"And the cogs have begun to spin…" Takahashi said viewing the match on the television screen, sprouting a grin after watching Squid Academy win the round; the cameras on the teams as they returned to their sidelines, he leaned back in his chair and began to laugh, excited about seeing the outcome of the match.

Sitting next to him also following along after getting invested watching the opening round was Shiori, who couldn't help but try to memorize the players who stood out to her like Pastelle, Sky, and Aaron. "Looks like Valentina and the boys underestimated Squid Academy, but now I'm really interested in that Royale girl. She's been pivotal but it feels like she hasn't even gotten serious yet! Hey Shiore, you must be happy to see her finally out there."

Over at a table with her back to the tv listening to the match was Shiore holding a glass of juice up to her lips with a paper in her hand, "I'm busy, leave me alone."

"What a dry response...weren't you obsessed with her? She's finally playing and you won't even watch her play? That does it! Taka, hand me the remote I'm watching the Kalebrough game instead."

Takahashi scoffs and grabs the remote quickly "No!" she responds, holding the remote away from her as she launches at him looking to snatch it away; the begin to bicker as she struggles to get anywhere near her target.

Shiore groans and sighs after hearing their voices raise over the sound of the tv, turning around to see the pair wrestling for the remote, "Pipe down, I'm still listening to the tv."

"Then tell her to stop!" Taka said putting a hand in her face and pushing her away.

Shiori stops her fight with Takahashi to look over at her with a mischievous cat-like face, "Oh, you're listening to the match! Why not come sit with us and watch the fireworks?"

"I'm reviewing our stats from the previous match. Besides, why are you so insistent on watching this match?"

A light shines in Shiori's eyes, "Well, if you've taken a liking to them then they must be pretty good or at least have the potential to be special. I like the wonder girl and that Kalebrough team, but I'd be lying if I said I haven't come to appreciate Squid Academy and their underdog status. Thanks to you and your obsession with Sky Royale, I've noticed that team carries a different shine from the other teams and I don't know what it is, but many of their players and coaching staff have very unique auras and wear intense faces different from the others."

"There's more than meets the eye with that team, and that lack of experience is all that held them back. Now that they've gotten a taste of victory, they'll get hooked and crave more. I think we're witnessing the birth a serious contender and by taking down an opponent like the Titans-"

"They'll awaken." Shiore finishes his sentence with a tiny grin hidden under her poker face; she believed they could soar to new heights and possibility wreak havoc in the tournament, but she was still unsure of them because of the many factors that worked against them and for that reason did she prefer to listen to the game rather than watch-nervous she might jinx them.

At the Hulabo dome, it got louder by the second during the break with both teams struggling to hear themselves over their pounding hearts-their focus on the sweat dripping down their faces and on the inability to breathe properly due to their exhaustion. The pressure built up and continuing to rise, the fourth round began at the Burri Backstreets. An infamous place where most Ravian athletes got their start, the backstreets of Burri were as iconic of a sight to behold as it was a territory to avoid, the crime and violence in the area among the highest in the country. However the specific part of the map they cover is protected by a strong barrier, still providing a nice view for the locals to come and see for themselves the wonders of competition and even give them a hope to escape the poverty stricken area. Substitutions were made during the break for Squid Academy to keep them fresh, swapping out Zaneki and Mason for Parker and Sandra. The match started off with a bang as the teams met each other in the middle for a heated exchange on the tower; Parker and Sandra both had something to prove as the fresh legs coming in, and provided much needed help for Pastelle and Aaron. The Titans played with their same consistency, sticking to a group rather than getting tempted by isolated plays and what followed was the first of many skirmishes. The tower won by Squid Academy, it didn't take long for the Titans to gain control-shutting down the pink inklings in an instant to seize the tower. But Squid Academy weren't going to lay down and let them build a lead, coming back ferociously and forcing them off the tower. A clash between a pair of teams who recognized the urgency of the match, and everything that rides on this fourth round, they both played with a relentless will. Specials were unleashed, sub weapons were used craftily, and for the first time the entire match, it looked as though the Titans might even be in trouble with the hardened expression worn by their sidelines, none of them looking comfortable with how close the scoreline is after the fierce battles for the tower. The score 39-45 in favor of the Titans, the tower is in possession of Squid Academy at the moment following a solid siege by the inklings in pink. A tedious spot they found themselves in, Squid Academy just needed to hold the tower for a few more seconds to capture the lead and with their squad of four moving the tower with Parker and Aaron supporting them, they look to be on course for a lead change-that is until Valentina leads an aggressive strike on the tower. An attempt to bring the tower down with an all-out attack, the Titans swarm Squid Academy after a brief period of calm, the storm of the Titans proving too much for the pink inklings as they get swallowed up with the tower halting. Half their forces eliminated, only Sky, Aaron, and Pastelle survive the mayhem with the latter pair retreating to safety while Sky kept herself within range of the tower for viewing-Watching on carefully with her eyes narrowed tracking everything. Her concentration is sharp as she rests her finger on the trigger. Smart play on their part-might've worked had we not done our homework on them, but thanks to that attempt to take the tower they've burnt out their specials and sub weapons. What a classic idea to make such a gamble and recover when there's a brief period of peace, but unfortunately for you all… A light shines in her irises as she counts the five enemy targets, gripping her signature weapon with a smirk; I'm still here!

