Yeah...It'll be a while before I get back to it but I do plan on continuing the Sonic story once I finish this one.


"Two matches remain in the group stage and today's match is a crucial one for us. It's do or die today and I want all of you to perform to the best of your abilities-nothing short of perfect. When you step out there, ignore all the noise made and focus on your own play. Take it one round at a time but remember to always switch your gears after every round-win or lose, don't get fixated on the previous result. No matter what happens, I'm proud of you all for showing the whole world that you're not afraid of the top flight." Fuchsia delivered from the heart, thankful to see how far they've progressed; surrounded by all her players in a group huddle before the match, she could see their suppressed smiles and embarrassed smirks, aware they all felt the same way playing under her guidance. Followed by a passionate team chant led by Pastelle, they looked ready for battle.

Shamsa stadium is full of spectators hungry for an exciting match, treated to a promising match between 17th ranked Baiji and the hot prospects Squid Academy in what might be a deciding match for who will advance to the knockout stage; Squid Academy will need a victory today and a Titans loss to hang in the fight while Baiji need a victory to take fourth spot from the Titans-a loss on the Titans' end being helpful as well. Hidden in the crowd today with his dark shades blocking out the sunny rays, the octoling man is in attendance for the match, interested in seeing if the team he staked his job on would find a way to win yet again or would they both go down just before the big deciding match in a couple days. Also in attendance but in a different part of the stadium was Takahashi and a couple of his teammates who got dragged along for the sake of company since Shiore and Shiori both refused to attend for different reasons. Several other teams ranging from Toka to Polaris are in attendance for the game as well following the monumental upset against the Titans-all of them interested in seeing what the underdogs could do against Baiji now that their nickname as the "Giant Slayers" held some weight. The match between Baiji and Squid Academy wasn't the only one catching plenty of attention today as the schedule is stacked with major group matches including the match of the day between the two teams jostling for the top spot in the group of death: Crystal Coast and the Kalebrough Inkstinct. A battle with a prime duel between Siot and Kippy as the main attraction, another massive matchup has the Bluerings and Titans facing off in a critical battle for third place with the fourth and final spot also on the line in that same group. The biggest match within group N will be happening as well as the group leaders 13th ranked Beacon Hills face off against second place 19th ranked Serpents in what will be the deciding battle for the group. Another interesting matchup is also for the top of the group between group leaders 9th ranked Special Forces and 24th ranked Joyriders in the second spot, the winner of that match securing the top of the group with a tiebreaker. A loaded lineup, viewers at home had the privilege to watch the Crystal Coast-Kalebrough match, Bluerings-Titans match, Baiji-Squid Academy match, and the Beacon Hills-Serpents match all at the same time with the Special Forces-Joyriders match happening later in the evening in the prime time slot.

The Squid Academy sidelines already had their players warming up in preparation to go in-some voluntarily warming up to shake off their nerves. Planted on the bench once again as part of team orders is the captain Azule-though he isn't sulking this time around. A change in his tune from last time where he was itching to get on the turf, Azule looked calm carrying a cold, analytic gaze at the turf. Having made plenty of observations last time and doing some inner reviewing, he was in the middle of unlocking the puzzle standing in his way. All in hopes of breaking the seal on midnight in time to be of greater use to his team, Azule drew on his previous experiences for inspiration on how to surpass his limits. The toughness of the Titans and Valentina's leadership both serve as good references for improvements he could make on his game. Lost in his thoughts, sitting next to him also thinking hard is Sally-though for a different reason. Ever since yesterday, she noticed something seemed off about Fuchsia and the others who returned from the city but couldn't place a finger to it-even now they look way more fired up than usual. Opposite of the tense Squid Academy sidelines are the easy-going Baiji sidelines that look plenty relaxed; their starting squad among the best in the tournament, many of the bench players weren't too anxious about facing the explosive Squid Academy-their game plan simply a matter of utilizing their star power and experience, Baiji weren't worried about the outside noise of Squid Academy's upset alert and trusted their own might more than anything. Shudo, Jodee, and the others who antagonized Fuchsia yesterday all looked excited for the start of the match, interested to see if their actions yesterday would influence the match overall.

The stadium rocking with anticipation as the teams are introduced, the cheers pour in for the team donning their pink jerseys with royal blue trims-considered to be the huge underdogs yet again despite their heroics last time. Squid Academy's starting six consists of Pastelle as captain, Sky and Violet on charger duty, Reice as the lone roller, and Aaron and Parker in as their anchors. The goal for them was to strike hard early on and establish a rhythm for the match rather than get dragged into Baiji's tempo, aware of how close they got swept away by the Titans. Baiji's in their Sky blue jerseys with orange also present on the tops, their starting six a heavyweight lineup as they have Raquelle in as captain with Nelly, Lotus, and Iba all in the squad-three players who all had that special something that placed them within or nearby the top 25 of best players on the continent. To round out that powerful lineup are the quality additions of Shudo and Aida that serve well as complimentary players to the stars.

