SWNOVELXO Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Entry Into the Blue World
Chapter 13: Entry Into the Blue World
Scene: Private Transport Hover-Train – En Route to Blue World Stadium
The Ego Survivors sat in sleek black leather seats inside a glass-domed hover-train, racing through the mountains of northern Japan. The tension was quiet but palpable. Everyone knew something big was coming. Something game-changing.
Rudou sat near the window, staring at his reflection against the icy landscape.
Beside him, Takumi flipped through the new digital document sent by the system:
> [ARC III – INITIATION PHASE: THE BLUE WORLD PROJECT]
[OBJECTIVE: Rise through the 100-tier Ego Pyramid]
[NEW SYSTEM: GLOBAL VISIBILITY ENABLED]
[ALL MATCHES BROADCAST INTERNATIONALLY – SPONSORS ACTIVE]
"What even is this Blue World?" Gojo muttered. "Sounds like some anime villain lair."
Yuki scoffed. "It's the future of football. Only eight of us made it this far. This is bigger than Japan now."
Kenji leaned forward. "It's not just us. That pyramid means we'll face players from all over the country—and the world."
"Bring it," Rudou whispered. "I'll crush them all."
---
Scene: Arrival – Blue World Central Tower
The hover-train pulled into a circular terminal, where a glass elevator took them 200 floors up into a tower piercing the sky.
They arrived at a dark-blue domed chamber. Holographic lights blinked across the floor, forming a rotating 3D pyramid with 100 tiers. Each block displayed empty player slots.
Then a synthetic voice echoed from above.
> [WELCOME TO BLUE WORLD]
[YOU ARE IN TIER 100]
[TO REACH THE TOP, YOU MUST WIN. EVERYTHING.]
> [TIER 1 = ENTRY TO WORLD EGO XI]
[TIER 2–99 = DOGFIGHT HELL]
The pyramid vanished, and a single, tall figure walked forward from the shadows.
He wore a dark suit, white gloves, and a glowing badge labeled "PROJECT DIRECTOR."
His name flashed on screen: Juro Hinamura.
"Congratulations," Juro said, eyes scanning them all. "You've cleared the preliminary hell. Now you're stepping into a new one. The Blue World selects only the most egoistic strikers, playmakers, tacticians, and monsters. You want to rise?"
Rudou stared him down. "That's why we're here."
Juro smiled coldly. "Good. Because starting now… every match is a battlefield. And each of you… is a weapon."
---
Match Format Announcement
> [NEW FORMAT UNLOCKED: EGO BATTLES – GROUP ASCENT MODE]
[RULES: Each match features 5v5 / 7v7 / 11v11 random formations]
[WIN = RANK UP]
[LOSS = RANK DROP]
[BOTTOM 10% OF EVERY TIER = AUTO-ELIMINATION]
[ELIMINATION = SYSTEM DEACTIVATION FOR 6 MONTHS]
Shun raised his hand. "Do we get to stay together as a team?"
> [RANDOMIZED TEAM FORMATIONS PER MATCH]
[FRIENDSHIPS ARE NOW LIABILITY TAGS]
Takumi's hand clenched. "So we could face each other."
"Exactly," Juro grinned. "This is the Blue World. Trust no one."
---
First Blue World Match – Tier 100
Rudou's Team:
Rudou
Hoshikawa (Speedster from Kyoto)
Naoto (Aggressive CB with martial arts training)
Arashi (Quiet left-footed winger)
Daisuke (Creative passer, arrogant genius)
Their opponents: Ranked Blue 096 Team – a squad with 4 wins, 1 loss, all from different cities.
> [Match Objective: 5v5 – Street Rules, Small Arena, No Referee]
[Match Time: 15 Minutes | First to 3 Goals Wins]
[Reward: Promotion to Tier 98]
---
Minute 1 – No Mercy
The whistle was silent. A buzzer blared instead.
The match began with violence.
Naoto instantly clashed with a bulky forward and shoulder-checked him into the wall.
Daisuke shouted, "Idiot! We need the ball, not a red card!"
"There are no cards," Rudou said.
He stole the ball, flicked it behind his back, and launched a shot from midfield.
It bounced off the metal post.
But Hoshikawa dashed in—faster than anyone expected—and volleyed it in.
> [1–0 – Rudou Team Leads]
---
Minute 4 – Equalizer
The Blue 096 squad wasn't normal.
Their striker activated a hidden system:
> [EGO UNLOCKED: CLAW SHOT STYLE – BOUNCE TRAJECTORY]
[SHOOTING MODE: ERRATIC FLIGHT PATHS]
He faked right, shot left—then the ball curved midair, hit the ground twice, and rocketed into the corner.
> [1–1]
"Cheater move," Arashi muttered. "He's using chaos."
"No," Rudou said. "He's using ego."
---
Minute 7 – Clash of Will
Daisuke tried to orchestrate plays, but nobody followed.
"Pass, damn it!" he shouted.
"I don't follow orders," Hoshikawa barked.
The team splintered.
Then Rudou called out, "Form triangle pattern. Right now."
Shockingly—they listened.
Naoto rotated back. Arashi curved wide. Hoshikawa cut inside.
Rudou dribbled forward, defenders on him, then tapped it back to Arashi.
One-touch pass. Back to Rudou.
No hesitation.
CRACK!
Goal.
> [2–1 – Rudou Goal]
---
Minute 12 – Ego Duel
The enemy striker and Rudou collided head-on.
Slide tackle. Feint. Shoulder bump. Elbow. Eyes burning.
> [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION – EGO DUEL MODE TRIGGERED]
[If both players activate Ego Boost in same moment: Winner gains All-Stat Surge for 5 Seconds]
"Come on then," Rudou grinned.
Both activated at once.
Clash.
Dust flew.
Rudou won.
He exploded past him, skipped past a final defender, and chipped it lightly over the sliding goalkeeper.
It bounced.
Then dropped into the net.
> [3–1 – Victory]
---
Post-Match
> [TEAM PROMOTED TO TIER 98]
[MVP: RUDOU – 2 GOALS, 1 INITIATED PLAY]
Back in the locker room, Rudou stared at his trembling hand.
That Ego Duel… had taken something from him.
But it also gave him something new.
> [NEW ABILITY UNLOCKED: PRESSURE BURN]
[Effect: Boosts Performance by 10% when Physically Pressured]
---
Epilogue Scene
Back in the central tower, Juro watched the match replay.
"So... Rudou Kagemori, Takumi Tenma, Shun Oda… Let's see how far your ego can carry you."
A new challenger stepped forward in the top tiers.
Golden eyes. A mechanical brace on his left knee. And a name etched in the system logs:
> [ENTRY LOG: HAYATO RIN – GLOBAL RANK #49]
And he whispered:
"Rudou... I'll be waiting at the summit."