Valentina and Pablo occupy the tower, surrounded by Ralph, Sergio, and Marcos who keep patrolling the perimeter to ensure they're free of danger for the moment. The Titans are a ways off from extending their lead, but at this point all that really mattered was to shave as much time off the clock and apply pressure on their opponents, comfortable with defending their lead rather than getting more aggressive and pushing for the knockout; they saw firsthand that if they strayed from their plan, they'd pay for it dearly with a punishing defeat. Despite being skilled in the element of battle, there is one thing they lack that their opponent carries-a killer instinct. It was only for a moment, but their guard lowered as they continued turfing the pink ink to blue. Sky sensed that opening immediately and made her move, swimming through the pink ink stealthily and finding a vulnerable spot to target. Her gun shining with a twinkle, a stream of ink shot through the Titans at 7 o'clock; the first one to notice was Valentina, but by the time she recognized enemy fire, Pablo already got splatted. A pink blur so fast the eye can only register the after image, the trio constrict to stay near the tower, aware that they'd get picked off if they stood spread, but Valentina shouted that their movements were a mistake and that instead they should've thrown their sub weapons-problem is they were still recovering enough to launch them to begin with. Sky reveals herself and does a hop and a skip, dropping an ink mine and retreating. Marcos follows her body under the puddle and begins firing away, hoping to catch her, but Sky was just too quick to target. The moment she reappears, several guns are aimed at her firing away, but as she revealed herself, did a juke and then spin to dodge the pair of shots, smoothly going into shooting position and splats Marcos, followed by Ralph for a triple. A triple in a span of a few seconds, the dome roared and the announcers lost it, as well as the Squid Academy bench.

"Three down! Move in!" Sky commands with a shout, and following right afterwards are Pastelle and Aaron, both of them ready with their specials. A booyah bomb launched as well as tenta missiles, it gets finalized by an ink storm that traps the remaining enemies. A display of solo talent of Sky Royale and the reliability of her teammates, Squid Academy have leveled the Titans.

Azule's jaw dropped, stunned by what he just witnessed. He knew that Sky always had that potential but never got a chance to truly shine until it was too late, but after seeing her do that to the 8th best team in the world, it drove home what should've been a fact: his sister is a monster scarier than him when she gets serious. And in this case, she's far from it. Reacting with positive reception were the Hugh-Napri trio as Takahashi had to give them an applause, and Shiori howled on her reaction while Shiore simply grinned from ear to ear, glad to see Sky finally showing the world what she already suspected. Also watching the game from the comfort of a restaurant somewhere in the city, the octoling man from the committee guffawed, sensing the waves of change approaching for Squid Academy as the energy injection they needed so desperately finally stamped her arrival. If the Titans had the Heartbreaker who was known for shattering the hopes and dreams of their opponents, then Squid Academy had their queen bee who carried the strongest hopes imaginable. Which would prevail? Sky's resolve, or Valentina's reputation? As Squid Academy marches down the trail looking to shred the lead to bits, they're met with another confrontation. Led by Valentina, the Titans engage with Squid Academy. A sound victory for the Titans, they take the tower all the way back to where they were and then some, stretching the lead forward as they break the 20 point mark and near the knockout, but Squid Academy weren't letting them have it as they rallied on defense to stuff them just before the goal is in sights. 24-38 with Squid Academy in possession but still trailing after they once again wrestled possession away from the Titans following them taking possession yet again trying to eat away at the clock. Sky, Pastelle, Sandra, and Parker are in for Squid Academy while the Titans are only missing Marcos and Pablo in their case-an even number battle.