The first round is a game of turf war, and the analysts made note of the keys to victory for both sides, also noting the importance of this first round. Baiji had the stronger starting squad and experience on their side, and their focus should be to establish their dominance early on and beat Squid Academy into submission-what their ranked counterparts failed to do last time. Their impact player isn't the monster trio of stars, but rather their captain who had the wisdom to lead a powerful bunch. A team that relied more on the individual strengths of their star players, it was Raquelle's leadership that allowed them to mesh well and unless she takes the reins and leaves a presence early on-they might find trouble. For Squid Academy, they had the advantage of a deep depth chart and plenty of strong names to come off the bench for them, and their starting lineup wasn't anything to underestimate. Known as the "Giant Slayers" for their track record, they had some fellow giants of their own in the starting squad most notably Sky and Pastelle with Violet and Aaron serving as some noteworthy talent. Young and only capable of getting better as the schedule wanes, their best trait was their team chemistry and ability to run any strange formation to perfection as thanks to their head coach who seemed to have an eye for dynamic play. Their impact player for the match was an obvious choice in Sky, who was the difference maker behind their victory against the Titans. A flex player who could do it all while using the most limited of weapons, her adaptability, explosiveness, and versatile skill set made her dangerous and a nightmare for anybody; A stylebreaker like her was the answer to Baiji's pillars. The two teams waiting in their spawns for the opening whistle, they can hear the echoes of the crowd circulating throughout the stadium. Over in the pink corner, Violet, Reice, Aaron, and Parker are all off in their own corners looking for ways to channel their concentration in preparation for the difficult task ahead. All of them looking focused, the motivated pair of Sky and Pastelle are together with the gazes ahead at their opponents spawn.

"Are you nervous?" a serious Sky asked Pastelle, already looking like she was crossing into Midnight mode.

Pastelle pats the captain's armband wrapped around her left bicep, "Far from it." she said carrying a sharp glint in her eyes. "I couldn't get any sleep last night, though."

"Same here." Sky nodded peering down the other side. "Baiji's a fearsome opponent that operates like a wildfire where one of them heating up in turn leads to the others following suit-when that happens, no one can survive their inferno. They're top heavy with an overwhelming starting squad but as a result lack a powerful bench."

"The smart approach would be to tire them out and force them to put in their subs, but those starters are conditioned to play an entire series so it wouldn't be easy to execute that plan, especially when such a mindset can hurt more than help. They'll likely look to beat us hard in the first couple of games and take it easy in the later games when they've established a rhythm." Pastelle glared ahead.

Sky closes her eyes afterwards and takes her leave, "All we have to do is disrupt that and mess with their heads a little and the mighty giants will be slain."

The noise showing no signs of quelling, the whistle blows to start the match. Sky blue ink splattering from the east and pink ink surging from the west, the battle for survival begins as both teams start their turf war. Right out the gate, it's an early attack for Squid Academy as they follow Pastelle's orders and strike Baiji before a tempo is established, using the likes of Aaron, Parker, and Reice to pave a path and get kills. Making things easier for Sky and Violet by allowing them to focus more on supporting and doing pick-offs rather than have to fight on the front line aggressively, Squid Academy looked far more balanced as they kept a decent distance from Baiji's effective range and swung momentum in their favor with a couple isolated kills early on. The crowd enjoying the spectacle early on, things heat up following Aida's exit as Lotus gets revenge with a brace on Parker and Reice to make the field even once more. An early attack that got Squid Academy and a slight lead early on, it gets erased in an instant thanks to Nelly following up with an emphatic hit on Violet. Though they were playing their own style at a comfortable pace, Baiji players and fans alike were stunned by the aggression of Squid Academy early on-thankful that their stars were keeping them in the battle early on to avoid their morale getting struck.

"Looks like everything was a success!" Shudo laughs, currently engaged in a skirmish with Pastelle, Reice, and Aaron, getting support from Nelly, Lotus, and Iba.

"Shut up!" an irate Pastelle yells, focusing her fire on him while Reice covers her and Aaron sweeps in to handle the others.

"Your performance is a keen indicator!" he taunts, weaving her attacks with ease and raising his voice the further he retreats; "This aggressiveness is an obvious response to yesterday's message!"

"Message…?" Reice's curiosity piqued, looking over at his captain in question. "Hey, what's he talking about?"

"Focus on the battle!" Pastelle commands; Aaron doubles down and manages to take down Iba but takes significant damage from Lotus, who goes on the attack and forces Reice to step in.

"Cover Aaron-we need our numbers more than ever!" Pastelle orders, desperate to avoid losing ground to Baiji.

The combination of Lotus and Nelly proved troublesome for even the skilled trio as Pastelle not only had her hands full with trying to splat Shudo, but had to avoid getting marked by Nelly as well. Though they were curious about what Shudo was talking about, Aaron and Reice knew now wasn't the time for idle chatting. With one section covered by that messy exchange, west of there is Parker, Sky, and Violet battling Baiji's captain Raquelle in a 3 on 1 showdown. Normally the one at disadvantage would've been taken down by now, but Raquelle of Baiji was a different breed from the rest despite being often overlooked because of her talented teammates. A team where the captain wasn't the main superstar, what made Raquelle such a dangerous player was her ability to adapt and lead-able to observe a situation and command her squad to follow her orders. Sky and the others found that out firsthand after seeing that no matter how much they prepared for her and her team, she'd always find a way to improve. A slippery inkling that made use of her agility, she was able to dodge the deadly accurate shots of Sky and Violet alike, only having to worry about Parker who continuously tailed her in hopes that he could catch her when she ran out of ink.

