The medal wasn't heavy.
Not compared to the weight we'd carried all season.
But it still felt unreal—cool, solid, real. Proof that we hadn't just dreamed it all.
The court was empty again.
Back where it started.
Just lines. Dust. And that stubborn mango tree.
But everything had changed.
Maria's final edit dropped at midnight.
Title: "Street Kings: How a Campus Team Rewrote the Playbook"
Runtime: 17:36
Views in 24 Hours: 780,000
Trending: #1 in Sports, #3 in All Categories
Featured Comments:
– "This is the Blue Lock of the Philippines!"
– "I cried when Zay scored that header ngl."
– "This is why we need real funding for local grassroots."
System Sync: Post-Championship Updates
Reputation: Citywide – Tier 2
Influence Tree Unlocked: "Legacy Builder"
Team Stats:
➤ Morale: MAX
➤ Chemistry: Legendary
➤ New Player Interest: +6
Personal Offers:
– MetroStars U17: Invite Confirmed
– Youth Sports Council: Guest Speaker Slot
– Coach Erwin: Mentorship Track Available
New Perk: Cultural Catalyst (Passive)
➤ Influence rises faster in underserved regions
➤ Media buffs have double duration
Ana left for Baguio two weeks after the final—for family, for space.
She didn't say goodbye.
Just handed me a black armband with our team sigil stitched on the inside.
"Hold it down," she said.
Then she was gone.
Zay took his shot with MetroStars. Last I heard, he scored in his first trial match.
Ravi started his own training bootcamp—for street kids. "If we can do it," he said, "they should at least get the tools."
Even Bryce got scouted.
He laughed the first time a coach called him "elite."
Me?
I stayed. For now.
Helped Coach Erwin design tryouts for the next Phoenix roster. Mentored the new midfielders.
And every so often, I'd stop by the court.
Not to play. Just to remember.
One afternoon, a kid approached. Must've been ten. Holding a torn ball like it was made of gold.
"You're the guy from the video," he said. "The one with the through pass."
I smiled. "Which one?"
He grinned. "All of them."
System Message: Legacy Mode Initiated
Mentor Role Active: You influence upcoming players
Branch Chosen: Street to System
➤ Buffs to Player Development in Urban Zones
➤ Can Host Open Clinics (Cooldown: 1 Month)
Unlocked Title: Concrete Captain
Hidden Questline Teased: Phoenix Abroad – Global Eyes Incoming...
I didn't know where it was all going yet.
But I knew this:
We'd started something.
We'd sparked something.
And from that first kick in the dust…
A whole new game was being written.
By us.
By everyone they once overlooked.