By the end of the seventh over, Karachi Kings stood at 70 for the loss of one wicket, with the run rate climbing to 10.00. The spinners took over the bowling, and Venus, tossing the ball in the air and catching it back, showed a thumbs up to the fielders.
Positioning Ibn Sena at Cover, Wasif took his place at mid-off and motioned for Venus to join him.
"What's up?" Venus inquired.
Wasif smiled and playfully ruffled his hair, saying, "Tell me, hottest planet, are you willing to follow my instructions?"
Venus blinked in momentary confusion, "Excuse me?"
"Will you bowl exactly as I instruct?" Wasif's eyes flashed, a shimmering aura fleetingly enveloping the two.
Venus grinned, "Just say the word. If we're going to win this, I'm in."
Wasif nodded in agreement.
"And quit calling me the hottest planet, it's annoying." Venus twitched his brow while Wasif chuckled.
On the crease, Feng tapped his bat, surveying the field around him.
Delivering the first ball of the eighth over, Venus stepped on the popping crease. Suddenly pausing in his motion, he released the ball with an exaggerated wrist flick, sending it high into the air, giving it extra flight.
An unusual stance, Feng looked at the ball edged. The ball hanging in the air for a moment longer than usual, Feng advanced down the pitch. As soon as it descended, the ball dipped sharply, its slower pace suddenly catching him off guard as Feng hurriedly played a defensive shot stepping back into the crease. Venus grinned as he retrieved the ball and returned to his mark.
"A flighted delivery…" Feng mused, regaining his focus, "That really caught me by surprise. I thought he was going for an off-spin."
Delivering the second ball of the over, Venus whispered, "Drifter!" As the ball left his hand, it danced through the air before curving unexpectedly.
Feng, sensing the change, murmured, "Clad Shield Defense," a shimmering silver aura enveloping the wicket.
Emaad, positioned behind the stumps, looked on in surprise.
Feng then executed a powerful shot towards cover, sprinting for a quick single just as the aura surrounding the wicket faded.
"Heh~" Venus chuckled, clearly entertained.
Wasif, tracking Aigou on the pitch, caught the ball Mikael tossed to him. As he passed it to Venus, he advised, "It's time. Remember to induce more spin."
Nodding, Venus twirled the ball thoughtfully in his fingers. As he bowled the third ball of the over, Aigou tapped his bat, activating his Realm.
The moment Venus delivered, Aigou narrowed his gaze, intensely focused on the approaching ball. To his surprise, the exact line and length seemed shrouded in obscurity. "Tch, how do I read that now?" he muttered, raising his bat and aiming high.
But just as the ball struck his bat, it spun connecting with the edge rather than the sweet spot, sending the ball soaring into the air. The fielders sprang into action, eyes fixed on the trajectory.
"D-damn, I swung too early," Aigou thought, realizing his mistake.
Alan and Adam gasped, and the entire stadium held its breath.
"It's flying high—up, up! Who's going to take that now?" Jones commented excitedly.
Emaad soon positioned himself beneath the ball, with Ibn Sena, Asim, and Venus closing in. He leapt, taking a spectacular catch with his right glove. The crowd erupted in cheers as Venus raised his fist triumphantly.
"And away! Emaad positions himself beautifully, eyes locked on the ball, and... yes! He leaps and plucks it out of the air like a magician pulling a rabbit from a hat! What a sensational single-handed catch! The crowd goes wild, and Aigou has to trudge back, dismissed by an outstanding display of skill behind the stumps!" Wasim exclaimed.
"However, I do hope Aigou Mir Yuaan gets his jaw treated soon, as he played a massive role for Karachi Kings with his fours and sixes throughout the powerplay, despite that injury troubling him. He departs on 40 runs off 26 balls. What a knock!" Maaz continued.
"That's the second wicket for the United, but the applause isn't just for them. Aigou Mir Yuaan departs to a wave of cheers as Xavier Ibn Zain steps onto the field as the third batsman," Jones remarked.
Aigou removed his helmet and glanced at Xavier, who acknowledged him with a smile before heading in. As his gaze swept over Elias, Noah, Senri, and Alan waiting outside the boundary, Aigou couldn't help but smile. The moment he returned, he was showered with praises and admiration. The high schoolers ruffled his hair and laughed joyfully. Elias and Aigou exchanged a fist bump. Nidou exhaled, while Pedro and Mir shared satisfied looks.
Adam stepped forward, stopping in front of Aigou. A newfound respect glistened in his eyes. "You…" he began.
