"HAAAAA!" Reice shouted bringing down his roller with a vertical wave of pink following immediately afterwards. A thunderous shot fires from behind him and a heightened angle that nearly grazes his cheek, but he luckily dodged out of the way; Emerging from the pool of ink before him is Jory, who also gives a battle cry of his own as he soared for the enemy group clustered together.
Game 3 is approaching its end with both sides bringing the fight to each other yet again. Right now the rainmaker belongs to Special Forces after having lost it momentarily just a little while earlier. When Azule chased after them and stalled for as long as possible, he was able to truly get them once he launched his tenta missiles at all the golden players and subsequently got a triple splat with only Jin spared by the mayhem. Shortly after saw the return of Squidcom who quickly swept possession of the fallen rainmaker and take down Jin, and now, both sides were in a heated battle once again as Special Forces managed to wrestle the rainmaker back from Squidcom. The score is close with Squidcom having just 36 points removed from victory after having a close run to a knockout that ended miserably by Special Forces, who are just a couple points removed from taking away the lead from Squidcom after a strong effort previously. Squidcom have a counted score of 64 while Special Forces have 62, possession with the golden team. The crowd is at its peak as the game is reaching what might be its critical moment as a minute left in the game sparks both sides to step up their play. Reice's aggressive play increased which prompted a tunnel vision focused on one task: pressure. Instead of going for kills, he was instead tasked with pressuring the team as much as possible as one of two crowd controllers with the other being Violet, who inflicted more fear with every shot she fired. Azule and Jory were the ones responsible for getting the kills and reclaiming the rainmaker, but so far they were having trouble getting through the might of Jin, who held them off as Kary searched desperately for a way to escape the crossfire and deadly accurate aiming of Violet.
"They're playing well, but it feels like all the luck is on Jin's side. Every time Squidcom have the chance to end it and take advantage, he and his squad are always there. It's as if fate wants them victorious." Kappa spoke with awe at the ability of the golden team as they once again fight their way through the strength of Squidcom, managing to catch Jory on his heels and severely weaken Azule, creating an opening in the process that leaves Reice exposed by the swarm and Violet in harm's way.
Kippy's agitation grew the more she heard her brother negatively comment on Squidcom's performance, "Shut up! Azule and his team can do it. They made it this far, and they're so close to making the finals. No way will something as small as this trip them up. COME ON, AZULE! USE MIDNIGHT!" she cheered with higher intensity, pumping her fist with a fiery look; Kappa was speechless for a moment but got reminded by Zepp that Kippy's on Squidcom's side for the most obvious reason.
Back to the game at hand, time is ticking to under half a minute left with the lead changing yet again. Special Forces were once again back in control after making a crucial play that worked in their favor, heading for the goal with haste as Squidcom's forces were reduced to half of their firepower with only Jory and Violet still in the mix. It all started when Azule took the rainmaker and made his push with the protection of Jory and Reice with Violet just a little further behind. It was at the moment Squidcom surpassed the largest lead and crossed paths with the swarming Special Forces did the battle make its critical shift. Jin and his squad knew Squidcom's approach would shift now that Azule manned the rainmaker, which left them a golden opportunity to strike the iron while it's hot and eliminate Squidcom collectively. However their efforts were still challenged as Violet dared them to strike down her captain-splatting 18 immediately and severely damaging Kary. Special Forces retaliated by taking down the significantly slower Azule, who ended up dragging Reice along with him because of the range he was in. Weakening the efforts of Squidcom, Violet and Jory were forced to retreat and improvise on a plan long enough for the others to return. Time working heavily against them as Jin protects 12 on the rainmaker, marking the path before them in gold. Jory and Violet split up to initiate damage control. Violet takes to a higher ground to attack them from above by using the nearby trees, as for Jory, he meets them for a frontal with the goal simply to stall and possibly sacrifice long enough for Reice and Azule to put up a fight. Jin barks an order to 12 and the first year halts as Jin takes action, careful to avoid the scope of Violet after being warned by his captain that she'll be in the area looking to pick him off. Jin figured that Jory's motive was to either stall for reinforcements or bait them into a line of vision for Violet to tag them. Aware of their capabilities, he didn't bite and instead issued a new order for 12: redirection to a new route. Instead of fighting Squidcom here, Jin opts for taking care of the objective since they were trailing and time was running out for them. Jory notices the change in their pace and pursues them, only to be cut off by a trail of gold ink from Kary. Violet's perplexed reaction led to her freezing for a moment trying to process how their respawn time was faster than she anticipated, especially since she'd been counting the seconds that both were sent to spawn and the time it takes to respawn. A 4 on 2 battle, Kary and 18 focus on Jory and Violet while Jin and 12 find a new route to find the goal deep within the forest off the trails since the trails were guarded by the enemy. It's a dire situation for the pair-each second they fail to make a difference is a second towards Special Forces taking a step towards victory. Jin and 12 make their exits with Kary and 18 behind them holding the two at bay.
