"Come on, Senior Juhan," Basid whispered, watching intently, while Romeo, with a smile, ruffled his hair.
"You're scary, Romeo, smiling in a moment like this," Leif swallowed nervously.
"What are you talking about? Isn't he always smiling, Senior Leif?" Murad added anxiously, "If anything, it'd be more concerning if he wasn't."
Romeo's smile broadened, amused by their tangled comments.
Nolan and the others exchanged silent glances, inwardly acknowledging Romeo's composure. "What a captain we have... tension doesn't even faze him," they thought in unison.
But suddenly, chants of "OUT! OUT!" erupted from the crowd. Isa glanced back, finding the ball resting in the slip fielder's hands.
"And caught! Oh, what a twist! Isa aimed for the skies but found the edge! Islamabad United's fielders hold firm, and the match takes a shocking turn!" Wasim exclaimed, as silence engulfed Karachi's pavilion.
Helios, setting aside his jacket, reached for his bat.
"A massive wicket for United! Karachi's hopes take a blow as Isa Sikandar heads back for 54 off 31 deliveries..." Maaz continued, "Juhan Fahim, the man of the moment, now with a four-wicket haul! Islamabad's field, pavilion, and fans are on their feet—what a moment for him!"
As Helios stepped onto the field, he noticed Kenzo sitting with his fingers rhythmically tapping his knee, the other hand resting under his temple, his hair obscured his face, revealing only a flat expression.
"Say something, Kenzo..." Helios urged, one foot inside the boundary and the other still outside. He turned back to him, "It's been too long; I don't want you to stay silent. It's incredibly boring."
Xavier, Poseidon, and Seraph observed the exchange without a word.
"We're both the fortress, Kenzo, and we need to lead together. So, how could you leave me hanging?" Helios added, a hint of frustration in his voice.
Alan, standing beside of Helios, studied his expression closely. He could sense that Helios was anticipating something—something akin to a Support,' yet not quite that.
Finally, Kenzo stopped his tapping and looked at Helios seriously. "I'm betting everything on you, Helios. This is the finale of my chess. You've transformed from a pawn into a queen."
The other middle schoolers exchanged puzzled glances, failing to grasp his words, while the high schoolers remained silent.
Only Helios responded with a grin, fire igniting in his eyes as he stepped forward, "That's more like it."
"Ah…" Alan realized, "It's just a 'Push'."
Isa, clapping Kazuna's hand as he returned to the pavilion, whispered to himself, "The ball sped up when it hit my bat. What a counter to my Pinnacle, Juhan Fahim." A smile crossed his face.
As Helios approached the crease, Isa whispered, "Good luck."
Helios, confident, replied, "Thank you."
"A middle-school all-rounder…" Juhan mused aloud as Wasif smirked, "Thinking of taking him out too?"
"Why not?" Juhan replied with a smirk, intimidating even his own teammates. Ibn Sena and Venus swallowed.
Kazuna, walking up to Helios, asked, "All set?"
"Yes," Helios replied, his expression serious as he observed the field.
Kazuna paused before saying, "If things get tough, you can rely on me."
Helios, momentarily surprised, smiled. "Hearing that as a 'Captain' feels new. Unbelievably reassuring, I think? Senior Kazuna, don't worry, I'm not planning on being intimidated. And if you want to lead, I'll follow."
Kazuna, sensing Helios's strong resolve, smiled faintly. "I'm not here to lead. Play your way. When you're at the crease, it's your call."
"Then I'll give it my all, and I want you to do the same," Helios responded as Kazuna waved, signaling his approval.
The third ball of the over, Helios took a deep breath before whispering, "Pinnacle of Perfection..." His gaze sharpened, shifting from its usual purple to a fierce golden hue, while his blue hairs flickered like flames. A golden, knight-like aura began to envelop him.
Juhan, slightly on edge, halted his run-up momentarily.
"Pinnacle of Perfection...?" Juhan, Rovan, Venus, Ibn Sena, and Emaad all thought at once, instantly on guard.
"Phase 1 and 2: Paladin's Vision of Future and Zone of Ultimate Guard, initiate," Helios continued.
Kazuna, watching from the non-striker's end, observed slightly surprised.
"Captain activated all his phases at once?" Ezekiel remarked, astonished.
"Is that what you meant by 'Queen'?" Cassiel asked Kenzo, who was already standing up and heading toward the boundary. He stood beside Alan who glanced at him silent.
Suddenly, Kenzo's hair started glowing gold.
"Kenzo...?" Alan called out, confused.