"Bad idea!" Raquelle said with a pep in her step, making a sharp cut to the right to lose Parker who'd been trying to spray her down. She dipped into her sky blue ink and re-emerged with enough to fire a solid shot; "I'm not the captain for nothing!" she shouts, splatting him easily to trim down the disadvantage to just the charger users. "Now, which is faster: your trigger fingers or my speed?" she called out to the pair, aware that they were nearby and likely going to rush her. As expected, the pair didn't hold back in trying to fire at her, but what she didn't account for was the split they did with Violet pursuing her while Sky essentially dipped to turf the nearby area.

"Don't be fooled-this is still a turf war." Violet said while taking aim at the retreating inkling who lost a little speed after noticing her plan to bait them got sniffed out.

Raquelle knew that their action of splitting off essentially meant they prioritized turfing rather than engaging in battle with the captain, which made her flash a smile since that meant two things: they were disciplined enough to stick to the objective, and they didn't view as much of a threat as she thought they would. "I see, so I'm not worth the time!"

Violet closes one eye and focuses her aim, "You're wrong. I'm here, aren't I?"

Raquelle cheeks reddened as she did her best to refrain from cracking a huge smile, aware that Violet's personality was just the type she liked in an opponent. Someone serious to a fault and gifted with incredible skill. "I like that answer! Very well, let's get this going!" she said, rushing towards Violet with a wide grin, dodging the shots like they're nothing.

Violet narrows her eyes as Raquelle approaches, painting a target on the moving body and steadying her gun to align with the center. "I don't miss." she mumbled under her breath, firing a shot that cracks through the air and causes the audience to erupt with an exaggerated reaction.

"We've got a narrow lead and there's two minutes and a quarter left in the first round, so far we've had the floor advantage ever since Sky, Violet, Pastelle, and Reice reduced Baiji to a duo of Nelly and Shudo following the splatting of Raquelle and Lotus. Baiji haven't really caught themselves since then and second by second we're inching a greater lead thanks to the work of Sky and Pastelle excelling in their roles." Kosami said, tracking the movements of Baiji with a concentrated stare.

"I'm amazed Aaron was able to take down Lotus the way he did, but I guess it isn't that much of a surprise considering who he is."

"The third years are a scary bunch." Cobalt remarked, impressed by their intensity.

"You can say that again." Apollo nodded wearing a satisfied smirk with his arms folded, enjoying the praise given to Aaron that felt awfully nostalgic from their days as the Elites.

"Following that crucial exchange, Aida and Iba made a return and tried to wrestle the momentum away from us but thanks to Pastelle and Sky, they got stuffed."

"I do find it interesting that Baiji have been operating on the more conservative side since then-rarely pressing us and just focusing on turfing even if it meant avoiding direct battle. You don't think they're up to something do you, Fuchsia?" Cobalt asked, still wearing a sharp glare as he kept his gaze on Shudo, who was getting overwhelmed by Sky and Pastelle at the moment.

Fuchsia's analytical gaze stayed on the prime targets of Baiji, "This team is all about their stars and our biggest concern is that trio of Nelly, Lotus, and Iba and their effectiveness in the latter stage of the round. More than likely that trio will wreak havoc late in the game and I won't be shocked if the trigger is that captain of theirs. After watching her play for just a minute, I'm starting to understand why she's such a frightening leader..."

A narrow miss on each attempt, Shudo is escaping by the skin of his teeth while Pastelle is in pursuit with Sky supporting her from the rear. Provoked by his callous words and excessive taunting during the team battles, the pair decided to shut him up in the first round and remove him from the match-deciding that if they broke him in the first round, he'll lose his presence for the remainder of the match. Aware of what the pair were up to based on how focused they were on splatting him, he felt amused to know he could rile up the pair so easily by targeting their beloved octoling friend. During the team battle where everyone was present for a huge clash, Shudo opened his mouth a little too much and spilled too much about what happened yesterday as part of his attempt to infuriate the pair, finding success as they rushed after him shortly after. Luckily for them, the others were so engrossed with the battle that they tuned out any distractions like Fuchsia told them-all except Violet, who needed to fine tune her ears as a sniper for every little sound. Picking up on what he said, she pieced the information together with the behavior of her teammates who went with Fuchsia to the city, noticing that their aggressive behavior and his actions were connected. Hearing some of the rude comments herself, Violet felt some anger towards Shudo as well but knew the most important thing to do was stick to the objective and avoid feeding her emotions. Unfortunately, Sky and Pastelle didn't get that memo as they red gazes locked onto the slippery Shudo. Sky blue ink covers everywhere as he widens his room for maneuverability, spotting splatters of pink ink entering his peripheral more and more as their guns get louder. They're closing in on him. He can't run away anymore, but he knows that fighting them head-on is foolish since Sky would murk him before he can set his aim on Pastelle-their relentless effort to take him down is both admirable and terrifying in his eyes. The burst bombs exploding in time to damage him and trap slow him down just enough for them to attack, Shudo sense the overwhelming wave of pressure from the pair-the sensation he felt far from the usual fear he got when he was about to get splatted, rather this was true terror in every sense; he felt like he might get mauled by the pair with the way they approached him with such fierce glints. A sky blue splat bomb thrown just in time to push Pastelle back, a splash wall is also thrown to cover Shudo from getting sniped by Sky, who had placed herself in an alternate position to get an angle on him.