"Jory, keep their attention. I'll try and launch an attack from above and take down the person on the rainmaker. They're still within the range and I can make it if you stall them long enough for me to get into position." Violet said as she calculated the distance between them and the speed it'd take for her to land a target; Jory gave a simple nod and urged her to go. The perfect chance to prove his worth to the squad, Jory had the determination to keep these two under his control-especially since they were just like him in terms of being young talent yet to make a dangerous evolution. Violet darts between the shots of the golden pair and targets the backs of Jin and 12, leaving the rest to Jory who immediately throws out his special attack-Suction Bomb launcher-and creates mayhem along the way. He threw a few bombs behind them to trap the pair, but 18 manages to slip away and he begins to tail Violet while Kary gets cut off from him and gets isolated by Jory.
"Oh no you don't!" 18 yells as he tails after Violet, noticing the she's heading to the nearby trees and getting close enough to the others; he immediately notices her intentions and picks up the pace with desperation. After all, he'd been warned that Violet was the true threat of the team because of her deadly accuracy and quickfire since she never hesitated to fire at her target-a trait clearly from her roots as the daughter to a family of mobsters.
Almost there… she thought as she approaches the tree, ready to line a vertical shot and quickly scale the tree to the nearby branch where she could ready her shot, but as she arrives, so does a charging 18 about to splat her from behind. An ambush since she trusted Jory to cover both of them, she's stuck between a rock and ah hard place as the screaming inkling rushes toward her with her elimination apparent. But just before he can zero in and attack the vulnerable Violet, a vertical line of pink ink splashes him and traps him. Violet quickly pops a shot and splats him immediately, then met by a grinning Reice who was expecting a thanks for saving her at the last second. At the same time, Azule arrived in time to back up Jory. 18 was so engrossed with clearing Violet that he failed to recognize that Reice locked onto super jumping to her coordinates when she was moving forward, rushing past the coordinates and leaving his rear exposed. One down and three to go, Azule and Jory duel Kary while Violet and Reice advance forward to catch up to the others. After a few seconds of a hard fought battle go down, Kary finally bites the dust as Jory lands the final hit. Taking a quick look at the map, the pair super jump to Violet and Reice aware that their enemies would pull the same tactic to defend their rainmaker.
In doing so, the battle reaches its big moment as Squidcom catch up to Jin and 12, but not before Kary and 18 make their return to back up the team. An all out battle ensues, with blue and gold scattering everywhere like flying paint and Jin orders 12 to make his escape. Chaos unfolding all around him with no end in sight, 12 only had one role: get to the goal. Now that everyone was reeled into battle, he had to escape the mayhem and end the game as soon as possible or risk the possibility of a very late comeback that could ruin them. Turning his focus to the goal up ahead in his sights, he picked up the pace emerging into his ink. Not far behind is Azule who ascends to the surface and throws a burst bomb to try and slow down 12, but 12 dodges at the last second and fires the rainmaker in mid step to once again submerge in his gold ink. A desperate time calls for desperate measures, and Azule commits to stopping 12 at any cost, choosing to abandon the duty of eliminating Jin and leave it to Reice, who was putting up a decent fight. A shift in the air on the battlefield alerts Jin as he feels a heavy pressure fleeting from his flank, noticing that Azule was making chase for 12 like a snake to a rabbit. A flip switches in his head as he catches a glimpse of how frightened his junior was to be entrusted with the team's hope for survival, only catching himself once Reice goes on the attack. A hop and a skip over the sprinkler, Azule quickly fires a path of ink along the wall and just like he did last time, he jumps onto the wall to catapult himself into the air to land an open shot. A combination of finesse and brilliant strategy, Azule figured out that an aerial attack can work effectively once it's a surprise, with soaring splashdowns being effective only when the opposing side wasn't prepared for it. With this unique move of his, he was neither too low for it to be a simple hop nor was he too high it to be predicted and countered. With only 15 seconds remaining, Azule jumped at the chance. Midnight returns and with breakneck speed he reaches in time to thwart their efforts. If he fails here, they'll grab the knockout and the situation will only worsen. Luckily for Azule, 12's back was exposed-his focus solely on reaching the goal. It was a difficult pull, but if Azule could splat him here and seize the rainmaker, overtime was assured. He believed he could survive long enough to get reinforcements from the others to mount the comeback. But before he could worry about the following steps, he had to conquer the first task: stop the rainmaker immediately. It felt like the world was moving in slow motion. Violet's shots moving towards the dodging Kary and 18, who are also avoiding strikes from Jory and also returning fire of their own. Just a little adjacent sits Reice screaming out something to Azule, as if warning him. And finally, Azule-in his glowing glory, about to save the day yet again and splat 12 to force overtime. At least, that was what should have happened…
"-HE'S BEHIND YOU!" Reice screamed with fear unable to lend support since he was out of the range to be effective.
