Wow...100 chapters.100 CHAPTERS! Man, it feels incredible to finally reach this milestone. When I first started this all the way back in May 2016, I knew I'd have a story long enough to reach here, but never did I ever imagine JUST how difficult it is to reach here. I apologize if this might seem lengthy (Skip and read the story if you would prefer but for those interested, I thank you very deeply.) note and I won't try to make this too long but I feel reaching a goal like here garners a bit of recollection of my trials and tribulations in writing. During the 2 years I've spent, I never really understood nor imagine the level of dedication and resiliency it takes to write! Countless days I'd get writer's block and couldn't think of anything for days, weeks, and even months (The Hiatus). But regardless, the show has to go on. Over these couple years, I've found my true passion in a world where I immediately thought just making money was enough (don't get me wrong, I WILL become a surgeon but, that doesn't mean I'll enjoy it.). I love writing. I love the challenge it takes to still struggle and learn new ways to better improve but still see some fruits bear from my labor. It definitely eases me through my tedious spell in college to see that even now, people still give me a chance, albeit a chapter or 100-every single one of you have given me a reason to keep moving forward, and I sincerely and gratified to you all for being considerate, patient, and supportive. I hope that one day I'll be able to do bigger things in writing so that I can help give back to a community that's done so much for me even when I feel as though I don't deserve it. Once again, I thank you all very much and I hope to continue having your support on this journey. (If you're wondering about where the current status of Rise of Squidcom...Read and you'll find out! :) See you space cowboy.)


The semifinal of the National tournament 2 years ago against Special Forces was the game that forever changed the mindset of Gin Ika and helped him understand that the weakness he had would be his strength. Throughout that that campaign, Beacon Hills had been in the shadows of the starring Special Forces and Octo Valley who dominated the season as the two premier teams. Beacon hills only had attention because of their successful history as one of the most winningest schools in Inkopolis history, and of their young captain who was the younger brother of Jin Ika-the hero of the sport.

I never thought I'd ever feel weakness in my life again…

He thought, recalling the feeling of frailty he felt as he stood face to face against his brother in that match, matching him blow for blow and pound for pound-holding nothing back as he expressed the resentment, hatred, and envy of the brother who always got the best of everything in life while he had to scrap for everything. In his early upbringing, Gin had to survive the slums of Beacon Hills with his family. His parents had always shown favoritism for Jin since he was a "Rare Breed" born inkling, having the hair color of Gold-the sign of elitism in the nation of Inkopolis, where anyone with gold hair was destined to have a successful life because of that rarity. Gin however, being born after Jin and having the accursed silver hue like the rest of his family, was subjugated to the same treatment his parents had to undergo, sometimes having to miss a meal, lose sleep from sharing the same room as the inconsiderate and noisy Jin, and sacrifice education all for Jin to receive the best fruits in the shabby life he was unfortunately born into. Jin thrived through all of the "struggles" the slums of Beacon Hills had to offer, becoming a neighborhood role model once he became a student at Special Forces, making plenty of friends in the neighborhoods, and of course becoming very popular with the ladies for his charming looks and skills on the turf.

But Gin didn't have that same blessing. While his brother attended the finest elementary and middle schools in the area, Gin was either homeschooled by his mother or left to teach himself whenever his mother got too busy. Gin also had to help around the house in doing most of the chores while Jin could afford to have the life of an ideal boy their age and play with friends. Through these events, Gin harbored dark emotions to his brother. The one who had the hearts of everyone Gin couldn't even dream of, was about to leave and win the heart of the entire country with his skills in turf wars once it was rumored that huge schools were looking to recruit him. He knew that there wasn't any other way for him to escape from this mess, so he decided that he'd do what Jin could do-and better. Around the time that Jin had left for his tour on recruitments was when Gin decided to modify everything he did in his life and multiplied his effort such as finishing chores briefly, learning and studying with more dedication, and building his body for the day he could be on the same turf as his brother. After going to a skills event with many scouts in attendance, Gin caught the attention of most of the favorable schools, including Beacon Hills-one of the best teams in the country. Gin didn't hesitate to join the school once he learned of their history with Special Forces-Jin's school. Gin dedicated all of his resources to helping the slums of Beacon Hills, becoming a protector of the community, and help his family out of poverty all while Jin lived a lavish life in a completely different region of the country, showing no gratitude or consideration for the people who got him there. But even so, Jin still continued to receive more love from their parents than Gin, adding to the crushing weight of the many dark feelings of resentment and fury that Gin harbored toward his brother.