"Watch your left!" Kevin shouts, spotting Sandra in Ralph's blindspot as they make their attack on the tower.

"Here they come!" Sky warns noticing the change in their movements.

"Grab the tower at all costs!" Valentina shouts while leading her team to the big push.

"Over our dead bodies!" Pastelle responds, grinding her teeth and staking the defense on the tower.

A back and forth exchange that slows down the tower, the possession changes several times as the teams run each other off the point. Bodies coming and going as fast as the release of their sub weapons and specials, it all comes to a close after Sky lands a double that takes down Kevin and Sergio, followed by Pastelle getting the drop on Ralph and Marcos to seize the tower once more for Squid Academy. Parker and Sandra support her and claim the tower, getting Valentina just prior to make their jobs a bit easier. A small lead that builds slowly, the objective was just to survive with possession no matter what gets thrown at them, aware that the Titans would be doing everything in their power to defend the lead as the time on the clock starts to look closer to expiring with a minute and some change remaining. Each attempt by the Titans is met with failure, their side realizing that Squid Academy are proving them wrong by holding onto possession despite their efforts to maintain a sturdy defense. Getting leveled on the scoreboards, Squid Academy surpassed them and then some, grabbing the knockout on the way to tie the series. The starters holding their breath the entire time as they approached the goal while staving off the invading enemies, they finally overcame the defenses of the Titans and created a path to victory. As the whistle blows to end the round, they all rush to give Sky a hug full of gratitude as they owed that run all thanks to her effective solo plays that kept the game alive for them. Though she was thankful to be receiving so much love from her teammates, she knew the battle was far from over and in fact just getting started-aware that Valentina and her squad wouldn't make these next rounds easy after getting knocked out in consecutive rounds; more than likely, Squid Academy just awoke the sleeping giants.

The place is getting louder during the break, the teams prepare for the fifth round. Fuchsia announces her substitutions and swaps out Aaron for Taylor and Evelyn out for Pearl, reminding everyone that in the next round she'll do an overhaul and swap everyone except for Pastelle and Sky to keep things fresh, relieved to see the risky experiment show some success thus far. The inklings in pink are feeling pumped up, glad that they're building a strong run in the last pair of rounds and enter the next round with momentum piling in their favor; another win would do wonder psychologically as they'd pin all the pressure on the Titans. On the Titan's sidelines, it appears to be in shambles as tensions flare. The coaches were trying their best to keep morale up but the bench players and starters were bickering among one another as the coaches agree that the first years needed to get a chance to play with the way things are going, which didn't sit well with the starters at all-especially the ones getting subbed out who felt they were getting robbed of a chance to fight and very sour about dropping a pair of knockout losses. A blow to their pride, they pledge their case to stay in the match. While all this noise goes on amidst the already deafening crowd surrounding them, Valentina looked at her team and couldn't help but get terrible flashbacks to last year's national tournament where they exited in the knockouts in heartbreaking fashion. A team comprised of a few third years that anchored the team and a core of brilliant first years with Valentina as the star prospect among them, they went on an impressive run and blew threw the group stage and even did well in the round of 64, but it was in the round of 32 that the lesson was learned. Up until that point, they felt great about their chances of having an even deeper run in the knockouts, their journey ending before it ever began as their third years were played through the entire series until the final whistle where their defeat was assured. A dream that shattered in the blink of an eye, Valentina and the first years felt a variety of emotions that night: frustration at failing to continue the run for their third years, sadness that the ride ends there, and motivation to avoid repeating the same failures the next year. Guilty about being first years at the time and inheriting a team that'd be theirs to craft for three years, the seniors of the Titans wanted to be the spearheads that paved a successful trail for their juniors, and to be taken out at such a critical point felt like they weren't being treated with the same respect as their graduating seniors who got to play nearly every second.

