With four rounds in the books and the scores tied at 2 victories each, A highly competitive game of hide ink seek reaches a critical stage in the fifth round with both teams finally having their full squads present after several clashes saw mismatches, all occurring with the backdrop of Shamsa's ruins behind them with the splatters of green and blue ink painting the walls and the grounds on each collision. For this fifth round, both sides made changes to their squads with Skolar swapping Sigurd for Marcel for greater attacking prowess and keeping the rest of the squad while the Bluerings swapped out Ray for Floyd. The Bluerings serving as the Hiders with Floyd as their "It" while Skolar are the seekers, it became an explosive fight for total control of the match momentum. For over several minutes, the two teams fiercely battled for Floyd with the Bluerings working around the clock to keep him under their protection. The round started with the Bluerings rushing to protect Floyd, heavily wary of the focused attacks from the monstrous twin terrors and the rest of the Skolar players who'd use the decoy of their star players to ambush. As such C.C. made it his mission to score as many points as possible and serve as the counter force to Carmichael and Miralem.

When the two teams clashed with their main cannons leading the charge, the points were tallied immediately once the bodies started to collect. Floyd remained vigilant and managed to survive the initial wave by actively using his athleticism and judgment in predicting enemy movements to his advantage, but as the round waned his efforts proved to be in vain as Skolar's relentless pursuit still paid off. Three times did Skolar manage to tag their target and claim those bonus points: once from Jean who was the first to mark him, once from Miralem who was the second player to get him, and finally the third from captain Carmichael who left the biggest impact with his hit as it boosted Skolar to a 67-50 lead. Prior to that the Bluerings held their own pretty well despite the hiccups with Floyd and it was all thanks to C.C. and Frazzy's efforts. The skipper worked around the clock to level Skolar at every opportunity and rounded up at least a couple kills at every chance he got, but he couldn't do it all alone and that was where Frazzy came in. While Evan and the others primarily worked on defense protecting Floyd and countering more so than attacking offensively, Frazzy joined C.C. as one of the active slayers and worked to dwindle the numbers of Skolar, and this plan worked effectively for a bit as they kept the score low and close.

But everything changed when Carmichael flashed a smug grin after taking down Floyd to overtake the Bluerings for the lead. They'd done well to defend and stay alive for most of the match but in that process they wore themselves thin mentally due to having thrown all their chips on the table to take this critical game in the match, believing this game to be a must win scenario. The play executed by Carmichael shattered everything as the flow of concentration the Bluerings had evaporated instantly, the vice that C.C. carried as he tore through Skolar disappearing once he realized-along with the others-that Floyd got taken down at a crucial moment where only minutes remained. With Skolar's sudden lead quickly widening as time wanes, it appeared like the writing was on the wall for the Bluerings who spent the whole match defending the close lead to no success, only able to power on through sheer willpower and defiance to relinquish their chance for an appearance in the next round. As they stared down the impossible task of conquering the Ogres, C.C. let out a cry that rattled his teammates as they felt the intensity and desperation in his voice.

"We're here to be kings of the continent! Don't falter! Don't lose your will, or else we'll most certainly lose our way!" the captain of the Bluerings shouted with sharpness despite being full of exhaustion, his body clearly pushed to the limit, though his spirit was far from being extinguished.

The remembrance of last year's defeat appearing to him in that moment like a burst of light, his body woke up from the stimulation that came from the overwhelming emotion. The overbearing guilt from that defeat a year ago was enough to give him the sharpness he needed to remind Skolar that he still had life in his body. Clenching his teeth through the pain and well aware that he would be doing harm to his body at the rate he pushed himself, it was all worth it as long as he could win the match before him; the sweet embrace of a rest tomorrow would be all the more enjoyable knowing he and his teammates would be appearing in the round of 16. Frazzy and the rest of the Bluerings understood the message he conveyed through his actions, knowing the only way to respond was to match his resolve. Even though the relationship the players possessed with one another was one full of tension and rooted in competition, there was still a fondness they all shared for each other and an overwhelming respect their leaders who sacrificed so much for the sake of the common goal they shared in getting to the final. The Bluerings kicking it up a notch in the clutch moments, they bare their fangs at Skolar, their hearts racing and their blood rushing to their heads as the pressure of elimination loomed. For the round that would define their entire season, they hardened themselves and prepared for war. Thoughts vanishing and instincts taking precedence, the fifth round took place before an anticipating crowd who wanted to see if the match would go the distance of seven rounds or if one of these teams could manage to close it out in six. C.C. raised his chin and channeled the same swagger that helped define who he was, in turn sparking life in his teammates who were ready to march behind him.