"Captain! Nelly!" Shudo chirped, happy to get saved by the pair.

Nelly glared at him, "Stop pissing them off!" she shouts with a growl, turning her attention to Pastelle.

"We had to come here after noticing how blatant they targeted you. Did you do something to them yesterday? I wasn't listening entirely but it sounds like you troubled them."

"I thought you said you weren't being mischievous yesterday!?"

"Who knows!" he laughs.

"YOU IDIOT!" Nelly yells, stomping her foot.

Raquelle's gaze changed to a far more serious one, "We'll worry about that later, right now we have to stop them before they get out of hand." she said in an intimidating tone, her focus turned to Pastelle; Shudo felt a cold shiver run down his spine after hearing his captain's serious tone, aware that when she gets serious she's pretty scary.

The wall disappearing before Pastelle, she read the turf and knew there were about four bodies nearby based on the pair of sub weapons and the emergence of Reice joining the fray, seemingly following someone that escaped his grasp. He informed her that Parker got taken down by them and Aaron was currently engaged in a scrap with Lotus from their team but warned that trouble was brewing for them in this area, also adding that Violet is on the way to reinforce the attack. In an instant, Pastelle spotted a silhouette out the corner of her eye that carried a sharp glint, avoiding their attack at the last minute but unable to set up a counterattack with how swiftly she closes the gap, Pastelle knew it'd be foolish to let her guard down now with someone this fast targeting her; Reice clears it, knowing it's bad news if that girl gets a double splat in this scenario. A miss at the leg followed by a graze on the arm, Pastelle breaks away from Raquelle to isolate her but knows she can't stay on the run for too long: Shudo's escape and the addition of more bodies meant a tougher battle for them especially in this matchup where she deduced that her group of Reice, Violet, Sky, and herself were going up against Shudo, Raquelle, Iba, Aida, and Nelly in a disadvantageous matchup with Parker out of the mix. If she failed to even the field, it'd be trouble holding onto that lead-and keeping that loudmouth Shudo was also problematic on its own since his constant blabbering might ruin team morale if they learn what went down previously. All these thoughts rushing in her mind, she had to clear them quickly as Raquelle narrowly missed yet again, marking her with some sky blue ink that grazed her cheek and forehead.

This is the captain of Baiji…! She marveled, adjusting her movements and preparing for interception. Right now she's tougher to fight against than the others!

Sky watches on from her safe distance, continuously firing at Shudo and Nelly looking for the double splat. Closing space as she can sense the defensive response from them, she runs through her mind the likely scenario that'll occur should she advance as-is. Reice is currently combating Aida while also keeping his attention on the pair as well, and Violet is almost near. Should she advance and splat one of them they can turn their attention to splatting one of the leftovers and ambushing Nelly or Aida, knowing that they needed to protect their lead at all costs after observing Shudo focus on turfing while the others juggle both actions. Accounting for them, she failed to mark one inkling from the field-noticing something wasn't right with the scenario she painted. Iba. Almost on cue, Sky's under attack from enemy fire, and by none other than Iba, who managed to slip into her blind spot and catch her off guard when she was scanning the perimeter. A disadvantageous matchup for Sky and her charger, she had to battle against Iba and her rapid blaster. With those two about to duel, over on the battlefield where the majority of the Baiji players stood Reice locked in a tedious spot. Having to juggle between dodging Nelly and Shudo while setting his sights on Aida, he tried his best to prevent Baiji from erasing the lead but the numbers are too much to handle Everything proceeding too swiftly for him to keep track, he's stunned to notice a pair of splats get registered shortly afterwards-in turn following suit after taking heavy damage from Nelly and getting finished off by Aida in a combo kill.

"Raquelle came to the rescue of Shudo and managed to turn the tide of the battle by splatting Pastelle. Iba managed to take Sky by surprise and make it a double, and finally the combined efforts of Nelly and Aida are a success as Reice is brought down. Three kills in quick succession, Baiji has complete control at the moment as only Violet remains for the inklings in pink!" the lead commentator announces to the roaring crowd.

"That was a brilliant showing by Baiji in saving their comrade from sudden death and that show of unity is exactly why they're such an unstoppable force once they get rolling. Up until this point, Squid Academy has been doing what they've wanted without much resistance but the experience of Baiji is coming into play now as they've changed the floor entirely and can now turn the round in their favor."

