The halftime locker room vibrated with energy, the good kind, almost. Sweat misted the air, boots thudded against the floor, and heartbeats echoed in sync with the rising hum of the stadium outside.

Eternal Era led 1–0. The victory scent was faint but real.

Jason stood before them, hands on his knees, studying the holographic display of the Solar Blades' formation. His brows furrowed.

"They're adjusting," he said quietly. "They've switched to a diamond midfield, compressing the center. They're planning to suffocate Anastasia's space."

Lionel leaned forward, towel around his neck. "They'll try to draw us into the middle. If we bite, we lose the flanks."

"Exactly." Jason nodded. "So, we'll bite differently."

He turned toward Blaze, then Diego, who had been sitting silently, arms folded.

"I'm changing the shape. 4-4-2. Two strikers up front."

Scarlet's head snapped up. "Wait—both of them?"

Jason's eyes flicked toward Diego. "Yes. Blaze and Diego."

The room tensed. Everyone knew the two were talented — but combustible together. Their styles clashed: Blaze's calculated ferocity against Diego's volatile hunger.

Jason continued, tone level. "We'll stretch them vertically. Blaze plays off the shoulder, using Elemental Speed. Diego operates deeper — disrupt their defenders, drag them out. If it works, we'll overwhelm them."

Anastasia frowned slightly. "And if it doesn't?"

Jason exhaled. "Then we adapt. But we need to learn who can carry the front when stakes rise."

He looked straight at both strikers. "You two — I need harmony. Not rivalry. Understood?"

Diego smirked. "As long as he keeps up."

Blaze met his gaze, unflinching. "Just don't get in my way."

Jason's voice sharpened. "Enough. You win together or you lose together."

The whistle outside blared, signaling second half. Jason pointed toward the door. "Now go earn your galaxy."

When the players emerged, the stadium lights blazed brighter, twin auroras swirling above the pitch dome.

Solar Blades had come alive. Their captain's aura burned gold-white — pure plasma. His team moved like shards of sunlight, each strike dazzling and disorienting.

Jason's new formation appeared risky from the start — the midfield felt thinner, the defensive line more exposed.

But Blaze and Diego up front looked lethal — at least on paper.

At kick-off, Diego sprinted forward, aura erupting in golden arcs, his Titan ability Solar Mirage flickering with speed illusions. He cut past one defender — then lost control, the ball ricocheting off his shin.

"Pass earlier!" Blaze snapped.

"Play faster!" Diego shot back.

They collided into each other's rhythm — beautiful chaos with no sync.

Solar Blades countered viciously, seizing the loose ball.

Their winger, cloaked in a blazing aura, launched into a spinning aerial kick — part football, part martial art — sending a meteor-like volley screaming toward the goal.

Lionel dove, his Stronghold Grasp activating — gravity warped around him. The ball slowed, curving under invisible pressure before his cleat deflected it wide.

"Focus!" Lionel roared. "We're not done yet!"

Blaze gritted his teeth, electricity crackling at his feet. He activated Elemental Speed, darting down the right channel. Scarlet read his movement instantly, slicing diagonally to pull defenders off balance. Anastasia flicked a perfect pass between two Solar players.

"Take it, Blaze!"

He lunged forward — but Diego, cutting from the opposite side, collided with him mid-sprint.

The ball shot loose.

Solar Blades recovered and launched another blistering counter.

Jason clenched his jaw. "They're not syncing. Damn it—"

Minutes bled by. Eternal Era's shape began to crack. Their midfield was gasping, their defenders overworked.

Scarlet intercepted one blazing pass only to be sent sprawling by a light-spear tackle. The referee's whistle echoed, but Solar Blades' energy had shifted — confidence radiated from them now.

Jason pressed his comms.

"Diego, fall back. Blaze, conserve your charge — wait for the opening."

But Diego ignored it. He charged into another duel, aura flaring recklessly bright. He executed a spinning mid-air kick — a Martial Feint taught only to senior ranks — but the Solar defender read it easily, slamming him to the turf.