A game of Hide Ink Seek for the fifth round, the Bluerings marched, swarmed, and attacked the designated target at every moment possible to gain those precious bonus points. Playing as the Seekers the Bluerings were tenacious with their approach to frustrating the defending Ogres who were in a less advantageous position as the Hiders, the Bluerings packing a punch every time they launched their attack to accumulate some sort of points. But where the Bluerings fought with desperation to take the lead in the match, Skolar played with patience-a silent wrath unveiling as the game continued and all according to Carmichael's watch with him as the spoiler. Aware of their desperation to gain the lead and close everything out hastily, Carmichael wanted to spoil their resolve. Despite playing as the Hiders, Skolar played with some vengeance of their own and lashed back at the Bluerings forcing them to play with some level of caution, reminding them that although they were in the defensive position they could very much turn that into an offensive, which at times they did. Fierce and intense, severe damage was dealt as the Bluerings successfully antagonized Skolar into retaliating and playing into a "rock 'em, sock 'em" type of game where Skolar weren't afraid to leave their defenses open for the sake of counterattacking.

Pouring their heart and soul into this round, C.C. and the Bluerings in turn faced the consequences set up by Carmichael's foresight and suffered twice the damage they dealt in the form of exhaustion physically and mentally. Carmichael knew their desperation and used it against them to wear them out, often drawing them into overexertion and in turn having them scramble and reel whenever the counterattack commenced.

Heads turning once the final whistle blew, the reactions from the supporters of both teams were polarizing. The commentators announcing the end of the round by throwing their arms up in the air in utter shock, the magnitude of the victory achieved sent waves. Pouring everything into that round and still coming up short, the Bluerings now found themselves trailing behind once again after working so hard to erase the deficit and now slated to play in an elimination round. The sidelines of the Bluerings full of stunned expressions after tasting a potential lead get wiped away, some of the players started to tense up and others became dejected now that they were back in the same lousy position as before. The coaches did their best to retain some of the composure lost, reminding the players that the match wasn't over by any stretch; they still had two more rounds left that they could win, so they had a slither of a chance. But with that said, it was far too difficult to envision them winning consecutive games on Skolar at this rate.

His breath heavy and his gaze locked on the scoreboard unable to look away from the reality before him, C.C. stared at elimination in the mirror. He didn't quake in fear nor did he feel anxious about the next round. A rare moment of zen, C.C. knew this next round was a statement for his legitimacy as a leader. Embarking on a tournament run filled with tumultuous challenges and lofty expectations, he wanted to remind his teammates that although they are in the same situation as earlier, they knew how to avoid falling into the ditch of death. A moment of unity, they held their fists together and outlined their goal for the next game: Just win. None of them expressing any interest having their season end early, the captain called on his teammates to have his back and likewise did he assure them he would have theirs. Skolar's players looked like they smelled blood in the water with their intense gazes towards the Bluerings, their message in the huddle brief but effective in displaying their intent: Skolar in six. That statement ringing in their ears, they refused to allow a seventh game to be played.

With both teams lined up to a deafening audience at Shamsa stadium, the fierce stare down between the two teams captured the spirit of what this match had been and what it might become from here on out: a vicious war to gain entry to the round of 16. The paths taken by the two teams differing greatly despite being next to each other in the rankings, Skolar were the 5th ranked team entering the competition and their road through the group stage was one without any considerable stress as they won their group and steamrolled their opponent in the round of 32 to get here, doing so behind their twin terrors of Carmichael and Miralem. The Bluerings were the 6th ranked team entering the competition and had to survive the group stage to reach the knockout stage, going against some of the best and hottest teams in the tournament, and although they handled business in the round of 32 by taking down a fellow ranked opponent, their biggest challenge was always going to be a fellow rival within the top 10 considering a couple of their losses in the group stage came from their bouts with the 3rd ranked Crystal Coast and 7th ranked Kalebrough. With the winner of this match earning their spot to face Squid Academy in the round of 16, both teams had their reasons for why they couldn't go home early. The golden rainmaker awaiting them at the center of the map, the players could feel their senses sharpen and their surroundings dull. For this round, they would devote everything to carrying out the objective to secure the victory. The drums banging and the crowds chanting, the sixth round of Rainmaker is about to commence.

The match broadcast full of life as the commentators hype up the possible elimination round and dish out all the stats for the match thus far, Kippy watched closely as her rival from the group stage looked to be in the zone. Remembering her battle with C.C., she was pumped to see him elevate his game, but also nervous, because she realized that regardless of the outcome, her beloved Squid Academy would have to face one of these behemoths in the round of 16, a picking of powerful poison between the explosive C.C. and the Bluerings who would already be familiar with them and have vengeance for their loss in the group stage, or twin terrors in Carmichael and Miralem that would likely rival the Royale siblings. The wait over as the two teams listen to the countdown, all eyes turn to the finale of the clash between the powerhouses.