Alqamar stadium is rocking, Mutrah Beach is electrified. The first set of round 3 in the battle between Crystal Coast and Squid Academy has proven to be the makings of something special after both sides played a taxing second round. Nobody could have imagined Squid Academy would still be in the fight after how hard they played the previous couple rounds and still lost, the psychological damage irreparable the longer the match continues once the effects of the previous match against Towson comes into play; viewed as nothing short of a miraculous performance based on that context, some people in the stands wondered if they were witnessing the birth of a true contender. The score is 24-22 with Crystal Coast still in the lead, only needing a single point to grab the victory. Lined up to make yet another serve, Jory felt the calmness of the sea breeze hugging his burning cheeks, seemingly wiping away the salty beads on his face. Confident that he could lead his team to a historic comeback, Jory's face brightens with hope. His palms open with a ball of ink forming once more, channeling the presence of a kraken behind him as he peers at his enemies. Crystal Coast braces themselves, preparing for the worst with all of them bending their knees with their ankles buried in the sand and the hands clutching their weapons in anticipation. Booyahs fly all around as Jory's pink ball of ink brims with energy carrying the spirits of everyone.
"Jory tosses it and…!"
What follows is a loud slap with a whoosh of breeze, the sound of the grainy sound scattering as the ink spreads on the turf. Everyone's mouth drops, their eyes protruding out their sockets in disbelief; even the officials calling the match were mesmerized by the timing of this event, and almost reluctantly, blew the whistle. Jory's face turned white as the blood left his face, his teammates wearing ghastly expressions as well as they processed what just happened. From an all-time high with life returning following the spark made by Jory, in an instant they are filled with despair as that same spark hands Crystal Coast the victory. What should've been another ace serve that would close the lead and send the game into overtime, instead serves their defeat. Thanks to the keen eyesight of their back line trio, Crystal Coast were able to make the right judgment and let the ball out of play, believing it would hit out of bounds and secure them the final point. It was a gamble that paid off, much like Squid Academy's gamble leading up to the moment. Back in the stadium, the mood shifted entirely from an energetic Squid Academy side to a boisterous Crystal Coast who could taste another match victory.
"Can't say I'm surprised...that was almost too good to be true." the octoling man said, letting out an agitated sigh along with the rest of the Squid Academy audience who were drained after their hopes were up at an all-time high.
"I guess they really are cursed. I mean, how does a team put up such a close fight for every single round against this team and still not manage to grab a win? This is beyond me..." Takahashi couldn't believe his eyes, having to rub them to make sure he was seeing correctly.
A break follows the end of the first set with everyone reacting to the stunning end. After having all hopes pinned on him with the wishes of thousands of people placed on him getting another point-he failed them all. The all time high he felt now replaced with dejection, Jory held his head with his hand over his face doing his best to contain his emotions. Pastelle and Violet are holding him, doing their best to cheer him up while Reice and Todd reassure him that they wouldn't have even gotten that far if it wasn't for his efforts. Azule is in deep thought recalling the summary of the match, thinking of an approach to the next set. Even if they were down, they certainly weren't out-that much was evident from how well they stuck it to Siot and his crew in that battle just now. A testament of their strength, they didn't just hang in there against a fresher side, but even had them on their heels for a moment, and it all came down to Jory getting an unlucky drop for them to run away with victory-that set was as good as theirs.
"Time to switch gears." he said in a calm tone, clapping his hands together with a mysterious glow in his blue irises; "This isn't over, yet. Jory, we're still gonna need some top notch serves from you so I'll need you to focus. Reice, Todd, I'll need your smashes too if we'll have any chance at winning this set. Pastelle, Violet, continue to bring in those good sets and turf our surroundings. We've seen for ourselves what they're made of-we can hang with them. We might've lost that set, but we're not broken-we still have a fight or two left in us, so let's punch those bastards in the mouth!" he shouts, rallying their spirits-a rush of adrenaline coursing through his body like an injection as he raises his voice. Whether it was the voice of another channeling through him, or his internal fighting spirit known as Midnight, Azule looked hungry for a counterattack.
The second set starts with both sides swapping their spots on the court with Squid Academy getting the opening serve this time around. Lined up to take the opening serve is Reice lugging his roller over the shoulder with his chin up wearing a glare, the loud environment of the spectators irritating him. They were expecting another thriller of a battle, amplifying their sound in anticipation of seeing a rally right away, entertained by how well Squid Academy could survive against the mighty Crystal Coast, which pissed off Reice, who felt like he and teammates were being viewed as some sort of weakling trapped in a fighting arena with an opponent meant to slaughter them for entertainment. His right arm extending and his head leaning in the opposite direction, his simmering irises widen and furrow his eyebrows, his teeth showing with a growl as his face wrinkles; Siot and his side look mentally exhausted, tired of the constant intensity these first years were exerting. The whistle blows to signal the start of the match followed by Reice creating a swirling pink ball, the cheers in background increasing along with the volume in the stadium in the background; Crystal Coast's back line trio are on their guard, expecting Squid Academy's lead spiker to come at them with ferocity in the opening serve. From Reice's point of view, the sight of the court looked black and white, the figures on the other side becoming nothing more than three-dimensional silhouettes that were in his way. With a high toss, his eyes went bloodshot, veins protruding out his arms and all across his face, his cheeks puffed filled with air and his roller moving faster than the eye could detect. The ball of ink nearly flattens on the collision with his overhead swinging roller-some of the ink droplets scattering everywhere like rain. Crystal Coast heard nothing but a whooshing gust blow past them and land solidly in play, their jaws agape as the whistle blew awarding the point to Squid Academy; the entire beach and stadium went silent at that moment. A thunderous ace serve that could be heard around the world, Azule, Violet, Jory, Pastelle, and Todd all wore stunned looks as they turned around to their teammate, and even their comrades on the sidelines looked disturbed by what they just witnessed, Sally especially speechless after seeing him show such a side she didn't think he was capable. After a second of silence, Bianca's fist raised in the air with a loud roar, followed by the thousands of fellow fans that just processed what went down.
"Don't look down on us, damn it." An exasperated Reice utters, steam blowing out of his nostrils like a bull afterwards. The starting six run to Reice and jump on him happily, thankful that when they needed reassurance-their most reliable man on defense could become a piercing spearhead all on his own. Siot looked disgusted more than impressed after that one, his thought simply a matter of wonder. How in the world did a team like that get assembled? It felt like he was witnessing the birth of a very dangerous stack that didn't even have their strongest roster assembled yet, and here he is starting to get the same unsettling feeling he got when he went up against the likes of Rukovna, Hugh-Napri and fellow rivals within the top 10.
"They're the real deal." he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "A team that can adapt the tougher it gets, evolving even as a game unfolds..."
"Talk about a pathetic way to motivate us, captain." Arian responds, angered by the message sent by Reice.
Siot massages his face, "You don't get it, do you?"
"I'm aware of how remarkable they are, but we're in a match. Now isn't the time to sit in awe of them when we should be focusing on crushing their spirits. That is what the strong do."
"You boast about replacing me as captain when I retire but you're still hung up on that naive mentality! Listen here, Midnight hasn't joined the battle yet and they are already putting this kind of pressure on us, which can mean one of two things: it'll only be a matter of time before they pull their ace out, or they transcend on their own power and prove troublesome. So far, we're in a good spot since we've got the fresher side and they've refrained from using substitutes, but what about the next round, hm?" Siot said with narrowing eyes in hopes that his apprentice will understand his thought process.
"You sound like a broken record, you know that?" Arian clicks his tongue; "We just need to crush them before they get stronger. Simple as that."
Siot could only chuckle, "I guess a simple-minded approach just works best for you."