Azule couldn't process the warning and instead got the memo only when he felt a terrible chill behind him; the scent of fierce blood lust struck him like a gust of wind as he shifted his body in mid air to catch a glimpse of the source, instead being kissed with a head shot from Jin, who was beneath him at the last second. Gold ink splatters everywhere like an explosion as his clothes fall to the ground, the whistle following right afterwards. The crowd was in awe by the final second of the match with many on their feet to applaud the effort of Jin as he mercilessly denied Azule his heroic moment. Waves of emotion cover the grounds as the fans of Special Forces were up on their feet letting their chant be heard that they wanted this series over in the next game. On the other side, Squid Academy are dumbfounded that their captain got shut down like that. Even though it was only a matter of seconds, everyone saw firsthand that even Azule-the user of Midnight and beacon of hope-had his moments of vulnerability as it appeared that even he never detected Jin's presence. Unlike Gin, who specialized in team play, the kingly Jin shone brightest in solo battle, and in a moment such as the crucial one in those dying seconds, there was nothing more Jin enjoyed than inflicting such pain on an individual, enjoying the euphoric sensation of denying a person the ultimate pleasure of victory. Sending a message to the cheeky bunch of first years who dared to challenge him, Jin went to spawn with a gleam in his eye, as if hungry for more. As if it wasn't already nerve racking fighting in such a high stakes battle against a rival on live television, Squidcom now found themselves down in the series 2-1 with the next game possibly being the end to their journey unless they could somehow rally and tie the series; if they wanted to go to the finals and secure a spot at nationals, they needed to best Special Forces in back to back games-a monumental task even for an adrenaline high Squidcom. The stands are rocking as Special Forces are chanting their anthem with confidence after having seen this familiar scenario before while Squid Academy began their rally with a clap and stomp that led to a familiar melody, one that raised the spirits to the four down on the floor and reminded them why they had to scale the highest of mountains to go to nationals. They had the hopes of everyone on their shoulders as they enter a critical fourth game.
Shock fills Azule's irises with trembling hands clutching his chest as he takes a deep breath, warranting some concerns from his teammates who looked to him for guidance in these moments. "I understand what my sister went through now…" he muttered hazily with dulled eyes. At the moment, his heart felt like it was being crushed under the weight of an overwhelming expectation. Pairing this with such a powerful opponent, it was clear that there was almost no way for them to seriously make an effort to win this series. I can't win...can I? Azule thought with despair creeping in as his gaze drops to the floor, a hopeless air forming around him. Even after everything he and his squad went through, why is it that they can't get past walls like this? If you can't go around it, then go under, if not under, then climb it, and if not climb, then go through it. But what happens if none of those options work? What's left to do? These thoughts race through Azule's mind as he frantically tried to find an answer to the broken power of Jin and the Special Forces.
"This is the power of a giant at full strength. Makes it all the more impressive that we knocked off Beacon Hills, huh?" Reice said resting a hand on his captain's shoulders, his encouraging voice bringing Azule back from the haze. "I know we're in a difficult spot right now, but the series isn't over yet. We still have a game to play."
"He's right." Violet said with a nod, joining the pair; "The pressure is on them to finish us off. If we take this next game, we'll put them in a corner. Remember that they're expected to go to the final while we're a simple underdog that no one expected to get this far." She said with a growing smile, hoping to help her captain as well.
"Don't worry, Azule. I'll step it up and do my best! So, don't give us that look…" Jory added, unable to hide his concern.
Azule's face goes blank for a moment as his eyes wander to the smiles of his teammates, returning from the haze with a glimmer in his eyes and a nod. The core principle team was to never give up and always trust in your teammates. At times like this, everyone had to make an effort to stay on the same page, even if the captain was the one on the verge of succumbing to despair. A chance to take one last breath to calm his nerves, a confident smile returns as he gives them a thumbs up. "Let's go to the final!"
