The win buzzed through campus like static in the halls. Teachers mentioned it between lessons. Younger kids mimicked our goals at recess. Even the basketball team gave us space at lunch—like we'd crossed some invisible threshold.
But we weren't champions.
Not yet.
And I felt it in my bones—we were being watched.
System Notification: "Protect the Flame" Active
Objective: Remain Unbeaten in Group Stage (2 Matches Remaining)
Hidden Perk Unlock: "Underdog's Shield" – Bonus to Performance Under Pressure
Risk: Morale Dips if Drawn or Defeated
Stamina Penalty Accumulates per Match
New Message Received:
Café Eleven – "We're watching. Win the next one, we talk sponsorship."
At training, fatigue had crept in like mold under a door.
Bryce showed up limping. Isko's touches were heavy. Even Zay, always talkative, kept glancing at his phone between sprints.
"We're running hot," Ana said. "Burnout's close."
I knew it too. But we had to push.
Second game was against Tahanan South Blades—all pace, zero structure. They pressed wildly and rode on emotion. They weren't clean, but they believed.
Maria handed me a flash drive. "Clips from their last match. They overcommit on the flanks, leave gaps in the middle."
I nodded. "We bait the wings, slice the middle."
Ana tapped the board. "Let's build traps."
Match 2 – Tahanan South Blades
Opponent Playstyle: Emotional Overload
Weakness: Midfield Discipline
Buff: Late Goals (They Score Most in Final 5 Minutes)
Weather: Hot & Dry (Fatigue Rate +10%)
We opened in full control.
Ravi slowed the game down like a conductor. Zay ghosted into pockets. I orchestrated the buildup.
Minute 12 – I slotted a through ball to Ana, who feinted left, cut right, and curled it far post.
Goal: Campus Phoenix FC – 1–0
It felt too easy.
That was the problem.
By the second half, we'd dropped pace.
Mistake.
They came back like a wave.
Minute 31 – One of their midfielders snapped a volley from nowhere. Bryce didn't even have time to react.
Goal: Blades – 1–1
Momentum shifted. Crowd turned. Their bench roared.
Panic whispered.
Until—
System Prompt: Activate Squad Pulse?
Detect morale drop and issue on-pitch directive
Ability Unlock – Captaincy Tier II (Cooldown: 1 Match)
I triggered it.
I felt the dip. The hesitation.
So I shouted:
"Reset shape! Let them come—we counter next touch!"
They did.
And we did.
Ravi intercepted. I turned. Zay ran blindside. One-touch pass. One-touch finish.
Goal: Campus Phoenix FC – 2–1
Final whistle blew just as cramps started tightening my calves.
We'd survived.
Win Earned
+2 Reputation
Skill Development: +3% Tactical Awareness
Squad Chemistry Boosted
Fatigue Accumulation +10%
Bonus Achieved: Back-to-Back Wins
After the match, a stranger in a blazer waited outside the gate.
He approached slowly. No clipboard. No sponsor tee.
"James, right?" he said.
I nodded.
He handed me a card.
Coach Mateo Ruiz
Scout – Southeast Metro Academy
"Let's talk—if you stay unbeaten."
Then he smiled. "By the way… you're playing Cavite Forge next."
I blinked. "They're still in the league?"
"Not just in it," he said. "They're favorites to win the whole thing."
That night, Maria posted our highlights.
Ana updated the group chat with Forge's stats:
– 4 national youth pool players
– Average margin of victory: +3 goals
– Known for: Power. Precision. Ruthlessness.
Zay replied with one word:
"Finally."
I stared at the footage long after everyone logged off.
We weren't the hunted anymore.
We were contenders.
And Cavite Forge?
They were the furnace we'd either melt in… or rise from.
System Alert: Final Group Match Incoming
Opponent: Cavite Forge
Stakes:
– Win = Group Champions
– Draw = Advance (Seeded)
– Loss = Risk Knockout Round vs Top Seed
Optional Quest: "Forge Fire" – Prove Team Identity Under Peak Pressure
Reward: Trait Evolution Opportunity
I closed the laptop.
No more pretending.
Next match wasn't about protecting the flame.
It was about becoming it.