But that day, when he was defeated convincingly by his brother. He understood, that never again would he ever allow himself to feel the weakness that had consumed him for so long. The weakness that had pushed him to strive towards greatness was now the hindrance in defeating his brother. He had to change everything about himself in order to distance his identity as "Jin's younger brother who never smiled" or "Perennial 2nd place"- becoming a cold being who showed no interest in making any friends and was strictly all about winning. But somehow along the way, despite trying to be as solitary as possible, he attracted many subordinates who admired his determination-winning the hearts and trust of three friends who would stick by his side and follow his lead-whether he liked it or not. Taking on the burden of leading and carrying an entire city's hopes and dreams placed on his shoulders. He swore that the weakness he possessed, he'd never show again. That was until he had encountered her...after seeing the eyes of Sky Royale, he understood her emotions clearly. He resonated with the experience she shone in her death stare and knew, his weakness wasn't his drive of envy, nor was it revenge. But fear. The fear of defeat. The fear of being neglected despite his efforts once again. The fear of letting down people who believed in him. The fear of failure. For everything Beacon Hills High School had done for him, he wanted more than anything, to repay their hospitality by winning as much as possible for them. Anything to show his gratitude.

"My weakness is my greatest strength…" he muttered as he respawned, seeing his teammates in the room who were waiting for him. They knew if they were going to have any chance of being effective, they'll need their captain with them. All of them smiled once they saw the expression on their captain's face. Everything about him seemed refreshing, from his unusually relaxed smile to his body language seeming looser with an air of calmness emitting around him. The weight on his shoulders had finally evaporated with understanding that no longer did he need to burden himself with all of his frustrations, but to just play the game he knew best and accept the results. He was at peace. With his team, he was ready to win a championship that Beacon Hills would never forget.

As Beacon Hills stepped out of the building, the atmosphere on the turf changed immensely. Sky felt it in the chilly air as her teammates rejoined her, she was holding the Rainmaker and carried it on a miscellaneous route far from the easiest path to grow a lead. She was expecting Beacon Hills to make another rally and was careful, choosing to wait for her team and move out together than risk trying to gain more ground and then put the game in jeopardy for her team, like how Shiva did in the previous round. The score was still in their favor, although Sky and the others knew well that this match was going to get a lot tougher as they packed together in the snow and moved out through the streets. The SAHS fans scattered throughout the arena were showing optimism and glee as their side seemed like the dominating side led by the superstar Sky Royale.

Azule felt nervous, sitting forward with his attention focused on everything going on down on the turf as if he had all the pressure of the world resting on his shoulders. He knew that this wasn't over and that although there was some action in the game already, the real challenge would come later upon viewing Gin and Beacon Hills leave their spawn and look to meet up with the Elites, seeing that the team looked different than before. There was no more intensity and instead, just a team with resolve to win without any error. A nagging question in his mind was what exactly did he want to do? He never really had a goal in mind when he started playing, and even now he still couldn't find an answer to that elusive question. With Pastelle's question echoing in his mind, he hoped he'd find his answer in this match.

A decent amount of time passed by in the match leading to the final two minutes left with the Elites still holding onto the lead 79-46. The Elites managed to hold Beacon Hills back from having an exploding run but at the same time did not extend their lead, leaving a bit of a boring match as they dragged it out. It was risky to keep allowing Beacon Hills obtain possession but not extend on the chances given, instead playing conservative and avoid attacking any further-prioritizing time management. The Elites knew that once the match entered under two minutes, the pressure would settle in emphatically with both sides wanting to grab the win as soon as possible. The Elites were willing to go the distance and run the table on taking the match into overtime and win it on sudden death-that was if they were the ones still with the lead. But the life in Beacon Hills was alarming. For a team built for the short run, they weren't letting the fatigue get to them. They were throwing all their chips on each attempt to snag the Rainmaker and inch closer to a lead.

Fans of SAHS were trembling anxiously as they stared at the match clock on the big screens, counting down the seconds until they'd hopefully grab their first piece of silverware in 7 years. Veterans-like Pastelle-in the crowd, however, had a different type of feeling. The tone of the match was becoming too calm with a complacent Elites side settling to hold onto the lead and wait for the match to end instead of stomping on the throats of their competitors and ending the match. Pastelle glared as she read the flow of the match and made her prediction in her head, preferring to not let her thoughts reach the ears of those beside her-for, all of them were standing up and cheering with all of their might, rooting for a Squid Academy victory.