That being all that was needed as the spark to rejuvenate the team's morale, Reice turned to Violet, who then turned to Jory who nodded in response holding out his hand for the team to pile on. Even against all odds, they would overcome them. Even if they were at their limits: Reice worn down to the bone from the heavy duty of manning defense, Violet's vision starting to become impaired the more she strains herself to focus under such stress, and Jory, forcing his body to keep up with the intensity despite not being well conditioned for such battles, none of them had any intentions of losing here. Break time concludes and both sides line up for the battle, ready to lay everything on the line as the situation for both sides differ greatly: For Squidcom, they're in danger of elimination but don't have so much pressure given they're the team everyone underestimated and had no expectations to reach this far, while the Special Forces had all the pressure on them to close the game, at least that's what it was according to Violet of Squidcom, who took this situation with an optimistic approach. In the stands, everyone supporting watches on with their hearts on the edge. From Fuchsia, Kosami, the Royales, and the students of Squid Academy to Sally and her sisters who watch on at the rehabilitation center with nervousness, they await the results of this next game. For game 4, the mode is tower control and will take place in the forest. A chance for both sides to make their mark, the terrain here proved to be home to a climactic end as a battle for control of the tower assured close quarter combat near the objective.
"Kary, is sit fine if I get a little selfish here?" Jin asked plainly with a gaze as though in a trance.
Kary was a little flustered by the sudden question, but soon regained her composure when remembering the situation, "You're the captain. We'll handle the tower, so feel free to satisfy yourself. Just remember what is on the line and don't overdo it."
Jin chuckled, "Don't worry, I've arrived at my answer with Azule Royale..."
Game 4 arrives with both sides bringing it strong from the beginning of the game. They maintain that intensity throughout the match as the tower changes hand every other second and with the lead swapping between the two at a constant rate, the closeness in skill in chemistry nearly identical as both sides fought with their lives on the line. For Squidcom, this might be their last chance. For Special Forces, they smell blood in the water. Back and forth, the highlight of the competition was the team battles between both sides as they avoided isolation and focused on taking the tower first, which was to be expected since just the smallest of movements from the jingling tower could make the biggest impact. Pink. Gold. Scattered from left to right, up and down and all around, the guns fire rapidly as orders get barked from the captains, the coordination from both sides near perfect as they operate in unison. Squidcom played careful but with steady aggression knowing they had to play with some risks but not too reckless. For Special Forces, they were a tad bit on the conservative side as they waited for the right opportunity to unleash hell, instead creating their openings through their tactful efforts of swarming the tower and knowing when to retreat for another concentrated attack. Back and forth, there was always a death or two whenever a team battle went down, and almost immediately following was the control of the tower moving in favor of the team that won the skirmish. "On your left!" Violet shouts, spotting movement in some gold ink near the flank of Azule, who was busy handling a defensive stance with Reice and Jory on the nearby tower; sure enough, Kary pops up and fires at Azule. Luckily he was able to dodge, but that prompts yet another battle to occur on the tower. A score of 67 counted for Squidcom and 82 counted for Special Forces, Squidcom were trying to mount a run together that could threaten the lead, and so far they were doing well after having started at only 38 counted prior to this run. However, Special Forces sensed that this was a dangerous move by Squidcom since they managed to thwart the previous attempts. For Squidcom on the defense, each time they were met by the attacks of Special Forces they switched to a formation that saw Azule leave the tower, Jory and Reice defend it from up high, and Violet clear the area completely and search for a spot to land her shots cleanly. Reading them like an open book after failing on the previous attempts, Jinn predicted the same mannerisms and pounced, getting the jump on them this time around. Though Squidcom put up a fight, they ultimately lose the tower thanks to the pressure of 18 and 12 on the tower who succeeded in closing out the room Reice needed to move around freely which ultimately made the difference. Once again retaking the tower with intentions to extend their considerable lead to an unreachable one, Jin couldn't help but sneer at Azule since he was the only one left standing among the trio defending the tower with VIolet too far removed to make a difference. For Azule-who has to use his rolls to dodge their specials and back track his route to refill his tank, he couldn't help but be amazed by the power of Special Forces. The longer these games went on in the series, the stronger they got-as if they only powered up with every minute that passes. There's no fatigue in their eyes. None in their breath. Their movements sharper than ever. But even so, he wouldn't be bested by a squad identical to his. Refilling his tank immediately, he storms the moving tower ready to face them by himself-this time Violet there to support him by being within range thanks to the tower moving closer to her post.
