I had a brilliant idea. Or so I thought.
"GRUAAHH!"
[Baraggan translated dryly: "He wants to create some kind of football tournament."]
Everyone blinked at me. Football? What was that? None of the Bone Circle members had any clue about the game — except me. I barely understood it either, but that didn't stop me.
The rules were simple, or at least what I guessed:
Each member of the Bone Circle had to create a football team. But it wasn't just any team — every team had to be made up entirely of Gillians. The Bone Circle member who made the team would be the manager, responsible for controlling the chaos of the Gillians.
The tournament would take place deep in Menos Forest, where the trees were dense and the shadows long. And me? I'd be the referee.
"GRUAAHH!"
[Baraggan: "He's the referee, but he barely understands the game."]
Everyone looked both excited and confused. Yammy stretched his giant arms and grinned. Kukkapūro yipped happily from Aizen's shoulder. Grimmjow narrowed his eyes, sizing up the competition.
Teams were quickly formed:
Aizen's team: Small but cunning Gillians, ready to outsmart anyone.
Yammy's team: Big, brutish Gillians who just wanted to smash stuff.
Baraggan's team: Silent but deadly Gillians, disciplined and ruthless.
Grimmjow's team: Fast and agile Gillians, perfect for sneaky plays.
Shawlong Koufang's team: Fierce and fiery Gillians.
Edrad Liones' team: Stealthy and tactical Gillians.
Yylfordt Granz's team: Tough and unyielding Gillians.
Di Roy Rinker's team: Energetic and unpredictable Gillians.
Nakeem Grindina's team: Loud and aggressive Gillians.
My team: Well, I mostly just roared and tried to figure out how to referee.
The tournament kicked off with a chaotic explosion of yelling, roaring, and Gillians crashing into each other. Since I was the referee, it was my job to keep things "fair." But honestly, I barely knew what a foul was.
I quickly discovered one thing: I was the most unfair referee in history.
Every time a team scored a goal, I'd pretend I didn't see it. When Yammy's team tried to shove other Gillians off the field, I'd cheer them on. When Aizen's team tried to sneakily move the ball with their tiny claws, I'd call it "illegal" and give the ball away.
"GRUAAH!"
[Baraggan: "He kept making ridiculous calls that made no sense. The others were furious."]
At one point, I declared that the ball was out of bounds even though it was clearly still in play, giving a free kick to my own team (which barely existed). The Bone Circle members' patience wore thin.
Yammy stormed over, towering and angry.
"What kind of joke referee are you?"
Grimmjow snarled,
"You're making this a farce. We're wasting time."
Baraggan's cold voice cut in,
"Your 'refereeing' is embarrassing. You're ruining the whole tournament."
One by one, the Bone Circle members confronted me, their Gillians standing ready to follow orders if I didn't fix the chaos I caused.
"GRUAAH!"
[Baraggan translated: "He says he's trying his best."]
But it was clear. No one trusted me. The tournament never really got past the first round before the arguments exploded.
Finally, frustrated and furious, the Bone Circle turned on me. They chased me through Menos Forest, shouting and growling.
Yammy's massive hands grabbed me first, lifting me off the ground. Grimmjow's claws raked dangerously close. Baraggan sighed in exasperation.
"You wanted to be referee? Fine. Let's see how well you do under pressure."
I roared, trying to hold my ground, but I was outmatched. I got a solid beating from the Bone Circle members — not because I was a bad fighter, but because I was the worst referee ever.
Afterward, I lay panting on the forest floor.
"GRUUH…"
[Baraggan: "Next time, maybe leave the refereeing to someone who knows the rules."]
I groaned in agreement.
The Bone Circle football tournament ended abruptly — not with a winner, but with me nursing my bruises and a very angry group of Gillians and their managers.
At least now everyone knew: I should never be referee again.