The tension within the venue rising exponentially ahead of the crucial sixth round of clam blitz, the pulse of the two bases were felt with every chant done that sent a roaring echo, and if that wasn't enough, the venue rocked back and forth from the fan bases of both sides hopping about excitedly. An especially critical moment in the match for the two brothers who were potentially one match away from never facing one another again in competition, the shock of it being Jin staring at potential elimination created a unique scenario-a different type of pressure placed on both teams. While Beacon hills possessed a 3-2 lead and were one win away from vindicating their captain from the difficult headlines that followed him his whole career, the pressure doubled on them to finish off their opponents and shatter expectations. It was a feast for the commentators, who made a special effort to remind viewers of the fact that Gin spent not only his career trailing behind Jin, but his whole life for that matter. And now, he was a moment away from shocking everyone with all his family in attendance; the sight of the Ika family split in gold and silver with his own immediate family all wearing Jin's colors a telling sign that he wasn't even expected to accomplish anything against the favored one was enough of a motivating factor for those who were supporters of the silver squids.

Watching his two sons on their respective sidelines prepare for a crucial sixth round, he thought of what must be going through their minds in that moment as they prepared for the business end in the match where every move would be scrutinized regardless of result. Could Gin finally have his moment of triumph over his brother, or would Jin find a way to extend the battle and turn the tables and come out on top like always? His mind raced trying to find any little hint of an answer to make the anxiety subside.

"Those two really are two sides of the same coin." he laughed to himself watching them both rise to their feet with focused looks; "Always looking to reach their goals and ambitions on their own values. Honestly, they're a strange pair."

"Those boys are oil and water." the mother added, also wearing a smile as she watched her two boys take command. A rivalry created from birth that followed the brothers this far into their lives, it was a story of inequality versus birthright, of talent versus work ethic, of pride and envy. One brother had everything, and the other had none. One was gifted with all the talent and the other busted his ass off until he reached the same level. One always seemed to be ahead while the other had to catch up. And now, on the biggest stage imaginable for the whole world to see, that feud would be put to rest with their entire family there to witness it all.

Both sidelines were wrapping up their plans for the round. Beacon Hills were rolling with their starting squad once more but made the switch from Obi to Machi in favor of a faster option since Machi was not only the fastest player on the team in both running and swimming, but her being fresh would serve as a massive boost; The silver squids couldn't tell why, but something wasn't well within the camp of Special Forces, and chances were that it would be the most opportune time to land a killing blow before they gather themselves. Over on the golden sidelines, the coaches and the players were going back and forth on once again about substitutions. Gibbs and many of the vocal third years were advocating for a much needed substitution in the match with many of the seniors requesting that the juniors get taken out in favor of them, highlighting that not only was it their last year to compete but that at the rate things were going, they were about to spend their match of the season watching from the bench without putting on a fight against their greatest rivals. Jin lashed back at his teammates and explained that although they were trailing it was still fairly close, to make a substitution now would throw off the rhythm of everyone; the cousins with each other, his juniors with him, and him with his fellow seniors. While the coaches were very empathetic of the wishes of the seniors, Jin offered a reasonable answer to why they should keep the quad the same. While fresh legs would prove beneficial, to take out half of the roster at such a moment where battle would be highly fast paced would likely hurt them, especially when it came to the chemistry factor of the other seniors with Jin. As such, the rosters were kept the same and the juniors were allowed another round of play.

But right when Jin and the squad were dismissed to go to spawn, the head coach held Rina and Taro behind and spoke to them for a moment; Jin noticed and stopped partway to see what was up that needed to be shared only after he and the others left. He couldn't tell what was said between them from where he stood but he didn't like the way his fellow pair of third years reacted to what the coach had to say, their expressions looking grim as they left the sidelines to rejoin the crew. He found it suspicious and asked them about the conversation once they caught up to him, but their answers left little to be desired. They told him that it wasn't anything too important and just a simple adjustment for them specifically, which he knew had to be a lie since their reactions at the time hinted at something much bigger. Something was up, and he already had a sneaky feeling what it might've been.

As they gathered in spawn and prepared for battle, the countdown to battle began. Gin closed his eyes, channeling his focus to the moment that the countdown concludes and he can make a burst of a start right away. Jin on the other end however had his eyes wide open and prepared for a fight for the ages, his desperation growing now that his shoulders were stiffened with an unfamiliar pressure. The noise canceling out and their surroundings turning dark, the brothers were on the same wavelength to the point they could feel the other's heartbeat despite being separated by land; A sensation that one hated and the other learned to appreciate because it could be gone in a moment's notice.

Your reign ends here. Gin's heart said with resolve.

Fat chance I'm letting that happen. Jin's heart responded.

The round began.

