Elijah woke to a buzz of anticipation in the Obsidian bootcamp. His manifesto glowed on the whiteboard: "Quest: Break into the Semi-Finals." No Interface chime prompted him—this was his own call to arms. Focus 99, Stamina 10, Confidence Iconic, Teamwork 100, Hybrid Catalyst unlocked. Today was quarterfinal day against Arcane Aces, a veteran pro roster renowned for split-site tactics and punishing counter‐plays. To rise into the semis, Phoenix Vanguard would need flawless kill‐to‐buff execution, mental resets under siege, and a final dose of their shared Flow mastery.
Pre-Match Breakdown
Forge gathered the team around the holo‐table displaying Arcane Aces' VOD highlights.
Map 1: Citadel's Shadow – Aces favor a slow mid‐smoke bait, then rapid B‐back collapse. Map 2: Ravenfall – Aces exploit jungle flank and require split‐site reads. Map 3: Tower Ruins – They unleash C-side fast rushes and crossfire locks.
Elijah outlined their Hybrid Catalyst plan:
Secure first‐blood kill each round. Call "Catalyst!" immediately and trigger teammate micro-Clarity buffs. Follow up with support plays—revives or utility—to reinforce the pulse. Invoke mental reset breathing at 0:30 if the round drags. Leverage Flow Sense for clutch round endings.
He assigned sub-roles: EchoPulse would tag enemy smokes for Aces' mid feints; WaveRider would time tri-smokes on B spawns; GearShift practiced non-kill stun grenades for site entry; LowPoly prepared a dynamic cooldown overlay. The team nodded in unison—no HUD required to sense their unity.
Warm-Up Ritual
In custom Citadel's Shadow, they ran "Hybrid Storm" drills:
Round 1: Elijah landed an entry kill, called "Catalyst!" and teammates activated buffs in 0.8s. WaveRider's smoke covered a two‐man plant, and Elijah revived both under enemy fire. Round 2: Early misfire—kill at 0:20 but buff triggered 1.4s late. Elijah flagged the delay, then led a five‐breath reset in mid-round to clear noise. Rounds 3–5: Perfect loops—ten consecutive kill-buff cycles under three seconds, each followed by one or two support plays.
As the drill ended, the whiteboard tally stood: 10/10 perfect cycles. Elijah chalked a hidden notation: he felt his Focus edge sharpen to 100.
Quarterfinal – Map 1: Citadel's Shadow
The arena lights dimmed, and the quarterfinal bracket illuminated: Phoenix Vanguard vs. Arcane Aces. Citadel's Shadow loaded, Phoenix on defense.
Round 1
Aces rolled mid-smoke feints. At 0:18, Elijah peeked under fire, downed the bait fragger—Catalyst Kill #27. "Catalyst!" he barked. Teammates flashed and smoked in perfect sync, isolating defenders. Bomb down, retake secured 6–3 Win.
Round 2
Aces adjusted with late B-back rushes. Elijah held entrance, took another first blood—Catalyst Kill #28—but buff call overlapped one second. Partial sync cost a support play; Phoenix eked out a 6–4 Win.
Round 3
Aces counter-rotated, isolating WaveRider's smoke. Elijah triggered mental reset at 0:30—five breaths, exhale "Focus"—then secured a quick second kill. Buff triggered in 0.9s, and Phoenix stabilized for a 6–2 Win.
Round 4
Aces staged a mid-to-A double fake. Elijah misread the second push, his buff call came too late. Phoenix lost 2–6. Hushed comms signaled tension; the first loss of Catalyst rounds.
Round 5
Elijah sensed the strain. He held fire, muted the urge to kill early, then traded into plant. Catalyst Kill #29 arrived at 0:18; buff triggered 0.7s later. Utility and revive plays followed. Phoenix edged 6–5 Win, closing Map 1 at 4–1.
Short Scrim Timeout
Forge called a brief regroup. On the holo-table, VOD loops replayed Round 4's misread.
Elijah admitted briskly: "I rushed the call. Let's clear comms—one short ping, then 'Catalyst!' next breath." He guided a three-minute breathing drill, and the team exhaled as one. Focus sharpened, Stamina regained +1 through micro-breaths.
Quarterfinal – Map 2: Ravenfall
Phoenix on attack first. Ravenfall's winding lanes tested splits.
Round 1
Elijah triggered Catalyst Kill #30 on a deep jungle peek at 0:20; teammates buzzed on the buff call and secured a 6–4 win.
Rounds 2–3
Aces exploded through creek entrance for two quick rounds. Elijah invoked Flow Sense unprompted—time seemed to slow, exposures sharpened. He baited a plant, jumped flank, and secured Catalyst Kill #31. Buff call and revive combos secured a 6–3 win in Round 3.
Round 4
Aces scattered defensive smokes. Pulse misalignment surfaced—buff triggered 1.2s late. Phoenix lost 3–6. Elijah's confidence flickered but he refused a meltdown.
Round 5
Timeout and reset. Elijah led a mental-pause drill—a two-minute silent reflection on victory and defeat. They returned with calm. Elijah peaked onto C-tunnel for Catalyst Kill #32, then triggered buff, followed by two revives. Phoenix triumphed 6–4 Win, closing Map 2 at 3–2.
Quarterfinal – Map 3: Tower Ruins
Vital round; winner moves to semis. Both teams arrived tense.
Rounds 1–2
Phoenix surged—Elijah racked two early Catalyst kills (#33, #34) at A-ramp and mid-bridge. Buff calls triggered under one second; utility lockdown and revives sealed both 6–2 Wins.
Round 3
Aces attempted a coordinated C-rush. Elijah feigned buff call, then traded two entry frags. Catalyst Kill #35. Perfect buff & revive sequence turned defense into offense—6–4 Win.
Arcane Aces conceded the series 3–0, stunned by Phoenix's hybrid mastery.
Semifinal Qualification
The arena announcer's voice rang: "Phoenix Vanguard advances to the semi-finals!" The team leapt from their booths, applause and cheers echoing. Elijah's chest swelled with triumphant relief. The self-quest log shimmered in his mind:
"Quest Complete: Break into the Semi-Finals"
Self-achieved rewards:
Focus max at 100 (maintained) Confidence soared to Legendary+ Stamina balanced at 10 Teamwork immortal at 100
He updated his manifesto above the rig:
Next Self-Quest:"Conquer the Semi-Final Bolt—Seize the World Championship Final Berth."
As the chapter closed, Elijah realized Act II's burn had tempered his spirit into a Hybrid Catalyst unstoppable under fire. Ahead lay the fiercest crucible yet: the semi-final clash for a spot in the Grand Final. To rise further, he would need every ounce of his fused support-carry flame—and the courage to ignite it against the best in the world.