A surprise start to the second set that had Crystal Coast already bickering with one another, Reice follows up with another pair of ace serves that get the supporters rowdy and the teal inklings uneasy, witnessing a repeat of the previous set. Up 0-3 off of ace serves, Crystal Coast finally received one of his thunderous serves thanks to Rikki, who went out of her way to connect as one of the anchors of the team. Crystal Coast fire back with a counterattack of their own, but it doesn't carry the same sharpness as before now that they were unconsciously rattled by the challenge from Reice. A receive from Azule, the swirling ball of ink finds itself before Violet, who sends it Todd's way-who smashes it on a cross shot for their fourth consecutive point. The commentators are going wild watching the events unfold, a series of events no one foresaw especially after how the previous set went; Squid Academy looked as though they stoked their wild flames. After a back and forth exchange, the score is 2-5 in favor of Squid Academy, who look stronger by the minute despite conceding a couple points. Reice looked extraordinary stepping up as the key component behind their resurgence, Jory also looked every bit as solid now that he built up some confidence, and the rest of the team played with that same energy, but now Crystal Coast were getting into a rhythm after being down by four points and rallying two earn two of the last three points scored. Arian's turn to serve, he exhales to calm his nerves after being riled up watching Squid Academy succeed and his captain seem to take it easy. He knew that when Siot got serious, nobody could challenge him, so it irritated him that despite the captain's wishes to take the opponent seriously and put them away swiftly, he wasn't following through and instead observing them-almost as if he he's examining them like a proctor. A sight he's familiar with after having done a fair share of serves in this match alone, something felt different about grabbing all the attention while preparing to serve. From the creation of the teal ball to the mountain of "booyahs" raining from the fans, in such a loud and confusing setting could he concentrate so clearly. Dissatisfied was the best word to come to mind when describing his thoughts about the status of the game, far from pleased with the narrow margin to victory. He believed that they didn't need to only win their games, but they needed to do so in convincing fashion-with dominance. The reason for his strained relationship with Siot laid in their clash of ideals: Arian believed in crushing opponents in dominant fashion and sending a message to future opponents, Siot on the other hand only cared about winning-doesn't matter how they do so as long as his side prevails. For so long, he hated his captain and wanted nothing more than to surpass him but…
As the days of his tenure being our captain wane, I find myself beginning to appreciate what made him captain. Not only did he have a type of swagger that resonated with the carefree lifestyle of our community, but he also had a drive-an unrelenting will to always win in style. Whether it was by a shred or by a landslide, he always valued winning. He recalled the smiling face of his jovial captain; You always have the brightest smile in the room, and everyone looks up to you-they believe in your words, your conviction. Even though I hate your guts, I want to fulfil your goal of winning it all at Nationals… Whether through admiration or spite, Arian wanted to be part of Siot's unforgettable memory of winning the national championship-perhaps to steal his glory and rub it in, or maybe to satisfy his personal grudge. When you say those kinds of things that make us worry, it affects us!
Arian launches the ball with a great amount of force, but Squid Academy are swift on the response-already in position to easily receive and return for a counterattack. Starting with Azule who made a pass from way deep in the rear to reach Violet, the ball of ink can be spiked by the likes of Todd, Reice, or Jory, who are the three primary attackers marching toward the center of the net. A swift setup by Violet, the three jump together simultaneously to throw their opponents off guard with only one of them able to land a hit and the chosen number is Jory's, who sat to the far wing hitting a weaker strike down the line. Tiki is in the way however and thwarts the attempt, instead sending it over Mona's way. Mona responds with a light serve that falls right into Arihi's sweet spot that gets slammed through the wall of Squid Academy defenders, but they were able to throw off the trajectory of the ball and send it high. The rally begins. The pink shirts move quickly to adjust for the next counter attack as the squishy ball is shot by Pastelle once again on the receive, this time a switcheroo is pulled as Azule steps in as setter and passes a long toss that gives Violet enough time to angle her shot, doing a high strike rather than a hard one. What follows is the ball flying over to the Crystal Coast side and dropping into one spot, which makes it an easy return. Rikki receives it by sending it Mona's way straight across from her, and coming in at a perpendicular angle to the net with a full head of steam kicking through the teal and pink sand is Siot. Reice and the rest of the front line come to the defense as planned, prepared to get in there and disrupt his attack, but the moment the ball breaks through their defenses-they felt it like a lightning strike. It couldn't be stopped. Like watching a wrecking ball break through a wall, the spike from Siot obliterates the Squid Academy defenses-his comrades watching on in amazement with their jaws dropped in disbelief. He glanced at them with a face that said "Don't give me that look." as he exhaled and then took a deep breath to catch himself.
"A breakthrough by the captain, Crystal coast takes the point and closes the lead to a two point contest. Can they follow up on their serve, or will Squid Academy hold onto their early lead?"
