The locker room buzzed with the excitement of a narrow lead and the fierce determination to hold onto it. Lio sat on the bench, trying to shake off the lingering tension from the Black Talons' underhanded tactics. As the team prepared for the second half, Coach Gadiona approached him, brows furrowed in a look of both admiration and concern.
"Lio," Coach said, his voice low but intense, "you've been playing like a beast out there. I can't believe you're doing this well, especially considering the debuff you're carrying. Most players would have crumbled."
Lio gave a tired but confident nod, brushing a hand over his arm where the talon striker had left that cursed sensation. "It's been... a challenge," he admitted. "But I wasn't going to let them get away with it."