"I understand holding a grudge but this is ridiculous! Sky beat me in the winter, you know? No need to be so sweaty!" Jin sneered with an arrogant gaze looking to rile up Azule for a fun solo battle. Jin was aware that Azule was skilled in isolation battles and he-himself being a specialist in that field, he wanted nothing more than to lure Azule the same way he lured Sky; Sky's eyes dilate as she furrowed her eyebrows with steam puffing from her nostrils, her fists clenched as she recognized what Jin was up to. More than anything, she wanted Azule to avoid fighting Jin carelessly.
The detail in Azule's bloodthirsty irises brighten, "KEEP MY SISTER'S NAME OUT YOUR MOUTH!" he shouts with a piercing tone, fuming and grinding his teeth.
That's more like it! Jin thought, entertained by the raw seething rage of the young first year; Show me how inferior you are to that sister of yours...
A nerve struck by Jin's comment, Azule went straight into midnight mode in the blink of an eye-a flash of light surrounding his body before his pink hair illuminated. At this point, his irises were blanked with only the color of gold filling his sight, thirsting for the blood of Jin; Sky starts trembling and puts her hands up to her head, gripping her bobble hat grimacing at what might happen next. She knew the immense pain that came with using that cursed trump card, her experiences allowing her insight into what might happen should one continue to push the envelope. Forced to simply sit and watch her little brother from the sidelines, she felt like she might descend to madness if he suffered the same fate as her. But through the eyes of the spectators, this was what they were craving for the most-the mystic appearance of the Royale's best weapon, the only thing that can turn around a game at the last moment as the strike of midnight. A combination of sub weapon moves and the ranged attacks to keep the possessed monster at an arm's length, Jin slowly picks apart Azule's psyche through observation at the slightest of his movements. From his ragged breathing to his cutting speed and deadly accuracy that forced him to survive by the skin of his teeth, Jin saw up close just how frightening Azule's version of Midnight compared to Sky's. As the two continue their battle with Jin luring Azule away from the tower gradually, the fight was far from over as Violet led the attack to regain the tower with Jory and Reice both having a score to settle with 18 and 12. With each excessive force he exerts in trying to swing for Jin's head and body, Azule can feel his body heating up and tightening. First his hands, then his ankles, and then his head began to swirl, pulsating aggressively as he grimaces to the point he can barely keep his vision straight. Azule staggers a little as he tries to regain his footing while playing the chaser to Jin, who saw this as nothing more than running around in circles with a thirsty hound blinded by their primal instincts.
My arms are numb and my legs feel dead...why!? Azule thought as his body comes to a forced stop after fighting off the staggering sensation, dropping his gaze to his twitching legs and arms-stunned by the sudden actions of his body, he felt as though his body weighed a ton and was about to fall forward. Why is this happening now of all times!? His frustration turning to anxiety. Why now of all times did his body start to reject his will? He worked his heart out to survive Jin's malice, and play a critical part in keeping his team alive by always being involved in fighting for the tower. So, why now-of all times-did his body decide to disobey him? Searching for the answers, he's met by Jin who pleasantly watches his despair, craving the sweet moment that it'll hit Azule that it is inevitable to continue the futile efforts.
"You're finally at the wall, are you? Good." Jin smirks standing in between the path to the tower; "To be the best in Inkopolis, it takes more than resilience and skill-those are basic enough and everyone can do those things. What it truly requires is a thing called luck. Everyone is born into this world with some sort of luck: some become royalty and nobility, others become talented and earn fame and fortune. Me? I Was born under the luckiest star in the galaxy. You see how forgiving the masses are? Not another living soul could get away with what I did. You? It's simple. You're a cursed brat from a cursed lineage that starts with your mother."
Azule's eyes go bloodshot red.
"Bad enough that you were born a cursed child, but you inherited the failures of your sister. I thought you might be a capable player since you bested Gin, but after playing this series I must withdraw from that stance as it's clear you're not a capable leader." His arrogance expanding as he starts to look down on Azule; "You're a false hope. An impostor of a leader, one that'll only bring ruin and heartbreak to your friends and school. You aren't worthy of being called a captain nor are you worthy to share the same ability as your sister."
