The corner kick came flying in—not wild, not frantic.
Brighton Catholic didn't rush it. No screaming charges or desperate scrambles.
They lined up like soldiers, each movement coordinated, rehearsed.
THUMP.
A header—sharp and low—came from one of their center backs.
But Cael was already moving.
He lunged down and caught it clean, both gloves smothering the ball just before it kissed the grass. His body slid an inch over the line, legs tucked in tight like a coiled spring. Then—
"MOVE!" he barked, hurling the ball wide to Leo.
The game snapped open again.
Lincoln surged forward. Leo took the flank, driving past one defender with a wicked stepover and sending a diagonal ball through midfield.
"Tyrell—NOW!"
Tyrell latched onto the pass, weaving into Brighton's half with raw pace. But Rafael closed fast. The Brighton CDM didn't dive in. He mirrored. Waited.
Then—CRACK. A perfect tackle. Tyrell tumbled, rolling once but no foul was called.
Brighton recovered.
The counter hit instantly.
Elias scooped the ball out of midfield and Brighton's right winger exploded down the touchline.
Three passes. One-twos. Controlled chaos.
The tempo jumped like a skipping heartbeat.
"BACK LINE! DROP!" Riku yelled.
Tariq, Zion, Miles, Aaron and Ethan tucked in, scrambling to hold the line as the ball was squared across the top of the box.
Elias didn't shoot.
He danced.
One touch. Another. Then a no-look backheel to the striker cutting in from the left.
Julian leaned forward on the bench. His nails dug into his palm.
Shoot. He's gonna shoot—
"LEFT!" Cael shouted, already diving.
The striker pulled the trigger.
BOOM—
Cael's body arched in midair. His fingertips brushed the ball—just enough.
It veered off the target, slamming into the advertising board behind the goal.
The crowd roared. Brighton's bench leapt up, then slumped back.
So close.
But still scoreless.
The referee pointed for a goal kick.
Cael stayed on the ground a second longer. Breathing. Listening.
Then up. Eyes sharp. Gloves ready.
On the sideline, Coach Owens clenched his fists once—hard—but didn't yell.
He stood with arms crossed, jaw tight beneath his gray beard, watching like a general reviewing battlefield footage in real time.
"They're too composed," he muttered to his assistant. "They're baiting us. Tell Leo to stop drifting so far out—we need a body in the center."
He didn't scream. He didn't panic.
But every twitch of his brow said it clearly: this wasn't going according to plan.
In the stands, Laura tapped her pen rapidly against her notepad.
She had stopped sketching plays a while ago. Now she was watching Brighton's rotations like a chess player watching their king being cornered.
"Smart. Efficient. Disciplined..." she whispered.
Then her eyes flicked to the Lincoln bench. To Julian.
She blinked—then frowned.
"And he's still not in," she murmured.
Something coiled in her chest. Like a page half-turned, but never read.
The next ten minutes became a war of rhythm.
Lincoln pushed, prodded, rotated the ball with Leo dropping deep to link plays.
Julian could feel it. The team had rhythm—but Brighton had control.
Every time Lincoln looked like they'd break through, Rafael or Elias would appear, cutting angles, reading the lanes.
Even Leo started glancing over his shoulder more often.
And still, Brighton didn't overcommit. They didn't gamble.
They stalked.
At the 40-minute mark, Leo finally got free on the left. He chopped inside and sent a curling ball toward the back post.
"Ricky—!"
The center back rose, twisting his neck mid-air to redirect the ball.
But Marcus Hale didn't flinch.
The Brighton captain stepped forward, both hands extended like a magician commanding gravity.
THWAP!
The ball landed in his gloves. No rebound. No second chance.
Julian's jaw clenched.
Even when they hit it clean, it was like Brighton already knew. Already positioned.
Marcus didn't celebrate. Didn't even blink.
He just stood, then punted the ball like he was tired of holding it.
The first half wound down, the referee glancing at his watch.
One more Brighton surge. Another Lincoln press.
Julian's pulse was a steady drumbeat now.
Every clearance. Every trap. Every scream.
It was a war of inches.
Then—
"WHHHEEEEEE!"
Halftime.
The whistle rang like a lid slammed shut on a boiling pot.
Players stopped mid-run. Hands on knees. Heads thrown back.
Some clapped. Some cursed under their breath.
And others—like Marcus, like Cael—just walked off. Calm. Focused. Cold.
Julian exhaled.
No goals. No breakthroughs.
But this wasn't just football anymore.
It was a knife fight in a locked room.
And the second half would decide who bled first.
…
Lincoln High gathered around the bench once again, sweat and tension clinging to every breath.
Coach Owens stepped forward, voice sharp but steady.
"Leo, we need someone solid in the middle. You're stretching too far. Can't be everywhere at once."
Leo gave a single nod, chest still heaving from the first-half grind.
"So we're adjusting. Tyrell, you're coming off. Julian, you're in—take striker. Ricky, you're shifting to the left wing. Tariq, off. Caleb, you're in at center-back. Miles, swap out for Liam. Big shift. Let's make it count."
A wave of energy passed through the team. This wasn't just a shuffle.
It was a gamble.
Julian glanced over at Caleb—the quiet one. The ghost. He stood still as stone, already tying his boots, no trace of nerves or emotion on his face.
Julian couldn't help but think: A shadow might just be what we need back there.
Coach Owens paced a few steps, then stopped, eyes scanning each player. His voice dropped—lower, heavier.
"That first half… not bad. Not perfect, but not bad. At least it proves one thing."
He pointed at his temple.
"My words are burned into your damn skulls."
A few chuckles broke the tension.
"But the second half? That's where we break the egg. I'm not walking out of here with a clean sheet and zero goals. I need something. A dent. A crack. A goal."
Then—he looked straight at Julian.
And that stare…
Like a spark to dry tinder.
"Do your magic. I expect something from you tonight."
Julian gave a small nod. "Understood."
Leo clapped his hands once. "Alright—let's win this game."
He grinned. "Let's make that bald bastard sweat."
An awkward silence followed.
Coach Owens—also bald—arched a brow.
"…Their goalkeeper. I meant their bald bastard," Leo added quickly.
Cael burst out laughing. "Dig yourself outta that one, bro."
Laughter rolled through the squad. The nerves? Shaken off—just a little.
And then—
A whisper in Julian's mind.
…
[System Quest Alert]
Win
Win the Friendly match
Reward : Item System Active
[ Accept Quest? ]
[Yes] [No]
…
Julian blinked.
Item system…?
Another piece of the puzzle. Another door creaking open.
He didn't hesitate.
[Yes]
A low hum pulsed in the back of his skull.
Whatever came next—he was ready.