(Part 12)

Xavier heading towards the non-striker's end umpire took the ball for the 4th over. Aaron and Poseidon switched positions as Helios took the first slip. Adam and Ezekiel before coming back to the pavilion turned to the pitch once more.

"Xavi, Xavi!" Adam called.

Xavier looked at him.

"We are waiting for the second wicket! Best of luck!" Adam cheered.

Xavier glancing at Ryan smiled soon showing a thumbs up.

Seon Yul positioning himself on the striker's end showed an okay sign to Ibn Sena. "Quite impatient, aren't they? We aren't here to distribute wickets though." he mumbled with a flare in his eyes.

Feng hearing him swallowed. "I must read him thoroughly however… I can't. It's like he shielded from all sides. No opening traced." he thought pressured. 

Xavier standing inside the 30 inched circle, ran towards the popping crease. Cheers high and tension to the peak. Isa took his position on the mid-off.

Delivering the first ball of the fourth over, Xavier whispered, "Critical pace: Slashing knot!"

Seon Yul watched the ball closely, recognizing it as a Yorker. As Xavier resumed his stance, he saw Seon Yul grinning. The ball, cutting from all eight sides, shattered into pieces and then instantly reformed, darting towards the wicket's center.

However, Seon Yul remained still.

Xavier's eyes widened in surprise.

The moment passed, and Heber, positioned at cover, caught the ball. With his golden hair flaring in the wind, Seon Yul ran past Xavier to the non-striker's end, introducing himself, "Pinnacle of Monarchy…" "Ever heard of 'Dragon's Skin Body Armor'?" he asked.

Kenzo's finger twitched, and he frowned as the middle schoolers gasped. "Clad shield defense?" Mikael asked, perplexed.

"No, it's different. The ball didn't even deflect. It just reversed," Adam observed with his eagle-like eyes.

"Hey, Kenzo… why is his Pinnacle of Monarchy different from yours?" Seraph asked.

Kenzo, who had no idea, remained silent.

"Yeah, both of them are aggressive batsmen. So why are their Pinnacles different?" Ezekiel asked, turning to the high schoolers.

"It's not different," Nidou explained, "All the skills Kenzo has, Seon Yul will have too, with slight changes based on his playstyle. The reason that Phase is unheard of is because he merged his usual skill with his Pinnacle."

"Merged his usual skill…? Is that even possible?" Haris asked, surprised.

"If you witness him doing this, it is more than just possible. Xavier evolves his usual skill deliveries in his Realm, so why can't Seon Yul use the same ones in his Pinnacle?" Musa added.

"Does it mean…" Gabriel began, but Evan interrupted, "Within his Pinnacle, you will witness all his abilities. Not just the four stages of Pinnacle of Monarchy."

"Tch," Gabriel clicked his tongue, annoyed.

"Dragon Skin Body Armor is Seon Yul's defensive skill, similar to Clad Shield Defense. However, instead of reflecting the ball back from the wicket, the ball reverses and heads back to the bowler or any inner circle fielder," Nagi explained.

"Yeah, Heber, Feng, and Azazel were informed about it," Seraph added.

"See, this is how Seon Yul has evolved. Do you like it, Karachi Kings?" Romeo whispered lightly.

"I knew dealing with a genius would be tough, that's why…" Seon Yul smirked at Xavier as Aigou stepped forward, "From now on, I'll show you one by one and you'll be witnessing Islamabad's evolution after playing the World Cup twice, all showcased by Hang Seon Yul till the end of this innings!"

Sweat dripped from Xavier's forehead as he headed back wordlessly, the mood instantly turning tense. He delivered the second ball of the over, this time slightly short.

Ibn Sena struck it towards the ground, taking a run as Isa caught the ball and threw it back to Xavier. Another single scored, and Seon Yul once again took the batting crease.

For the third delivery of the over, Xavier stepped on the popping crease and whispered, "Realm of Divine Ingeniousness: Release unlimited upgrade." As the ball left his grasp, he added, "Red Revolution!"

The same wicket-taking full toss delivery that had targeted Asim's stumps was now aimed at Seon Yul's. Upon impact with the ground, it instantly spun, creating six illusions of a single ball, bouncing towards him in the shape of an ascending dragon.

In that moment, Seon Yul slowly yet forcefully raised his bat and struck the original ball high before it could pass him and the stumps. The dragon instantly shattered, and the ball soared towards the cover stands.

Feng clicked his tongue in irritation, whispering, "Iron Clad defense: Zoom out!" A silver aura had surrounded the boundary, enveloping the field like a barrier to stop the six.

Yet, Seon Yul turned around, unfazed. "You can't stop it, young lad. Even if you try." As he said this, the ball, like child's play, broke through the defense, sailing into the stands.

Feng stood there, stupefied, as Seon Yul whispered, "Pinnacle of Monarchy: Phase 1, Unforeseen achievement. And if you'd recall, since you have Pinnacle of Monarchy achievers in your team as well, in this phase all abilities to stop boundaries and sixes are nullified."

"WOHOO!!" The crowd went into a frenzy.

"That's a magnificent six towards cover! The crowd erupts in cheers, appreciating the exquisite timing and sheer power behind that shot. What a fantastic display of batting prowess by Hang Seon Yul on a full-length ball just outside off-stump," remarked Wasim.

"The dragon… shattered?" Ezekiel gulped.

"Even Feng's shield was breached," Haris muttered anxiously, rubbing his temple.

Kazuna watched the ball, his mouth slightly agape, before turning his attention to Xavier, who was retreating outside the 30-yard circle, his face obscured by his golden-brown hair.

"No one has ever managed to return that shot. Red Revolution is Xavier's resolve," Mikael whispered.

"So what?" Rauf replied with a stern look, "Does it mean you'll give up on your resolve if it gets broken?"

"It's easy for you to say," Gabriel shot back, "If I were to crush this World Cup for you again and again, and ask you to play it once more. Will you still be able to do it?"

A momentary silence hanging in between them.

Pedro glanced at Nidou and Seles whose expression turned serious.

"We're doing it yet again," Haruf broke the silence calmly. His smile nostalgic.

Gabriel gave him a questioning look.

"We've been defeated not once, but thrice, and we're going for a fourth attempt," Haruf added.

The middle schoolers looked on in shock.

"What?" Seraph exclaimed in disbelief.

"This line of questioning won't help," Evan interrupted, turning his attention back to the field.

"It's better to concentrate on the match ahead." Elias agreed, crestfallen, just by recalling.

"Why not?" Alan countered, his gaze sweeping over the middle schoolers. "They need to understand. Rauf, Evan, Isa, Zach, Haruf, and Elias have lost the World Cup in their first and second years of middle school, their third year, and their first year of high school. They stand here unmatched by anyone among us."

Silence fell over the middle schoolers.

"Unfortunately…" