The locker room buzzed with low chatter as the Titans prepared for the upcoming match. The air was thick not with excitement, but unease. It had been two days since Blaze returned to training, and though he tried to hide it, everyone could see the fatigue behind his eyes.

Jason stood at the front of the room, pacing with his clipboard. The holographic screen above him projected the formation for the next game: a tight defensive setup, meant to absorb pressure and strike on counters.

Their next opponent—The Giants, ranked second in the Galactic League was a force of precision and brute strength. Facing them now, after weeks of turmoil, was nothing short of daunting.

Jason cleared his throat. "Alright, listen up. The Giants aren't like the teams we've played before. Their defensive line's a wall, their midfield's a machine, and their captain—Brutus Kane—is an actual enhanced cyborg. You can't muscle through them. You outthink them."

The team murmured softly. Even Scarlet looked uncertain.

Jason tapped the screen again. "We're switching formation. Blaze—" he hesitated for the briefest moment before continuing, "—you'll start from the bench this time."

The room went quiet. Blaze looked up from tying his boots, expression unreadable.

Jason met his eyes. "You're still recovering, and we can't afford burnout. We'll need your spark later, but for now, I want you to observe. Study them. Learn how they move."

There was no anger in Blaze's gaze just a dull acceptance. "Understood," he said simply.

Diego frowned, glancing at Blaze. He wanted to say something but bit it back. Jason wasn't wrong; Blaze hadn't been himself lately. Still, watching his teammate sidelined felt wrong.

Jason continued outlining tactics, but Diego barely heard him. His mind was elsewhere on the message still sitting in his inbox, pulsing red with urgency.

"After the match. No delays."

The day of the game arrived with a strange calm. The Titans' shuttle descended into the massive coliseum, the roar of fans vibrating through the hull like thunder.

Outside, banners and holograms flashed the opposing teams' colors gold and blue for the Giants, silver and crimson for the Titans.

As they emerged onto the pitch, Blaze froze.

Across the stands, thousands of fans held up glowing boards that read:"Rest on, Titan's Mom.""Stay strong, Blaze.""For the mother of fire."

It hit harder than he expected. The noise, the faces, the sympathy. He wasn't used to being seen as anything other than power incarnate. Now, he was human to them fragile, grieving, real.

Scarlet placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "They loved her because they love what you became through her," she said softly.

Blaze nodded faintly, swallowing the lump in his throat. "She would've told me not to cry."

Jason called out, "Bench unit, stay sharp! We're starting with a 5-3-2."

The whistle blew.

From the sidelines, Blaze watched the Giants unleash their trademark pressure. Every pass was crisp, every tackle brutal. Their captain, Brutus, towered like a steel fortress—his cybernetic limbs glinting under the arena lights.

The Titans struggled to break through. Diego and Aya worked the wings, but every attempt at offense was swallowed by the Giants' wall of muscle.

"Move the ball quicker!" Jason barked from the touchline. "Don't play their rhythm make them chase yours!"

Midway through the first half, Scarlet intercepted a pass and sent a long ball over the top. Diego sprinted onto it, body flickering with Wind Step acceleration. He cut inside and fired—a perfect curve.

The shot smashed against the crossbar. The crowd groaned collectively.

Blaze's fists clenched. He could see the weakness in the Giants' spacing, the subtle gaps that appeared when their center pushed too far forward. He wanted to scream it out, to run in and fix it himself—but Jason's earlier words echoed in his mind.

Observe. Learn. Wait.

By halftime, the scoreboard read Giants 1 - Eternal Era 0.

The locker room was silent except for the hiss of cooling gear. Jason ran a hand through his hair, scanning the room.

"You're not playing bad," he said finally, "but you're playing scared. Fear kills rhythm, and right now, the Giants are feeding on it. We flip the tempo second half press high, stay compact."

Then, his eyes shifted toward Blaze. "You ready?"

Blaze looked up slowly. "Always."

Jason nodded once. "Good. You're coming in on the sixty-minute mark."

Outside, the second half began with the same grinding intensity. The Giants moved like a war machine, relentless in attack. Every pass, every run had intent. The Titans defended bravely, but their counterattacks lacked bite.

Then, at sixty minutes, Jason raised his hand.

Blaze stood, shedding his jacket. The crowd erupted.

The announcer's voice boomed:

"Substitution for Eternal Era Titans—number 11, Blaze Kyung!"

The red lightning returned as he jogged onto the pitch, faint but alive. Diego caught his eye briefly and gave a nod. "Good to have you back, hermano."

His first touch was electric literally. Blaze received the ball at midfield, spun past two defenders with Vanishing Steps, and unleashed a strike from thirty yards. The ball whistled past the post, grazing metal. The crowd roared.

Jason exhaled. There he is.

For the next fifteen minutes, Blaze dictated the pace darting, weaving, drawing defenders away. But the Giants were ruthless. Every gap he opened was slammed shut by brute force.

At eighty minutes, it was still 1–0. Time was running out.

Then came the chance.

Scarlet slid the ball through midfield. Blaze darted in, lightning flaring, dragging two defenders with him. Without looking, he flicked his heel sending the ball spinning back toward Diego.

"Now!" Blaze shouted.

Diego's aura ignited—emerald wind coiling around his leg. He leapt, twisting midair, and unleashed a Dragon Gale Kick.

The ball curved impossibly, slicing through the wind, smashing into the top corner.

Goal!

The stadium exploded in cheers.

Giants 1 - Titans 1.

Jason punched the air. The bench erupted. Blaze and Diego met in a brief, fierce embrace. It wasn't words, it was trust.

The final whistle blew soon after. A hard-earned draw, but against the second-best team in the galaxy, it felt like victory.

Later, as the players dispersed through the tunnel, Blaze lingered by the exit. His heart still pounded from the match, his body aching but alive.

Diego approached, still in partial gear, a small smile on his face."You played like your old self out there," he said.

Blaze shrugged. "Maybe. It comes and goes."

They stood in silence for a moment. The distant noise of fans chanting his name echoed faintly down the hall.

Then Diego cleared his throat. "Hey, uh… after the match celebrations, you free?"

Blaze raised an eyebrow. "Depends. Why?"

"There's someone I want you to meet," Diego said casually, but his tone was too careful. "A friend of mine. He's… into energy control and martial theory. Thinks you'd be interesting to talk to."

Blaze smirked slightly. "Sounds like one of your old kung fu buddies."

"Something like that," Diego said, forcing a laugh. "So what do you say? Just dinner, nothing fancy."

Blaze studied him for a moment. Diego's smile didn't reach his eyes.

Still, Blaze nodded. "Sure. After all this noise, I could use something quiet."

"Great," Diego said, clapping his shoulder. "I'll handle the details. Just meet me outside the west gate after we wrap up."

As he walked away, his grin faded, replaced by a troubled frown.He whispered under his breath, "I'm sorry, hermano."

Back in the locker room, Jason addressed the team one last time.

"You fought like warriors tonight," he said proudly. "A draw against the Giants is proof that this team is still alive. Take tonight to rest but remember, the real test starts now."

He looked toward Blaze."You did good, kid. Your mom would've been proud."

Blaze met his gaze quietly. "Thanks, Coach."

As the others filed out, he lingered behind for a moment, staring at the jersey hanging in his locker the same one his mother used to clean and fold after every game. The lightning in his veins pulsed once, steady and strong.

Outside, the rain had started again soft and cold.

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