It was a heated exchange for the ages.

The dome at peak decibel level ahead of the final round, nobody could even hear their thoughts inside the venue. The crowd was hyped, the players were hyped, it was the ultimate experience for a spectator treated to a battle between powerhouses. A final round to decide who advances to the quarterfinals in a game of Last One Standing, it was fitting for this to be the decisive battle considering everything that occurred. Starting back in the fifth round of splat zones, it was a fierce battle with the teams trading possession as quickly as the ink dispersing from their guns. Starting with some tactical substitutions that saw Crystal Coast boast their starting squad by finally substituting in Tiffany, the final member of the starting squad, both teams began playing to their full strength and demonstrated the devastating power each side had been withholding up until that point. Several consecutive lead changes followed one after the other with the opening battles so rambunctious and so captivating that the audience had forgotten to breathe throughout the entire exchange, only able to catch themselves the moment Kalebrough persevered and took the first lead early 100-89. Crystal Coast fired back however and inflicted a bonus in return, overtaking their opponents to make it a narrow but important 82-89 lead. Kappa, Pascal, and Kippy however worked together collectively to smash through Crystal Coast's formation and recover possession, erasing the bonus and stopping them in their tracks and retaking the lead and building a 82-67 difference until Siot's crew were able to ward them off. Following numerous fierce exchanges that saw a point where Crystal Coast returned to a lead of 40-67, Kalebrough did their best to put a dent into that lead succeeding in their revenge but it only led to a 31-55 difference by the end that haunted the Inkstinct. Once more they found themselves trailing and if not for a few key plays that worked against them, the result would've been different.

What followed was a critical sixth round of clam blitz where for one team it was about getting revenge and securing a spot in the quarterfinals and for the other, it was all about keeping their season alive in the most dire of situations. An opening for Crystal Coast to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals and a desperate scenario for Kalebrough to survive, the dislike between the pair of teams grew with greater intensity thanks to the vicious battles taking place. A vengeful side driven by their hunger to crush their opponents versus a fearless side who weren't fazed by the threat of defeat, the highly anticipated clam blitz battle set up a spectacle.

Once the points began to tally, the lead exchanged frequently like the prior rounds with it becoming a brutal duel that saw Kippy become the shining star once again with her stepping up to the plate and swinging for the fences the moment her number was called. Each time she recorded a kill, scored a point in the goal, or made her presence felt through anything else that couldn't be recorded on the stat sheet, the more and more it felt like she was evolving and catching up to the other monstrous talents at the top of the mountain, a development that excited and startled Siot simultaneously as even he didn't foresee this type of rapid growth from her despite having had plenty of material to work with; she was the type to do best under pressure, which was the scariest type of opponent. Showcasing why she was the wonder girl of Kalebrough by revealing her true colors, her dauntless efforts proved to be more than enough to shut down the experience of Crystal Coast and also keep them on their toes the entire duration of the round, keeping her foot in the door and leaving the door open for her teammates to connect and blaze through. It wasn't swift in delivery, but sure was effective in leaving an impact. A victory achieved through a gritty scuffle, Kalebrough survived and forced the current scenario.

The sidelines of both teams growing tense from the pressure that crept on them, there also laid a strange strange calmness in knowing that all it took was a final round to settle everything; Kalebrough absorbed the deafening support while Crystal Coast tuned out the jeers. It was evident which team had the support of the spectators, but more so, the momentum of the match. Entering these decisive final rounds it was always better to be the team that won the previous round than be the one that lost. The coaches hammered away their final instructions. The players took their final breaths and counted the seconds before the most hectic round of their lives were about to ensue. For Kippy, her mind raced with the same thought as her eyes wandered to the scoreboard overhead. It was her duty as the ace to make sure that a path got created and ensure that there's still breath in the team's metaphorical body and make sure that they could fight.

