The air was charged with excitement, a tangible current of tension and hope rippling across the stadium.
The scores were level, and with each passing second the crowd's rhythmic chants grew louder, a heartbeat pulsing through the night.
It was the final clash of the Hantier League: Blizzare FC versus Falcon United,the two top teams on the league's table both dragging 91 points.
On the clock, the digits burned bright,86 minutes and 57 seconds.
Both teams, drained and desperate, wrestled with frustration and anxiety. Everyone knew the question:
"Who will score the last goal to lead their team to victory?"
Falcon United pressed forward. A throw-in was awarded, taken quickly by Afful Opoku.
He found Henri Aaro, darting down the left flank. Aaro's cross soared into the penalty area,a perfect arc falling toward Garadog Bryn.
"What a wonderful cross from Aaro! Bryn has it… but can he break through Blizzare FC's four-man defensive wall?"
Bryn weaved past one defender, then another, his control impeccable.
The Blizzare FC keeper Alexander Jónsson lunged forward, a desperate gambit to shut him down.
Bryn flicked the ball over him, preparing to strike. The crowd rose in unison, breathless.
The moment hung suspended. Bryn pulled back his foot,then, in a flash, Stewart Ramsey, Blizzare's tireless central midfielder, slid in with a thundering block. The ball ricocheted away.
"Unbelievable! Ramsey has saved Blizzare from certain defeat!"
The stadium erupted in disbelief. But there was no time to breathe,the referee signaled two minutes of added time.
Both sides, exhausted yet relentless, dug deep for one last surge.
Zavoli Bollini gets a hold of the ball and launched it into midfield. Captain Jishkariani Mikheil trapped it.
At that moment he lifted his head, and spotted a solitary figure.
His cross cut through the air like destiny itself,straight to Ryan Shark, Blizzare's striker.
The crowd gasped.
"Only Shark in the box… what was Mikheil thinking? Can Shark be the player to deliver the miracle they need?"
Shark steadied the ball. For a heartbeat, the pitch around him dimmed.
In his vision, the world narrowed: the top-left corner of the net glowed like a beacon.
He struck with his left foot, curling the shot past the scrambling defenders.
The Falcon United keeper froze, powerless.
The net rippled.
"GOAL!!!"
The stadium exploded into chaos. Fans screamed, sang, and leapt into the air as the scoreboard lit up:
Falcon United 2 – 3 Blizzare FC
Somewhere in the stadium's upper chambers, a man watched silently, smiling.
"What do you think of this one? Is he qualified?"
A deeper voice replied, smooth and certain:
"My, my… He is just what the team needs coach,so why won't he be? With him, there's no need to keep searching. I want to see how the genius of the Hantier league survives in the Big League,as our newest striker."
---
The whistle blew. Blizzare FC hopes of lifting the Hantier League Cup has finally been consealed,champions at last.
Shark, their shining star, retreated to the locker room where a man in a black suit awaited.
He handed Shark an envelope,emblazoned with the emblem of Devertary United, one of the Big League's most prestigious clubs.
At first hesitant, Shark's ambition flared. He accepted.
A week later, headlines roared:
Ryan Shark, the genius of the Hantier League, signs for Devertary United.
His journey carried him to Sweden, where the sun dipped low as a sleek black SUV drew up to Devertary United's resplendent residence.
Marble walls, golden gates, and manicured courtyards shimmered in the fading light,luxury befitting legends.
Inside, agents guided Shark past glittering halls until he reached a grand lounge. Conversations stilled. Eyes turned.
Then, a towering figure stepped forward,Wolf Deo, captain of Devertary United. His booming voice filled the room:
"Welcome, Shark. We've heard much about you,it's great to finally have you on board."
The players smiled, nodding in approval. Shark felt the weight of belonging settle on him. He was here. He had made it.
But the spell broke when a boisterous laugh rang out. Ruyne Ness, the club's fiery midfielder, barged in with a mischievous grin.
"So this is the rookie, huh?Sorry the Hantier league Genius,Don't worry,I'll show him around. Maybe even let him survive."
Deo chuckled. "Be nice, Ruyne. Shark is one of us now."
As Ruyne led him through winding corridors to his new quarters, Shark's eyes widened.
His room was vast, lined with posters of his triumphs at Blizzare FC. Nostalgia washed over him, pride swelling in his chest.
Ruyne slapped his back. "Nice, huh? But don't get too comfortable. There's a party waiting, and you're the guest of honor!"
Alone, Shark unpacked slowly. His heart thudded with nerves, but as he gazed around the opulent room, a new fire lit within him. He had worked for this. He belonged here.
Downstairs, music and laughter beckoned. His journey had only just begun.
---
The morning sun spilled across the pristine training grounds of Devertary United, the dew on the grass glinting like diamonds.
Shark stood at the edge of the pitch, his boots digging into the turf, heart pounding as he took it all in.
This wasn't Blizzare FC. Everything here gleamed with precision and excellence,the immaculate grass, the advanced equipment, the sheer aura of greatness that hung in the air.
Wolf Deo clapped his hands, gathering the squad. "Alright, boys. Enough celebration.
Today, the real work begins. And Shark" his piercing blue eyes locked on the newcomer
"let's see what you're made of."
A whistle blew. The session erupted into motion.
The drills were fast, merciless, designed to test reflex, stamina, and skill at the highest level.
Pass-and-move sequences at lightning pace. Sprints that left lungs burning. Possession games where hesitation meant immediate loss.
Shark pushed hard, sweat dripping down his face, but the rhythm was brutal.
Ruyne Ness, ever the joker from last night, suddenly became a predator on the field.
Each tackle was bone-rattling, each interception laced with a grin that seemed to say: Welcome to the big leagues, rookie.
"Come on, Shark!" Ruyne shouted after stealing the ball off him with ease. "You'll have to do better than that!"
Wolf Deo, though encouraging, was no gentler. He barked instructions, demanded precision, and tested Shark's positioning with clever passes that forced him to think faster, sharper.
But the real test came when Delbris Axel finally stepped forward.
Silent, intense, the star striker hadn't said a word to Shark since last night. Now, during a practice scrimmage, he marked him directly.
Every run Shark made, Axel was there. Every touch of the ball, Axel's pressure was relentless.
His tackles weren't reckless like Ruyne's they were surgical, clean, suffocating.
Finally, Shark saw his chance. Leon, the stand-in captain for the scrimmage, slipped him a pass. Shark darted forward, body twisting as he lined up a shot. The goal beckoned,bright, open.
But in a blur, Axel was there. A perfectly timed slide swept the ball from Shark's feet, leaving him sprawling on the turf. The whistle blew.
The field went silent. Axel stood, brushing grass from his shorts, then looked down at Shark with calm, piercing eyes.
"Not bad," he said flatly. "But not good enough."
A ripple of tension spread among the team. Some smirked, others exchanged wary glances.
Ruyne let out a low whistle. "Guess the king isn't ready to give up his crown yet."
Shark clenched his fists, pushing himself back to his feet. His chest burned, his pride stung, but his spirit ignited. He locked eyes with Axel, the fire in his gaze unmistakable.
This wasn't just training. It was a declaration of war.
Wolf Deo's whistle pierced the moment. "Again!" he roared. "We keep going until you all remember why we're champions,and for the next league season they won't finish 3rd!"
The drills resumed, fiercer than before. And though Shark was battered, tackled, and tested at every turn, one thought blazed in his mind:
He would not just survive here. He would conquer.