An instant battle for clams ensued as neither side worried about defense, instead throwing all their efforts to a full frontal assault. Casualties racked up early as a result of these hectic battles with Beacon Hills losing Machi and Sterling while Special Forces lost the junior trio. But even in the face of the disadvantageous numbers, Jin still marched with his fellow third years for the clams and wrestled away a few in their skirmishes with Gin and the others. But when the forces of both sides were depleted was when the true battle began. A race to get a power clam and strike first, the teams foiled the other's attempts whenever possible and in turn dragged out the first points of battle.

"It's still scoreless as the two sides continue their feisty brawl with neither allowing the other a chance to get a higher ground."

"Both offenses are well orchestrated by their captains so far, who've been very cautious in their approach. If it keeps up, we might see a very low scoring contest."

The battle raged on however with Special Forces launching an attack, only to be met by the silver wall of special attacks that drove them back. The same bode true for Beacon Hills, who were met by a vicious response by a golden wall as well. But as it always turned out, a team's defenses could only hold out for so long before the durability waned-the question of who would be the first to fall was imminent. They'd been knocking on the door of opportunity for a while but were always met by a pesky trio who seemed hell bent on shattering expectations, that all changed when a stray power clam recovered by Sterling found its mark in the midst of a heated battle and broke the barrier-and the ice on the scoreboards. Gin and the others tried to flood the open goal but a tight response by Special Forces minimized the damage entirely and kept the score from running away too far in favor of Beacon Hills. Jin and his squad answered back on the ensuing possession however behind a pair of power clams from Taro and Seni that found the mark and catapulted them to the lead; Jin and the others helped bolster the lead to create a cushion in addition to inflicting a bonus on the enemy sides. Gin and the others had their response ready though and once again stuffed any hopes the golden squad had in attempting to extend the lead. Back and forth with a tug and a push, the war for control led to an increase of tension between the two teams who greatly disliked one another, and at the helm of these harsh attacks were the brothers themselves, who looked all the more ready to throw down.

And finally after plenty of near misses and close calls all round, the two brothers finally engaged in their clash with their eyes locked on the other and their instincts taking over. Blast and blast ensue, the two of them moving faster than the cameras and people following them who were forced to rely on the after effects of gold and silver splattering everywhere. Similar to many of their other iconic battles over their career as the captains of their squads, this one captured the essence of their rivalry: raw and personal. Gin moved with hate in heart and Jin moved with guilt in his, the two of them coming to a crossroads as an obvious winner would remain at the end of this battle; neither side would allow the other to escape.

Your childhood was a lie! Gin screamed from the heart, his emotional scars shown through his intense and trembling glare.

I know, you're the one who suffered in silence. Jin's irises trembled as well, the remorse only growing as he saw his little brother hurting in real time with the only thing he could do to help being to defeat him and make him hear him out-though perhaps it was too late.

Veins protrude from Gin's face as he closes the gap and makes a close attempt to take his brother's head, I hated growing up with you!

Jin's able to survive the lethal shot, I'm really sorry I wasn't a better brother when I should've been. He pleads, his heart heavy watching Gin show his true feelings through his actions. For so long, the only way the two knew how to communicate was through battle and now that their dysfunctional relationship had taken such a turn for the worse, it was all that they had to keep themselves connected to the other rather than just blood.

My biggest regret was sharing the same blood as you, it was knowing that no matter how hard I try, I'll never escape. I…I…! "I wish you weren't my brother!" he shouted violently, tears welling up in his eyes as he made a lunge to take Jin's head once more.

Jin had no words, his face stunned reading his brother's heart. Even if their rivalry went that deep, he couldn't ever bring himself to ever harbor such feelings or even express them. Just how badly had he ruined his brother's childhood? The insult was enough to throw him off for a moment and Gin tried to capitalize with a kill, but that feeling of heartbreak turned to fury. Jin understood his brother loud and clear. His confused face carried sadness and anger after feeling his brother's true feelings hit him in the face, but he accepted them and knew that after this fight, there may be nothing left between them after all. That feeling of fear to lose what he could've had, to know that their relationship would be irreparable, he threw it all away.

Gin's mind went numb realizing the words he just said and the weight that it carried, feeling a sudden chill emanating from his brother that forced him to withdraw for a moment. For the first time in a very long time, Gin felt regretful to utter something he knew he didn't mean; something he knew truly hurt someone he cared about. Jin's eyes showed the same hate that he saw when he looked in the mirror. The bridge had finally been burned. A heavy atmosphere filled the venue, the viewers were on the edge of their seats watching the brothers fight it out. But for the Ika family, this looked less entertaining and more heartbreaking as for them, they were watching two family members cast aside their bond and blood and disregard the other. They were only enemies now.

When it looked like the two brothers who threw aside their bonds by blood were ready to finally cross the line and exterminate the other, an interference arrived. The junior trio of Kary, Seni, and Eijun came to stop Jin and the trio of Silvia, Sterling, and Alumia stood in Gin's way; they both realized that if they continued to let the two brothers settle their differences in a team setting like this, it'd only hurt them more than it would help-though the truth was that despite the rivalry those two shared, they didn't want to see two brother go so far as to fight the other to the point of total hatred. Kary and Silvia snapped them out of it, warning them of the dangerous waters they were about to sink into if they continued to build the pressure. Indeed, the brothers realized just how deep into their own thoughts they were sinking in the midst of a war of clam blitz.

What followed would be a reclaim of the lead by Beacon Hills orchestrated by the efforts of Machi and Platinum, who helped break through the barrier and keep the goal alive long enough for more clams to get added that swayed the lead back in their favor. But Special Forces followed up with a pair of strong pushes that led to an effective trimming down of the lead to a much closer score, and it was all thanks to the junior trio who were playing like they were possessed. All three of Jin's apprentices were playing at their peak with many clean cuts and flawless transitions in their movements, their shots finding their marks, and their intensity proving to be beneficial in claiming control of the turf. Even if Beacon Hills were showing better chemistry and coordination, the trio of Kary, Eijun, and Seni were over performing and even overshadowing their senior trio who'd been carrying the flow of the battle in the round up until this point. A sudden rejuvenation that neither Gin and Beacon Hills nor Jin and Special Forces foresaw, both sides reacted appropriately. Beacon Hills tightened their defenses and went into containing the explosiveness of the golden side, and Special Forces marched forward aware that this battle was the fight for their season. The Special Forces sidelines were stunned by what they were seeing, noticing that not only was it amazing that those three were outperforming the highly experienced Rina and Taro, but they were catching up to Jin; it felt like they were seeing the shadow of the old captain himself instilled in their souls as they played with the same ferocity he did as a fiery first year and a deadly second year. To do all this while the main starters were still on the bench sent a wave of overwhelming excitement throughout the fans in gold who were ecstatic for what the future held. Even if they would be losing most of their team after this tournament, the future looked amazingly bright with those three as the new core who had been built through a season of hardships.

I can't believe what I'm seeing Gin thought, watching how diligently those three were working and how they were eerily playing in a similar style to his brother. Are they your proof that you've become a leader? Are they your answer to your years wasted on our relationship? Gin's teeth clench with a twisted look in his face; "You make me sick!"

The way Jin looked relieved when he saw them performing above expectation, that momentary look of pride he displayed as he watched his juniors finally reach him on the grandest stage, Gin couldn't help but feel every inch of his body quake in anger in response. Those many years he spent being thought less of, looked down on and forgotten by all of his loved ones-especially his brother. And now, here he was looking at a bunch of strangers the way he should've looked at him when they were growing up together. The tender care and guidance he showed some strangers is more than what ever went his way, and he is supposed to sit by and watch?

HELL NO!

Gin rushed at the golden trio, ignoring the formation that he-himself set up. It didn't matter how good they were, nor how well prepared they were to handle him; it was him who shared the same blood as their captain. The only person who would ever be allowed to be considered the equal to Jin was him, and only him. The crowd rose to their feet in anticipation of what would come next with many of them amazed that a couple of first years and a second year were doing this all while over shadowing their seniors in both scoring and in overall impact on the turf. But now here came Gin, the ultimate threat to that run of theirs. Seni and Eijun intercept him, looking to skillfully break through the silver barrier with their power clams. Gin's aggression proved dangerous however as he alone pushed the three of them back with his pressure; but by aggressively challenging the three of them he left his other teammates wide open to be dealt with by the others, and what followed was a massive trade off. Gin took down the two brothers and turned his sights to Kary, and Special Forces broke through the silver wall via the push by Taro and Rina who respawned a moment earlier and ambushed the moment there was an opening. The goal open and clams getting flung into the basket to alter the score, Gin's obsession got the better of him as he focused on getting the final splat on Kary, figuring that he still had enough time to at least get back and damage control with the rest of his team who were still dealing with the golden duo. But then, he showed up.

You…!

At the last moment before Kary would've met certain doom, a golden splashdown came from out of nowhere and protected her just in time with Gin forced to retreat by just a hair's breadth away from getting splattered. Jin was back in the fray and ready to confront Gin, especially given that they hadn't yet settled the score all match. Gin didn't have any time to waste however as he knew that there was still the objective he had to accomplish, but before he could even switch gears and return to his goal, the whistle blew all of a sudden.

The round reached its conclusion.

A close but well fought victory led by the defensive stance of the junior trio, an exhausted Special Forces forced a final round under the cover of darkness. A situation that proved useful for Special Forces, the junior trio baited and aggravated the captain into leaving his post, which allowed for the floor to open up for Rina and Taro to take care of business all in an ambush and leave them reeling long enough to get a knockout. There would be seven after all, and Gin and Jin would have one more chance to exchange blows. A rumble echoed throughout the audience as supporters on both sides made their noise for their respective teams, the intensity spurring them to do anything to give their side the emotional edge. Gin had no reaction and neither did Jin, they knew this was the only way to settle the score: Last One Standing.