The weather had changed hours before kickoff, but the pitch still glistened under the floodlights, a mirror for the storm that waited inside every player.

The Inter-Continental Cup wasn't just another tournament. It was a clash of nations, systems, and evolutions, where aura met discipline, and only those who had learned to merge martial essence with skill survived.

For the Titans, this was their first step toward redemption. For Blaze, it was the test of his rebirth.

Kickoff/Recap

From the moment the whistle blew, the match became a living thing, energy and rhythm folding into a pattern only players could read. The opposing team, The Polars, were no rookies; every pass felt like a test of nerve and timing.

Scarlett sprinted down the left flank, the crimson trace of her Kinetic Mirage bending defenders out of place. She wasn't just fast, her martial form, "The Crimson Spiral," allowed her to pivot mid-air and strike like a dancer cutting through wind.

Aya, stationed at the heart of midfield, read the rhythm like a composer. Her aura shimmered gold, her ability Temporal Step letting her slightly anticipate movements, not by time travel, but by syncing her breath with the energy field of the match. She was a strategist in motion, her every pass sharp, weighted, and mercilessly precise.

Diego barked commands from behind, his Spirit Forge Armor glowing faintly as he blocked a counterattack with his forearm. It wasn't just a block ,it was a martial technique, Iron Palm Flow, merging defense and offense in a heartbeat.

Anastasia, calm and composed, swept down the right flank. Her ability, Photon Wings, created translucent arcs of light when she moved, slicing through passing lanes. She was Jason's daughter, disciplined to her core, her defensive stance always one step ahead of chaos.

Then there was Lionel, the wall, the beast, the calm before every storm. His Titan Frame ability allowed him to absorb impact and return it as kinetic shock. When he slammed into the Polar striker, the crowd winced; the man was thrown off his feet, not from aggression but from Lionel's sheer controlled precision.

And Blaze…

He stood near midfield, quiet but burning.

His Aura Flames flickered beneath his skin, not a visual glow, but a vibration in the air that made the field feel alive. He'd trained for days under Jason's supervision, learning to hold the unstable fusion between Cosmic Telepathy, Elemental Speed, and the newborn Aura Flame.

He'd succeeded — barely.

Each ability tugged at the others like rival wolves inside a cage. His telepathy gave him perfect awareness of teammates' rhythms; his elemental speed made him blur between moments; his flame reacted to emotion, wild, unpredictable, alive.

At the 32nd minute, the Polar struck, unleashed a technique called Heaven Cutter Kick, slicing through Lionel's defense like lightning.

2–1.

The Titans regrouped. Blaze pressed his palm to his chest, inhaling. "Not yet…"

Anastasia jogged up beside him, her expression half a glare. "You're overusing your aura again. Coach said to keep it stable."

Blaze managed a grin. "What's the point of fire if you don't let it burn?"

Her glare softened. "Just don't burn yourself out."

The next five minutes were chaos, Aya threading a pass through three defenders, Scarlett diving for a midair volley, and Diego cutting through the Polars' line with brutal precision.

In the 43rd minute, Blaze saw the opening, a single heartbeat of space between two defenders. His telepathy linked with Aya's, and before she even looked, he was already sprinting.

"Serpent Fang!"

The word tore from his lungs as his body moved faster than sight. A flaming trail followed his motion, the Aura Flame blending with Elemental Speed, a serpent of pure energy coiling behind him.

The strike connected.

2–2.

The crowd erupted. The field itself seemed to hum.

Half-time.

The locker room was heavy with steam and unspoken thoughts. Jason stood before the board, arms crossed, studying his team.

"Good first half," he said. "But good isn't enough in this tournament."

Scarlett leaned back, sweat dripping down her neck. "They're reading our counters. If Blaze burns out again, we're toast."

Blaze exhaled, shoulders tense. "I can handle it."

Aya looked up from tying her boots. "Can you? Your aura nearly spiked off the charts during that last run." looks like you are not fully recovered.

Jason's gaze lingered on Blaze for a moment, then softened. "Control the flame, don't let it control you. Remember what we talked about, discipline before brilliance."

