The dome so loud it was near impossible to hear one's own thoughts over such a frenzy, Mori sat in the sea of blue and pink watching on with critique at the team he'd placed his future on-although he'd already been put in a comfortable spot ever since they made it to the knockouts. His heart thumping with a rhythmic pound and his face turned to stone devoid of any emotion shown, he was nervous for what would follow being a fan well invested in the fate of the team. While it was true that Squid Academy's victory in the second round did offer hope especially since it was by knockout, he knew far too well who Skolar were and what they thrived off of: this next round of Hide Ink Seek would confirm it if they were going to play how he expected. The roles decided with a coin toss, Skolar won the toss and elected to be the Seekers, letting Squid Academy know they planned on hunting them down mercilessly; Carmichael's eyes told as much when he stared down Azule after the toss, warning the fellow captain that from here on it'd be a merciless hunt. Azule shared the same sentiment returning the intense stare.
The lineups remained the same for both sides once more as the thinking behind the coaching staff of both teams was to trust in their squads since it'd worked up until now; attempting to make a swap now of all times might pose more harm than good with the rhythm created by both teams. With the score even after a couple rounds, it was still anybody's match for the taking and with Skolar looking better as time progressed, it was hard to bet against them and their mighty twin terrors. But that's where Squid Academy's fiery performance became a factor. Despite a close defeat in the first round after excellent play, they responded in knockout fashion for the second round and brought the fight to Skolar and reminded them that they weren't regarded as the giant slayers for nothing-the leadership of Azule and his reliable crew of fellow leaders made it all the more apparent as they didn't even have to break out the rest of the regular starting unit. Either way, the audience was entertained with the treat they were receiving as the match was already living up to the hype.
A deafening audience remained at the dome while the teams were transported to the side for their third round of Hide Ink Seek: Dentex Subway. A choice made to create further excitement and tension, this map would make use of the many railways and the station as great spots for duels and hiding spots and already the two teams were working their strategy for achieving victory. The selected target for Squid Academy was Jory, the prolific first year who boasted a reputation as one of the faster players in the tournament with an amazing track record despite having significantly less playing time compared to his peers. As one of the fastest and best attackers on the team, if anyone could survive on their own in a pinch without being reckless, it'd be him-a truly interesting pick for a target. The whistle blowing to start the round, both teams were on the move through the underground setting with Squid Academy sticking close to protect Jory from any surprises. As expected, Skolar wasted no time on initiating an attack with their trio of Sigurd, Miralem, and Pierre the first to draw blood taking down Zaneki and Evelyn respectively. It was a trade-off however as Squid Academy managed to splat Amber and Jean in the process to nab some much needed points while also protecting Jory, who was not only targeted by the trio, but the skipper as well. But luckily, Azule stood in Carmichael's path. A battle near the railway, one misstep was an automatic death and point to the respective team; players had to be careful of out of bounds as such actions would award the opposing team. Cognizant of that fact, Azule used this to his advantage and instead of fishing for the kill on Carmichael and company, he bull-rushed them aggressively with reliable help from Todd who was on the same page with him. The two rivals turned comrades apply pressure to Carmichael and manage to drive him into a corner with his back to the railway, all attempts to escape useless as they strike from different angles on the trapped inkling. Carmichael didn't look tense at all however, instead beating his chest taunting the pair to come at him-the duo answered.
"That's it! Get 'em!" Sandra shouts, holding out her fist impassioned by the fighting spirit shown by the teamwork of Azule and Todd. Once bitter enemies as first years with different stories in the rank wars, it was a treat to see how far the two had grown since that time that they were now challenging one of the most dominant players in competition without any fear written on their faces.
He ain't bluffing! Todd analyzed with a scowl, measuring the distance that'd be safe to launch without any danger of leaving himself vulnerable. His movement slowed a bit due to the caution that came with dueling Carmichael as well as having to be wary of any interference from the other opponents and keeping watch of Jory within his peripheral vision.
Azule on the other hand only saw red as he closed the distance between him and Carmichael, his body language shouting "Cover for me, I'll take him!" to Todd, who was surprised to see the headstrong captain bulldoze toward one of the twin terrors.