1:33...1:32...1:31...the timer counted down as a minute and a half remained in the battle. Beacon Hills were still trying to chip away at the defensive plot, but with time running out it appears they would only be able to grab onto one last attempt. They needed to recapture the Rainmaker and rally for an overtime contest. Gin reads the formation of the Elites and gives his last command with composure, and it was as if he said the right words or found the right time to give a command, but either way...he triggered his team's full potential. Like the speed of sound, the four Beacon Hills members were gone and gunned straight for the current possessor of the Rainmaker-Austin, who received it from Sky, who in-turn broke the rules by switching possession, which wasn't allowed; but they knew that this match didn't have any rules at this point and went along with it. They weren't the only ones who woke up though, as Sky and Aaron were the first ones to hold down their efforts and later be joined by Pearl; Austin pumped out his powerful shots at the attacking four in the meantime. The sudden frenzy of a match caught the half-sleeping audience and got them out of their seats, the big moment was coming after all. Gin grits his teeth as he finally runs into the wall known as Sky Royale, feeling immense pressure on his shoulders as all factors worked against him. Finally, he understood why his brother cracked when he went up against Sky-the obsession of his quest for greatness was right before him, and he couldn't contain the rush of adrenaline. Gin analyzed the situation at hand and worked to make a move around what openings he could find, but like a destroyed bridge, there was no way for him to cross into their defenses and turn the game around. 1:20 left in the match.

The weather conditions intensified to blizzard-like conditions as the pinnacle was closer to being reached. Even the gods were enjoying this battle between titans. Sky slides on the snowy road and aims for the legs of Gin and Alumia, but she misses by a thread as Gin leapt ahead and Alumia rolled the opposite way to dodge-ink flying everywhere in the process. Gin lands in the hill of packed snow and uses it to his advantage, throwing his suction bomb blindly and realizing he landed a splat! The crowd reaction tells him he got somebody...but who? A Rainmaker barrier is formed as Aaron and Sky frantically try to cover it while Pearl tries to destroy the barrier. Somehow, Austin got splatted and dropped the Rainmaker, giving Beacon Hills the opportunity, they needed and the nightmare the Elites were trying to prevent. Like the wind, Silvia races in and takes the Rainmaker after Pearl bursts the barrier-slipping behind the defenses and beelining for the goal. They could win it all right then and there!

Madness struck in the audience as people shouted and screamed in support and rally. With only a minute left in the match, Beacon Hills were somehow finding a way to steal the dreams of yet another team. But while Silvia didn't look back, she knew. The vicious-fiery fury in Sky was burning right behind her and hot on her trail. No way would Sky allow her to grab the knockout. Sky abandoned her team and went straight for the Rainmaker in Silvia's possession, chasing her in the direction of the Elites goal with a surge of ice in her veins as an inferno erupted from her glare. Gin and the rest of Beacon Hills also abandon their confrontation with the Elites and focused only on retrieving the Rainmaker in the case that Silvia got caught. Silvia hurried as if her life depended on it. If she ever allowed herself to fall within Sky's range of attack, that monster wouldn't let her see the light of day ever again. That was the aura that emanated from Sky, one of a beast on the prowl-knowing that time was almost up.

O-our plan...I won't let it be ruined like this!

Sky thought with beady eyes as a terrifying grin appeared on her face, resembling a lunatic hungry with bloodlust as she tasted the fear emanating from Silvia, who felt like prey to the predator. Her vision narrowed into a tunnel as she focused on the goal ahead, seeing nothing but a mixture of white and purple stand in her way. She'd need to use the Rainmaker and risk getting splat by falling into Sky's vicinity. She bit her lip and sharpened her focus, preparing for the battle. She charged the Rainmaker and then whipped her body around with a spin in midair-aiming the Rainmaker at Sky, catching Sky off guard for the moment as the Silver light intensified from the weapon, and then whipped her body back around and fired ahead-doing so in a perfect rotation without a stutter in her execution. She fooled Sky for a moment, enough to give herself a better pathway to the finish while Sky slowed down for a moment, trying to process the move. With 35 seconds left in battle, the tension was skyrocketing as Beacon Hills neared the goal of surpassing the Elites and stealing the lead; 49-46 in favor of the Elites, but Beacon Hills were closing the gap.