An emphatic answer from their captain, Arian and the others felt his resolve resonate with them-glad that even in such a game where things were starting to get a little tense, their feelings were still connected; his drive to win still exists even when he was just fooling around biding his time. A critical point scored that seemed to reawaken the slumbering beasts that boast the third highest ranking, Squid Academy answered to return a three point lead thanks to a solid dump from Violet-who caught everyone off guard after becoming a solid setter assisting her main trio of attackers. After the score becomes 3-6 for Squid Academy, the game entered a state of chaos-both sides staking their claims for capturing the set; Squid Academy needed to win this set by any means to force a third and final set while Crystal Coast needed to shut them down here and now to keep the sweep, finding that losing a single round was just an unnecessary burden for them on their quest to stay as fresh as possible for the knockout stage. A back and forth contest, they traded blows like two boxers that looked outclassed on paper but in reality fought with the same intensity. Crystal Coast closed the gap from 5-6 only for Squid Academy to once again tack on the extra point to keep a two point lead-a clear indicator that the young side intended to keep their lead protected at all costs no matter how small. A powerful spike from Siot, a great block from the wall, a solid strike from Reice and Jory, and wonderful receives from Arihi and Arian, neither side had a single player who didn't get their number called at some point in this contest of willpower. A steady game of chase with Crystal Coast calmly closing in on Squid Academy followed by the leaders doing their best to keep them away, both sides found the air on the sizzling sand court to get unbearable as they reached a crucial point in the match.
"We have a tied contest, everyone!" the main commentator jumped to his feet in excitement, the roar of the Crystal Coast supporters surging behind him.
From 6-8 to 7-9, and then to 11-13, Crystal Coast made sure to stay in the fight no matter how well Squid Academy protected their lead. It came off of a surprise save from Tiki, that caught Squid Academy off guard and unable to reach the ball in time that the momentum began to return to a neutral state. After that point was awarded to the team of teal, they looked ready to finally take control and followed up with a pair of points that closed Squid Academy's precious lead, and finally, off an emphatic strike from their captain into the hearts of a desperate side who wanted to hold onto the lead, Crystal Coast tied it all up at 14. At that point, the tension felt like it was at its highest level since the conclusion of that first set with both sides sensing the next point as a critical gain for their side. A rally that followed with several exhausting exchanges with neither side giving up, even going out of bounds to keep the ball in play; it ended in a lucky break for Squid Academy who once again reclaimed a lead. Though it was only by one point, Squid Academy did their best to uphold that slight advantage late into the match by relying on the striking power of Reice and Jory, and their defensive capabilities. A score of 22-23 with the fate of a potential third set hanging in the balance if Squid Academy holds onto the lead, Todd is ready to serve. Both sides look drained of energy and moisture with raisin-like faces, surviving on their wills alone. As the pink ball reaches the teal side of the turf where there are stray spots of pink ink, Crystal coast return fire with a bolstered counterattack, almost catching a second wind now that the game reached such a crucial moment; if Squid Academy took the next point, they would only need one more to win the set and force a third one-Crystal Coast needed this next point to tie up the series and potentially win it all through deuce rules. The ball propels with a trail of pink droplets staining the teal turf, landing right into the position of Tiki, who sends it up high for Mona to set-Mona sends it down the net for Arian to spike, but he's met by a strong block from the wall of Reice, Jory and Todd, who are mustering the last of their energy to keep their chances alive. A solid block that sends the ball flying deeper into Crystal Coast's side, to the rescue to keep the attack alive comes a diving Arihi followed by Siot setting in Mona's place. Speeding through with a full run and hop and a powerful strike is Rikki, who gets the ball through the wall. But Squid Academy isn't backing down either, the quick pace of Azule able to recover the ball just before it hits the ground. Popping behind him with a stray trajectory leading far behind the backline, he shouts an apology watching Pastelle sprint through the sand to reach it in time. A miraculous hit, Pastelle launched the ball in mid flight and set it from her position and left it to her attackers to work with the tough scenario. Reice's number is called once again as he syncs the timing of his jump and swing with the gliding ball that looked like it would've crossed the net on its own. A thunderous smack that left a trail of pink on his roller, he felt confidence in that strike; his feeling didn't prevail however as he's denied the point by Crystal Coast's own teal wall.
The set is all tied up at 23.
