The referee's whistle shrieked through the air, silencing the stadium for a brief second.

"It's a free kick for Azure Legends. Could this be their chance to claw back into the match?" the commentator's voice boomed through the speakers. "Wait… who's stepping up for it? Kael? Are you serious? Seems we're in for a surprise, folks."

Gasps rolled through the crowd. Azure's usual set-piece takers looked stunned themselves, standing frozen as Kael calmly positioned the ball. His long blue hair dangled as he bent slightly, eyes fixed on the keeper.

Thunder Hawks scrambled into a defensive wall. Five of their tallest players stood shoulder-to-shoulder, arms clasped tight over their bodies. The keeper shouted orders, squinting nervously. Even from afar, it was obvious he didn't trust this calm stranger with the lazy posture.

Kael stepped back. One… two… three paces. He tilted his head slightly. Inside his mind, Augustus chimed in with mechanical precision.

Wind resistance… angle of contact… if you hit with the inside of your foot at 43 degrees, the curl becomes uncatchable.

Kael smirked slightly. He wasn't a mathematician, but Augustus made him feel like one.

"Phhrrrrrr!" The whistle sounded.

Kael took a slow step. Then another. Then another. Suddenly, his pace quickened and his leg swung. He struck with the side of his foot—clean, almost too clean.

"And he takes the shot!" the commentator shouted.

The ball bent around the wall like it was being pulled by invisible strings. It cut a perfect arc, dipping viciously toward the top corner. The Thunder Hawks goalkeeper hurled himself through the air, arms stretched to their limits. Time seemed to pause.

Then—

Thwack! The net bulged.

"GOALLLLLLLL!!!" the commentator's voice cracked with disbelief. "No way… NO WAY that scored! What a sensational free kick! My goodness, ladies and gentlemen, I've seen many goals, but that—THAT was out of this world!"

The stadium exploded. Even fans who weren't rooting for Azure Legends shot up to their feet, clutching their heads in disbelief.

"GOALLL!" the chants roared, echoing like thunder.

On the field, the Azure players lost their minds. They sprinted toward Kael, leaping onto him, hugging him, shaking him like he'd just delivered salvation. Kael let them celebrate for a second before smoothly slipping out of the swarm, walking away with his usual calm as if nothing spectacular had happened.

Up in the stands, Maya and Samantha shot up together, both yelling, "GOAL!!!" at the top of their lungs.

Elijah blinked hard, his jaw practically hitting the floor. He muttered under his breath, "How the hell did that ball even go in?" But then he remembered—the same guy once stole mayanium straight from a guarded mine. With a resigned sigh, Elijah just shook his head. "Yeah… why am I even surprised anymore?"

---

Kick-off resumed, but the Thunder Hawks were rattled. Their once-fluid passing turned choppy, their tempers frayed.

Number 12, Gideon, found himself with the ball on the right wing. He whipped a dangerous cross toward the box.

"What a cross-field delivery from Gideon!" the commentator shouted.

Number 9, Chris, was waiting. He timed his run perfectly, meeting the ball mid-air with a thunderous volley.

"Oh, that's a POWERFUL strike!"

Clang! The ball smacked the crossbar so hard the vibration could be felt across the pitch. The rebound shot out like a bullet, and Azure's nearest defender hacked it clear with all his might.

But the clearance didn't fly far. It landed right at Kael's feet.

Gasps rippled through the crowd. He controlled the ball effortlessly, trapping it with such grace it almost looked choreographed.

A Thunder Hawks midfielder lunged in, sliding hard, boots flashing.

"Ah, dangerous challenge!"

But Kael tilted his body slightly, feinting just enough. The opponent missed by a breath, skidding across the grass. The ball never left Kael's foot.

Effortless, Samantha thought, heart thumping as she watched from the stands. It's like the ball obeys him.

Kael pushed forward and slipped the ball to Azure's striker, David. Before David could do much, a Thunder Hawks defender came crashing in recklessly.

"Down he goes!"

The referee's whistle tore through the chaos. Arms flew into the air. Azure players shouted. Thunder Hawks argued. The ref pointed directly to the spot.

"Penalty to Azure Legends!" the commentator announced over the deafening crowd. "And what's this? A red card? Oh, it's a straight sending off for that reckless tackle! The Thunder Hawks are now reduced to ten men. This just got worse for them!"

Azure's bench went wild. Their coach hugged his assistant like he'd just seen a miracle.

And once again, Kael stepped forward.

"Wait—he's taking the penalty too?"

The Thunder Hawks keeper tried to stay calm, bouncing on his line, arms spread wide. But his eyes betrayed him—he was nervous.

