this moment, anxious over something that might not happen. But a prisoner who had just been granted an amnesty could not control himself from thinking about the possibility of being kicked back into hell. Historically, many brilliant professional players had retired due to injury. And Yukimiya Kenyu had been lucky enough to get an amnesty card, but he didn’t know if he would have another one.
Behind him, it felt as if there were a cliff; if he took one step back, he would fall. And at the bottom of the cliff, a version of himself that was forever blind was venting his anger and his jealousy of his ability to regain his light at this moment.
So, even if he were called despicable, even if he were called a villain…
Yukimiya Kenyu leaned down deeply, displaying his neck even more deeply before the newborn vampire, as if he were offering a sacrifice.
At the very least, he would never let go of the person beneath him.
…
In the reception room, Ego Jinpachi and Shidou Ryusei were one sitting, one standing.
“So, am I going to some so-called national team for the next selection?” Shidou Ryusei picked at his ear, his voice suddenly rising high. “Only me? Is this some special reward for those with talent?”
“Well, you could say that.” Ego Jinpachi pushed up his glasses.
After all, if it weren’t for the fact that you truly couldn’t cooperate with Itoshi Rin, I wouldn’t have had the heart to let go of a wild card like you.
“Well, are there truly interesting guys on the national team?” Shidou Ryusei said, drawing out his voice, “Is there anyone like Itoshi Rin?”
“Although I find that guy very unpleasant, what makes me even more unpleasant is strength that is lower than his. I am the kind of person who will go crashing in if I’m displeased.”
Seeing Shidou Ryusei’s tendency to get carried away, Icarus turned off the surveillance and walked into Ego Jinpachi’s reception room.
Pushing open the door, what leapt into his eyes was a flash of eye-catching pink hair.
“The other side’s midfielder chose you, so you’re going over to me,” Icarus said coldly.
To be playing soccer while still whining and making so many demands. Truly, I’ve been too indulgent of him lately.
Shidou Ryusei’s eyes brightened, and with a long-legged stride, he approached the black-haired youth.
“I couldn’t find you anywhere lately. Are you hiding from me?”
That’s right, I am hiding from you.
Icarus remained calm, “There have been a lot of things lately.”
Actually, I’ve been checking the surveillance in advance to avoid people I find troublesome.
“Is that so…” Shidou Ryusei drew out his voice.
“Stop with the nonsense and go quickly,” Icarus said, feigning impatience, “The midfielder has the right to pass the ball to any striker he wants; since he chose you, you have to go.”
“After all, if it were a boring match, I presume you would also be very disappointed.”
“And, most importantly.” Icarus lowered his voice, like a devil whispering, “You will be able to face Itoshi Rin again. Aren’t you looking forward to it? As an opponent, not as a teammate.”
Shidou Ryusei raised his eyebrows in interest and suddenly burst into laughter, “Fine, I accept your proposal; I hope that midfielder doesn’t make me too bored.”
“A midfielder from the RE.AL youth academy won’t make you bored,” Icarus chuckled.
…
“What you are about to welcome the day after tomorrow is the match against the U20 national team,” Ego Jinpachi said fanatically before the crowd, “This is a gamble. If Blue Lock wins, you can completely replace the U20 and become the new national team.”
“And once you lose, the Blue Lock project will cease to exist.”
Uneasy whispers immediately came from the crowd.
Yukimiya Kenyu was somewhat surprised. Is this Icarus’s intention? Is he so confident that they will definitely be able to replace the U20 that he dared to make this gamble?
Yukimiya Kenyu didn’t believe that the meticulous vampire would do something he wasn’t sure of.
At the same time, Mikage Reo had the same thought. He also didn’t believe Icarus had suddenly lost interest in this project, so there was only one possibility left—
Icarus had issued a challenge to them. And he didn’t need failed finished products.
Truly blood-boiling.
Mikage Reo laughed. He felt that the blood in his entire body was boiling, causing him to clench his fists tightly.
Mikage Reo looked at Nagi Seishiro beside him and, unsurprisingly, discovered that a storm resembling a whirlpool had arisen in the latter’s eyes at this moment.
“To become the world’s number one striker, first start by entering the U20,” Nagi Seishiro muttered.
There were no few people who had such thoughts as he did. After the initial shock, what followed was high-rising fighting spirit. They had trained in Blue Lock for too long, and the strikers selected through one round of carnage after another were craving a match that could prove themselves.
Seeing this, Ego Jinpachi smiled in satisfaction.
“Let them see the battlefield of the egoists.”