A long time coming since the beginning when Siot started to carry a serious expression, many neutral spectators foresaw this moment occurring and what a time for it all to happen than in the dying moments of the pivotal second set. For the entire set despite Squid Academy's lead, it felt like it was only temporary in the face of reality. The belief of Crystal Coast coming back towards the end and pulling the rug from under the hopeful rookies only grew stronger as the game continued and the teal inklings closed the lead more and more. Azule and his teammates look like they were seeing ghosts, paled faces and their eyes dull after peeking at the score; not once-but twice are they feeling the pressure of losing the lead at a critical moment, and to make matters worse they hadn't even acquired a win-the despair of choking not even without some consolation with nothing to their name. A desperate move to protect their chances for a third set, they set up their defense in anticipation of Crystal Coast's killer serves, who surely didn't forget about the conclusion of the previous set. Up to serve in this critical moment for Crystal Coast, silencing the crowd with his rare aura of concentration is the captain himself. Siot takes a deep breath and then opens his eyes, giving a floater as his serve. The six on the turf could sense what his intentions were by doing such a serve at this stage in the battle, aware of his challenge on the psychological front. Azule and Pastelle identified that if they received the ball, it would be at an uncomfortable angle that could hurt them more than help. Should they play it safe and attempt the receive to set up a counterattack or take the gamble and trust where the ball falls? Even if they play it safe, they're sure to incur the enemy's wrath who'll already be set up in their coat of teal to move around and punish them; if they receive, they should dedicate a pair to cover their side in pink and leave the attack to a trusty pair who attack any awkward placement. But a gamble could work in their favor as they could acquire a point and possession, and in such a late stage in the game they needed to conserve their energy as much as possible if they planned to push it to a third set-aware they might not have any left in the tank-but that is far better than losing and moving to the fourth round. Both the captain and vice captain are on the same page and decide to let the ball pass, judging the trajectory and figuring it would go out of play.
"Got it…" Siot mumbled under his breath, reading their thoughts and glad they took the bait.
Right away the ball drops, landing right at the foot of the backline and staying in play; all of Squid Academy's hearts sank in the split second as their bodies moved on their own, their spirits leaving their body. The whistle blows, the crowd giving a thunderous roar, and the fears settling in the minds of Squid Academy as they feel the presence of Crystal Coast grow-the eyes of Siot as cold as his attack. The balance of power shifting, Siot put his squad in the lead, only needing one more point to seal the deal. The sidelines were speechless for Squid Academy as they watched the victory get snatched from the claws of one of the world's best; Sky felt sick to her stomach, seeing firsthand what a difference experience makes. Siot and his squad not only survived their late rally in the first set, but now took control in the final moments of the second set, a mirror of the previous pair of rounds. No matter what Squid Academy tried, they just couldn't seem to beat the teal team. In almost an instant, the game was over thanks to a swift ace serve from Siot who abandoned the risky floater to slam it home. Over by a score of 25-23, Crystal Coast got the entire place rumbling with applause as they found a way to make an unbelievable comeback; murmurs filled the crowd in response to Squid Academy dropping four consecutive points. An unbelievable conclusion, this was their most frustrating loss yet, and Squid Academy looked devastated as both sides catch their breath with some of the Crystal Coast players coming over to shake hands and show respect to their opponents who gave them a solid challenge, though there was still at least another round left; Crystal Coast's players had a newfound respect for their opponents, who put in such effort despite being the same roster that already fought a pair of competitive rounds already. As they all exchange handshakes and show their respect, Siot approaches Azule with a displeased look as he shakes his head looking at the inkling who had his head lowered with sweat dripping from his nose and chin.
"You won't bring it out?" he asked in an entitled tone, his face twisting with spiteful eyes.
Azule shoots him a glare, "I'll get a win off of you without relying on it-you won't get your way."
Siot shakes his head, "You really are too green. Oh well, what a waste…" he gives a sigh, shrugging his shoulders walking away.
Returning to the stadium, Azule and his starting squad drag their feet before falling into the arms of their teammates who hold them up for support. Fuchsia's quick to ask them how they are feeling, glad to hear them all still have fight left in them but her mind already made up after watching that grueling performance. As her starters catch their breath and rest on the bench, she calls over her substitutes and gathers the team around her to explain the situation. Aside from Azule staying in as the team's captain, everyone else was being subbed out-all in the name of protecting their health and also looking to stay in the match, setting the record straight and letting them know that if she kept them in, they wouldn't stand a chance with how exhausted they are. Visibly in disagreement with her decision, Pastelle and the others understood where their coach was coming from concerning the next round. A critical point where one wrong move meant a sweep, Fuchsia wanted to rely on the strength of the others and give her starters a chance to recover. Since they were about to participate in Hide Ink Seek, Fuchsia gave them a refresher on the rules of the game and what to expect for the next round. A game where there is a team of hiders and seekers, the one who is "it" must survive two minutes to receive 20 points. Seekers on the other hand receive 20 points for each time they splat the target, to balance this, every other splat is worth 5 points, which made it mathematically possible for a team to solely rely on this method rather than focus on the objective, though it was a risky choice.
