The moment Jim collapsed, the stadium's roar turned to silence.
"Jim!!" Volt screamed, sprinting across the field like his life depended on it.
Coach Tenjo leapt from the sidelines, running with the medical team. The crowd held their breath as they surrounded the unconscious boy.
Volt fell to his knees beside him, panic flooding his face — a side no one had ever seen before.
"Wake up, Jimmy!" Volt shouted, shaking him gently. "C'mon man, open your eyes! Say something!!"
Alex, limping slightly from his earlier injury, crouched next to them. He clenched his fists, his voice trembling.
"You can't just go out like that… Not now." He leaned closer to Jim. "Remember our promise? You, me, and Volt — we're gonna reach Nationals together."
No answer. Jim didn't move.
The paramedics carefully lifted Jim onto a stretcher. Tenjo placed a firm hand on Volt's shoulder, trying to keep him grounded — though even the stoic coach's expression was tight with fear.
Ten Hours Later – Hospital Room
A faint beeping sound.
Then… a blink.
Jim's eyelids fluttered open slowly.
The first thing he saw was a blurry ceiling. The second — three familiar silhouettes sitting near his bed, heads low, expressions somber.
Volt. Alex. Coach Tenjo.
Even Alex had dried tears on his face, and Volt looked like he hadn't breathed in hours.
With a dry, raspy voice, Jim finally spoke.
"Why… do you all look like someone died?"
The room froze.
Then chaos.
"HE'S AWAKE!!!" Volt screamed.
He tackled Jim into a tight hug. "YOU IDIOT! Don't ever do that again! I was about to make a shrine for you!"
Alex wiped his eyes quietly, shaking his head. "You scared the hell out of us…"
Coach Tenjo exhaled, the relief clear in his eyes. "Welcome back, champ."
Jim gave a confused smile. "Where am I? What happened? Did we lose the match?"
The room fell silent again for a beat… then Volt dramatically slapped his forehead.
"Don't try to act like Alex now! You won the match, dummy!"
Jim blinked. "Wait… me? No way. That's impossible."
Alex pulled out his phone. "Not kidding. See for yourself."
He played the match highlights.
Jim watched the footage, eyes widening as he saw himself — or more accurately, a green blur — tearing across the pitch, unleashing a shot that looked like it came from another planet.
"W-Was that… me?" Jim asked, stunned.
Alex nodded. "Yeah. And that sprite? Not a lizard."
He zoomed in on the slow-motion clip of Ravyn — the green creature screeching as Jim fired the winning goal.
"That… is a dinosaur," Alex said. "A completely unknown species of sprite. The analysts couldn't even identify it."
Jim sat up slightly, trying to process.
"Wait… why slow motion?"
"If I play it in normal speed," Alex said with a smirk, "all you'll see is a green flash and the ball disappearing."
Jim stared at the screen, watching the moment again, this time with awe — like he was seeing someone else entirely.
Tenjo stepped forward. "You were incredible out there. But that power came at a cost. You need to rest."
He placed a hand on Jim's shoulder. "Our next match is in one week. I want both you and Alex fit by then."
Jim nodded weakly.
"Also," Tenjo added, "I've decided… You'll be in the starting eleven next match."
Jim's eyes widened. "R-Really?"
Tenjo gave him a rare smile. "You'll play right wing — with our captain, Alex."
Volt grinned ear to ear. "Looks like Phantom Force just became a nightmare for our next opponents."
Jim looked around at his friends — his team — and finally smiled, too.
"I'm not dreaming, right?"
Alex answered with a straight face, "If this is a dream, it's one hell of a vivid one.