"Is that your plan?" Blaze muttered, helping him up. "Run wild until they score?"

"Maybe I'm just not scared to risk something," Diego shot back.

Blaze's eyes glowed faint red. "Then risk smarter."

The tension cracked between them like thunder.

Jason shouted from the sideline, "Enough! Reset!"

But the opposition didn't wait. The Solar Blades' captain launched a long-range blast — a Solar Burst Shot. The ball ignited midair, leaving a streak of golden flame.

For a moment, everyone froze.

Then Blaze moved.

He leaped — high, impossibly high — twisting mid-air in a martial spin. His leg arced back, lightning coiling around it like a blade.

"Thunder Crescent!"

His foot met the ball — the collision sounded like thunder splitting the sky. The impact diverted the fiery shot upward, shattering against the goal dome.

The crowd roared.

When Blaze landed, sparks licked across the grass. His hair glowed crimson-white.

Jason exhaled sharply. "He's doing it again… controlling chaos through instinct."

But the danger wasn't over — the energy ripple from that clash disrupted gravity near midfield. Both teams staggered, catching their balance.

Then Blaze spoke into his comm. "Coach. Switch to asymmetrical. Let me drop Diego forward. I'll pull the tempo."

Jason hesitated — then nodded. "Do it."

Diego moved higher up, operating as a decoy. Blaze now drifted deeper, linking with Scarlet and Anastasia. The field's energy shifted.

"Alright," Blaze whispered to himself, "let's synchronize this storm."

Anastasia darted down the flank, twisting between two defenders. Scarlet performed a crescent spin-kick — a Phoenix Pass, sending the ball spiraling through the air like burning petals.

Blaze activated Cosmic Telepathy — his first ability — and the world around him slowed. Every thought, every motion from his teammates flickered in faint light trails, visible to him alone.

He saw it — the pattern, the timing, the rhythm.

He didn't just predict the play. He felt it.

"Now."

He sprinted forward, slipping between two defenders as the ball curved perfectly into his path. He charged the ball with lightning and spun into a martial roundhouse — a blend of power and precision.

The shot screamed through the air like a plasma serpent — the evolved form of his father's legendary technique.

"Serpent Fang: Jörmungandr Reborn!"

The strike tore through Solar Blades' barrier and slammed into the net.

GOAL! 2–1 Eternal Era!

The arena detonated in sound.

Scarlet whooped, spinning Blaze around. "That's the upgrade you promised, huh?"

He smiled, breathless. "Still perfecting it."

Jason leaned against the barrier, eyes gleaming. "He turned failure into art."

But the match wasn't over. Solar Blades fought back, desperate, furious.

Their captain unleashed one final Solar Flare Combo — a blinding three-pass sequence ending in a meteor volley.

Lionel's defenses cracked — but Blaze was already moving.

He leapt into the path, twisting his body sideways, channeling lightning through his torso.

"Serpent Fang — Phase Two!"

He kicked, mid-spin, the ball reversing direction like a whip, slamming the counter straight into Solar Blades' goal from midfield.

3–1 Eternal Era!

The whistle blew seconds later.

Victory.

The stadium erupted into chaos and cheers.Fans screamed Blaze's name — "Blaze! Blaze! Blaze!"Fireworks burst above the dome.

Blaze stood motionless, panting, eyes glowing faintly with residual lightning.

Jason approached, clapping slowly. "You saved us from my experiment, huh?"

Blaze laughed softly. "No, Coach. You just gave me the right chaos."

Jason's lips twitched into a half-smile. "Then next time, we build from that chaos — not drown in it."

Behind them, Diego watched silently, sweat dripping down his jaw. His eyes burned — not with anger this time, but something deeper.

Jealousy… and curiosity.

He whispered under his breath, "That power… it's not normal."

Somewhere far away, the Hunters received a coded signal.

Target 'Blaze' confirmed. Await command.

And the shadow of war — of secrets Dante never asked for — drew closer.

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