The sun rose over the secluded EOS training grounds, casting a golden glow over the field where the future of world football had just been rewritten. The night before had been a battlefield of numbers, clubs waging war for the next generation of superstars. Now, only 20 players remained.
Inside the hall, the tension was thick. Some players stood with their heads high, pride swelling in their chests. Others wore frustration on their faces, their fates sealed by a system that cared only for the strongest. And then there were the ones who weren't there at all—the unsold. They were gone, erased from the competition as if they had never existed.
Shunji Kaizen stood at the front of the room, his sharp gaze scanning the remaining players. His presence alone was enough to make the room silent.
"Congratulations. If you're standing here, it means you are valuable. If you are not—well, you already know what that means." His voice was cutting, precise, devoid of sympathy.
"This was not just an auction. This was a culling. The weak have been discarded. The ones who could not sell have no place in the future of football. I will not waste my time explaining why—they simply were not worth it."
His eyes flickered with something sinister.
"EOS does not reward mediocrity. This is a place for monsters. Those who hesitate, those who falter, those who seek comfort in excuses—you do not belong here."
Some players clenched their fists. Others, like Renji, simply smirked.
Kaizen continued, "But do not misunderstand. This is only the beginning. The World Soccer League (WSL) is the true battlefield. You were chosen not because you are the best, but because clubs see potential in you. Prove them right, or they will crush you."
He let his words linger before delivering the final blow.
"For those who failed to sell—you are eliminated. EOS no longer has any use for you. You may leave."
A heavy silence fell over the room. The unsold players had already left before sunrise, their dreams shattered. Among them was Jin Kazama, a goalkeeper who had come so close, only to be discarded. Shohei Kuroda and Sorao Hamada—gone. Their absence was a reminder of EOS's cruelty.
The remaining players stood still, absorbing the brutal reality.
Renji Kurogami stood at the front of the group, arms crossed.
"Highest bid, huh?" he muttered under his breath, smirking.
Last night, Catalonia Titans had outbid every club to secure him. The moment his name had appeared, clubs had gone to war. The number kept rising—50 million, 60 million, 80 million,....and finally, a staggering 200 million .
It was proof.
Proof that he was the best.
"This is it... The next step to becoming World No.1." His eyes burned with ambition.
He had crushed expectations in the EOS match against the World 11. He had stood toe-to-toe with the greatest and left an impact so deep that the top clubs had fought with everything to claim him.
"Kaiser Eberhart, DeLuca, Santos... watch me. I'll surpass all of you."
A few feet away, Kazuya Mori was fuming.
The 2nd highest bid of the night, Bavaria Storm had claimed him for 180 million euros. But that wasn't the problem.
It was Renji.
The fact that Renji had been valued higher than him burned.
"Tch..." Mori clicked his tongue, fists clenched.
His pride had been wounded. Even though he had dominated EOS, even though he had destroyed every opponent in his way, it still wasn't enough.
"I'll make them regret it." His glare sharpened. "Renji, I'll crush you in the WSL. Just wait."
As the morning progressed, the Old Legends prepared to leave. They had done their part, guiding the new generation. Their time was over.
Seiji Nakamura, Eiji Kobayashi, and the others stood near the exit. But they weren't alone.
Three more figures were with them—Sunil Rajput, Adrian DeLuca, and Leonel Castillo.
These Titans of Football had come to EOS as special players, pushing the challengers to their limits. Now, they too were departing.
Sunil Rajput, the relentless midfielder from India, looked at the remaining players. His expression was calm, but his presence alone demanded respect.
DeLuca and Castillo—the 2nd and 4th best players in the world—stood beside him. DeLuca, the Celestial Phantom, was unreadable, while Castillo, El Rey, had a smirk that carried a silent warning.
"Your real battles begin now," DeLuca finally spoke, his voice smooth and unreadable.
Castillo laughed. "We'll see if any of you survive the WSL."
Sunil simply nodded before walking toward the exit.
Before they could leave, Renji stepped forward.
Renji wasn't one to express gratitude easily. But this was different.
He turned to Nakamura, Kobayashi, and Sunil.
"I owe you three," he said simply.
Seiji Nakamura chuckled. "Tch. Don't make it sound like a favor, kid. You earned your place."
Eiji Kobayashi smirked. "You're still far from the top, Renji. But... you're on the right path."
Sunil Rajput, the man Renji had admired since the start of EOS, gave a single nod.
"Make it count," he said. And with that, they walked away.
Renji clenched his fists. "Yeah. I will."
With EOS behind them, the 20 remaining players prepared for the World Soccer League. The final lineup was set:
Final Player Assignments Post-Auction
1st - Renji Kurogami → Catalonia Titans
2nd - Kazuya Mori → Bavaria Storm
3rd - Sora Amagi → Imperial Madrid
4th - Riku Saionji → Rio Grande FC
5th - Tetsuya Aikawa → Torino Royale
6th - Kazuki Shindo → Blue Fortress FC
7th - Kaede Arata → Paris Guardians
8th - Haruto Inoue → Manchester Strikers
9th - Yuto Kisaragi → Blue Fortress FC
10th - Reiji Sakamoto → Blue Fortress FC
11th - Sho Nakata → Ajax Valkyries
12th - Daichi Fujimoto → Shin Osaka FC
13th - Isamu Oda → Basel Hounds
14th - Kenji Takahashi → Mumbai Falcons
15th - Hajime Ueda → Vienna Monarchs
16th - Masato Hino → Celtic Blades
17th - Rikuya Asano → Buenos Aires Warriors
18th - Kenta Shimizu → Stockholm Giants
Goalkeepers:
Takuma Ogawa → Lisbon Kings
The next phase had begun.
EOS was over.
The World Soccer League awaited.
And Renji Kurogami's path to becoming World No.1 had just begun.
To be continue...