The players of Maraford gathered in the mansion's central hall, bags packed, ready to depart for the stadium.
But before they could move, the coach stepped forward, his face grave.
"I will not hide this from you," he began, his voice cutting through the quiet.
"Earlier today, in the boardroom, our so-called backers questioned your strength. Vincent Greenwood himself declared that if we lose again—he will withdraw his support.
To him, our last win was nothing but luck. To him, we are failures."
The room erupted. Fury blazed in the players' eyes, fists tightening, voices rising.
Ramirez slammed his boot against the floor in anger, while Sergey Zhilin muttered curses under his breath.
The coach let their frustration burn before raising his hand. "Yes, be furious. Be enraged. But do not waste that fire here,carry it with you to the pitch. At Zeriot Malin, show Greenwood, show the world, that Maraford bends to no one. Shame him with victory!"
The players shouted in unison, their fury reforged into resolve, before storming out together.
Moments later, the team bus rumbled toward Zeriot Malin Stadium. U
pon arrival, they filed into their locker room. Silence blanketed the air,each man lost in the depth of his own thoughts, the pressure heavier than any training.
Finally, Alejandro Ramírez stood, eyes sharp, voice steady.
"Brothers… I am proud to lead you. Whatever happens out there tonight, remember this: we fight together, we fall together, and we rise together. Give your best,for yourselves, for the fans, for Maraford."
The silence broke with nods and clenched fists.
Meanwhile, in the opposite locker room, Devertary United's players sat in focused quiet. Their coach, Molis Harrison, paced before them, his presence commanding.
"Do not let that draw against Night Phantom drag you down," he said firmly.
"You are stronger than that. Tonight, against Maraford, prove it. Play together,every pass, every tackle, every shot must be in unison. Cooperate, and the game will be yours."
The players' eyes lit with determination.
Both teams soon marched into the tunnel, boots striking in rhythm, the roar of the crowd seeping through the walls.
When they emerged, the stadium shook with anticipation. Devertary United wore their away kit for the first time this season.
Awhite shirts streaked with bold yellow stripes, gleaming beautifully under the floodlights.
The two squads lined up, heads high, as their anthems rang through Zeriot Malin.
Fans held scarves aloft, their voices thundering, the air charged with electricity.
At center pitch, Alejandro Ramírez met Wolf Deo, the two captains shaking hands under the watch of the referees.
A coin toss spun in the air, flashing under the lights, before signaling the first play.
The whistle blew.
Ramírez immediately slid the ball to Joshua Gray, the central midfielder.
Gray surged forward, and Floxx Leon shadowed him closely. Gray's body twisted,feint left, feint right,until Leon stumbled half a step, giving him space.
Gray exploited it, sending a crisp pass toward Ramírez.
Ramírez looked ready to trap the ball, drawing in Nicolas Ronoa. But at the last instant, he feigned, letting the ball slip behind him into the waiting feet of Ritter Lothar, the team's defensive anchor.
By now, Maraford's formation had stretched wide, their lines spreading across the pitch like a net.
Lothar burst down the right flank, then switched play back inside with a slick pass to Gray. In one fluid motion, Gray flicked a finesse ball toward Sergey Zhilin, the right midfielder.
The commentators' voices rose in astonishment.
"Unbelievable! Look at Maraford,this is flawless! Devertary United haven't even touched the ball yet!"
Zhilin stormed forward, the goal within sight. The crowd roared, the commentators gasped.
Just as Zhilin prepared to strike, the ball was ripped away by a perfectly timed slide tackle.
"RYUNE NESS!" the commentator bellowed. "A stunning interception! Devertary United finally break Maraford's rhythm!"
The momentum shifted in an instant, the roar of the fans swelling as the battle for dominance truly began.
Ruyne Ness wasted no time. With a sharp swing of his boot, he launched the ball forward toward Floxx Leon.
Leon's touch was deft—he tipped it over Esteban Vega, Maraford's central midfielder, before dashing ahead to trap the ball under control.
The crowd roared as Leon surged into open space, eyes scanning the field. In an instant, he spotted the run and threaded a precise, tactical pass toward Nicolas Ronoa.
Ronoa burst forward, timing his sprint perfectly. As soon as he advanced, Ryan Shark came tearing down the center, with Wolf Deo racing in from the right.
Together, the three formed a menacing triangle, cutting through Maraford's defensive shape like a blade.
Håkan Kristoffer, Maraford's left back, lunged in for a tackle, but Ronoa anticipated him. With a delicate finesse, he curved the ball across the box toward Shark.
Shark met the pass on the run, stretching out a leg to draw it under control. But immediately, two towering figures blocked his way—Lacroix Wilfried and Hernández Cruz, Maraford's central wall.
Without hesitation, Shark shifted the play. A quick, smooth pass found Wolf Deo, who accelerated deeper down the flank. Deo danced past Nkrumah Kusi with a burst of pace, cutting in toward the goal.
The stadium thundered as Deo unleashed a curling finesse shot, aiming just inside the far post. Mat Akesson, Maraford's keeper, reacted instantly, leaping forward with arms outstretched to parry the shot.
But before the ball could be cleared, a shadow darted across the box.
It was Shark.
Launching forward, he twisted his body, delivering a vicious back-heel strike. The ball ricocheted past Akesson, smashing into the net.
For a heartbeat, the entire stadium froze. Then—chaos. Fans erupted in disbelief, the sound crashing like a tidal wave.
"From the shadows he emerges!" the commentator's voice boomed.
"Ryan Shark delivers yet another stunning goal for Devertary United—in just the 18th minute! A crazy assist by captain Wolf Deo, and let's not forget Nicolas Ronoa in that brilliant build-up!"
The Devertary United players swarmed around Shark, their celebrations shaking the pitch.
---
High above, in one of the private rooms of Zeriot Malin, Vincent Greenwood leaned back in his chair.
A smirk spread across his face as the chants of "Shark! Shark! Shark!" echoed from below.
"Fifty–fifty," he muttered. "As I predicted… Maraford is not worth my time."
His gaze sharpened as he lifted a hand. His assistant stepped forward obediently. Greenwood's voice was calm, but laced with power.
"Make arrangements. Terminate my contract with Maraford. And prepare a new one… with Devertary United.
That boy 'Ryan Shark' his playstyle is exceptional. A true star. I want to be a part of his future."
The assistant bowed slightly and left to carry out the order. Greenwood's smirk deepened as he turned his eyes back to the pitch, watching the young striker celebrate.
"The future him will be unstop6… and so will my power if I have him on my side."