Kael's approach mirrored the free kick. Slow. Calm. Too calm.

"Phhrrrrrr!"

He reached the ball, gave the same measured steps… and then chipped it softly, delicately, straight down the middle.

The keeper flew full stretch to his right.

The ball floated calmly into the net.

"GOALLLLLLLLL!!!" the commentator screamed. "Unbelievable! A cheeky panenka! Cool as ice! That's not just a goal, folks—that's an insult to the keeper! It's 2–0 to Azure Legends, and this crowd can't believe what they're witnessing!"

The stands erupted again, half in shock, half in admiration.

Kael simply walked away, hair falling over his eyes, face unreadable.

The crowd's chant rolled like a wave now:

"Azure! Azure! Azure!"

The team that was once the laughingstock of the league suddenly had hope.

And it was all because of one boy.

The ball rolled back into play, but the energy on the field had shifted. The Thunder Hawks—once fierce and confident—had become cautious, almost timid. Their attacks lacked bite, their rhythm fractured by frustration. Every time they tried to string passes together, their desperation showed.

Kael, meanwhile, moved across the pitch like he had nothing to prove. He pressed when needed, passed when needed, and let his teammates handle the flow. It wasn't about showing off anymore—it was about holding the line.

Minutes ticked by. Thunder Hawks threw men forward, searching for any crack. Crosses were whipped in. Shots flew wide. Their star striker, Chris, tried twice to force something spectacular—first a scissor kick, then a thunderous header—but each time the ball sailed away, greeted by groans from their supporters.

"Another chance wasted!" the commentator sighed. "The Thunder Hawks just can't seem to find the back of the net today. Meanwhile, Azure Legends remain disciplined. This is turning into a statement performance."

The referee checked his watch. The crowd rose to their feet, sensing the end.

"Phhrrrrr! Phhrrrrr! Phhrrrrr!"

The final whistle rang out.

The stadium erupted into noise. Cheers from Azure's corner drowned out even the booing from the Thunder Hawks faithful.

"Spectacular performance from the away team!" the commentator roared. "Two goals to nil! And listen to that reaction—nobody saw this coming! Both goals from set pieces, both from the same mysterious newcomer. What a debut for Kael Hemsworth!"

On the pitch, Azure Legends players leapt around like they'd just won the league itself. Some hugged, others screamed toward the sky. Their underdog victory tasted sweeter than honey.

One of the defenders grabbed Kael by the shoulders, shaking him with excitement. "You're insane, man! Did you see that free kick? Did you see that penalty?!"

Kael only smirked, brushing past him calmly. This is just football, he thought. Nothing more.

But not everyone was celebrating.

Damian, the Thunder Hawks' captain, stormed across the field, sweat dripping from his forehead. He stopped just inches away from Kael, eyes blazing.

"You…" he spat, chest heaving. "You won't be able to do this next time."

Kael tilted his head slightly, unfazed. His voice was cool, almost mocking.

"Tsk. Yep, you're right. I won't… 'cause next time, I'll score even better goals."

The taunt stung like salt in a wound.

"Humph." Damian growled, slamming his fist against his own palm before turning and stomping away, his teammates trailing behind him like a defeated army.

---

In the locker room, the mood was electric. The walls shook with chants of "Azure! Azure! Azure!" as players banged fists against lockers and clapped each other on the back.

"You'd think we just won the World Cup," one of the substitutes laughed, tossing his boots aside.

"Shut up and enjoy it!" another shouted. "We just beat the Thunder Hawks!"

For a team that had been branded losers not too long ago, this was more than a win—it was redemption.

The coach finally walked in, hands on his hips, trying—and failing—to hide his grin. He let the celebrations roar for a moment before raising his voice.

"Alright, alright, pipe down, boys!" he said, though he was chuckling himself. The noise settled, though a few players still whooped and laughed in the back.

He looked around, eyes sweeping across his team. "What you did out there… was special. Every single one of you gave your best. And I want to especially thank our new boy…"

All heads turned toward Kael.

"…Kael Hemsworth."

The locker room erupted again, louder than before. Teammates clapped him on the back, ruffled his hair, and chanted his name.

Kael gave a small nod, brushing it off as usual, but inside he felt a flicker of warmth. He wasn't used to this—camaraderie, being part of a team. It was new, but not unpleasant.

Maya and Elijah were waiting outside the stadium entrance when the players finally filed out. Maya had her arms crossed, smirking.

"Show-off," she said simply.

Elijah shook his head, grinning despite himself. "Man, you just love trouble, don't you?"

Kael adjusted his hood, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips.

"Trouble finds me. I just… score against it."

The night belonged to Azure Legends.

---

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