Saturday arrived like judgment day.
We stood at the edge of Marikina Field, staring at actual turf. Green. Wide. Real goals with nets that moved when struck—not bent PVC or hollow clangs. The air smelled like liniment and sweat. Whistles echoed from other pitches nearby.
This wasn't school anymore.
This was football.
Coach Erwin adjusted his cap, eyes scanning the field like a war general before a skirmish.
"You asked for legitimacy," he said. "This is what it costs."
Quest Start: Baptism by Grass
Objective: Compete vs Semi-Pro Youth Team
Bonus Objective: Score At Least Once
Stakes:
– Win: +10% Campus Rep, Unlock External Match Access
– Draw: +5% Credibility, Unlock Local Training Invite
– Lose Respectfully: +2% Rep, +1 Team Chemistry
– Collapse: -3% Rep, Team Morale Drop
I huddled the squad before kickoff. Seven players. Half of us in mismatched jerseys, two wearing basketball shoes, one kid—Zay—still taping his shin guard with packing tape.
"We're outclassed," I admitted. "They've trained longer. Better funded. Probably played more organized matches than we've even seen."
They stared at me, half-expecting a miracle.
"But we have one thing they don't."
"What?" said Nico, our lanky defender.
I grinned.
"Chaos."
Tactic Selected: High Press Chaos Formation
Buff: +10% Disruption Chance
Risk: -5% Stamina Recovery
Kickoff.
The semi-pro team wore coordinated black and red. Smooth passing, tight movement, confident. They didn't just play—they expected to win.
We blitzed them out the gate.
Zay stole a lazy back-pass in the third minute. Fired wide, but close enough to get a reaction. Their coach stood and started yelling.
Momentum tilted.
Maria filmed from the sidelines, camera clicking like a heartbeat. Ana kept the clipboard, tracking positions and yelling adjustments.
By minute 15, it was still 0–0.
Then they adapted.
One mistake on a midfield trap. They cut through us like scissors through thread.
0–1.
We reset. Coach shouted new instructions. "Contain. Breathe. Regain shape!"
The next twenty minutes were hell. But we survived.
Halftime.
We sat on the grass, lungs on fire, legs cramping. I stared at the sky, blinking sweat.
"I have an idea," Ana said, kneeling beside me. "They're weak on the flanks. Push wide, then cross low. Let Zay cut in blindside."
Coach glanced at me.
"Up to you, captain."
System Prompt: Adjust Strategy?
Options:
– Stick with High Press (Risk Burnout)
– Shift to Wing Exploitation (High Reward Chance)
– Park the Bus (Low Risk, No Comeback Potential)
I chose: Wing Exploitation.
Second half started.
And something clicked.
Zay flared left. Nico switched flanks. We dragged their shape wide, spread them thin. Then, in the 49th minute—magic.
Maria caught it on film: Ana yelling from the sideline, Zay curling in behind two defenders, a low ball from Enzo cutting across the box.
One touch.
One goal.
GOAL! 1–1
The crowd—maybe just twenty people—roared. Real noise. From kids who believed we didn't belong.
Now they weren't so sure.
Final whistle: 1–2 loss
They scored off a corner late. But they knew it—we'd rattled them.
Their coach approached afterward, nodding at me. "Where'd you kids come from?"
"Concrete," I said. "With just enough space to dream."
He laughed. "You've got a spark. Keep stoking it."
Quest Complete: Baptism by Grass
Result: Narrow Loss
Reward: +2% Reputation, +1 Team Chemistry, +1 Respect (Local Circuit)
Unlock: Invite to Local 7s Youth League Qualifiers
Stat Boost: Tactical Awareness +1, Team Bond +2
Back under the mango tree that night, we replayed the goal over and over on Maria's camera.
Ana sat close, knees brushing mine.
Zay danced to imaginary music. Nico recited plays like they were poetry. The team had grown—we had grown.
We hadn't won.
But we belonged.
System Update: Club Level Up – Tier 1: Recognized Unit
New Feature Unlocked: Team Roles
Assign: Captain (Active Buff), Strategist, Morale Leader, Media Liaison
Next Objective: Enter Official League Play
Coach texted me past midnight:
You proved something today. Rest up. We build next week.
I closed my eyes.
The turf. The team. The movement.
The phoenix was rising.