The high schoolers moved aside, allowing Aigou to focus on Adam as he handed his helmet and glove pads to Noah. "Yeah?" Aigou asked.
"You were freaking awesome," Adam admitted, his face betraying just a hint of emotion.
Aigou smiled warmly, "Thanks. I look forward to the day I can say the same to you, Adam El Amin."
Senri, Nagi, Haruf, Aaron, and Isa all hummed in agreement.
Adam, surprised by the sincerity, nodded in acknowledgment. "That's it… that strange vibe they always give off," Adam mused. "They don't care about what they achieve. Every word they say pushes us forward. But why? They're arrogant, conceited, and harsh… yet they still drive us to be better. Why are these seniors so foolish despite their brilliance?"
As he approached the middle schoolers, Aigou offered a fist bump to Heber, who blinked in surprise before hesitantly returning the gesture. "It's 70 runs now, partner. Not bad at all," Aigou praised.
Heber remained silent, taken aback, "Are you an idiot…?"
Aigou teased, laughing, "We really care about you little freaks, you know."
Kenzo, Seraph, Gabriel, and Helios listened in surprise.
Aigou then high-fived Mikael, Ezekiel, Poseidon, and Azazel, who responded enthusiastically.
Rauf glanced at them before turning his focus back to the field, his expression unreadable.
"Now then, Aigou Mir Yuaan…" Seles interrupted, his towering presence suddenly more intimidating.
Aigou gulped and turned around, "Ah, Seles…"
Orion and Senri also gulped nervously. Aigou shot a pleading look at Alan, whispering, "Hey Alan, save me, please! He's your so-called uncle, right? Surely, you can talk to him?"
But Alan, seeing Seles's upset smile, looked away apologetically, "Uh… I don't think I can help you this time."
Aigou gasped in shock, but before he could react, Seles grabbed him by the collar and dragged him into the dressing room. "You're a terrible friend, Alan!" Aigou yelled as he was hauled away.
"I'm sure Coach Seles is right this time. Aigou definitely needs a proper checkup," Elias remarked with a smile.
"You're both in on this!" Aigou's voice echoed from inside the room.
The middle schoolers looked around, gulping nervously.
Alan sighed, "I'd rather drink a glass full of nails than make Seles my enemy."
"Haha, my sentiments exactly." Elias chuckled.
"He's chilling, isn't he?" Cassiel asked, "Seraph, you remember, right?"
Seraph nodded, recalling Seles's stern warning from the last match.
"I don't think that way. He only steps in when his students are hurt. No doctor or instructor wants to see their students get injured," Yusuf added.
The crowd suddenly erupted with an "Oh!!" drawing Alan and the others' attention back to the pitch.
"What happened?" Ren inquired.
Nagi, who had been keenly observing the game, responded, "Venus is toying with Xavier."
"Huh?" Helios echoed in confusion.
Kenzo narrowed his eyes, focusing on the game once more.
"Venus has started bowling a series of off-spin deliveries with slight variations in speed and bounce. Each ball is pitched just outside the off-stump, enticing Xavier to take a shot. But these subtle changes are making it difficult for Xavier to connect properly, and the ball keeps going through to the wicketkeeper. First, there was a looping off-spinner, followed by a slider," Nagi elaborated.
Xavier stood upright, a smile on his face.
"Hehe, having fun, Xavier? I'll be nice and give you a hint. I call this move 'Tease,'" Venus said, grabbing the ball and preparing for his next delivery.
"Oh?" Xavier responded nonchalantly, tapping his bat on the crease and readying himself. The final ball of the over was a top-spinner. Xavier, having read Venus's grip and the ball's trajectory, quickly stepped forward to meet it. Timing his swing perfectly, he used his wrists to harness the ball's bounce and momentum, sending it soaring for a six over long-on.
Venus gasped in surprise.
"And he's gone for it! Venus tried to catch him off guard with a top-spinner, but Xavier was more than ready! He stepped forward and used the extra bounce to his advantage, launching it high and handsome over long-on! What a shot, a clean six!" Maaz exclaimed.
"Haha! He sent it right back!" Ezekiel and Azazel clapped, delighted.
"That's more like it," Kenzo remarked with satisfaction.
Xavier beamed, "Surprised? But I'm a spin-returner too, and I call that move 'Hellfire Blaze.' In other words, tease repaid."
Venus twitched an eyebrow, feeling both challenged and excited, "You little…"
The over ending, Xavier and Feng switched places.
"Haha! That was great, Vice-Captain," Feng said, patting Xavier on the shoulder.
"Hm," Xavier nodded, "Let's keep this momentum going."