"With Shudo and Aida painting over the pink ink into a bright blue, Nelly becomes a spy scanning for the surviving Violet. Over in the battle between Aaron and Lotus-"

A powerful stream of pink fires from out of nowhere that carries the same presence as when Sky pulled the trigger-though it lacked the same imposing presence. Nelly's ears twitched, locating the origin position and finding an inkling with sharp purple irises staring her down. Her gun smoking and a poker face worn, Violet looked radiant staring down Baiji's superstar-disappearing in a flash after firing another shot. Nelly jumped to action immediately, realizing things may get out of hand if she starts to heat up. A flashback to the team meeting held the previous day, Nelly recalled that among Squid Academy's ranks-their first years were the most troublesome. Sure, the presence of Sky, Aaron, Pastelle, and the many other experienced second and third years was something to take note, especially the former trio who were considered to the best players on the squad based on history, but Baiji knew that their appearance was only a trap and that the most terrifying players were the first years that built the foundation. The burst of energy from Jory, the defensive strength of Reice, the reliability of Todd, the deadly accuracy of Violet, the mystique of Azule, and the presence of Sally who sat from the bench with the gaze of an eagle-these were the troublesome first years that terrorized the competition up to this point and in this tournament, and if their reputation didn't speak volume to their capability, their title as the "Giant Slayers" wasn't for show. Something about them just seemed all too different whenever they crossed paths with strong opponents like the ranked teams. Beacon Hills. Special Forces. Crystal Coast. Kalebrough. The Titans. Whether it be win or lose, Squid Academy's squads always found a way to push the giants to the brink of defeat whether it be physically or mentally.

"What a headache!" Nelly yells, tracking Violet as she darts her heading in the direction of Shudo and Aida.

Violet does a quick spin and pops a shot in Nelly's direction to throw her off course, then resuming her trailing of the other pair; Aida halts her turfing and engages in battle with Violet, looking to take advantage of the slow refilling time of Violet. The pink inkling's head jerks with a narrowing gaze, analyzing Aida's thoughts and predicting the next course of action. An adjustment on the positioning of her feet, Violet leaned back and bent her knees and fired her shot in mid fall to dodge Aida's straight fire and turned into a squid falling into the nearby puddle of pink she created earlier. Considerable damage dealt in those few seconds, the collateral damage splats Aida on the misstep in the pink and just like that, the numbers are reduced to a pair. The audience roars, glad to see not one, but two amazing charger users playing for Squid Academy, who had enough talent in that department to rival Dango's charger unit. Shudo's eyes trembled witnessing her pace, seeing a phantom in pink appear before him like a reaper as she effortlessly bypassed Nelly, splatted Aida, and now had her sights set on him, all in a few seconds of play. It's unfair, that's what he thought while feeling the pressure she exudes on the approach wondering what was so special about this team to have this many assets that went unnoticed by the masses. Before he can meet her wrath however, he's once again saved by the skipper, who arrives in time to intercept Violet. A three on one situation once more as Violet has two in the front and one to the rear, her flash of brilliance looks to be in vain as Raquelle looks to take her down the same way Pastelle was finished off. Scanning her surroundings, Violet couldn't find any route to escape and resolved to taking down as many down with her as possible, targeting Raquelle and Nelly, pissed that she can't get her hands on Shudo; after piercing together the timeline of events in her head while continuing the battle, she could only imagine what Shudo said to Fuchsia for her seem so distant and removed from her usual self-she'd make him pay by any means.

"Thanks for the prime real estate! I didn't think I could get a good landing spot in such a situation, but it's about time I prove some worth rather than just being a trophy boyfriend- don't you think?" a familiar voice appeared from behind her following a hard thud in the ink that splashes everywhere.

"You took the words right out of my mouth!" another familiar voice called after firing away at Raquelle to back her away.