"Still the same as ever, aren't you!?" Todd clicks his tongue, rushing after him; from his angle, it was clear to see what Carmichael was up to. The same way they were looking to push him to the edge, he intended to drag at least one of them down with him if possible-and who better to drag down than the captain himself? Noticing the obviously ugly outcome that might result should Azule get taken down, Todd had to back up the reckless leader.
Azule's arms straightened into wing formation, his head lowered with his guns propelling him forward-one roll executed, then another, and finally, he closed the distance. Todd's mouth widened as he readied to yell for Azule to retreat, noticing the growing smirk on Carmichael's face as he-too closed the distance to meet the captain halfway. The look on his face shifting in an instant, Todd scrambled after what followed next. The distance closed and the captains about to clash, at the last minute did the inkling in pink's hair glow-his special weapon charged. A splashdown from out of nowhere, Azule landed a surprise that stunned even the others who'd been preoccupied with their battles. In an instant he'd turned the match on its head just like how Carmichael feared, and once more it was seen again why Azule was the priority target besides Jory. His unpredictability and adaptability so profound, it reminded Carmichael too much of the monsters known as the Emperor and Empress who seemingly dominated their opponents in similar fashion; for Azule of all times to pull off these kinds of stunts and against mighty opponents such as himself, Carmichael couldn't help but manifest this thought as he was whisked away back to spawn.
He is catching up...
His progression at such a rapid rate as well as his leadership and ability to always shine at the most critical moments, Carmichael acknowledged that if there was anyone from the new bunch who were going to fill in the shoes of someone like Edward when he retired, it was being born before the eyes of everyone following this tournament: In a couple years this kid would no doubt be on par with the Emperor. With that elimination of Carmichael dealing a psychological blow to Skolar, Squid Academy takes the lead with that opportunity. A gritty duel for the octoling that saw casualties already, Jory and the core squad survived and built their lead in the process.
Skolar didn't make it easy for them to run away however as they managed to keep themselves in the contest by nabbing critical kills on Azule and Todd but always missed out on Jory, the one who'd catapult them to a significant lead. Squid Academy held strong to this development and made sure to play with a balance of offense and defense when encountering Skolar as a group and played with greater aggression when in isolated scenarios; they needed as many points possible while protecting Jory from danger, always making sure he was paired up with two people to cover for him. After countless failed attempts that saw the lead grow slightly out of reach, Skolar shifted their tactics from one targeting Jory for that colossal boost in points to simply overwhelming the rest of the team and ignoring the target entirely, finding it more beneficial to trim at the narrow lead successfully than to risk it all on the big catch and suffer a gradual deficit. In response to this, Squid Academy played with greater confidence as the lead attackers got more aggressive while the rest of the squad assumed a more defensive stance and made sure to ward off any enemy attackers. Jory was in a rhythm of his own as he quietly pocketed a few kills of his own and sat third in the tally behind Azule and Todd who were playing on another level. While this seemed to be a good sign for the leaders and their supporters, there was no denial that there was an eerie feeling plaguing those who watched from the outside; Skolar were being too quiet for a team boasting a pair of top players on the turf at the moment. Ever since Azule's surprise splat of Carmichael, the team just never looked the same as Carmichael played with less intensity and Miralem didn't bare his fangs. Hard to determine what they might've been up to, one thing that was sure was that Skolar were up to something.
Azule figured that to be the case but knew the only thing to be done was to extend the lead and protect Jory in this scenario, overthinking and analyzing was exactly how teams like Skolar crept back into the fray and took over; he couldn't allow such a nightmare of a comeback to occur in this situation as a 2-1 deficit with both victories coming off of Squid Academy choking the lead both rounds would have a bad reflect on morale. As the action continued however, that eerie feeling soon altered to one of concern. Sure enough, Skolar were trimming away at the faster pace with their kills and Squid Academy were getting less.
"They might've figured us out." Chlora bit her lip nervously, noticing the distance in the scores close as Amber secured a double splat on Mason and Todd.
