Blue Lock: Phantom Striker

A world of steel and glass stretched endlessly before him. Towering buildings, neon-lit advertisements, and the ever-present hum of an industrialized city. The streets were alive with movement, a constant flow of people rushing to their destinations, lost in their own worlds.

Yet, amidst this concrete jungle, a young Isagi Yoichi walked with a quiet, calculated purpose.

At the time, he was nothing more than a restless teenager, an unnoticed shadow drifting through the bustling cityscape. His heart had already grown familiar with the harsh realities of life. Survival was a game, and he had learned its rules well.

The world had no kindness to spare for those who lagged behind.

And so, he took what he needed.

Isagi wasn't a criminal, not really. But when desperation knocked, morals became a distant echo. A quick flick of the wrist, a well-timed step, pickpocketing was second nature.

His targets were always the same. Men in business suits too distracted to notice, tourists with loose wallets, people who wouldn't even feel the loss of a few bills.

And as he walked through the crowded streets that day, scanning for his next mark, something unusual caught his ear.

A small, determined voice.

"Handmade keychains! Please take a look!"

Curiosity piqued, Isagi followed the voice through the chaotic streets. It was strange. Who in this age was still selling handmade keychains?

Then, he saw it.

A tiny makeshift stall nestled against the pavement's edge. It wasn't even a real stall, just a few flattened cardboard boxes stacked together, with scraps of colorful paper decorating the surface. A small handwritten sign was placed in front, slightly crumpled but carefully made.

And there, sitting behind it, 

A little girl.

She couldn't have been more than seven or eight years old. Her dark hair fell messily around her shoulders, and her clothes were a little worn, yet neatly maintained. But what struck Isagi the most was her eyes, bright, unwavering, and full of quiet determination.

She arranged the keychains carefully, making sure each one was displayed properly.

The keychains themselves weren't perfect. Some were slightly uneven, others had small errors in the designs. But despite that, they were beautiful. Each one had its own personality, its own charm.

Isagi watched as she called out again, her voice unwavering despite being drowned out by the noise of the city.

Yet, no one stopped.

No one even glanced her way.

Something about the scene made Isagi's chest tighten.

Why was she here? Why was a child, barely old enough to understand the world's cruelty, already fighting against it?

A moment later, he made his decision.

With a subtle movement, his hand brushed against a businessman's pocket. A slight shift of weight, a precise flick of his fingers, in less than a second, a folded bundle of yen bills disappeared into his sleeve.

The man never even noticed.

With that, Isagi walked toward the stall, stopping right in front of the girl.

She looked up at him with wide, curious eyes.

"How much?" he asked, pointing at a random keychain.

The girl perked up, smiling. "One is ¥300. But if you buy two, it's ¥500!"

Isagi glanced at the pile of keychains in front of her.

There were at least twenty.

Without hesitation, he knelt down and scooped up the entire collection in his hands.

"I'll take them all," he said.

The girl blinked. "E-Eh?!"

"You heard me," he said, pulling out the stolen cash and handing it over. "I'll buy every single one."

She stared at the money, then at him. "But… w-what are you going to do with so many keychains?"

For a moment, Isagi hesitated.

Then, the words came naturally.

"I'll give them to people I care about," he said. "Because something made with this much effort deserves to be in the hands of those who will treasure it." 

A flicker of surprise crossed her face.

Then... for the first time, she smiled.

A small, fragile smile that made Isagi feel something strange in his chest.

As if, just for a moment, he had done something good.

That night, after the streets had emptied and the city lights flickered in the distance, Isagi found himself back near the same spot. The little girl sat on the pavement, counting the remaining money in her hands.

She looked up as he approached.

"You're still here?" he asked, crouching beside her.

She nodded. "I need to make more keychains for tomorrow."

Isagi glanced at the small fabric scraps beside her. "Why are you doing this?"

She hesitated.

For a moment, it seemed like she wouldn't answer.

Then, quietly, she spoke.

"I… I had a home once."

A sharp wind blew past them, rustling the papers at her stall.

"My parents… they were good people," she continued, her voice soft. "But things got bad. My father lost his job, and then one day, he just… didn't come home. My mother tried to take care of me, but she got sick. And then… she was gone, too."

A lump formed in Isagi's throat.

"And then?" he asked, barely above a whisper.

She shrugged, as if it was the simplest thing in the world. "Then I was alone."

Silence stretched between them.

"But I don't want to steal," she added firmly, clenching her fists. "I don't want to beg, either. If I can make something and sell it… then at least I know I earned it."

She looked up at him then, her expression unreadable. "That's why I can't take money for free."

Isagi exhaled slowly.

Here was a kid who had nothing. Yet, she still clung to her pride.

He didn't know whether to be impressed or pissed off.

"...You really are something else, huh?" he muttered.

She tilted her head. "Is that a bad thing?"

He let out a dry chuckle. "Nah. I like it."

A moment of silence passed between them.

Then, with a smirk, he flicked her forehead lightly.

"But from now on, you're not alone," he said.

She blinked.

"You have me," he said, standing up. "And I'm your big brother now."

For a second, she just stared at him.

Then, her lips trembled, and she burst into tears.

She threw herself into his arms, her small hands clutching his jacket.

"Big brother…!"

Isagi caught her easily, letting out a small chuckle.

"Yeah, yeah. I got you."

From that day on, they were family.

A thief and a little girl selling dreams in the shape of keychains.

A pair of stray souls, bound together by fate.

And even as the years passed, even as Isagi walked the path of football and entered Blue Lock, one thing would never change.

He would always be her big brother.

No matter what.

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Sorry Guys, but I couldn't write the next chapter in which I planned to introduce the characters based on the readers who have been supporting me in the comments since quite some time. I had to work on my project in college, along with the deadline for the freelance gig which I was doing. Final Year is really tiring, along with uncertainty in the job market nowadays. But stay tuned for tomorrow, I will definitely introduce them.