I. Will. Not. Waver! Her resolve strengthened.

One thing that'd been apparent from the start of the tournament was her growth as a person throughout the competition, but as of lately it felt like she was truly blossoming into someone capable of becoming a leader the more she recognized her responsibilities. To that end, Kalebrough had plenty to look forward to for the future, but in this case they were content with knowing their tournament run was still on the table and a possibility. Crystal Coast weren't enthusiastic about how they allowed that one to slip away, but by no means were they discouraged as it was to be expected when it came to the wonder girl; for the next round, they knew they needed to hit much harder than ever before and play like it was the last round of their season-which it potentially was.

"They're practically even!" Reice shouts in frustration, unable to keep up with the fast paced play; "Like, holy ghost! They should be tired by now and yet they're moving like it's still the first couple of rounds."

"Not to mention the mental strain they've got to be experiencing. I've been seeing plenty of psychological warfare out there. They must be exhausted."

"Yet they're still playing at that level in spite of that which goes to show what it means to the two of them. It's a toss up at this rate."

In his own section watching curiously, Royce shared similar sentiments and found it a bit unnerving that neither of these teams looked to be wavering after all these heavy hitting blows thrown at one another; he felt remorse for Squid Academy who'd be facing one of these two goliaths.

The final round set in stone, both teams fielded their six best. Crystal Coast deployed Siot, Arian, Rikki, Arihi, Zaza, and Kailaloa as their ultimate roster, Kalebrough's final line of defense consisted of Zepp, Virgil, Kappa, Kippy, Pascal, and Tiffany. A final round of Last One Standing awaiting them, the thumping heartbeats echoed through their conscience as they counted down the moments until it was showdown. The rabid audience that kept noise in their ears. The crushing pressure that had their shoulders feeling heavier. The anxiousness to break out from this confined space and play their best performance. The fear of failure looming at the back of their minds. The desire to survive at all costs. The whistle blew to cast it all away. A furious rush by both sides sending forth waves of green and red that clashed with one another with bodies swimming underneath the carnage to gain an edge on the battle of the surface, there was a medley of sub weapons playing all about from the detonation of bombs to sprinklers serenading the turf in a beautiful yet chaotic display of green and red. Neither side managed to get an edge on the other thanks to both teams playing with the utmost care with awareness that every point mattered and every player especially mattered; to be in an uneven situation was a dire development that could ruin everything if the team suffering didn't make an effective play immediately after. Momentum mattered the most.

"Watch the rear!" Zepp warned, sensing imminent danger approaching while he had his hands full dealing with Siot and Rikki.

The first critical clash began.

Starting at the rear, Arihi initiated combat with Pascal, but Tiffany and Virgil were there to provide support and protect the rear, but Zaza and Kailaloa made their presence felt shortly after to even up the numbers; while the others were within the vicinity of this skirmish, they were already preoccupied as is with Zepp and Kappa dealing with Siot and Rikki and Kippy tasked with Arian. A sprinkler thrown to disperse the Kalebrough trio, Crystal Coast's trio picked their targets. Arihi went for Virgil, Zaza for Pascal, and Kailaloa for Tiffany. Breakneck pace in short bursts, blasts of green and red setting off in pockets across the small concentration of turf, the battle for the edge on the scoreboard commenced in lightning fashion as Kalebrough staved off an ambush. Tactical dodging and placement of subweapons, usage of special weapons to either turn around a scenario or deliver a significant blow, the first skirmish wasn't without any casualties…

"Zaza's out! And there goes Pascal! The pair trade blows and take one another out in the process. Things don't look too hot for Kailaloa and and Arihi either as they're facing uphill battles against Tiffany and Virgil." the commentator announces as the scores alter to a still even 4-4 score, the battle still raging on as the other heavy hitters were playing a dragged out style and avoiding any dangerous scenarios.

"Ah, there goes Tiffany. Brilliant teamwork by the Crystal Coast pair to chain their attacks together and catch her in the mayhem." the color commentator voices, spotting the action just a moment faster than his colleague.

But a few moments later.

"OH! Virgil with the double! Virgil with the double!" They both called simultaneously with hype as the silent but deadly lead charger of Kalebrough timed his shots with precision and recorded a pair of points in quick succession.

The score now at 4-3 in favor of Kalebrough, the Inkstinct moved with a rhythm looking to close in on the remaining trio; even though the match was rather early, the tempo was expected of Last One Standing matches where teams wanted to earn that win as soon as possible. As the final trio left between survival and elimination for Crystal Coast, Siot, Arian, and Rikki played their cards carefully and worked between isolated and group encounters in hopes to create a perfect transition in hopes that their efficiency would create an opening for them. Considered a 'drag it out' mentality since they actively avoided any unnecessary confrontation to further agitate Kalebrough, the ace of the Inkstinct grew more irritated as the match progressed. They were so close! Just three points away from a spot in the quarterfinals, and yet it felt like Crystal Coast were stalling the inevitable. From that standpoint, Kippy couldn't stand it.

"She wants to punch their ticket while they still have the advantage but she needs to be aware that Crystal Coast are a dangerous team when it comes to performing in clutch moments." Royce muttered, his eyes sharp as he recorded every single moment as it occurred in real time, his heart thumping nervously at the outcome. Likewise, Azule had his eyes glued to the action with a thumping in his chest and heart knowing the end approached for one of these teams. It would only be a matter of time.

The score still stagnant as Crystal Coast tactically kept teasing Kalebrough, Zepp deployed a "trap" strategy to expedite the process of eliminating them. Positioning Virgil at a high vantage point and spreading Kippy and Kappa out to the flanks while he took center, the goal was to manipulate their movements and get them into Virgil's range for picking off, or at least within range that he can limit their movements for them to get finished off. But the same way Zepp had a strategy, so too did Siot, who was careful in how he ordered the others to move.

They're trying to corner us…Siot thought as he felt the familiar presence of one of the Moreno siblings, although it was the big brother this time.

Kappa rushed at him aggressively, looking to take him down before he could be led into the obvious trap. Siot kept calm however, predicting his movements and able to dodge at just the right moment and create some space through his counterattacks that forced Kappa to instantly switch between attacking and defending in an instant; to that end, Siot was immensely impressed. Even though his little sister was all the talk of the town, it was clear to him that the true threat everyone should've been watching out for was Kappa-the technically gifted sibling whereas Kippy was the raw talent with enormous potential. Kappa had a different look in his eye from that of his sister. Where she had that determined but naive look that she could always overcome anything through her hard work paying off, her brother had a more unforgiving glare, one that Siot understood far too well. Kappa was a person who knew his limits and worked to perfect himself around them. He wasn't the type to smash through them or overcome them in heroic fashion, but instead to embrace those limits and weaknesses and turn them into his strengths. To Siot, that was such an admirable mindset especially considering the shadow his little sister casted over him. Instead of becoming like another pair of siblings who grew to hate one another, instead Kappa took the role of supporting her outright and became the reliable strength who could always be there to cover for her whenever she wasn't able to manually do so herself-even if he would be doomed to never get any of the credit. But Siot also knew that such a chivalrous and selfless mindset would also have critical consequences…

The curse of being a great older sibling is that sacrifice comes to easy to you folks.

Siot picked up the pace, but he also answered backed when he could. Unlike before where he pulled back and avoided the confrontation outright, he engaged this time and displayed for Kappa just how different the gap was between them-much like earlier before in the match. Kappa didn't waver however, instead only getting far more aggressive to a greater risk. Kappa knew what Siot was trying to do, but that didn't mean he'd just let him continue to play that way without any repercussions. He knew that if he failed to take down Siot here and now or at the very least fail to follow the plan and let him get away unscathed, it'd come back to haunt him. He couldn't let that happen-not with Kippy's dream on the line. His teeth showing as he slanted his brows angrily, his grip tightens as he closes the gap. His heartbeat echoes, tunnel vision ensues, and all that he can see in the peripheral of red is the figure of Siot provoking him for combat. He can hear the hazy voice of another, but he couldn't make a distinction of who it belonged to.

"Here she comes!" the commentator roared, and the audience followed.

Appearing just in time to aid her brother, Kippy Moreno stepped in. Using her multiple rolls to weave between the shots fired by Siot who anticipated her arrival. For her to be here meant that Arian got taken out in their duel, and with Zepp likely still having his hands full and Virgil still lurking overhead, this would be a fateful 2-on-1 battle for him. How could he spin this scenario in his favor? A devilish smirk appeared as he scanned the floor and familiarized his surrounding environment. Kappa felt his heart sink recognizing that smile that he'd seen numerous times on film and now in person; Siot was about to show why he was among the top 3. Breaking into a frenzied run, his attention dashed between his sister and his opponent, fearful of whatever was about to occur next. He managed to survive this long because he was someone who understood his limitations and worked around that-he knew when to fight and when to retreat, never allowing his opponent to get in his head and disrupt his psyche. But his sister…

"The Wonder Kid and the Sensational Siot are treating us to another duel! Kippy continues to apply some serious pressure but Siot appears to always be just a step ahead, able to create and maintain his distance."

He's up to something…! Kappa screamed in his mind, noticing the many similarities that he saw with this scenario and the others he watched on film. Kippy pull back! He screamed in his mind, unable to provide a voice to his desperate thoughts as his sister moved so fast he couldn't keep up with her image.

Siot went left, Kippy went left. He went backwards, she followed. Wherever he felt, she was glued to him with all intent to eliminate him. The two most important players for their teams crossing paths at this critical point in the match, many of the viewers were up on their feet to see how this duel would end. Kippy looked more and more like she was evolving with the way her movements increased in speed to the point that it was painful to even imagine the physical toll that exertion of energy would have on her body, as well as the mental stress she had to be putting herself under to reach such a physically endangering state; it looked like Kippy was entering that mystic state that'd captivated the audience, the same zone that her favorite player resided in. Her hair faintly flickering as her eyes carried a subtle glow, Siot had sudden chills witnessing the birth of yet another powerful rival that he'd unfortunately never get the chance to fight again. If this was truly going to be the last time, then he wanted to witness her evolution…and then destroy it! Continuing the bait maneuver, Siot found the opening he wanted as Kippy quickly discarded her knowledge and experience she'd accumulated through all her battles and instead relied on her unnatural instincts to take over.

I've got you! Siot grinned with twinkle in his irises, seeing victory right before him. If Kippy is gone, so too is Kalebrough.

An overwhelming gasp filling the dome, everyone on the Kalebrough sidelines shrieked in horror as Siot landed his hit. Azule jumped out of his seat in a cold sweat and clenched his fists, Royce's jaw dropped, and Zepp and the others watched on in great concern as the score altered to a 3-2 score. Success found in taking down a Moreno sibling, Siot was smiling from ear to ear with a laugh as he watched the clothes belonging to Kappa sit in a puddle of red before a stunned Kippy. She had him-or at least she thought she did, but how did her brother get roped into this? The whole point of her jumping when she did was to save her brother from elimination. So why? Why was she staring at a pool with his clothes sunken like quick sand? The processing of the situation was put on hold as Siot immediately went after her now in hopes to capitalize on the situation. Confusion, despair, and rage. Kippy had a flurry of emotions welling up inside her as she processed everything that transpired. Once again, her actions were resulting in very unfortunate consequences.

"Virgil, to Kippy!" Zepp commanded, taking over duties of dealing with Rikki; Virgil obliged and left his vantage point. It's starting to happen, now of all times..!

The dazzling mural of the picture perfect run of Kalebrough began to show cracks subtly, the principal offender being none other than the captain of Crystal Coast who stood before them with a mallet in hand repeatedly smashing the mural. The sturdiness of Kalebrough's path to the finals was beginning to crumble unless Zepp could do something to damage control. From his point of view, Kippy needed to survive at all costs as the team's ace; if she's there, they have a fighting chance. And as such, he understood why Kappa made the move that he did. Rikki noticed the winds of change beginning to howl with a furious blow and altered her approach, no longer engaging in the one on one battle with Zepp and instead beelining for where her captain was; Zepp's stomach turned with nervousness, realizing that Crystal Coast were catching on and now pouncing on the possibility.

"Get angry, Wonder Girl!" Siot taunted seeing her aggravated expression despite the mask she wore hiding everything but those fiery eyes that looked vengeful. He knew that she must've felt responsible for her brother getting eliminated, and so, the next phase commenced. "You should be upset, you know? Not because you screwed up and got your big bro eliminated, but that he was so out of our league! He had no business sharing the turf with us!"

"Keep my brother out your damn mouth, and…" she releases her tenta missiles; "We're not the same!"

Siot dodges with grace, taunting her further as he displayed the difference between them. He remained calm and controlled his emotions, but Kippy was the opposite thanks to her instincts taking over. Virgil watched from a distance positioning himself to fire a shot and put a stop to Siot's plans, his hand on the trigger and his demeanor calm as he took a breath just in time to find the perfect shot; but in came Rikki with the interference of her autobomb. Virgil is able to survive the blast, but now Siot knew what Zepp was planning and chuckled at the thought that he finally had Kalebrough where he wanted them. The distance enough to unleash his special, Siot released a wave of red for Kippy to defend against. But the fearless ace of Kalebrough didn't flinch and instead utilized her rolls the same way Azule would, challenging Siot to beat her on his own strength rather than borrowing that of his specials and subs. The audience awed in amazement. This was the first time they were seeing such a bold player in this competition in several years, and with the way this match was progressing, it felt like she still had a few more explosive moments left to show just how bold she could be when staring at adversity; to this extent, the audience couldn't help but rally behind her and began chanting her name.

The writing is on the wall. Siot smirked watching her storm for him yet again. Any moment now… A stray shot of green came at him from his flank belonging to Zepp; "You'll show up!" he laughed, excited that he was finally predicting everything in great succession, just like he always did.

A cold sweat ran down Zepp's face as he stepped into the fray, aware that the Siot he faced now wasn't the same one he was facing earlier; now he was playing like the "Sensational" Siot who was among the top trio in competition. Kippy didn't hesitate in her attacks on him, and quickly Zepp saw what happened and how Kappa got taken down; She was being manipulated by Siot and he was using her raw talent and instincts against her. Kappa likely tried to protect her once he figured out what was happening but because of the great distance between them, the most he could do on such short notice was to protect her at all costs.

"Kippy!" he shouted desperately; "We can't lose you here!"

Kippy was too far gone however as the other thing she heard was the overwhelming crowd in the background that served as her white noise, the only words her mind carried were to "Beat Siot" over and over. I'll get you, I'll get you, I'll get you! She repeated with every step she took, her attention fully locked on him. She ignored the stinging strikes that grazed her and registered it as extra steps she needed to dodge instinctively, finding herself to be getting closer and closer to taking him down; if she could get within point blank range of firing her dualies at him, she'd blow his chest out and eliminate him the way he did her brother. But once again, whenever she looked to be closing in on Siot, she instead saw a pool of red instead. Another sacrifice. While she was going for him, Zepp was also keeping up with her, and when she was ready to take her big shot, she was completely vulnerable, to which Zepp foresaw and instead looked to intercept, but Siot…he knew. As such, Siot pulled a switch and instead took his shot at the exposed and eliminated him as punishment for focusing on someone else in such a situation-the same mistake Kappa made.

A haunting sight to see not one but two sacrifices that resulted from her mistakes back to back, Kippy froze for a moment as the score reflected the turf. All tied at 1, they were the last two remaining for their sides; Virgil and Rikki were eliminated in a trade off that saw them both stop the other from interfering. A staredown between the captain and the ace, the dome grew a deafening chant for the two teams. "Kippy" was shouted followed by "Siot" with equal intensity, the voices of the supporters reaching the apex of noise to the point the dome began to rattle. All the cameras panned and zoomed. Kippy's ragged and heavy breathing were the result of the remorse and fear imminent in her eyes as finally, she was seeing just how big and lonely the stage could be. Across from her, a slightly exhausted but capable Siot still had that same look as he did at the beginning. A long stare exchanged between them, the two knew this would be the last time they ever faced each other-neither were going to be satisfied with how it ended, but all that mattered was that they won. Their heels digging into the turf, their calves flexed, and their weapons gripped tightly in their hands, the two bullets approached one another. Faster than the blink of an eye, the two heavyweights exchanged blows. Green. Red. A roll meeting a dodge. The audience had their breath taken away as the two fought for survival with the hopes of everyone resting squarely on their shoulders. Kippy moved sharply, but Siot was Sharper. Siot hit harder, but Kippy hit harder. They were so even that it was painful to watch someone have to go home! All over social media people reacted live with many believing this to be the true final of the competition, an instant classic.

Kippy's hair no longer flickers with a glow but instead becomes consistent as her glare showed her illuminating irises; she'd entered that zone and found her inner "Midnight" off of pure instinct. Siot didn't have anything of the like, but to him, this was perfect. Nothing was better than beating these kinds of crazy strong opponents who seemed to be blessed by a higher power. With every shot fired appearing to be the decisive one before getting outdone on the next, the pressure in the dome got thicker and thicker as people continued to hold their breaths in anticipation. Kippy has him. Now Siot's look to have the edge. Back and forth like a rocking boat on rough waters, it was only a matter of time until one of these passengers would go overboard.

"Folks, this is becoming an unbelievable exchange!"

"It's impossible to keep up with them!"

Repeated failure. Overachieving. Perennial third place. New kid on the block. Vengeance. Dream Chasing. Survival. These themes looming over the two entities who embodied them, it felt less like a match and more like a testament of their existence and value. They weren't just the vessels of hope for their teams, but a representation of something greater. This match was proof of their existence, a validity of their ideals and everything they practiced. A beautiful mess of green and red terrorizing the turf, the whistle blows.

The match finally at an end, the puddle of green indicated who emerged victorious as the lone victor raised his arm up high with a closed fist in triumph; Crystal Coast staved off Kalebrough and earned the right to face Squid Academy in the quarterfinals. Right away it felt like the hearts of everyone who supported Kalebrough sunk to an abyss, but none as deep as the Squid Academy players who could only imagine how Kippy must've felt. The Kalebrough players looked defeated, the agonizing looks of Zepp and Virgil painfully painting the ugly reality. They failed to deliver for Kippy and most importantly would be forced to retire; There won't be another appearance for them in Kalebrough garbs ever again.

"Experience reigns supreme." Royce sucked his teeth in frustration, upset that Siot's valuable experience as a captain who'd competed in many competitions proved to be the difference maker when it mattered most. A duel that told the difference in experience, Siot got his vengeance and shut down any hopes Kippy had in getting a rematch with this particular Squid Academy team. The entire Crystal Coast team storming the turf right afterwards through the select Kalebrough players who were frozen in confusion and disbelief all rushed into the arms of their captain and piled on him, celebrating their monumental victory and rubbing salt in the wounds of the Inkstinct players and supporters who knew that had a few situations played out differently, that could've been them, or more that it should've been them.

Watching on with a blank expression as the others celebrated before her, it was all of a sudden that her vision grew blurry. "H-huh…? What's this..?" She couldn't register the tightness in her chest that felt like her lungs were getting squeezed as she struggled to breathe, huffing and puffing fighting back streams that leaked from her eyes as she dropped to the floor, covering her mask to keep her voice from escaping. Her dream squandered, the reality was settling in mere moments after the fact that it was all over. It wasn't lost on the others who watched Crystal Coast celebrate. Right away her name escaped the mouths of a concerned Alannis and Fiona who raced over to console her, though not as quickly as Kappa, who'd already wrapped his arms around his little sister and give her a tight squeeze as her emotions finally got the best of her. All that hard work, all those expectations, and this is what she had to show for-this is as far she could go. Her seniors were retiring and she'd been denied her dream rematch. For the first time in her career as a member of Kalebrough, she was experiencing defeat-a bitter first time taste that'd be etched into her memories for the rest of her life.

"I've had enough." Azule stormed off, the sight of a crying colleague burned into his mind-haunting him as he got reminded once again what was at stake in these lofty battles.