Ralph scoffed, "You're benching us!?"

"But why now of all times, coach?" Kevin pressed, still in disagreement over getting subbed out.

"We can still fight! The match is only getting started!" Marcos joins, also disapproving of the untimely substitutions.

The heartbreaking defeat from last year still fresh in their minds, the coach's decision to sub them out in favor of the first years reopened old emotional wounds-stunned that the coaches decided now of all times to let the first years get a crack at the competition in such a high stakes scenario when they were the same personnel that refused to play them previously. Voicing that displeasure, a rift was quickly forming between the senior second years and the wide eyed first years who wanted nothing more than to help their upperclassmen. Watching everything unfold before her very eyes, she understood the frustrated emotions her comrades in her year must feel after all the training and growth they underwent preparing for this moment, but she also understood where the coaches were coming from; they knew last year's result might've been different if they played the first years like they attempting to this time, and as such she couldn't fault them.

"Enough!" Valentina shouts in an aggravated tone so sharp it silences the players in an instant. "I understand deeply how you three feel after what we went through last season and the trials we overcame to get here, but we can't point out frustration at our juniors. They're given a chance to make leaps and bounds by competing, to do what we weren't able to. As their seniors, we should be showing guidance and nurturing them to become the best they can be. Mind you, we're still second years! Our journey isn't over yet, so don't go around throwing a tantrum like this is the end!" The aggravation replaced by a tone of wisdom, Valentina calmed them down and extended a hand out to her juniors to let them know that as their captain, she'll have their backs. The trio back down and apologize to their juniors, in turn giving them pointers on what to expect from their opponents. A show of unity, it was all thanks to Valentina's leadership that the team's morale remained high. The first years get selected for the next round and follow Valentina's lead on the way to spawn, thankful for her decision to step in and support them. Thanks to her, the sidelines remain unified and they get a chance to earn some valuable experience. "Don't thank me for the obvious." she replied kindly with a beaming smile; "Please understand that a lot happened before you all came here, and those feelings run deep. This tournament means so much to us because it felt like we were robbed of a precious opportunity to help our third year seniors at the time, and now here we are with amazing first years...we can't help but want to show off to you all how strong we've become so that you'll never have to carry doubts or worries. We want to be reliable." Valentina's smile fades; "I wouldn't be a good leader if I don't have everyone's interests at heart." she mumbles, arriving at spawn.

The teams are introduced.