What an insulting bastard. Azule though with astonishment, trying his hardest to muster enough strength to land a concentrated blow on Jin. He could feel his knees buckling, aware that his enemy's words held some weight. Even though he wanted to deny it, to cast it aside as simple trash talk, Azule couldn't help but recall the many flaws he possessed that he considered a possibility as to why they were in this situation. His body tenses up with a force of pain overcoming him. A terrible knot forms in his chest as those negative thoughts materialize in his mind into a vivid image: He could see it now: The reaction of the fans cheering them on. The tears that'd be shed. The rejection. The disappointment. From his teammates to his family and everyone few and far between, Azule felt the mountainous weight on his shoulders. Was this the end? Would he meet his end here? As he thought about the pain of defeat, he was quickly reminded that he wasn't alone. A pair of voices shouting from the top of their lungs ring from the crowd, their raw emotion channeled as they call the names of their allies fighting valiantly on the turf. Jory, Reice, Violet, and Azule all felt their cores rattled as they heard the voice of Fuchsia and Kosami calling their names to bring the fight to Special Forces. To even hear such feelings resonate with the pair, they realized that at the end of the day, they were still a team, both on the turf and in the stands. Like a torch lit again, the spirit of Squidcom reignites. Azule finds his second breath in the words of Fuchsia and Kosami, ready to face Jin again; Jin's impressed that the bond of this team was so strong that among the sea of people watching in the far distance, they somehow could hear the hearts of those closest to them. On the tower, the fury of Squidcom erupts as the trio bring their desperate fight to Special Forces. Violet's now on the tower, occupying it and leading the comeback while Reice and Jory are just a little bit ahead driving away the rest of Special Forces. Even though they have possession and time to pull off a comeback, the problem laid with their setup and overall situation: no Azule in sight, and a trio of encroaching enemy players in distance seeking cover in the surrounding forest with time working against them.
"We need over twenty points to make a difference." Violet shouts while aiding them in covering the turf along their path in pink; "Our best bet to catch a breather is to take them down in one fell swoop and regroup. Knowing Azule, he'll handle Jin in Midnight mode."
Reice nods, "We'll hold our own and give him a reason to come back happy."
"Anything to see that wholesome smile on his face!" Jory added, following right behind Reice in agreement to take down Special Forces here and now.
Their battle isn't over yet as they go on the attack. Reice and Jory blaze down the trail that the tower follows and begins marking everywhere pink in an attempt to sniff them out-cognizant of the possibility they might ambush from the trees as seen in previous matches in the tournament. Sure enough, Special Forces reveal themselves. A race against time, Special Forces saw this as their ticket to end the game as they just had to protect the lead while Squidcom had to bring their heaviest of hits if they wanted to make a comeback and force one last game in the series. Reice swings his roller like a sword channeling his inner samurai, a technique considered so difficult that it was encouraged, and yet here he was risking injury to his hands and wrists by experimenting with such a surprise technique so late in the game. He caught them off guard with this move, their attempt to dodge or retreat ending in failure as they all took damage from the wide ranged swing to end up getting finished off by either Jory in close range or Violet in the distance as she neared with the tower. Even though Squidcom were applying the right amount of pressure with lively attacks, something felt off to them about the reception of their opponents to their attacks. They should be panicking given the context, they should be exhausted, they should be making grave errors. How come they were unfazed? After a team kill that gave Squidcom to group up on the tower and adjust to the possible counterattacks, the air felt chilly in the forest, as if something of great magnitude awaited them the more they advance into enemy territory. Their hearts are steeled for battle as they all can sense that the next team battle awaiting them will probably decide the fate of the match with under half a minute left in the game. As the trio of Squidcom prepare to dive into chaos, their captain is already at war with Jin for their battle. Strike after strike, Azule brings the heat paired with heavy grunts as he puts his dualies to work nearly running out of ink each time he dancing around the gold ink to close the distance between Jin. That changes the moment he gets close enough and Jin lashes out with an ink mine that detonates and nearly blasts Azule to smithereens-only stepping back at the last moment. That shock is enough for Jin to work with as he goes from being on the run to on the attack, charging at Azule with the same brisk pace that made him untouchable. Azule counters by matching that intensity and showing his defiance to flinch in a situation like this. A battle between an apex predator and a giant slayer, the two finally clash. Pink and gold splatter the floors and the walls. Jin takes damage, but Azule received a heavier dose being drenched in gold already. Luckily the nearby area has a puddle of pink for him to dive into, but Jin read his intentions and placed a mine where he stood while also send a stream of gold into that puddle to minimize the window of escape for Azule. The young captain isn't worried in the least however, instead using his rolls to his advantage once he gains enough ink, then refilling again and doing an end around to circle Jin, reversing the trap on him instead. Overhead it somewhat looks like a strawberry donut with golden sprinkles.
"Think you can trap lion?" Jin laughed as he watches Azule seriously attempt to trap him.
Azule stops his inking and meets his stare, "If it's a cub like you, then yeah."
"I don't like that confidence of yours. It's contagious."