Sky bit her lip until blood appeared-pushing her body to the absolute limit and understanding what possible consequences might lie ahead. Her complexion and hair darken immediately, the fire in her eyes intensified to a radiant blue of a demon. No longer could she stay in a normal state with the match in jeopardy. Her future on the line. Immediately as she did so, a heavy pulse echoed through her body-cutting off all of her senses. Her sight turned to darkness as the only thing left in her vision was the falling snow and Silvia just ahead of her, sound disappeared the moment the beat intensified, and her breathing became light as the air went thin. The pain from before returned. She still wasn't completely healed, and her body had become very sensitive thanks to pushing herself past limits she never experienced. As all her nerves tingled with pins and needles, her eyes twitching in response to the unbearable pain, she kept moving forward. She knew that regardless of the result, this was going to be her last match. No way would she be able to recover from the trauma she endured today. This match was her magnum opus, her stamp on a career where she'd been overshadowed and overrated. It would be up to the next cast after this. A flash of her memories swim through her thoughts as the attack of pain reached its climax. The image of her smiling little brother from when they were children, the tears he shared with her in their darkest moments, and the resolve he showed in his brief appearance in the Rank Wars was enough to push her past her mind and body's limits. A blow of air exhaled from her trembling mouth as her eyes dilated.

I can't... I can't let him down!

The muscles in her body tear apart as she lets out her war cry, her eyes sharp like a dagger, her hands gripping the weapon, she makes a massive leap forward, arching her back and body into a perfect formation for a sniper, and makes the crucial splat...at a price. She held them down with 25 seconds left. She stopped Beacon Hills from snagging the lead. But in return for her efforts, her body crashed into the thick snow-her head landing first as it bobbled in response to the impact, her face buried deep as the rest of her body looked lifeless. But, it wasn't over yet. As Aaron and Pearl raced to take the Rainmaker to meet with Austin on the other side to secure the close victory for the Elites of Squid Academy, they're met with three Beacon Hills members already at the barrier and ready to claim yet again. With futile effort trying to overpower Beacon Hills, who swift broke the Rainmaker barrier and escape battle, Aaron and Pearl are forced to play catch up yet again as Gin hopped onto the Rainmaker and darts for the win.

Sky felt everything in her world begin to crumble, forced to have to watch the rest of the match unable to do anything to change it. She grits her teeth and drags her body through the snow, trying to get to a nearby pole and get up. Despite the thousands of needles piercing her, she forced her upper body to obey her command, but her legs wouldn't follow suit. Her breathing became frantic and she struggled to get up-feeling the pain multiply. Her hands started twitching as her breathing became abnormal, her body moving abstractly as her eyes began to dull. Hyperventilation. For the first time, Sky Royale was hyperventilating as she desperately tried to force herself up to help her team fight and defend the lead. The anxiety consumed her as Gin and Beacon Hills tied the game. She collapsed to the floor, unable to keep control of her body. The captain of the Elites had enough, feeling the fears of his proud team succumbing to despair. He caught up by pure willpower to face Beacon Hills.

Like the eyes of a god, Aaron's conviction was ironclad as he ended the run and grabbed a team splat-taking all four of them down as the glow in her eyes showed his ferocity. But it was too late...time had expired right afterwards, and he didn't dare to look up at the big screen, knowing he showed his true strength too late. The arena was dead with silence as the stunned audience struggled stomach what just happened. The Agents were all shocked, Squidcom was frozen, Azule's eyes trembled in disbelief, Shiva's tears began to fall as she covered her face and wailed in her teammate's arms, the rest of the Elites scrambled out of their seats to go and meet Sky-who was still fighting her hyperventilation to meet her team. The score was 45-46, Beacon Hills won in regular time.

The image of a crying Sky furiously dragging her paralyzed body through the snow-hyperventilating- to scene where the match ended, leaving a trail of tears as she gasped for air sent chills down everyone's spine. She crawled to Aaron's feet and pleaded to him to look at her and tell her that they won, that they held through and that this was just the shock of victory. She turned to Pearl and asked the same thing, and then Austin. But their silence struck the final nail through Sky's heart, seeing them not even as much dare to look her in the eyes-the shame of knowing they wouldn't be able to hold back their tears if they saw the valiant trooper who sacrificed her body for the cause, only for it to be in vain. The silence of the crowd gave her no hints, and the stillness of her team only made it worse. As she forced her vision upwards towards a board where the result was displayed, she felt an arrow pierce through her heart. As if a stipulation had been met, all the pain in Sky's body attacked her at once, she rolls over and returns to hyperventilation. The shock was enough to kill her, and she'd accepted the invitation for death. Her eyes popped out as she stared at her teammates. They identified the situation and immediately called for help, putting aside all the pain they felt from the loss and focusing on not losing another thing important to them. Sky.

