SSS Alpha Ranking: Limitless Soccer Cultivation After A Century

The transport shuttle drifted through the glowing rings of Vantor-9, its sleek black hull reflecting the aurora waves that danced across the planet's surface. Inside, the Titan's Reach team sat strapped in, each lost in their own rhythm, excitement, tension, and quiet reflection filling the cabin like unspoken music.

It had been three weeks since Blaze's collapse.

Three weeks since the Aura Flame had nearly devoured him.

Now he sat quietly by the window, his right leg wrapped in a light exosupport brace, watching the colors of the sky melt into one another. The burn marks on his wrist had faded, but their memory hadn't. Every time he flexed his fingers, he could still feel the pulse of that restless fire beneath his skin.

Anastasia sat beside him, her tablet resting on her lap. "You're thinking too loud again," she said without looking up.

Blaze turned, smirking faintly. "You could hear that?"

"With you? It's hard not to. You radiate nerves like a beacon."

He laughed softly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Guess I'm just not used to sitting out a match. Feels wrong."

"You'll play when Jason says you're ready," she replied, her tone firm but kind. "Until then, you let the others hold the field."

He looked ahead, Lionel was tuning his cybernetic knee brace, Aya had her eyes closed in meditation, Scarlett was chatting with the pilot about fuel ratios she clearly didn't understand. Jason sat near the front, reviewing holographic footage of the upcoming opponents: The Obsidian Reavers, a team known for their brutal coordination and dark-tech armor that amplified physical strength.

Jason turned toward the team. "Listen up," he said, voice steady. "The Reavers aren't like the local teams you've faced. They specialize in psychological pressure, they'll target weak points, push emotions, try to break formation. If they sense hesitation, they'll swarm."

Aya cracked one eye open. "So basically, play angry but think smart."

Jason nodded. "Exactly. Control the heat, don't let it consume you."

His words landed heavier on Blaze than anyone else.

Control the heat.

He exhaled slowly and looked down at his leg. The brace hummed softly, reading muscle pressure. He'd begged to be cleared for this match, but Jason had denied it. He was still recovering, physically and spiritually.

Anastasia must have read the thought in his eyes because she said quietly, "You'll get your chance, Blaze. But not if you burn yourself out before it comes."

He smiled faintly, glancing at her silver eyes that caught the light like ice. "You sound just like Jason." he is my father after all.

She looked at him for a long second before saying softly, "That's probably why he trusts me to keep you alive."

By the time they landed at the AetherDome, night had already fallen over the glass city of Veridion. Thousands of lights glittered beneath the transparent stadium roof like stars trapped in a jar. The Galactic Invitational wasn't just another tournament, it was the proving ground of every elite team in the quadrant.

Crowds lined the walkways as Titan's Reach stepped off the shuttle, cheers echoing through the concourse. Blaze hobbled slightly but refused help. He wanted to feel the energy of it all the vibrations under his feet, the pulse of competition in the air.

Scarlett grinned, slinging an arm around Aya. "This is it, huh? The big stage. Think the Reavers will be as scary as the vids make them look?"

Aya rolled her eyes. "If they are, we'll just outthink them."

Lionel smirked. "Or outpunch them."

"Or both," Scarlett said with a wink.

Jason smiled faintly at their banter but his gaze shifted to Blaze. "You'll sit the first half," he said. "Observe. Sync your Telepathy to the team's rhythm. You'll need it later."

Blaze nodded reluctantly. "Got it."

The stadium roared as the match began.

The Obsidian Reavers entered first, eleven warriors clad in matte-black armor, their visors glowing crimson. Their captain, Dravik, stood nearly two meters tall, his presence radiating menace. The crowd's chant for the Reavers thundered like drums.

Then came Titan's Reach.

Anastasia led them onto the field, silver wings gleaming faintly under the dome lights, her right gauntlet pulsing with electromagnetic energy. Aya followed, calm and composed, the strategist's eyes scanning every inch of the opposition. Lionel adjusted his visor, muscles tense, while Scarlett's confident grin never wavered.

Blaze watched from the sidelines, heart pounding. The field shimmered to life, the digital lines flickering into place as the AI referee called: "Commence the first half."

From the first whistle, it was chaos.