Blaze nodded silently.

As the team broke huddle, Anastasia lingered near him. "You scared everyone when your flame spiked. Thought you'd explode."

He laughed weakly. "That makes two of us."

For a moment, their eyes met, the weight of unsaid things in the air. Anastasia reached out, brushing a streak of soot from his cheek. "Don't try to be a hero every match, Blaze."

He swallowed hard. "Can't promise that."

When they left the locker room, the noise hit them like a wave. The second half had begun.

Second Half

The Titans opened aggressively, Aya dictated the tempo, her golden aura flaring as she redirected every attack. Scarlett broke through on the left with a spinning kick pass, a move half football, half martial kata.

Blaze's breathing deepened. The flame inside him pulsed, begging to be unleashed.

In the 61st minute, the Polars took the lead again. Their captain used an ability called Glacier Pulse, freezing the ball midair before firing a mirrored strike.

3–2. Wow, what a match, i guess this is what it means to be in the big leagues.

Jason clenched his fists from the sidelines. "Hold formation!"

Blaze's pulse quickened. He wanted to respond, but his right leg trembled the aftershock of the flame overload.

Anastasia moved beside him. "Wait for the signal."

But Blaze was already running. His speed cracked the air. The flame blazed, brighter this time, less wild, more alive, he could feel the weight of the 3 abilities on his body but he did not care.

His voice was low, a whisper of control. "Light Jörmungandr…"

A spiral of red and white flared around him as he dashed down the center. The defenders didn't see him move, only felt the gust of heat as he passed.

Aya lifted her head, felt the telepathic link open. Now!

She launched the ball forward, perfectly timed. Blaze spun midair, his right foot enveloped in spiraling flame.

GOAL!

3–3. I can do this all day, he said!

The roar was deafening.

But Blaze landed awkwardly, his right leg buckling for a heartbeat before he steadied. Anastasia ran to him, worry flashing in her eyes.

"I'm fine," he muttered.

"Liar."

The match dragged into the 85th minute. Diego shouted orders, Lionel blocked a final assault, and Scarlett intercepted a breakaway.

Then, a whisper in Blaze's head, faint but familiar, Let me burn for one last strike…

He inhaled deeply, eyes half-shut. Aura, Speed, and Flame, all three synchronized for a single moment. The stadium lights dimmed under the flare.

The Serpent's final coil.

Blaze blurred forward, every motion perfect, instinct, aura, and telepathy united. He curved through the defenders, spun around the last line, and fired.

The ball screamed across the air, a meteor wrapped in flame.

4–3. Titans. What a twist in their first year in this competition, they have already showed everyone that they will keep fighting, no matter what.

The whistle blew seconds later.

The crowd exploded into a frenzy. Diego lifted his arms; Scarlett collapsed in laughter; Aya dropped to her knees, exhausted.

But Blaze stood still, staring at the faint trails of light still curling around his hands.

Anastasia jogged up beside him, her voice low. "You did it."

He turned slightly, the corner of his mouth lifting. "We did it."

But even as he smiled, the tremor in his leg worsened. He barely caught himself before falling. Anastasia grabbed his arm, steadying him.

The flame around him dimmed.

Jason approached slowly, concern deep in his eyes. "He's pushing the limit," he murmured.

Blaze's vision swam, the world flickering between light and dark.

"Coach…" he breathed. "I think… I've found it."

Jason frowned. "Found what?"

"The balance…" Blaze whispered, before collapsing completely.

The stadium noise faded into silence. Anastasia's voice echoed faintly, calling his name as medics rushed in.

His flame flickered once, then went out, the medics came and picked him up, rushing him for immediate treatment, It took a while but he woke up, looking drained from all three abilities, it was almost like it was draining the life force out of him, even Jason was a bit worried but the doctor calmed everyone saying, it was the effect of dealing with 3 ability at the same time and it would take time for his body to adjust to the new effects.

The whole team sat in the waiting room worried about the outcome, but Jason assured everyone, it would work out and blaze (Dante) had done his job as their striker so that was enough, He told everyone to leave and he would inform them once Blaze is fully awake.

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