Violet wanted to show some relief for getting support but she knew now wasn't the time to lower her guard since they weren't out of the clear just yet, but having these two at her side was more than reassuring. Entering the fray in the nick of time, Parker and Aaron are ready for battle! After having bested Lotus in a close battle, Aaron recovered his health on the way there and saw the situation taking shape. A crucial point in the match, it was imperative that they hold out until Sky and the others recover, figuring the best way to defend the lead was to have all their players together to coordinate an attack, but Baiji were probably thinking the opposite and in belief that the best way to snatch the lead was to use their numbers to their advantage as frequently as possible and minimize how effective the power players can be. A prelude to the climax of the first round, the skirmish begins. A trade of bombs that scatters bodies, the pink and blue swirls as everyone marks one another down with precision in the works. A game of tag and keep away, bodies drop immediately as Parker trades with Nelly in a fierce exchange. Raquelle and Aaron take damage in their cross, and Violet finally splats Shudo who was heavily damaged from the crossfire of Aaron. A quick but decisive skirmish, that exchange became the crucial moment that steered the direction of the round as shortly after followed the rest of the players who were missing in action for that brief period. A solid defensive stand by Squid Academy with their reinforcements arriving when they did, they managed to extend their lead greatly in that small window of opportunity and secure the win, holding off the surging Baiji in the late seconds of the match. A narrow victory for the inklings in pink, they were thankful to take that big lead when they could, finding it scary that Baiji were on the cusp of making a comeback. Pastelle and the others return to the sidelines with mixture of relief and tension written on their faces, thankful that they were able to grab the first win but nervous about how close of a contest it became towards the end, still feeling the rush of adrenaline from that encounter. Silent on her return and receiving a towel from Kosami on her way to sit down on the bench for a breather, Violet closed her eyes and took slow breaths replaying what she knew in her mind. From the tidbits gathered from the loudmouth Shudo about the encounter he had with her friends yesterday and from his rude comments about octolings as well as the reactions from Pastelle and Sky, Violet believed that he must've said something offensive to Fuchsia before today's game and that was the reason for the sudden aggression. But what she wanted to know was why none of them mentioned anything about it with her only answer being something along the lines of them thinking there will be a negative effect from mentioning what happened. She knew that if everyone learned of what Shudo said, everyone would likely be outraged and target him, which would hurt their original approach-so to avoid that scenario where the team might act reckless, they've decided to keep it under wraps. Knowing this, Shudo tried to fan the flames further by bringing it up-likely noticing everyone except for Sky and Pastelle was carrying on with ignorance and he'd want nothing more than to stir up their emotions and disrupt their calm temperament.

The reason we won was because we had a combination of aggressive play from our impact players and discipline from the rest of us. With everyone playing in a balanced tempo, we should keep it that way and avoid having everyone find out about it. Unless… she looks over at the others who were taking a brief rest as well, wondering if they might've caught on after all.

Rounding up the players in a huddle, Fuchsia reviewed their performance for the first round and started off by praising them for pulling through despite the challenge presented by Baiji; winning the first round gave them a huge boost for the later rounds. She reminded them that this is only the first of many rounds and they needed to maintain that intensity for the following rounds. Afterwards, she pointed out some of the errors made previously and cited what adjustments needed to be made for them to have an impact in the later rounds. She was confident they could win the match after seeing what they were capable of in that round, noticing some of the exposure Baiji revealed. Going into detail about what holes she found in their play, she highlighted some key attacking points for the upcoming rainmaker battle. Over on the Baiji sidelines, the team was a tad bit surprised by Squid Academy's performance in the first round-the result catching them off guard after they worked hard to turn the tide. Far from worried about how the match would play out, they were more interested in what happened for them to play so uncharacteristically-noted their captain and Sky. Several players including Nelly immediately pointed the blame at Shudo for being the catalyst, aware of his history with antagonizing others-especially opponents. But before everyone could dogpile on him, Raquelle shut the conversation down and told everyone to focus on their opponent, reminding Shudo that she'll deal with him later and a little curious about what it was he said to them to make them angry.

Jean whistles with amazement, "-Well then, that's the first time I've seen them play like that." he said looking over at his fellow teammates who also watching the game; attending as part of scouting for future reference, Carmichael and Miralem sent players to check out some of the other big games happening today while they watched the big contest between kalebrough and Crystal Coast.

"I'm aware that the Royale girl plays aggressively from time to time as a flex but I'm surprised their captain acted as reckless as she did. They do know if they lose here they're out of contention, right?" Marcel-a substitute player-said, critical of their performance thus far as they've looked a little too energetic for the early rounds.

Pierre shakes his head, "That's why they're playing like that. It's desperation."

"Or maybe they're pissed?" Amber proposed.

"Whatever it is, it's a glass cannon approach. Baiji might not have a deep roster or too many quality players off the bench, but they have four stars and an overall solid starting roster. They thrive on their individual talent." Jean analyzed, wondering what the response for Baiji would be in the second round and what Squid Academy would do to capitalize on their lead. The 5th ranked Skolar weren't the only ranked team that had members in attendance to watch the game as the 12th ranked Blazers, 18th ranked Knights, and the 22nd ranked Polaris all sent their bench and scouts to check out the games while the stars and starters checked out the other high profile matches. The general consensus among them was that Squid Academy's top players might run out of steam as the game progresses from playing so hard early on, and that is when Baiji would utilize their stars to the fullest.

The octoling man was also curious as well, interested in learning why Squid Academy's style changed so drastically but far from concerned. He felt confident after seeing that first round where the team's leader played angrily while the rest of the lineup played calm-a thin line to balance on but very effective if successful. He believed that regardless of whoever won the series, it would be in shocking fashion and that the team to pull away within the next couple games would likely be the winner of the match. The ringing for the next match to take place, he watches on as the two teams are transported to the site of the next round. Back at the airbase for a game of rainmaker battle, the teams are welcomed by adoring soldiers who watch on happily rooting for them with loud chants. The radiant sun scorching the asphalt and all surrounding metal without any breeze to assist those in attendance, the players felt the sweat already escape after being there for a minute, getting reminded of the brutal conditions of a summer in the desert. The Baiji spawn looks composed after getting accustomed to such heat thanks to the heatwaves back in their hometown, but even then they found this heat to be a little irritating. Over at the Squid Academy spawn, they're doing their best to stay focused despite the heat-except for Sky and Pastelle who look so focused they seem possessed.

