I woke up with my heart racing.

I didn't know if I had actually slept, if I had dreamed of something, or if I had just spent the whole night replaying the party scene and Zenkai's provocations in my head.

The fact was, when I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was the system notification still glowing at the corner of my vision.

[Mission: Win the Regional]

[Difficulty: ???]

It was as if it had been glued to my mind, reminding me every second that even before stepping on the field, I was already inside it.

I got up, took a cold shower to wake myself up, and tried to eat breakfast, but my stomach felt shut.

My mom insisted I eat at least some toast with eggs, and that's all I could force down.

My dad said few words, but the way he looked at me said everything — pride, expectation, confidence.

Julia sent me a short message wishing me luck, just enough to pull a half-smile from me.

When I got to school, my eyes immediately found the bus.

Most of the guys looked tense, especially since this game was as important as a final.

During the ride, no one joked or chatted — not even Ian, who stayed silent the whole way, sitting next to Dante.

When we arrived, I instantly noticed how many cars were already parked, how many fans were arriving, flags waving, and improvised banners with Sanu's name painted across them.

I knew most of the crowd were students or alumni, people tied to the school or the club itself.

Rafael had told me once during training that if we ever reached the point of fighting for the championship, he would call everyone he could to watch us.

Seeing it now hit me like a shock.

For years, Sanu had always been the underdog, the team nobody believed in, the one treated like a filler in competitions.

Now, for the first time, we were seen as favorites.

I entered the stadium with Ian and Dante, who were waiting by the door.

Ian tried to hide his nerves with jokes, but his smile trembled.

Dante walked in silence, his expression serious.

Rodrigo came soon after, still carrying his usual calm vibe, but even he wasn't completely steady.

Kazana was already inside the locker room, sitting on the bench, serious as always.

The smell of disinfectant mixed with leather from the cleats, along with the muffled roar of the crowd outside, filled the air.

Murilo, our keeper, was taping his wrists.

Márcio and Victor, the center-backs, spoke in low voices.

João Vitor and Danilo adjusted their shin guards.

Dante and Rodrigo sat near me, still murmuring about last night's party, but all I could think of was what was about to begin.

Then Rafael walked in.

Our coach looked sharper than usual, wearing a black polo with the Sanu crest stitched on it.

He carried a clipboard, but set it aside before speaking.

He stepped into the middle of the locker room and looked at each one of us, as if recording that moment in his memory.

"Boys", he began, voice firm but carrying a slight tremor, "before anything else, I need to say I'm proud. Proud of every training session, every drop of sweat, every effort you've put in. No matter what happens today… you've already made history"

Silence filled the room.

Even Ian, who always had a quip ready, stayed quiet.

"For years, Sanu hasn't entered a regional as a favorite", Rafael continued, "We were always seen as the team that just played for the sake of it. But look at where we are now. Look outside. They believe in you. They're expecting something from you. And you know why? Because you earned it. You proved you can be great"

He drew a deep breath, adjusted the cap on his head, and finally opened the clipboard.

"Now, let's talk about the game. The lineup is as follows: Murilo in goal. Center-backs: Márcio and Oliveira. Fullbacks: João Vitor on the right, Danilo on the left. Dante as defensive mid, Rodrigo and Ian in midfield. And up front: Felipe on the right, Kelvin on the left, Kazana in the middle"

"Remember", Rafael went on, "the opponent is strong. You know that. Zenkai has quality players, and they're not here by chance. But we're not stepping onto that field thinking about them. We're stepping in thinking about us. About what we trained. About our identity. The result? I'll tell you right now: no matter what it is, I'm already happy. Because I know you'll give everything"

He closed the clipboard and fixed his gaze on us

"So let's go out there. Let's show them who Sanu is"

The atmosphere shifted instantly.

Ian slapped his thigh lightly, fired up.

Dante lifted his chin, taking a deep breath.

Rodrigo clapped slowly until the rest joined in.

And I, sitting there, pulled my Sanu jersey over my head with almost ceremonial care.

The navy-blue fabric, the crest stitched on my chest, the number 11 on my back.

Every detail seemed to shine brighter that day.

I strapped on my shin guards, tied my white cleats until the fit was perfect.

I touched the Sanu crest over my heart and breathed in deeply.

The locker room door swung open.

The roar of the fans crashed in like thunder.

The stadium was nearly full, their chants echoing through the narrow tunnel.

We lined up, Kazana leading as captain, and started walking.

With each step, the adrenaline grew stronger.

My heartbeat pounded like a drum, in sync with the stands.

The light at the tunnel's end blazed brighter every second.

Until finally, we stepped onto the pitch.

The impact was immediate.

The crowd exploded in cheers and shouts.

Sanu flags waved, banners with our names flashed in the stands, the noise so overwhelming that Zenkai's supporters were nearly drowned out.

And that's when my eyes began searching for familiar faces.

First, I saw Bruno — the same keeper who had played with me in the doubles tournament.

He was among a group, standing a bit apart, but still spotted me.

Our eyes met for a second, and it felt like past and present colliding.

He gave me a small smile.

Then I saw Julia.

Sitting closer to the middle, wearing a light blouse, her hair down.

She waved subtly when she noticed I'd seen her, and that gave me a burst of energy.

But the strongest impact came when I found my parents.

They were side by side, almost in the front row.

My father, serious as always, but with a shine in his eyes I had never seen before.

My mother, smiling proudly, clapping her hands.

That image alone filled me with a strength no rival's words could strip away.

And then, turning my head, I saw them

Samuel and Samuka, the Uchi twins, laughing and commenting from the bleachers.

Elias and Bruno Rocco from Zeltin were also there, watching the match.

It felt like the entire regional had gathered in that gym to witness what was about to unfold.

But above all, there they were — Luquinhas, Mateus, and Diego, on the opposite side, wearing Zenkai's jersey.

The Zenkai kit was black with a red diagonal stripe across the chest.

Its crest carried a dragon shaped like a Z, silver and flaming.

The numbers were red with silver trim, the V-neck collar black with red detail.

The sleeves bore faint patterns of claws and lightning, completed with black shorts and red socks.

They stared at us with the same intensity they had shown at the party.

Luquinhas smiled — that calm smile that always hid something more.

Mateus, stone-faced, looked like a wall even standing still.

Diego, cocky as ever, watched me like he was already ready to test me.

The referee called the captains.

Kazana stepped forward, chest out, firm.

On the other side, another player came from Zenkai, though I didn't know who he was.

They walked with light steps, as if they were already at home.

Meanwhile, I closed my eyes for a second.

I inhaled deeply, felt the smell of the grass, the heat of the lights, the weight of the jersey.

When I opened them again, there was no room left for doubt.

It didn't matter — the party, the provocations, their smiles or their certainty.

In that moment, only one thing existed.

The ball.

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