Rodrigo tried to ease things again, raising his cup in the air.

"Calm down, calm down. This is a party, not a press conference. Let's just relax, alright?"

Mateus didn't answer. Diego shrugged, still with that challenging smile. Finally, Luquinhas raised his cup too.

"Alright. Relax. But remember this, Kelvin: tomorrow or the day after, when we're face to face on the field, there won't be music, there won't be flashing lights. Just you, me, and the ball"

I held tightly the cup in my hand. The ice had already started melting, and I felt the cold water running down my fingers. His words hit deep, not just because of the way he said them, but because of the weight they carried. It didn't sound like just any provocation. He was warning me — or challenging me.

"I know", I replied, looking straight into his eyes, "and that's what excites me"

For a moment, Luquinhas's smile shifted, almost sincere. But then he went back to playing around, swirling his cup as if he were a conductor leading the beat of the music.

"Now that's it. At least you don't run from the conversation. I've seen people shrink just from hearing my name"

Diego laughed out loud.

"And it's no lie. There was this guy last tournament who gave up playing when he found out he had to mark Luquinhas"

Mateus, more serious, slowly shook his head.

"This one doesn't seem like the type to run"

His words sounded dry but heavy. Like a minimal recognition, still distant. As if he were saying: "ok, you're not a coward, but you haven't proven anything yet".

Rodrigo tried to intervene again, pulling Ian and Dante closer.

"Guys, let's take a walk? I think we've already got our drinks, right?"

But Ian was too curious to leave.

"Wait", he said, with that mischievous grin he always had, "I want to see how far this goes"

Diego wasted no time.

"How far? The story's simple. You think you're good, but you haven't faced us yet"

"And who do you think you are?", Dante shot back, laughing, "Flamengo?"

"No", Diego answered, serious, "we're Zenkai."

The name hung in the air like a sentence. I had heard about them before. Zenkai was one of the most talked-about teams in the region, precisely because it gathered talented kids who didn't just play well, they played with style. And there they were, three of the most famous: Luquinhas, the number 10; Mateus, the wall; Diego, the striker.

Ian raised his eyebrows, surprised.

"We know who you are"

Luquinhas tilted his head.

"It'd be strange if you didn't"

"Of course", Ian replied, crossing his arms, "everyone talks about you. But let me tell you the truth: fame doesn't step on the field."

"Neither does a viral video", Diego shot back, staring at me.

The reference was obvious. The duel with Takumi, the video that had spread all over the internet. I took a deep breath. I wouldn't let it shake me.

"You're right. The only ones stepping on the field are us"

For a few seconds, no one said anything. The sound of the party filled the space again, the bass vibrating in my chest. The lights flashed in blue and red tones, reflecting on the cups, on the faces, creating strange shadows.

Rodrigo patted my shoulder.

"Kelvin, let's take a walk, come on"

But I couldn't move. Something in that situation held me, as if it were more than a simple exchange of provocations. It felt like we were sketching the outlines of a rivalry that would only grow stronger.

Luquinhas took another sip, then licked his lips.

"You know what I like about nights like this?", he said, thoughtful, "we can be here, all the same, partying, laughing, drinking. But deep down, we know tomorrow none of this matters. Tomorrow, someone's walking out the winner, and someone's walking out the loser"

Diego added:

"And I already know which side we'll be on"

Ian laughed, but this time it was a nervous laugh.

"You guys are confident, huh"

"It's not confidence," Mateus finally spoke more than just a few words, "it's certainty"

The way he said it hit me. As if he had seen the future, as if there was no room for doubt.

Dante, who until then had only joked, turned serious.

"Look, I don't know what you're trying here, but this isn't the field. You want to play tomorrow? Fine. But tonight, leave us alone."

Mateus stared at him, expression unchanged.

"We're not looking for a fight"

"Well, it sure looks like it", Dante shot back.

Luquinhas raised his hands, laughing.

"Guys, calm down! Look, no one's fighting here. It's not worth it. But I won't pretend I'm not curious. I want to see you on the field. I want to see if that fire in your eyes stays when the ball starts rolling"

He looked at me again, and this time I felt a shiver. It wasn't just provocation. He was challenging me.

"It will", I answered firmly, "you can bet on it"

Diego stepped half a step closer, shrinking the distance even more.

"Then let it be. Just don't cry afterwards"

Ian stepped forward too, ready to respond, but Rodrigo grabbed his arm.

"Enough, Ian. Leave it for tomorrow"

The silence that followed was heavy. Only the music filled the space, muffled, as if coming from far away. The five of us stood there, inside a kind of bubble within the party, where nothing else seemed to matter.

Finally, Luquinhas laughed again and patted Diego's shoulder.

"Come on, boys. We've made our point"

Mateus gave me one last look before turning his back. It was a firm, direct, almost cold look. Diego flashed that challenging smile at me once more, and the three of them began to walk away, disappearing into the crowd of people dancing and laughing without even imagining what had just happened.

I stood still, breathing deeply. My friends were quiet too, each one digesting the situation in their own way. Ian broke the silence first.

"Man, those guys think too much of themselves"

"And do you believe everything they said?" Rodrigo asked, worried.

I slowly shook my head.

"No. But I respect it"

Dante snorted.

"Respect? They were just provoking"

"And even so", I said, staring at the spot where they had disappeared, "I felt they really believe what they say. That's dangerous"

The mood turned heavy. Rodrigo tried to ease it once more.

"Ah, let's forget it. We came here to have fun"

But it was too late. That party had already lost whatever little shine it had. At least for me. Every song that played, every light that flashed, felt distant, as if happening somewhere else. All I could think about was the game to come, the moment I would face them again.

I had already faced Takumi, I had already lived through tense matches, but this was different. I couldn't think straight, and my mind focused only on defeating Zenkai at any cost, and the system agreed with me.

[Mission: Win the Regional]

[Reward: Secret Style / status boost +20]

[Difficulty: ???]

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