"We're not hitting them as hard as before and now it's the others who are showing up for Skolar. At this rate it'll be troublesome if Carmichael and Miralem find their groove and take over." Audrey added, also nervous to the point of having to catch her breath.
A pivotal round for their team's success moving forward, Squid Academy needed to send the message to Skolar that they could fight on even grounds and even surpass them to take the lead. That was the purpose of their valiant effort so far, desperately wanting to prove that they weren't going to roll over just because eskolar boasted a numbered ranking. This boded true for Jory especially, who felt determined to prove himself after his mistakes in the first round. Placed in an important role as one of the team's most important players, the expectations on him to perform and live up to such a heavy burden were what put him under more stress. As Sally's subsequent replacement and the ultimate favorite of Fuchsia that he beat out many other capable players-some leaders of their own respective teams-to boast a lofty number and role, he felt it his responsibility to be an impact player in the same way that Sally would've. The confidence she wore standing head and shoulders above the rest on the turf with the belief that she had something to prove and every intention to demonstrate her superiority of skill and leadership, he wanted to radiate that same energy in such clutch moments despite having somewhat created an identity for himself during his tenure as Squidcom's-and now Squid Academy's-ultimate pinch hitter.
I need to do more is what Jory thought in cold sweat observing the scoreboard at the dwindling lead, his heart rate increasing bit by bit and his body tensing up as Skolar's movements got sharper. He anticipates an ugly fallout unfolding soon and unless he did his part to leave an impact and sway momentum back in his team's favor, they'd be in trouble.
Fuchsia's fingers sink into her biceps of her folded arms as she wears a pained look, reading her brother's mind like a book. At this rate, there might be trouble. Of course she had the utmost confidence in her team to finish strong but as a coach who'd done extensive research and observation, she understood that the state of the current six on the turf had gone past their limit as a unit in this context. Azule and Todd were doing well in leading the charge but only the captain looked like he still had energy left to spare whereas Todd looked like he'd been doing everything just to keep up, likely mentally drained after such an unexpected shift to the starting role. The same could be said for the rest of the unit who all looked like they were running on their pride as fellow captains representing their squads, their movement becoming sluggish and their accuracy taking a significant hit that resulted in easier points for Skolar. Fuchsia knew that in this scenario with this much on the line, there was no other choice than to play this card-a card she would've liked to have done at a much later time.
"It's time!" the coach shouted to her sidelines, turning around to give them a look full of conviction with radiance; immediately did the called numbers rise to their feet with a nod.
Tangie was surprised by how heavy the atmosphere got on the sidelines considering the match was still in the favor so far, she could feel an uneasy feeling overcome her when she glanced over at the silent Sally who had her head casted down with her fists clenched. A fierce expression worn on her face as her dagger-like eyes sat under her furrowed brows, she couldn't mask the pent up frustration boiling within her. But before Tangie could reach out to calm her friend, Sally leaned back and took a deep breath and exhaled with a cold expression remaining-her expression shooting at Fuchsia, who looked directly at her.
Wh-what's with this tension!? Tangie freaked out, unsure of what to do feeling trapped between what felt like two beasts ready to attack one another.
Sure enough, their fears were realized. Skolar indeed caught up to Squid Academy behind critical kills on the likes of Mason, Zaneki , and Todd, and constantly avoided confrontation with Azule and Jory, forcing them to have to get themselves involved. By attracting them outside of their preferred comfort within their set strategy, that gave Skolar the room to sow chaos moving onto the next phase: psychological warfare with the target Jory. Throughout the entire match, Jory had been protected and even attributed to getting some points while being under such heavy guard that it was without any risk. But when Skolar made the adjustments and made it more difficult for the octoling to make an impact, they were capitalizing off of the inexperience of the first year and using it to their advantage. Jory wanted to save the opportunity his team worked so hard to anchor and given that he hadn't made much of an impact other than capitalizing off of situations created to grab kills, he felt guilty for being so dependent. He wanted to contribute his fair share as a fellow attacker. Therein laid the problem. As a target, it didn't matter how good one was but rather how well they committed to their role and kept out of danger at all costs. Pride didn't matter when it came to being the target, only survival. And for Jory, someone who already knew the first thing about survival, that instinct was lost thanks to having a taste of luxury and becoming complacent.