"Nothing wrong with being part of the wave. Or are you scared you've been flung to the side?"
Jin shakes his head, "I'll take pleasure in retiring you before your career ever takes off!"
Azule doesn't respond, instead moving in the opposite direction, then cutting inside to where Jin stood and detonating the ink mine. As if he expected it, he instinctively did a roll out the way and then hopped a step, turning around and firing in mid air expecting Jin to tail him, but he's not there. "I like your attitude but you're still green!" Jin guffawed standing in the same place he was before Azule cuts to the inside; "I hope you didn't think I would fall for that.
Azule shakes his head, "Can you do me a favor and shut up?" Azule brings out his tenta missiles and snickered; "Shut up and eat this!" He shouted with the missiled homed on their targets and launched right after.
Ticked off, Jin's left with no other option than to run while Azule looks for a pincer attack by heading for him in a clash. At the same time, the missiles of pink work ever in the favor as Squidcom as it assists in bringing down a Kary and 12 as well damaging 18. The score is close with Squidcom closing the gap 77 to 82 and still climbing. Thanks to Azule's shot, they could continue their progress without any hindrances. In the audience, the energetic side of Squid Academy are hopping with joy, anticipating a comeback victory. Flags bobble and wave, people sing and dance all along the rows for Squid Academy. On the other side, Special Forces still kept their confident attitude cheering on their team despite momentum slowly swinging to the enemy. Fuchsia and Kosami were sweating bullets with their hearts dangling on a thread, The Royales and the many other teams watching were up on their feet for the final seconds of the game. All eyes on the turf, the conclusion approaches. Sparking like two bolts on the turf, the pink clashes with gold yet again as the players move like lightning trying to counter one another. The mobility of Azule was matched by the accuracy of Jin, with neither daring enough to risk throwing their body into danger of the other's range. But as time closes down with under 20 seconds remaining, they both realize they need to wrap this up soon. Neither side wanted to abandon this fight for their pride as captain wouldn't allow it and yet they knew at a critical moment like this is when it mattered the most have that presence in a team battle.
"I'll admit that this has been fun. You don't hold a candle to your sister, but you've entertained me enough. It's about time this came to an end." An arrogant Jin states as he stares down Azule with the same irritating grin as always.
Azule huffs and puffs clearly suffering from the effects of using Midnight past his limits, but even so, he had enough left in the tank to focus on one final blow to take Jin down. At the least, he just needed to splat him through recoil and quickly super jump to the tower. The problem was that Jin was too slippery to be caught and dealt devastating damage up close. "Your brother's hits were worse." he smirked, returning that same petty energy to Jin and then charging at him without another word spoken.
Jin takes a deep breath and stares down the fiery Azule approaching him, impressed that even when this kid was far past his limitations, he still wouldn't surrender. "Lucky for you, you have two more years and a capable team around you, but as it is right now, you're only holding them back." he whispered under his breath taking one final glimpse at Azule and his vicious glare; "Come back for my head once you've evolved. You're decent on your own, but you don't fit with that roster. They need a suitable captain." Ink flies everywhere: the unstoppable force of Azule meets the immovable Jin to settle the score of this game.
Over at the battle for the tower, the end is near as both sides bring out their best. Squidcom still are managing the tower with the gap closed to within just a couple points of each other. On the floor, Reice is taking command as keeping the distance between Special Forces and the tower, Jory's in their faces looking to take them down, and Violet offers her support riding the tower aiding in making them dance to the tune of her gun. Pink lines of fire extend from Reice as he continuously flicks his roller as much as possible, diving into the tower ground before the tower to refill ink while Jory and Violet handle the fort for him in the meantime. Their rotation on attack proved useful in these last seconds as they confused Special Forces on their attack approach: should they pounce? Or bide time and defend their slim lead? Either way, Squidcom are dangerously approaching the lead and just needed one more effective team attack. Just one more push! Almost tied, Squidcom could taste sweet victory on their taste buds as the tower needs just one last move to take the lead. After all the hell they endured in this tournament and in this series alone, the trio finally felt for the first time in this series that they had a fighting chance-one where they could see the light at the end of the tunnel now that the series would be even with a final game left and all the momentum on their side. They could see it now. A final contest where all the pressure fell on the shoulders of the highly expected Special Forces to survive, a final game where Squidcom could upset and slay yet another giant of inkopolis and go for the head of the household in the Inkstinct, the trio could envision the happiness radiating through the crowd once their victory was confirmed, the myriad of colors soaring through the sky as a wave of pink and blue danced their way to the final. That future so bright and promising, was met by a perfect storm. A tempest of specials are released. Inkstorm. Bomb Launcher. Splashdown. As if waiting for this exact moment to knock them off their high horse, the young trio of Special Forces sent the final nail in the coffin to Squidcom's hopes by overwhelming the team at the last moment trapping them on the tower in gold ink with nowhere to run or hide. Much like Squidcom meets their doom, Azule meets his end at the hands of Jin, who traps him in the gold puddle before taking aim with a raised chin and matching smirk, splatting him to oblivion.