The Titans have Valentina, Pablo, Sergio, Miguel, Jose, and Nate, the latter trio being first years ready to step up to the plate. Squid Academy's lineup has Pastelle, Sky, Parker, Sandra, Taylor, and Pearl, a seasoned selection as they prepare for a war. The site for the fifth round is at Aramtram Sea Mall with the match beginning shortly after. Squid Academy's approach for this critical round was to start out strong and get the jump on claiming the zones, believing the best way to do effective damage to the Titans were to take possession and force them to play a more offensive style than their specialty of taking the lead and defending it well, much preferring the Titans to play actively and match their pace that avoid the trap and go at their own pace instead; what made a defensive team so troublesome was the consistency of their play and the ability to slow down the tempo of a game to suit their needs, if that's done, it's difficult to beat them since their entire style is based around those conditions. As the two teams met on the first zone, Squid Academy saw a different approach from Valentina and her squad. A unique approach, the Titans looked much faster and were hitting quite accurately, cleaning up a fair number of Squid Academy's field on the brush to snag the first zone. It would've seemed like the smart move by Squid Academy to retreat to the other zone and claim it to even the match at a stalemate, but the remaining members got floored before they could even claim the zone, the score falling in the Titan's favor early one. An uphill battle right away, Squid Academy tries to answer back on the next wave, but run into that same sturdy wall that stood in their way previously. A change in tempo after digging into their bag of tricks to surprise Squid Academy, the Titans were back to their textbook defense and successfully put their opponents in a bind. Pastelle and Sky had to once again figure out how they'd chip at the armor of the Titans, realizing they've fallen back into the same hole as before. Each second feeling like an eternity, the inklings in pink work desperately to rewrite the mistakes that put them at a deficit by relentlessly attacking the zones with everything they had whether it be as a group or everyone on their own trying to isolate the Titans-all to no success. Valentina's leadership combined with the trust her juniors had to follow her orders and the experience of Pablo and Sergio to help assist in whatever ways they can as they efficiently contain Squid Academy similarly to how they did in the early rounds. The round meant to spark the unthinkable comeback of Squid Academy instead turned into a reminder of how talented the Titans were as they stuffed Pastelle and her squad in a knockout finish so swiftly it caught everyone off guard for a moment until it was reminded who the Titans were to begin with. An answer to Squid Academy's previous pair of knockout victories, the Titans punched them in the mouth while reclaiming the lead once again and put themselves in position to win the match entirely. Their backs to the wall yet again following the worst imaginable defeat, Squid Academy's squad returns to the sidelines wearing tense expressions as they try to fight off the thought of elimination-of thinking that this might be the very end of a wild ride of a tournament. A pivotal break that could make or break their performance in the next round, everyone looked so tense and deep in thought that nobody even uttered a word. Only the noise from the outside accompanying them, they kept silent reflecting on that defeat. A dark cloud hovering over the team, Tangie watched on with a dissatisfied look unable to sit there and watch her team get dispirited over a single loss.

"Hey!" she shouts, grinding her teeth after seeing their gloomy faces drop further. "What's going on here? No doom and gloom over here!" she shouts, flailing her arm around; "We've been in this position before, and we know the pain that comes with it. This is nothing new everyone so wipe that look off your faces and focus! We're down but we're not out! This match isn't over until that final whistle blows!" She screamed in a cracking voice, getting emotional after watching how hard they've been fighting in these matches, rendered to do nothing more than fight from the sidelines as support. She points to her missing arm afterwards wearing a glare so sharp her the glint in her irises looked like knives; "I gave up an arm for the person I loved, and I don't regret a single moment of it! No matter the intensity of the phantom pain I felt or the many inconveniences brought by my decision, I refuse to think about the past and wonder how things would be if I did things differently. I stuck by my resolve and made my choice and I'm damn content with it! The same will be said for this team. We said we'd go to the knockouts carrying a resolve bigger than just us, so let's make that a reality! Don't dwell on our previous defeats, nor dwell on what challenges await us-only focus on this moment and trust that resolve you carry!" her voice getting shaken as angry tears fill her eyes; "You're all better than that, I know it!" she said while wiping her face angrily as well.

Azule and Sally felt a sharpness in their chests, understanding her feelings well enough as they watch Cobalt walk over to console her, as they look around to see how their teammates feel, they notice that not a single dry eye is present-all of them moved by her passionate words. An outburst that carried a heavy weight, her words and the feelings attached to them settled in their minds like a cold burn. The frustration apparent on her face as she clenched her fist and hid her face in Cobalt's embrace, they all felt their fire ignited once again. The raw emotion carried by someone who could only stand on the sidelines and cheer and coach, they felt it their responsibility to make sure it wasn't in vain. Fired up once more, Squid Academy looked like a team ready for war as they entered the next round staring at elimination. The next few minutes spent with everyone actively doing their best to utilize it properly and prepare for the battles ahead, Sky went up to Tangie and made a vow to Tangie promising her that she'll bring them home a victory, so to never shed tears again until they win the championship, her eyes red as she carries a glint. The next round an open invitation to Squid Academy's end, Sky takes a deep breath and closes her eyes-opening them with a fiery glow appearing. The match approaches its final act as the whistle blows...