The Reavers came hard and fast, their play style brutal, almost predatory. Dravik charged straight through midfield, body slamming into Lionel with such force that the sound echoed through the dome.

Lionel barely held his ground, sliding backward as the crowd erupted.

Aya was the first to recover, darting in to intercept. Her aura surged, threads of blue light coiling around her arms as she sent a psychic pass spiraling toward Anastasia.

"Got it!" Anastasia shouted, catching the sphere midair before flipping over a defender. Her wings flared, silver trails cutting through the air as she twisted her body and launched a strike toward the Reavers' goal.

But a dark blur cut across her vision, Dravik's second-in-command blocked it mid-spin, his armor absorbing the blow like solid rock. The deflection sent Anastasia tumbling across the field, rolling to her knees.

Jason clenched his jaw from the sidelines. "They're baiting her into power duels," he muttered.

Blaze's eyes narrowed. "They're feeding off aggression."

He could feel it, the Reavers' energy patterns through his telepathic link. Every time Titan's Reach attacked, the Reavers synced their aura in defense, reflecting and amplifying the force like a mirror of violence.

"They're energy parasites," Blaze whispered.

Jason glanced at him. "You're picking up their signature?"

Blaze nodded. "Yeah. And they're about to overload."

Jason gave a quick signal through the comm. "Aya, shift to strategy Delta-3. Use momentum against them. Don't fight head-on!"

Aya's calm voice replied instantly: "Understood."

The next few minutes turned tactical.

Aya began redirecting energy flow, baiting the Reavers into overextending. Scarlett and Lionel formed a defensive triangle, absorbing impact and countering with precision bursts. Anastasia adapted fastest instead of brute strength, she began to weave around the defenders, her movements sharp, fluid, graceful.

Blaze's telepathic senses stretched further, connecting faintly to the team's mental rhythm like hearing the heartbeat of a living organism. For the first time since his injury, he felt useful again.

Still, the Reavers were relentless. Dravik finally broke through a defensive gap and slammed the ball past Lionel's barrier with monstrous force.

1–0.

The crowd exploded.

Anastasia bit her lip, fury flashing across her face. Aya touched her arm. "Don't let them in your head."

She nodded tightly, breathing steady.

From the bench, Blaze's hands clenched. The Aura Flame within him stirred, sensing his frustration wanting out. He fought it down, remembering Jason's warning: Control the heat, don't let it consume you.

Jason watched him carefully. "You'll get your turn," he said quietly. "But not yet."

As the clock neared the end of the first half, Titan's Reach finally began to find their rhythm.

Aya launched a psychic decoy, splitting the field in two; Lionel intercepted a pass, and Scarlett drove forward with an unexpected burst of speed. She kicked, hard and the ball soared through the shimmering defense.

Anastasia was already moving, wings flaring. She caught it midair, twisting in a perfect arc before striking.

Goal. 1–1.

The Titan fans erupted, their cheers shaking the dome. Blaze couldn't help but grin. Even from the bench, his chest swelled with pride.

Jason turned to him. "That's your team out there, Blaze. Remember this feeling."

He nodded slowly. "Yeah… but it's not enough. We're just getting started."

By halftime, both teams were breathing hard. The Reavers glared across the field like wolves sensing blood. Anastasia walked toward the bench, wiping sweat from her brow, her eyes meeting Blaze's.

He stood as she approached, holding out a water flask. "Nice work out there," he said.

She took it, sipping, then smiled faintly. "You'd have done better."

He shook his head. "Not with this leg. You carried the team."

Her gaze softened. "Then promise me you'll be ready for the next half."

He met her eyes, the faint glow of fire returning to his irises. "Promise."

Jason stepped up then, voice calm but decisive. "Alright team, rest's over. We're rotating Blaze in for the second half. Controlled exposure only. Anastasia, you lead. Aya, cover transitions. We win this clean."

Blaze froze. "Wait—you're serious?"

Jason smirked. "I trust my players. Don't make me regret it."

The team rose in unison, a ripple of determination passing through them. The Obsidian Reavers waited across the field, unaware that the fire they'd nearly extinguished was about to burn again — brighter, stronger, and more dangerous than before.

And this time, Blaze wasn't fighting to prove himself.

He was fighting for all of them.