Score: 82-81 in favor of Special Forces. The game ends as the whistle blows for the conclusion.
The faces of Squid Academy's supporters range from stunned to dumbfounded as the whistle sounds with all play reaching its end. The roars from Special Forces grow rampant as the result displays on the board with Special Forces able to survive the last ditch effort by Squidcom. By a score of 3-1, Special Forces have secured a spot in the Spring Finals by denying Squid Academy their chance for nationals. A promising journey stunted, Squidcom's winning run ends at 25 games much to the disbelief of Squid Academy's fans, who were believing their squad to be near unbeatable based on the lucky streak they put up, their thumping hearts channeling pangs as tears well in the eyes of some while others are already wiping away some. A stunned Sally watches on as her reddened eyes are unable to shed even a tear after using them all up on the previous night for celebration. At this moment, her thoughts weren't of the fact that they lost nor was it of sadness that the journey over, but instead her heart pained that at this very moment, she couldn't hold each and every single one of her teammates and let them know that it'd be fine, that they'd bounce back like always and try again next year-instead restricted to this rehabilitation. As she looks up to the ceiling begging the heaven to grant her just a few drops to shed for her beloved team, she grimaces in wonder of how they must be feeling right now. At the site where everyone on the losing side was coming to grips with their defeat, Sky watches on in shame with her head lowered, guilty that she saw this result happening. Her heart breaks the more she watches her young juniors' spirits shatter with the realization settled in that their fairytale run was hit with the reality wand. The four on the turf fall to their knees as the weight of expectations finally crush them, their bodies drained of energy after fighting off of their instincts alone-proving to matter little as they couldn't force that fifth game. From the families in attendance and watching the game on TV, to the emotional supporters, everyone showed their gratitude to Squidcom by singing a song of thanks, proud to call them the school representatives. But what was supposed to cheer up the team of first years left them feeling worse as the echoes of their voices sent chills through their spine knowing that their failure prompted the people fighting their hardest with their support to have to cheer them up-a position no team ever wanted to find themselves in. It shouldn't have to be that way, they all thought, letting their heads hang in shame, all but Azule covering their faces to avoid showing the tears that fall as their journey ends in bitter defeat. Post game wraps up as both sides show their respect with Squidcom's side unable to hold back their tears as Jory continuously wipes his away with his arms, Reice with his hands, and Violet wearing her most intimidating glare to hold back the streams trickling down her face. Azule's stone faced as he stares down Jin with all intentions to pay him back next year in the winter, his eyes turning dull as the light fades.
"How unfortunate…" the octoling said taking his hands out of his pockets; "I expected more from those youngsters but I guess this will suffice. They've made their case. I've got enough to-huh?" interrupted by the overwhelming intense aura from his right, he saw sitting down with a blazing field emitted none other than the ace of the Inkstinct with trembling eyes and a dropped jaw wearing an expression of disbelief. You were rooting for them too, huh, Moreno? The octoling thought closing his eyes and shaking his head, and making his exit.
As for Kippy, she's unable to react. Shock. Anger. Sadness. Disappointment. Her mind is all over the place struggling to process the event that just took place. Just a second ago they were making a comeback, one that she felt to her bones. And now, Squidcom's journey was over. She wanted to cry for them, to shed tears along with the Squid Academy fan base, but she felt like she shouldn't have that privilege as a fellow competitor-though it pained her greatly since Squidcom were the only team she loved with all her heart outside of Kalebrough. Her teammates next to her were also surprised by the surprise defense of Special Forces after having grown impressed by Squidcom's rally enough to believe in a fifth game getting played. In their eyes, this series felt like it ended too soon, and based on the fight left in the frustrated eyes of Squidcom, they were right.
"I'll crush them…" Kippy's deep tone shaken like her clenched fist as she tries her best to make an angry face holding back the tears from her watering eyes; Kappa gave a side glance watching her, understanding the boiling rage within her. To watch the team she admired, who had a documented gauntlet of a run to see their hopes dashed away at the last moment. It made sense to be upset as a fellow player and a spectator. Squidcom should've won that game, and based on the way they were playing, the series too.