"Parker, Sandra, Mason, Evelyn, and Zaneki, I want you all to sub in for our starters-Azule stays in. We'll switch it up with a 2-3-1 style of two chargers, three shooters, and a brella user as our main shield. Evelyn and Mason will be the chargers, Sandra and Zaneki will join Azule as our main damage dealers, and Parker will be on the brella. If we are the hiders, we'll have Parker be the target and proceed with the 'snuggle' formation and protect him at all costs. As the seekers, we'll be as aggressive as possible and balance our efforts to get those splats." Fuchsia said, her eyes scanning every player about to take the floor, hope swirling in her irises-inspired how well they fought in the previous round.
The murmurs of the audience increase as both teams return to the turf, the captains from both sides take a long walk to the center stage where one of the committee members is present to do a coin toss and decide who will be the hiders and who will be the seekers. On his walk there feeling the extensions of the audience's voices, his ears are ringing so loud he can't hear himself think; the plan could be altered greatly based on his decision here, which is what made this game mode such a nerve racking one as teams may lose the luck of the draw and be put in a disadvantageous situation and play a strategy they didn't prefer, and there were no second chances. Hide Ink Seek is only game mode of the fresh three for Squid Academy that shares similarity to the modes they knew-where one game decides all rather than multiple sets. Face to face once again and exchanging some tense gazes with one another, the elderly looking member holding the coin found it amusing to see the flames of youth living brightly within the pair. Trembling as their hand extends, they reveal a coin and turn their head to Azule, asking him to make a decision since his side lost the previous match and therefore were given the decision; whoever wins this coin toss could very well have won the game for their side. Azule looks to the old man before returning his burning blue irises to Siot, seeing the captain of Crystal Coast raise his chin and narrow his gaze. Tails is called, believing it to never fail-the elderly man flips the coin up high, the three heads tracking the tiny object on its descent. Azule knew the chances of his side surviving the match and pulling off a comeback were quite slim, but they weren't nil-all he needed was just a spark to ignite the flames of a strong counterattack that all starts with psychological warfare. A smack into the man's hand, he examines it closely and holds his hand out to reveal to all that it was indeed as Azule called it; a small victory for Squid Academy. Azule's serious expression turns to a surprised one, having expected fate to work against him and his side, but Siot's focused on something else.
He'll choose seekers, won't he? This kid would be crazy to pass up on that safe option given his position. They can pursue us and can focus all their firepower on striking the target to get those precious points, and then they have capable players who can capitalize on our worn down side. Luckily for us, I already told the others that if we become the hiders, I'll be it so that they can rest easy knowing I won't let them hit us. So Azule, I'm ready for you to dig your grave…
"Hiders. We'll be the hiders." Azule states clearly with confidence, shocking everyone in attendance who shared the same thought pattern as Siot and believed that the obvious thing to do would be to pick the seekers, as they have nothing to lose and everything to gain by being on the constant attack rather than the constant stress of being hunted.
Fuchsia gives a smirk, "That's my Azule." she laughs folding her arms; "Of course it would make sense to be seekers, which is exactly why we'll work against that mentality. This should rattle them a little bit."
"Lash back against the obvious choice and take matters into our own hands, that does seem up his alley as our captain." Cobalt smirks, glad to see everyone's reaction to Azule's bold decision.
As the stadium gasps in response, Siot doesn't look amused while shaking his head with disappointment. "I knew you were a reckless one but I didn't take you for an utter fool."
Azule flashes a grin and flicks the brim of his hat, "Gotcha, didn't I? This is just the first of many surprises."
"Your side won't last longer than a minute with us."
"Won't know until we try. Do your worst for once, or else we might finally get a win on your side. Not like you all have given us reason to be too scared."
Siot couldn't understand how the boy had such confidence to speak so highly when down 3-0 and just willingly put his team on the chopping block. Without another word uttered, Siot walks away formulating in his mind the thought process behind Azule's approach. There must be some reason their captain decided on such a risky approach this late into the match. Did they have something up their sleeve? Was midnight about to be utilized? Unaware of Squid Academy's substitutions that would be displayed just before the game began to make sure neither side could get the advantage on the other about roster, Siot left it up in the air, preferring to stick to the main plan as attackers. Crystal Coast's lineup consists of two rollers in Tiki and Arihi, two shooters in Arian and Siot, one slosher in Mona, and one charger in Leila-the substitute for Rikki. In addition to this lineup, something else was apparent based on the weapon composition displaying the two teams on the big board: Crystal Coast's Siot and Arian were finally using their preferred weapons of a Kensa Splattershot Pro and Jet Squelcher.
"Aaaaaaand now, the fourth round will begin!" the main commentator announces, prompting cheers from everyone who expects another thrilling battle.
Both sides hop out of spawn to the eruption of the crowd, prepared to do it all over again. As planned, Parker is "it" and wields the Tenta Sorella Brella thanks to its handy kit of a splat wall and curling bomb launcher that would make his defensive stance more manageable; at the center of a protective circle surrounded by his teammates, Parker keeps his head up, wearing a flashy headband that glows a bright pink to signal to the Crystal Coast side that he is "it". Squid Academy's composition has Azule on the Light Tetra Dualies, Sandra on the Cherry H-3 Nozzlenose, Zaneki taking the Neo Splash-o-matic, Evelyn equipping the Fresh Squiffer, and Mason manning the Goo Tuber-an approach Fuchsia took to focus on protecting Parker, she wanted them to move together as a unit and be able to push their opponents back with the stacking and combinations of subs and specials equipped; Crystal Coast's composition has Siot on the Kensa Splattershot Pro, Arian on the Jet Squelcher, Tiki taking the Flingza Roller, Mona on slosher duty with the Bloblobber Deco, Arihi using the Permanent Inkbrush, and Leila on the Bamboozler 14 . Caution needed to be exercised by both sides despite the high stakes, the looming pressure of a sweep or unneeded fifth round very likely based on how the teams approach one another. Siot would usually take an aggressive approach and look to wipe them out right away to overwhelm them and back them into a corner, but after seeing their tenacity, he knew it'll take more than some wipes and staggers to cripple Squid Academy's strong spirits. Rather, he figured the best course of action was to feel out their formation and judge on whether to pounce or play into their hands, curious about their weapon choice-suspecting what kind of game they might be up to. A game of cat and mouse, Squid Academy do well to avoid a direct conflict for the opening minute, setting up splash walls and suction bombs to ward off would-be threats; they wanted to secure the first bonus that gets awarded after the target player avoids getting harmed within two minutes of play, hoping to build their points off that strategy alone and avoid conflict. Azule knew that a direct battle would likely spell their doom, and the best course of action was to simply survive the next ten minutes to force it into a fifth round, where the next game mode would be Last One Standing. Parker has his brella up and constantly looks around him, acting as a siren for his comrades who are focused on staying as mobile as possible and leading the enemy on a wild goose chase. Like a turret with repeated movement, a sparkle of teal gleams from the corner of his eye-alerting his senses.
"Eight o'clock!" he shouts to Zaneki behind him, who was quick to throw out a burst bomb to keep the shadow at bay.
"It's a swarm, get ready!" Azule yells, doing a couple rolls and tossing a sprinkler ahead to keep some distance; he could tell what they are up to based on their approach-not only taking a minute to attack them but also opting to pursue rather than surround and force a confrontation. Were they learning our pattern? Surveying the turf to find out how to plug us? It's concerning they took so long, and they...
He has no time to react. Incoming like a missile with a roll that lands right at his feet ready to detonate is a splat bomb, teal ink scattering everywhere and clouding his vision. The galloping teal footsteps into the pink turf invade Squid Academy's bubble-the first encounter already off to an eventful start. 1-1 for both sides thanks to a trade by Arihi and Sandra, the teams square off in a free-for-all. Parker's brella is up to guard after having already thrown a splat wall to keep him covered for a few seconds, he carefully covers the turf proximal to him in consideration of a brute close counter attack. Covering him behind with the handy ink storage is Mason, who finds the right timing to release the ink and protect Parker. Evelyn and Zaneki do their best to support him, but the speed of Arian paired with the power of Tiki and the final efforts of Mona take them down emphatically. In a matter of seconds, Parker finds himself getting trapped and blasted from behind and just before they were about to secure the bonus! A spoiling moment thanks to Crystal Coast, who believed Squid Academy would be at their most vulnerable while hoping to tally the bonus, they jumped to a 25-2 lead after losing Arihi, and Leila to that skirmish. Only Azule remains for his side following that swift massacre, barely escaping their clutches thanks to his four roles and clever placement of the sprinkler to keep them from tagging him as well. Following that swift action, the two teams locked horns once more as Siot and his side continued to utilize their attacking composition and unloaded combinations of specials and sub weapons to leave Squid Academy scattered, but luckily the team in pink had enough chemistry and strategy to hold on long enough for specials of their own and launch a counterattack of their own.
