CHAPTER 59: WHISPERS OF THE PAST

The training dome hummed with energy as morning light filtered through its transparent ceiling. The air shimmered faintly from energy residue — remnants of the team’s early drills. Sweat, focus, and quiet tension filled the arena. Every pass cracked with precision, every sprint carried purpose. Eternal Era’s Rising Stars were no longer a hopeful bunch. They were becoming something formidable.

Jason stood at the edge of the pitch, arms folded, his sharp eyes tracking every motion. Yet even as he barked instructions, his mind wasn’t on the drills. His wristwatch pulsed faintly — a notification from the league network.

When he glanced at it, his pulse froze.

Next Fixture: Eternal Era vs. New Era FCVenue: Galactic Dome – Central OrbitMatch Type: League Regular, Tier-1 Broadcast Event

Jason’s jaw tightened. The hum of the dome faded around him. His fingers dug into the datapad until it cracked.

"Coach?" Lionel called, tossing a towel over his shoulder. "You good?"

Jason forced a breath, nodding. "Yeah. Just... something I didn’t expect."

Lionel gave him a puzzled look but said nothing. He walked off toward Scarlet and Anastasia, who were discussing new defensive link formations. Jason exhaled slowly, whispering to himself:

"After all these years... it’s them."

That evening, as the players finished cooldowns and filed out of the dome, Dante lingered. He’d been unusually quiet, skipping his usual teasing remarks or challenges to Lionel. He’d sensed something off in Jason’s tone all day — that rare kind of silence that carried history.

When Jason noticed him still standing on the pitch, he said, "You’ve improved your first touch. That new stance suits your speed."

"Thanks," Dante replied, juggling the ball absently. "You’ve been distracted. Something happen?"

Jason hesitated, then pocketed the cracked datapad. "Not yet. But you’ll know soon."

"Soon, huh." Dante smiled faintly. "Sounds like trouble."

Jason almost smiled back — almost. "The biggest kind."

Later that night, Dante sat on his bunk, scrolling through his holo-tablet, catching up on current league news. The headlines blared across the screen in bold gold:

⚡ New Era FC Announce Galactic Clash with Eternal Era"The Silver Dragon leads the charge — CEO Vladimir confirms match will honor the club’s century legacy."

A still image froze him mid-scroll — Vladimir’s cold grin beside Jang Jun Woo’s poised expression. Behind them shimmered the new New Era logo: a metallic phoenix, forged in obsidian and gold.

Dante’s pupils dilated, crimson sparks flickering around him.

That man... He could almost feel his fingers closing around Vladimir’s collar again, that smug, emotionless face telling him he was obsolete — that his mother’s suffering didn’t matter. His chest burned. He had buried that rage beneath his training, but now it clawed back to the surface.

His door chimed. "Come in," he muttered, shutting the screen.

Jason stepped in, carrying two mugs of steaming tea. "Couldn’t sleep either?"

Dante shook his head, sitting up straighter. "You knew."

Jason sat across from him. "I did."

"Why didn’t you tell me?"

"Because I needed you calm," Jason said simply. "Not burning. You’ve got power now, but emotion... it still drives you. Against them, that’ll get you killed."

Dante looked away. "You used to coach there, didn’t you?"

Jason nodded slowly. "A long time ago. Back when the club still believed in heart over machinery. Vladimir and I worked on player development — before he turned everything into an experiment. You and I were the last ones who resisted his system."

Dante’s hands trembled. "He left my mother to rot. He—"

"I know," Jason interrupted softly. "I saw what happened. And I left because of it. Don’t think for a second I don’t hate him, too. But hatred isn’t strength, Dante. It’s a chain."

He leaned forward, eyes intense. "You want to beat him? Then master control. That’s how you’ll destroy him."

The words lingered in the room like gravity itself. Dante clenched his fists — not in rage this time, but in resolve.

"Then teach me how."

Jason smiled faintly. "Tomorrow, we start something new. No more raw power. You’ll learn the art of restraint."

The next morning, the dome was quiet except for the sound of a single ball rolling across the field. Jason stood at the center, hands clasped behind him. The rest of the squad watched from the sidelines, curiosity on their faces.

"This isn’t just another match," Jason began, voice carrying across the room. "This is history. We’re up against New Era FC — the current 4th-ranked team in the Galactic Division."

The mention alone made several of the younger players murmur. Scarlet’s eyes widened slightly. Lionel crossed his arms, thoughtful. Anastasia frowned.

Jason continued, "They’re fast, precise, and ruthless. Their tactics are machine-calibrated. Every move has data behind it. But that’s their weakness. Data doesn’t predict chaos."

He turned to Dante. "And that’s where you come in."

Dante blinked. "Me?"

"Your unpredictability, your fusion of martial arts and instinct — that’s our edge. They won’t know how to read it."

Scarlet smirked. "So, we just have to cause chaos?"

Jason chuckled. "Controlled chaos."

He projected a holographic pitch in the air. "They’ll expect our usual three-man front. We’ll give them two. Blaze," he looked at Dante, "you’ll shadow the midfield line. I want you moving in and out of the line like a phantom. Don’t force your lightning — make it part of your rhythm."

Dante nodded, mentally visualizing his movements. "What about Jun Woo?"

"Jun Woo’s their striker now — and he’s fast. Faster than you, maybe. But he’s predictable. He uses Void Step to vanish from sight mid-run. Don’t chase the ghost; chase the sound."

Jason’s voice hardened. "I trained him once. I know his flaws. He underestimates emotion."

Lionel raised a hand. "Coach, what about their backline? They’ve got Miko, the Gravity Wall Defender."

Jason smirked. "Leave Miko to me."

The team chuckled lightly, easing the tension. Jason let the moment breathe, then spoke again.

"Listen, all of you. This match isn’t just about points. It’s about respect. About showing the galaxy that Eternal Era doesn’t bow to systems. We evolve beyond them."

He looked at each player in turn — Anastasia, Lionel, Scarlet, Ryuji, Aya — then back to Dante.

"This is your test, Blaze. Against the man who took everything from you. Don’t fight to avenge. Fight to rise."

Dante’s crimson eyes burned faintly as he whispered, "Understood."

That night, Dante found himself alone on the pitch. The city lights glowed faintly through the dome, and the silence pressed around him like a vacuum. He closed his eyes, picturing the New Era stadium, the crowd, the banners, the arrogance of Vladimir’s smile.

He took a deep breath. The air pulsed with faint lightning. Then he moved.

One step. Vanishing Step. Two steps. Elemental Speed ignition. A blur of motion, a streak of red and gold.

He struck the ball — a clean, perfect arc toward the top corner of the goal.

Bang.

It hit the crossbar and rebounded. He caught it midair, spinning, and kicked again — this time with cosmic rhythm, combining his father’s Serpent Fang motion with his own Jörmungandr curve. The air split.

Boom!

The net rippled, glowing faintly with residual static.

He exhaled, collapsing to one knee.

"I’m not fighting for revenge," he muttered. "I’m fighting for legacy."

From the shadows above, Jason watched silently. He didn’t interrupt. There was no need. The flame had already been lit.

At dawn, the team’s shuttle lifted off toward the Galactic Dome. The horizon gleamed silver as the engines roared, cutting through the stratosphere. Anastasia sat near the window, staring into the rising sun.

Scarlet nudged her. "You think he’s ready?"

Anastasia smiled faintly. "He’s been ready since the day he came back."

Lionel chuckled from the row behind. "Then let’s hope the galaxy’s ready for him."

Jason, seated near the cockpit, opened his datapad one last time — the match schedule pulsing across the screen. Under it was a message from an old contact at the Federation:

"Jason, you sure about this? Facing New Era will open old wounds. Don’t let history repeat."

He smiled bitterly, closing it.

"History doesn’t repeat," he whispered. "It evolves."

Outside, the stars stretched endlessly ahead and among them, the blaze of destiny was rekindling.