26: The Peacock Elite’s Embarrassing Opening Flop
824 Words
Two weeks after the exhausting stalemate against Rio Private Academy, the South American Regional Group of Death kicked off its second round of matches. For the first time in team history, Santo Antonio’s ragtag squad stepped onto a real professional turf stadium. Raised on cracked red dirt and rusty makeshift benches, every player stared around like country kids visiting a futuristic arena, quietly gawking at the lush green grass and blinding stadium floodlights.
Their opponent for this fixture was São Paulo Royal Academy, the most flashy, overconfident elite team in the entire bracket. Decked out in spotless silver-and-blue custom uniforms, mirror-polished cleats, and matching branded headbands, they looked less like football athletes and more like a sponsored boy band prepping for a stage show. Their pre-game routine was painfully theatrical: rigid synchronized high-fives, camera-targeted posed stretches, and a loud, cringey team chant so corny even the referees struggled not to laugh.
Santo Antonio’s starting quarterback, Tiago, wiped a fleck of fresh turf off his faded thrifted jersey and muttered in amusement. “These guys spend more time fixing their appearance than running routes. I swear I just saw one of them pull a tiny pocket comb out of his sock to touch up his hair mid-warm-up.”
Leo stood beside him, holding back a faint grin. Tiago was not exaggerating. São Paulo Royal’s star wide receiver Ethan Voss, a top-five regional ranked prodigy, was hogging the sideline mirror all by himself. He adjusted his headband a dozen times for perfect symmetry, tilted his head to check his side profile, and completely tuned out his coach’s tactical speech, prioritizing his pre-game aesthetic over match preparation.
“This is a photo shoot, not a football game,” Carlos, the team’s bulky offensive lineman, chuckled while cracking his knuckles. “Hope his posing skills translate to the field. Otherwise, he’s in for a rude wake-up call.”
The playful locker room banter melted away most of the team’s pre-elite-match nerves. Meanwhile, São Paulo Royal’s router oozed unbridled arrogance. They did not merely underestimate Santo Antonio’s dirt-field underdogs—they outright dismissed them entirely. Multiple elite players were caught whispering bets on the sideline, wagering how many possessions it would take to shut out the “amateur public school team.”
Before kickoff, Ethan sauntered lazily to midfield, his eyes sweeping dismissively over Leo’s scuffed hand-me-down cleats and worn jersey. He let out an overexaggerated condescending sigh, his glossy headband glinting mockingly under the lights.
“No hard feelings, guys,” Ethan drawled in a patronizing tone, patting Leo’s shoulder like he was comforting a rookie kid. “It’s impressive you even made it this far. We’ll go easy on you. Promise we’ll only win by three touchdowns. No need to embarrass the small public school too badly.”
Leo’s Clutch Calm passively stabilized his expression, keeping his face neutral, but his system instantly pinged with a brand-new special mission tailored for the arrogant prodigy.
[Triggered Special Mission: Humble the Peacock]
[Mission Briefing: Dominate Ethan Voss in one-on-one coverage, crush his vanity-fueled hype, and turn his spotlight showcase into a public comedy segment. Max adversity bonus activated against arrogant, underestimating opponents.]
[Reward Preview: Permanent full attribute growth + exclusive passive talent Vanity Shutdown]
A faint amused glint flashed in Leo’s eyes. Beating elite teams is routine now, but humbling a self-absorbed peacock of a player? This match was about to be far more entertaining than expected.
The referee blew the whistle to start the first quarter. São Paulo Royal’s offensive talent was undeniable, relying on fast, tricky fake routes built specifically for Ethan’s explosive speed. True to form, Ethan wasted no time showing off. He high-stepped through trivial short gains, struck dramatic poses for the cameras, and even blew a playful kiss to the cheering elite student section after a basic five-yard run.
Halfway through the first quarter, São Paulo Royal called their signature killer play: a double-move deep route designed to leave any ordinary defender frozen. Ethan committed fully to the performance, pulling off an absurdly exaggerated inside fake cut that nearly spun him in a full circle, dead-set on leaving Leo in the dust.
Unfortunately for him, Leo’s maxed Predatory Read Lv.2 saw every single tell long before he moved. He did not flinch, did not fall for the feint, and stuck to Ethan’s side like glue. Ethan finished his dramatic fake and bolted for the end zone, only to freeze in pure shock—Leo was already perfectly positioned under the incoming deep pass.
The ball soared into Leo’s hands for a clean interception. Meanwhile, Ethan had overcommitted far too hard to his flashy move. His polished cleats slipped on the turf, and he tumbled forward in a spectacular face-plant. His perfect headband slid crookedly over one eye, and his spotless elite jersey was instantly covered in green grass stains.
The entire stadium fell silent for one full second, then exploded into roaring, uncontrollable laughter.
- Writer