I can understand their feelings, but isn't this a bit too intense? Violet analyzes the pair and turns to her teammates who all look anxious as a result of the overbearing tension from the pair. They don't understand why they're playing with such vengeance and are probably doing their hardest to play with calmness to balance out-we can't maintain that for a full series even if we wanted. More than likely we'll be gassed by the third...Violet puts her hand up to her chin and gets absorbed in her thoughts. If we were all on the same page and had proper coordination, it would become a huge factor in bolstering our chances. But since those two don't want to share-more so that they can't-we'll have to tough it out I guess. I'm curious about what it was that they said but maybe it's better if I don't hear about it.

Pastelle slams her fist in her palm, "Listen up everyone-I've got something to say, something happened yesterday that pissed us off!"

Violet almost did a spit take with her eyes popping out, EHHHHH!? What? Seriously!? What happened to keeping this a secret!? Was I wrong? COME ON!

Sky wrinkles her face with a glare, "That Shudo guy had some nerve insulting our coach…"

Explaining to them everything that happened that day and apologizing for playing off rhythm, they wanted to let the others know that they won't be satisfied with just a plain victory today and instead wanted to send a message to Baiji and anyone who might share the same hateful thoughts that if anyone ever targets one of their own, it's a declaration of war. Their faces darkening once they process the rude things Shudo said, Violet and the others all felt their blood boiling-understanding why Fuchsia kept quiet about everything; it was clear Shudo's intentions were to rattle and rile them up to play without focus and abandon the plan, but thanks to the preparation by Fuchsia, they wouldn't let that fly. Vowing to punish Baiji, the squad kept their emotions in check and prepared for battle. The game started shortly after and Squid Academy fired on all cylinders right away with the same explosive attacking prowess shown in the previous round but Baiji aren't fazed by them this time around as they instead match that intensity with the star power of Lotus, Nelly, and Iba. Hitting much harder this time around, it's a scrap early on as both sides compete for the rainmaker. It started off with Baiji breaking the deadlock by capturing the rainmaker first, but the defensive efforts of Sky, Violet, and Reice made it difficult to move far. Immediately afterwards, Squid Academy capitalized and created a small lead before losing possession on the encounter with Raquelle, who swiftly splatted Parker to drop the rainmaker. A few seconds passing and the scoreline changing by each possession, neither side was able to break away from the other early on. At one point it looked as though Squid Academy were handling the objective with their collective power and chemistry seeming to outweigh Baiji's stardom, but the ability of Baiji to count on their star players proved effective in quelling the fire of the hot Squid Academy. A rematch of the battles in the previous round, Pastelle and Raquelle went at it again while fighting for the rainmaker and the star duo of Nelly and Lotus went up against the power couple of Sky and Aaron. Violet also took up a bigger role by assuming command at times and leading the others against Iba and Baiji in battles for bursting the barrier. A recurring pattern through the battle under the searing heat, whenever one team would take possession and begin their march, they lost possession immediately and had their lead erased by the opposing team. With time elapsing as the two exchanged body blows, Squid Academy's latest attempt to stretch the lead further was met by an emphatic stop from Iba and Baiji, who in turn overtook them on the rally and were looking to go for broke with the knockout; Reice and Parker had a different idea, however, and stopped them just short of the goal.

Over a couple minutes still remaining in the round, Squid Academy are advancing with Parker on the rainmaker following a successful wrestling away from Aida and Shudo, who got dealt with afterwards. A messy situation currently, Squid Academy only had Reice, Violet, and Aaron to protect him-Sky and Pastelle both bowed out dealing with Aida and Shudo. An attempt to retake the lead after allowing Baiji to nearly escape with a knockout, Parker and his teammates found themselves in some trouble as the rest of Baiji cut off their path. Yet another team battle unfolding, Violet and the others noticed something different about Baiji's approach this time-mostly due to them being in control of the round. Trapping Parker with that slow firing weapon, Baiji was able to rip possession out of Squid Academy's hands after isolating Parker from the others-a classic use of decoy that worked effectively as Iba scooped up the rainmaker following the barrier burst.

"Let's end this!" Nelly shouts after Iba claims the rainmaker, looking to end it this time around.

Having an advantage with the lead, numbers, and the current members on the turf being their best squad, Baiji knew this was their chance to strike. Iba on the rainmaker, Raquelle and Lotus covering in the front and Nelly to the side, Baiji make their push. Squid Academy makes their defensive stand. Reice does a high raise and slams his roller to spread the ink while Aaron went around to confront them while Violet set herself up from the rear and worked to pick them off. An approach that combines pinpoint accuracy with area of effect damage, Squid Academy's defensive counter was to disarm Baiji as fast as possible or trim the numbers to where the only issue is the rainmaker user themselves. Baiji's members knew what the trio was up to the moment they chose to fight them wholeheartedly rather than retreat or play halfheartedly to stall. Lotus intercepts Aaron for another duel, Iba and Nelly team up to pressure Reice through their dynamic combination with the rainmaker in the mix, and Raquelle had eyes turned to Violet, aware of the danger presented if she allowed her to find a her ground and fire as she pleases. Violet takes a short breath and calms herself in a shooting stance, her unwavering gaze focusing on the nearing target that hops from puddle to puddle with every intention of taking her down. She knew that though plenty of time remains for a comeback, there are moments in a game that dictate the outcome of a game. If they failed to quell the flames of Baiji here, there was a likelihood they would lose the round, and possibly the match-if Baiji managed to tie up the series, the experience of those stars would play a massive factor, especially if the substitutions are to be made as expected. One shot fired but no kill recorded. Raquelle dodged in time and closed the distance significantly; Violet isn't worried and instead takes a few steps and closes her free eye to peer into the scope once more.

The next shot won't miss. Violet thought, lining up her reticle on Raquelle. Waiting patiently for Raquelle to come just a little bit closer, her focus on this moment was so intense it seemed as though her surroundings disappeared into darkness-only the two of them present. Her finger stiff on the trigger like a statue, she could feel her heartbeat thumping through her body, a bead of sweat rolling down her face as she observed the nearing Raquelle. She's in range! Her pupil dilates as the sky blue and orange jersey of Raquelle nears her in a flash.

Don't get arrogant! Raquelle thought, noticing what Violet was up to based on how she shifted her footsteps and tightened her posture. You're too predictable-making it obvious you're looking for the counterattack off of my initial strike! A sprinkler thrown in Violet's direction that blocks her vision for a moment, she dodges it quite easily thanks to being in an intense state, but once she refocuses-there's no target in sight. Welcome to Nattys! Raquelle shouts in her mind wearing a huge smirk, attacking her in her blindspot.

"An ambush!?" Violet yells in disbelief, stunned by the speed of the Baiji captain to disappear off of such a simple move.

Unable to do more than use her reflexes in that moment, Violet gambled on her instincts and pulled the trigger-her legs moving on their own as the enemy ink clouds her vision. At that moment just a little bit away, Reice was working overtime weaving the firing from Lotus and the occasional blast from Iba, concerned for Aaron and Violet's sake since he could hear their battles nearby. If either of them fell here, the comeback will be improbable even with Sky and Pastelle returning to the action. A sense of urgency present, Reice knew that more than ever he needed to step up as one of the pillars of the team-even if he was an underappreciated and underestimated asset. Concentrating on the troublesome pair before him, Reice locked onto their movement and the tank space of their guns, looking to sync himself to them and a counterattack at the opportune moment. Rollers were a weapon with a presence like a pendulum swinging before a victim awaiting their execution, the sight of them raised or rolled enough to trigger immense fear for those on the receiving end. His duty as the main defender was to prevent anyone from piercing their fortress-figuratively and literally. Aware of what is on the line with the implications that'll follow if they fail here, Reice tosses aside any form of caution and braces for the worst. The pair fire simultaneously with Iba launching a big shot with the rainmaker and Lotus diving in to add extra damage, but as if channeling the weight in his body into the weapon, Reice dipped and avoided the initial strikes-then shifting all that weight from the weapon into his body, he raises his roller high and brings it down with a slam so emphatic it felt seismic for the pair in his range. Pink splattering everywhere as the others took note of the monumental strike, splats are registered as a bright barrier emerges from the fallout. Immediately choking the handle of his roller and holding it upright like a batter on the swing, Reice swings away at the barrier with a ferocious look and smashes it with a roar-claiming the rainmaker afterwards.

The airbase goes wild.

Sally, Azule, and the rest of the sidelines wear disturbed looks with their jaws dropped, stunned that Reice just changed the entire flow of the battle on his own; Bianca has the most satisfied grin on her face watching that display, leading a cheer for Squid Academy's rally. As if his heroics in booyah ball weren't enough to have everyone appreciate his role as underrated threat, Reice in this tournament was nothing short of spectacular-all the other competition labeling him as a blossoming talent to add to the plethora of talent they possess. If it wasn't already overkill with talent Azule, Sky, Pastelle, Violet, Todd, Aaron, and Sally, Reice's emergence was smothering. A strong march to the goal defending the rainmaker with his life along the way, Reice became the lifeline of the team in that moment. The momentum shifted in their favor once Pastelle and Sky returned to the battlefield, sparking an unpredictable run for Squid Academy. Utilizing the rainmaker and the surging momentum on their end, the inklings in pink made sure to never let Baiji recover from that blunder-all the way to the final whistle when it ended in a knockout victory. A stunning victory that was sealed the moment Reice stepped up to the plate, Squid Academy commanded a 2-0 lead in the match and now found themselves in position to do something historic; once again in the back of their minds, they were thinking of a potential sweep-especially against a ranked team. The anticipation for an exciting conclusion building as the most unexpected of scenarios had come to fruition, the attention is on Baiji's stars and whether they can make a comeback against the red hot giant slayers, or would Squid Academy do the unthinkable and win their third consecutive round to put Baiji in danger of total defeat in a sweep? The match between the pair approaching its third round, the tension rises as the group of death commands the attention of the entire world.