A total exploitation of the octoling, Skolar continuously teased Jory out of protection as he continued to build a streak of kills, eventually heating up and surpassing the exhausted Todd and fatigued Azule, he became the leading scorer for the team-much against their wishes. Azule and the others didn't state it directly considering Skolar were observing them very closely, but by the anxious and agitated body language it was clear they weren't on board with Jory's improvisation. The experienced Carmichael and Miralem observed closely and methodically decided when to launch their grand strike: when hope looked to be at its strongest for them. A continuous sinking feeling in the stomachs of all Squid Academy supporters who had to watch everything unfold, the anxiety they carried while their eyes laid on Jory who carried the hopes of the entire team with confidence. His streak continued as he successfully managed to keep the numbers of Skolar down and ease the burden for the others, it was only a matter of time until Carmichael and Miralem finally pursued him. No fear shown, the octoling embraced the challenge with the support of Azule and Todd in the mix.
In an instant, gone in a flash.
An accurate shot from Amber that was timed to perfection, Skolar crashed the party. The hard earned lead they'd spent the whole match building and protecting had crumbled with only a single shot and now a gassed squad had to scramble to damage control before it got any worse. The ultimate nightmare scenario had played out. The sidelines of Squid Academy livid at Jory's actions, they root on the rest to hold the fort in the meanwhile to no avail. A statement as conclusive as the results would show, Skolar took the round in no time as Squid Academy never recovered from that folly. The score 2-1 heading into the fourth round, the Skolar fans were electrified greeting their returning players who been victorious, the momentum swinging in their favor spelled a likely outcome of total victory as the next round would be turf war-a potential nail in the coffin for Squid Academy as Skolar boasted one of the best teams in terms of balance which translated directly in turf war: the most balanced game mode in the tournament.
The Squid Academy sidelines tense as the anxiety surrounding a potential exit loomed, some of the players were consoling a devastated Jory who sat on the bench with his head buried in a towel while others that were livid took the time to mentor and show some guidance for him once they saw how badly the loss affected him; he felt responsible for this defeat, the guilt of his good intentions wasting the efforts of his teammates who'd done everything to protect him. The team gathered at the command of Fuchsia, even Jory was forced to switch gears when it came to the coach's orders. Her tone serious but far from disheartened, Coach Fuchsia announced the roster change with some big substitutions getting made: Todd, Mason, Evelyn, and Zaneki were all getting swapped out in favor of Sky, Reice, Violet, and Pastelle; Azule and Jory were to remain in the game. It wasn't a surprise to see substitutions getting made now when considering that the current squad endured three consecutive rounds against a team like Skolar-which felt like double the amount. Although most of the team were in agreement with the decision and composition, only Jory took fault with the choice; he didn't understand why she'd take everyone else out and still leave him in after he botched things not once, but twice in recent memory. Fuchsia didn't elaborate however, since she found it irrelevant to have to explain her decision behind such a choice. Currently down by only a single round, it made perfect sense to swap in the much experienced crew while retaining Jory in the mix who had great chemistry with the incoming players. But Jory's rattled psyche was what hampered everything, for he didn't believe himself to be worthy of being on the turf as is; though everyone disagreed with the sentiment.
"They'll be in disarray about now…" Carmichael predicted while cooling down during the break; "That team is strong physically but mentally still young when it comes to experience in dealing with pressure. The squad we faced was evidence of that-a whole squad of first years that only boasted the trait of pure leadership qualities."
"We'll see their real squad soon." Miralem added, a man of few words.
Sigurd gave a nod in agreement, "We haven't seen their headliners so more than likely they'll make the change now before it gets too late. Luckily, we're a team built for endurance. Even if they think they can get away with fresh legs working against us, they'll be in for a rude awakening."
The status of the Skolar sidelines upbeat and motivated, they were determined to take the next round and send Squid Academy home in a gentleman's sweep of 5 games. The next round of Turf War about to start shortly, Carmichael gathered his reliable squad together and they made it their mission to crush them and secure their spot in the quarterfinals. On the other side, Squid Academy's battle squad finally formed and it was time to switch gears.
It was the fourth round of turf war at Amberjack Plaza, the scores oh so close as Pierre mages to land a splat on Jory and tip the scales in favor of Skolar for the moment with a numbers advantage, the state of the game so far was one defined as a painfully even showing between the two teams. Squid Academy's fresh legs and new firepower proved essential in this bout as Sky and Pastelle immediately made an impact and carried some of the burden that'd been hindering Azule from going off like he would've preferred. Reice's presence as the big roller was a welcomed change as he alone was enough to force Skolar reconsider their approach, and then there was Violet as the deadly second option on the charger who struck doubt into Skolar's unit; her and Sky had quietly become a fearsome duo together similar to how Sky and Pearl were when they played together on the Elites. And finally, Azule and Jory played with greater resolution now that the pressure was shared with folks they were extremely familiar with: Jory tuned out all the negativity from the prior battle and focused entirely on grabbing kills and getting turf for his squad, and Azua, he outshined any of his previous performances in the match thus far. The team's accuracy was more than an improvement as they hit much harder than before, Squid Academy looked like a rejuvenated side as their vanguard played with greater desperation knowing their chances of a comeback would be significantly tougher if they fell down 3-1 to a team like Skolar. The opponents however weren't fazed by all the resurgence at all as Carmichael and Miralem blazed the path for their team, operating in more facilitator like roles and allowing Jean and the rest to flourish since it was a turf war-the best game mode for teamwork to shine.
Throughout the whole match it appeared like it was anyone's game. In the beginning it was Skolar's lead but only for a moment as the presence of Sky and Violet were felt instantly and shifted the manner of play. From there, Squid Academy were in charge: Reice played aggressively and slammed relentlessly against the defensive adjustments the ogres tried to make, in turn opening up the floor for Azule, Jory, and Pastelle, to run loose-which they did. Azule and Pastelle were to be expected since one was the fantastic first year captain of such a crazy strong team and the other was unarguably one of the three best players on the team that was already stacked with limitless potential; the real surprise was Jory and his turnaround following his folly earlier, disregarding how he'd put his team in this hole and instead delivering some of the best play that'd been seen from him all tournament. Skolar's answer to this new wave from Squid Academy was consistency from their aces who stuck to making sure everyone played good rather than the two of them trying to take over since they were the team in the driver's seat anyways; a tied series didn't scare them at all since they knew they had the power to end this team. Problem is, they still had to play the game and as the war for the turf continued, it was crystal clear that they weren't going to be able to turn on the jets with a switch like they thought. The reinforcements were a problem after all. Sky and Violet were already an issue as is with their constant pressure forcing Skolar to tread with caution, but then there's the slippery fast trio of Azule, Jory, and Pastelle that they had to engage in battle with almost constantly, and if that wasn't enough agitation already, then there's big bad Reice to finish them off in ways that the others couldn't.
On paper it seems like Skolar should've wiped them out, but it was the thinking behind their coach. She knew when it was dire to make the shift and did so effortlessly. Just how much research has she spent making this team become an absolute force to be reckoned? Mori thought looking over at the Squid Academy sidelines at the stone-faced coach of the team who didn't bat an eye from the action on the turf with her shoulders square and her arms folded-a stance showing she demanded results and had the utmost confidence in her squad.
The result of the round concluding spectacularly, the Squid Academy supporters roared to life as their beloved squid made an epic return to the sidelines with business far from over. The look in their eyes cold and serious, the status of the bench radiated that energy. It was war now. Skolar's bench knew this situation before and acknowledged the strength of Squid Academy: next time will be different now that Carmichael and Miralem were aware of the kind of power their opponents were packing; they wouldn't let them heat up after tying up the series. The fifth round now awaiting the two teams, the question of who would emerge victorious becomes shrouded in mystery once more.
