"I'll answer you anyway..." A middle-aged man with red eyes and long white hair started.
He stood on the podium, exerting an aura of mystery around him.
He chuckled slightly before continuing.
"Recent world's game of soccer is plummeting. The world of soccer is full of old players who will retire when we least expect it." He paused, taking the mic off the microphone stand and walking around.
"These old players were good in their prime, and most of them have retained their shine, but then what? If they suddenly leave, soccer would just be a sport where everyone plays to earn money." He paused again, a smile creeping up his face.
"I didn't say making money was bad. After all, we all need wealth, right? The young players nowadays are just too pitiable. They don't bring out the joy the old players brought to us in the past!" He suddenly raised his voice.
He chuckled when he realised it got to us.
"Soccer is a fun sport, and it should remain fun even in the next generations! The new should replace the old as soon as possible, or else...!" He stopped and turned to us, his grin widening.
"Everything they've worked hard for... will go down the drain... or so your government said."
His voice reverberated in the hall where hundreds of young people, including myself, were.
The hall was noisy a few minutes ago, but after a 'punishment' was given to one of us, the crowd went dead.
"And so, you guys were brought to us. To make the world of soccer bloom once more! To make sure soccer never died out. To make sure you give your everything for the sport... or so your government said. But the truth is... you're just sacrificial pawns! The scums of society!" He laughed hysterically, slamming his hand on the desk before him.
The murmuring began again, a bit more heated this time around. Sobs were heard, complaints were heard, but it didn't really matter because there was nothing we could do about it.
"Well, don't let it get to you. After all, they did it for everyone's sake. Every single person here has a problem or two with soccer, so we will be in charge of redirecting you. You should be happy that you were chosen. The spots aren't easy to get after all."
"For bringing you here against your will, you'll be given rewards... that's according to how well you do." He smiled again before turning and walking out.
I glanced over at the guy who had received the punishment.
It happened a few minutes after we were all present in the hall.
The crowd was almost silent, but for the constant murmuring, I could hear around me.
"This is kidnapping! Fuck you! Let us all go!"
I slowly turned to the guy who had just spoken.
Who in their right minds would speak to people whose powers are unknown in that manner.
"How dare you lowly peasant!"
That voice carried utmost authority. The aura pervaded the whole hall.
The boy had insulted the 'gods', and it was time to receive the punishment he deserved.
"I-I just said the truth! Right, guys?!" He asked, turning to the others who joined him in jeering at the 'gods'
"Lowly peasant! For your offence of insulting the gods and instigating other people in insulting the gods, you shall go through — mental subjugation." A man on a black suit said.
"Wh-what are you... ARGH!!!!" He screamed, falling on the floor.
"What's going on?!"
The crowd gasped, they whispered, and fear was spread in the hall.
Why was he suddenly on the floor, screaming his lungs out? What exactly had happened? Who exactly were those gods? And why exactly were we there?
It was later that we found out that what happened to the boy was what the 'gods' termed punishment.
An indescribable pain that is felt internally and can't be soothed until you submit.
How exactly did I arrive at this sick place? This place which is ruled by fear of authorities that we had no idea about.
Everything seemed okay the day before that, and even weeks or months before our 'arrival' at SW East.
We were all oblivious to the fact that our lives would totally change the following day.
Some were in their personal training ground, shooting balls into the net like a man possessed. Not caring about the fact that their boots were about to give out.
"I can never lose to anyone!"
Some were busy with their usual routines of spray-painting walls late while laughing their asses off and being chased by security corps.
"This is freedom!"
What freedom? That's sort of destroying others' property. There's no way that's legal.
But their usual early routine starts at an abandoned court, where they practice their freestyles.
"You're totally great at freestyles!"
"Hehe, you think so?"
Some were busy with club, blasting raps, and having fights with their meddling senpai's while their peace loving friend tries to calm things down.
"Let go of me, damn it! I'll go teach those seniors what's what!"
"Wait, calm down, calm down."
Some were carrying their little siblings on their backs and having fun with them, even though they didn't look anything like the gentle type.
"Want me to run another lap with you on my back?"
"Nii-nii is the best!!"
"It's my turn, nii-nii!"
Some others worked part-time, shouting at male customers or co-workers who were not focusing on what they came to the store for.
"Get lost if you don't want to buy something. Tsk, so annoying."
Few were busy helping out at their parents' cafe while also playing with little kids, some going shopping with friends, some were sitting alone at libraries while drafting strategies, and some others were just helping out at home.
Different characters merged together into a squad in an unknown land ruled by fear.
It's like a total restart in our lives.
I was just another player in a high school club. Wasn't even a star player, but after a lot of hard work, I ended up in the starting eleven.
"Atsushi! Didn't I tell you to pass to Hiro then?" The soccer club coach at our school asked, hitting a folded book on my head.
"Sorry, coach..." I apologised, my eyes fixed on the floor.
My teammates snickered.
Fools. It was obvious that the ball would have gone in if Juro hadn't gotten cold feet.
We were playing a friendly match in Daigo High School's soccer field, and we were winning 2-1.
One of my assists led to a goal, but the other didn't. Why?
The coach asked me to pass the ball to Hiro, a senior in my school, but if I had passed to him, he would have been cornered by the other teams defence.
I decided to fake a pass to him and, instead, dribble past the defence.
When the fake and dribble were successful, I passed to the second striker, Juro, who was also a senior.
He was slow to shoot and passed the ball to Hiro instead, who was now found offside.
I clicked my tongue, sitting on the bench.
I looked up at the others who were still playing on the pitch, sweat dripping from my jaw.
"Damn it..."
"What are you cursing for? All you know is to run around. Not even doing any special stuff for the team." A teammate made a snide remark.
I was just a junior who got on the starting eleven because of my speed. There was nothing remarkable about my game play, so most of the seniors, including my classmates disliked me.
I had no one to speak to in the club since everyone just decided that I was a snob.
How so? I mean, I stay on my own most of the time and practice really hard with them. I help out when I'm asked for and make sure I complete all assignments assigned to me.
Anyway, the one thing that brought us all to SW East was the fact that we wanted something but had nothing.
Power, talent, freedom, connections, friends, peace, and whatever else they wanted. They did sign up for that after all, but it's still kind of a scam since they weren't truthful with their advertising.
It all happened so suddenly. A minute ago, my eyes were fixed on my phone, the message reflecting in my eyes.
— ARE YOU IN DESPERATE NEED OF SOMETHING BUT CAN'T EASILY GET IT?
CLICK THE LINK FOR MORE INFORMATION.
Every single person who was in that hall needed something. How we'll get what we want was still a mystery, and where we were was a bigger one.