Chills sent down the spines of everyone in attendance as they watched her being carted off the turf. Her eyes struggled to stay open after receiving the amount of agony given, rivers of tears flooded uncontrollably from her teammates who were holding her hands and forehead, shaken. Sky broke into tears, gripping the backs of her teammates, screaming she was sorry. Her scarred brother sat in the stands hunched over in his seat, covering his ears as tears of his own pour down his face-frightened by the vivid flashbacks returning that seemed reminiscent of what was happening now. His rock and armor, his biggest support and idol. Shattered by the sight and sound of what he tried so hard to block out those many years ago, the screams wouldn't be silenced. Gripping his ears, clenching his teeth and opening his eyes-veins emerged across his face as he held back his rage. Twice, he couldn't protect his sister. This was the final straw. As he felt something in his mind snapped, he calmed down. The light in his eyes beginning to fade away.

"I know my purpose…" he muttered under his breath, the air around him completely new.

Moments passed by before Beacon Hills can begin their trophy presentation and celebration as the roof enclosed with black and silver confetti falling from the ceiling. Sky was taken underground to be stabilized with her teammates by her side. Her parents and siblings were visibly disturbed in the luxury box with none of them ever witnessing one of their own undergo such pain, and they couldn't do anything about it. Agent 3 was bothered by the everlasting image of her daughter in pain, and the wailing scream of agony she gave in defeat. She clenched her fists with frustration in her eyes. If she had been there for her daughter when she was supposed to, she could go see her immediately and comfort her, but in her current position, it'd be unrecommended. But as Agent 4 placed his hand on her shoulder and gave her a cold stare, she knew that even then, her job as an Agent came before her job as a mother. She needed to keep her composure like always and ignore what she witnessed. Their next mission involved the future PM of the nation, she needed to keep her cool and focus like always. Lime and Verde on the other hand, both had a monstrous expression on their faces as they were disturbed to see their precious little sister in such pain. The glare in Lime's eyes sharpened as she looked at her father, who responded with the same emotionless stare and shake of the head in disapproval. They knew immediately that the environment they were in wasn't the right time for this. The Royale family had to keep calm, but one Royale ignored that as he allowed his emotions to get the best of him. Disgusted by the celebration of Beacon Hills and their fanbase as they hoisted another championship, he had been deciding what to do next as he listened to the masses applauding Sky for her efforts as she was carried off.

Azule got up to leave, brushing off Fuschia's hand when she reached to ask how he was feeling. Pastelle stops him with her foot, restraining him as she placed all her weight on keeping him there. stared into his eyes, asking for his reason. Exactly what did he plan to do? That was answered once she saw the hollowness inside him, understanding that this was something that he had to do as her brother. A personal issue that she-of all people-could understand deeply. She saw that ferocity and desperation in his trembling eyes filled with rage. She had to let him go. As if loosening her grip on the leash, she let him free, allowing him to pass. She leaned back in her seat-closing her eyes and sighing with frustration, "See it through and show no stutter in your action. Remember that-to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction…"

Azule gave a nod as he kept his eyes forward-heeding his mentor's warning, "Yeah…"

Gin and Beacon Hills continued their celebration with their fans, helping them sing their fight song while holding the trophy up high and proud. The banging drums of their celebration would reach the homes of Beacon Hills in no time. Gin seemed the most joyous of the Beacon Hills side, having a beaming smile the entire time he celebrated, clapping and dancing to the music of his beloved culture, finally feeling the burden lift off his shoulders as he felt his evolution reach its peak. Silvia cradled the trophy with tender care, still soaking in the result. Platinum and Alumia led the celebrating as they helped the fans perform all the dances and songs, playing with the confetti as well. The victorious chant of Beacon Hills echoed through the airwaves as they celebrated an instant classic of what might go down as one of the greatest wins in Beacon Hills history, dubbed "Elite finale of the winter" by the fans who march outside to begin their festive travels all the way back to Beacon Hills. But as fans look for the exits after enjoying a fantastic end, a blue haired boy with inferno etched into his cool blue eyes shuffles through the crowd, looking for the team locker rooms. Looking for his beginning…