After six additional minutes pass, the game is far past the halfway point. With a scoreline of 73-15, Crystal Coast are in command nearing the eight minutes of play. Thus far, Crystal Coast have worked well in breaching Squid Academy's defenses thanks to their stacking of specials to overwhelm the defending side. Right now the two sides are locked in yet another heated exchange following some decent defensive stands of Squid Academy that net them enough points to feel a little better about themselves after how terribly the first few minutes went. A bubble blower from Leila constricts Squid Academy's movements as they're surrounded from all sides in an ambush, but luckily Squid Academy stacked their specials just for this moment. A launch that spreads to three directions, curling bombs, suction bombs, and auto bombs are sent flying that push the encroaching Crystal Coast. Within the chaotic pink scattering everywhere emerges the rest of Squid Academy, who go on the offensive and look to capture the momentum held by the reeling team in teal. But Siot-despite just using his special a few seconds earlier-able to do so again thanks to quick work of rapidly turfing nearby to fill up his gauge, floating in the air followed by his teammates sending their strength to him. A giant ball of teal formed, he releases the booyah bomb on the jumbled Squid Academy. Parker has his brella up to defend against the impact along with a splash wall for good measures, but his comrades aren't so lucky as they get tagged by the teal substance, only to be finished off by a stray fizzy bomb and sprinkler. When all looks like another failed chance to protect Parker, in comes a streak of pink from Evelyn, who did well to look out for Parker in time to get some support from Zaneki, who tosses a burst bomb to slow down the pacing. Even when they had the fresher side, they still couldn't manage to gain an advantage on their opponents-the experience now coming into play as the substitutes saw for themselves just how difficult it was to play a single round at Nationals. A futile effort for the Squid Academy side who couldn't seem to ever get themselves grounded well enough to hold off the pressure of Crystal Coast, time expires shortly after their final clash that saw many splats but ironically the safety of Parker assured as the team fought tooth and nail to keep the score from going into the triple digits. The ink settles as the scoreboard displays the blowout of a tally-Crystal Coast's cruise to victory nothing short of a pummeling on Squid Academy. The audience were thrilled to see such an entertaining match despite it ending in a sweep with four highly competitive battles that could've gone either way. The two teams looked completely different as the Crystal Coast side were still brimming with energy while Squid Academy looked exhausted, mostly from the mental strain. A show of respect, Siot and his team came over to shake hands with their opponents, acknowledging the side as a true competitor worthy of the national stage. Fuchsia, Cobalt, Tangie, Kosami, and the rest of the staff showed their appreciation towards the Crystal Coast players and coaching staff, seeing this defeat as a very important one that they'll need to review to make sure they don't repeat such a fate. Even if they just got beaten by this team, Pastelle and the others couldn't help but show their respect to their opponents, seeing for themselves firsthand why this team was considered one of the best on the continent and a favorite to win the tournament. The starters understood the difference in strength and now realized what it meant to be a starter, the bench found appreciation for their starters now that some of them got to have a taste of play and see the nerve-racking pressure their comrades were under.
"Mind the gap." Siot utters as he stares down the dejected captain, disappointed at Azule for avoiding the usage of Midnight the entire match. He wanted nothing more than to test his might against a strong opponent-not just to satisfy his craving for facing tough opponents, but to know if he really stood a chance of taking on either Edward or Shiore. Azule's refusal to bring out that mystic form felt like robbery, not just to Siot, but to his own side as well; "If you just brought out that monstrosity, maybe this match would be a different story." he adds with a glare, looking Azule's stubbornness as nothing more than an act of selfishness that had no benefits; Azule couldn't bring himself to look up at the glaring inkling, the loathing so strong he could feel it without raising his head. "Can't even say anything either. Honestly, what a disappointment. Well, in the off chance we meet again..." he turns around and walks off waving, hard to hear what he's saying over the crowd; "I'll break you."
In his mind, he knew that his decision was a slap in the face-sure they played four consecutive rounds against one of the best teams in the world and had them sweating, but the fact didn't change that they got swept; his refusal to use Midnight ended up hurting more than helping. His side now has a pair of losses and are descending into a hole, the margin for error dwindling as their next couple games may be the last meaningful ones in the tournament. No longer could he afford to play it safe after blowing the opportunity, now he had to fight for his life and take all the risks, but his next opponent proves to also be a troublesome opponent-even more so than Siot and Crystal Coast in a way given who they'll be up against and the style they play being one vaguely similar to theirs.
Final Score: 81-34. Crystal Coast victory.