Zachariah, Rauf, Elias, Seles, Pedro, and Musa all looked on, stunned.
"Hey, kid what's up?" Senri asked, intrigued.
However, Kenzo's entire concentration was aimed ahead, not a single voice penetrated his ears. Azazel, curious and anxious over his silence, tried to touch Kenzo, but a shockwave pushed him back. "Ouch!" Azazel yelped.
"Hey, stupid king, stop hurting others!" Adam grumbled, but Kenzo remained completely still.
Seraph, also curious, reached out to touch him but was similarly electrocuted. "What's going on...?" he rubbed his fingers in confusion.
"Don't touch him," Rauf warned, out of the blue, "He's playing against an angel after all." his gaze shifted to the Islamabad pavilion, where Romeo smiled.
Isa turned to Zachariah and asked in a whisper, "You sealed Kenzo's abilities, right?"
Zachariah nodded.
"What? You sealed them? Why?!" Noah whispered in disbelief, with Ren, Senri, Nagi, and Aaron looking equally puzzled.
"Then what's this glow...?" Haruf wondered aloud.
Xavier hearing their conversation narrowed his gaze pondering, "Sealed…?"
Meanwhile, Helios, taking two hurried runs on the third delivery, came back to the crease, his heart pounding. "I have to hit big. Definitely next time," he thought to himself.
"A Concentration barrier." Nidou informed returning to the pavilion.
"Concentration barrier?" Gabriel and Ryan repeated with a questioning look.
"Since that brat has too much pride to lose. Romeo pulled him into a concentration barrier where he is playing against him. So, whosoever, disturbs him will be electrified." Nidou casually sat down.
"Electrified...?" Feng gulped, stepping some feet away from Kenzo.
Alan shot a concerned glance at Kenzo, then turned a sharp glare toward Romeo.
"That look seems familiar…" Romeo smirked, locking eyes with Alan.
"What look, Brother Romeo?" Basid asked, curiosity piqued.
"Ah, I remember now. Last time, it was for the high schoolers, and now it's for the middle schoolers. You sure get worked up when I target them, don't you, Alan~?" Romeo teased, his fist tightening, causing the barrier around Kenzo to darken. "Relax, I won't hurt him, but you'd better be careful," he added with a wicked grin.
The aura around Kenzo thickened, turning even darker, forcing Seraph, Heber, and Xavier to retreat as the shockwaves grew more intense. Yet, Alan remained steadfast beside Kenzo, standing firm despite the increasing pressure. Clicking his tongue in frustration, he muttered, "A pain." His glare burned into Romeo, who grinned in amusement.
"Stubborn, aren't you?" Romeo remarked, clearly entertained.
The fourth ball a dot return. Sweat dripped Helios's forehead as he glared at Juhan with a grin.
Juhan snickered as he walked back to his mark.
"Last two balls, and Karachi Kings need two sixes. Can the youngster pull it off?" the commentators asked as the crowd erupted in cheers.
David, speechless, swallowed hard, while Haitam held his hand over his mouth, unable to envision the outcome. Erum, Maria, and Zain also watched with anxious anticipation.
For the penultimate ball, Helios tapped his bat, focused. "I don't have a choice," he muttered as his Pinnacle of Perfection activated.
Juhan whispered, "Gale Force," as the wind amplified the speed and swing of his delivery.
Helios narrowed his eyes, smoke rising from his legs, the ball grew closer to him as he instantly reversed his stance and swung hard at the short-pitched ball. It soared high into the night sky, between Sweeper and Deep Cover. The crowd roared, anticipating a six.
Helios, confident, sprinted for a run, his eyes following the ball. "I did it," he thought, a surge of triumph washing over him.
However, at the boundary, Mikael swiftly appeared, leaping into the air. With perfect timing, his fingers tipped the ball back into play just before it crossed the line.
The crowd gasped, and the commentators shouted in disbelief, "Unbelievable! What an effort from the fielder! This could change everything!"
The umpires signaled for a review, and the entire stadium held its breath.
Helios, back at the batting crease, stood staggered, his mouth slightly a gape and hands turning cold. The replay constantly showing the six that had reduced to a four. After a tense wait, the decision was confirmed.
"Yes!!" Islamabad players embraced each other with wide cheers.
"It's a one-bounce four! Karachi Kings needed that six to stay in the game, and now they're in a desperate situation!" Jones commented.
The light vanished from Helios's expression as he stood at the crease, his earlier confidence crumbling into pieces.
Kazuna, unable to find words, watched silently from the other end.