Chapter 3: First match Part 3

The roar inside the Eye of Storm Stadium had climbed beyond noise and into something physical, something that pressed against the chest and vibrated through the ground itself. 

Waves of banners rolled across entire sections of the stands, colors flashing under the afternoon sun. Some banners carried pride. Some carried threats. And some were aimed directly at Yagmi, telling him to stay humbled.

Yagmi noticed them only briefly. His eyes passed over the words without change, like they belonged to spectators watching a different match.

At the center face off zone, both teams stood aligned, their bases visible behind them like silent fortresses waiting for war. The distance between the players felt smaller than it actually was, tension pulling tight across the field.

High above, Derki leaned closer to his mic, voice carrying clean and sharp across the broadcast.

“Now this is the face off section of the match. You can see both teams lined up perfectly. Bases behind them. No hiding now. Pure skill, pure confidence.”

Jone adjusted slightly in his chair, watching the live field feed carefully.

“And look at Azies’ mage, Yuhaiw. He is already showing off his bow. That is not preparation. That is a statement.”

Down on the field, Yuhaiw’s posture and expression made his meaning clear. He treated Soya like someone who had not yet earned the right to stand on the same field. The message carried through tone more than words, but it was impossible to miss.

Aswel responded instantly, laughing openly, pointing out the irony of a mage trying to intimidate someone using a weapon outside expectations. The reaction was light on the surface, but sharp underneath. The shift in Yuhaiw’s expression showed the comment had landed.

Above them, fireworks suddenly erupted along the upper stadium rim. Light shattered across glass panels and giant screens, painting the entire arena in streaks of burning color.

“Beautiful. Just look at that,” Derki said, almost laughing through the excitement. “Classic Storm opening.”

Jone nodded, eyes still locked on the field.“This stadium really is a piece of art. There is no place like this during big matches.”

As the final sparks faded, both teams began moving toward their starting positions. The crowd noise shifted, not quieter, but sharper. Focused. Hungry.

“They are moving into position now,” Derki said. “And ladies and gentlemen, the match has officially begun.”

Then the ground beneath the Rebelians’ side began to glow.

Thin lines of violent light spread outward across the turf like cracks opening into something alive beneath the stadium floor.

Yagmi reacted instantly.“Aswel, Sira, protect Soya now!” The ground exploded.

Shockwaves tore upward, chunks of reinforced field ripping into the air as explosion after explosion chained together across the Rebelians’ formation zone.

“Ohhhh!! I did not expect an early ultimate!” Derki shouted, completely caught off guard.

Jone leaned forward sharply, voice turning analytical even through the chaos.

“That is Iori. That has to be Iori. He is trying to end this match before Rebelians can even stabilize!”

Another explosion ripped upward, forcing Rebelians to scatter and regroup under pure instinct.

“That is ruthless!” Derki said. “We are seconds into this match!”

“And that is exactly why Azies is feared,” Jone replied. “They do not test. They overwhelm.”

Down on the field, smoke and dust rolled across the glowing turf, and the match had not even found its first rhythm yet. Someone was already trying to end it.

The smoke from the earlier explosions had barely begun to settle when Aswel suddenly stepped forward, raising both hands toward the sky. The movement was calm, almost ceremonial, like someone answering a challenge instead of reacting to danger.

“Oh! There is another use of ultimate!” Derki shouted, excitement surging back into his voice. “Jone, just look at that. This is what you call rivalry!”

A surge of glowing green mist burst outward from Aswel, spreading across the Rebelians’ side like a living wave. The mist rolled through broken turf, smoke, and debris, wrapping around every Rebelians player in a soft but powerful glow.

“Yeah, that is Aswel healing,” Jone said quickly, voice steady and analytical. “Perfect timing. He erased the opening damage completely.”

As the mist faded, the Rebelians stood tall again, formation restored, confidence visibly returning to their posture.

“Now both Iori and Aswel have only two ultimate uses left,” Jone continued. “That is huge this early in the match.”

Down on the field, Yagmi had already begun moving. His body lowered slightly, posture tightening like a blade about to be drawn.

“Yagmi is making a move!” Derki called out. “We can see five Shadow Marks appearing above all the Azies players!”

Dark symbols flickered into existence above every Azies player, hovering like silent warnings.“Yagmi has used one spell,” Derki added quickly. “Four uses remaining.”

The marks did not damage. They did not explode. But they changed everything. Even from the stands, Azies fans felt the pressure shift. The roar from Rebelians supporters surged louder, feeding off the visible hesitation spreading across Azies’ formation.

Then it happened.

“Ohhh!! Using the Shadow Mark, Yagmi just teleported on top of Yuhaiw!” Derki shouted. “Wait… are you kidding me!? He is using his ultimate!”

Yagmi’s expression was completely empty of hesitation. His eyes carried a cold focus that made the moment feel already decided.

Below him, Yuhaiw froze for half a second. Sweat slid down the side of his face despite the open stadium air.

Then smoke erupted around Yuhaiw, thick and suffocating, spreading outward in a violent circle. The sign was unmistakable. Yagmi’s ultimate was active.

But there was a delay. Two seconds that suddenly felt like an eternity. Before the strike could land, a massive force slammed into the space between them.

Tewel.

The defender crashed into position, dragging Yuhaiw out of the execution zone just before impact.

“You okay?” Tewel asked, voice low but urgent.Yagmi did not chase. He pushed backward instantly, landing safely outside counter range, already resetting his stance.

“If that ultimate had landed, Yuhaiw would have been eliminated early,” Jone said. “But Tewel read the situation perfectly and saved him.”

The stadium exploded into noise again, this time mixed with shock and adrenaline.

“Ohhh, this match is getting more and more exciting!” Derki said, almost laughing from pure hype.

On the field, both teams reset again. But now everyone understood something.This was not going to be a slow match.