Episode 51: Reset
The celebration was brief. The whistle had barely stopped echoing from Jaden's final goal when the tone of the facility changed.
The pitch was cleared. No cheering. No congratulations.
Just silence.
Coach Vance stood at the center of the field, clipboard in hand. His voice cut clean through the tension.
"Everyone who's still standing—congrats. You survived the first round."
No smiles. Just battered players catching their breath, knowing the weight of what came next.
Then Vance turned his eyes toward Jaden.
"But this next stage?" He smirked. "It's where most of you fall."
Reorganizing the Warzone
The next morning, the remaining players were split—black tags and red tags.
Black meant elite.Red meant unconfirmed.The "unconfirmed" category was new.
Leo held up his red tag. "What the hell is this supposed to mean?"
Jaden checked his own. Red.
So was Leo's. Luka's. Damien's. Hiro's. All of them.
Felix? Of course—black. Along with half a dozen of his new circle.
Leo muttered, "They're drawing the line early this time."
Jaden nodded. The factions were now official.
Private Briefing: The Investment Program
Jaden and the red tags were called into a private room. A screen clicked on.
A faceless voice, modulated and cold, spoke.
"You are not considered profitable. You are not being marketed. You are not being scouted."
Jaden's jaw clenched.
"If you wish to move forward, you will be evaluated differently. You are not assets… yet."
The screen shut off.
No explanation. No coach. Just silence.
Jaden stood, fists clenched. "They're not even hiding it anymore."
Leo looked shaken. Luka said nothing.
This was no longer a game. It was an auction.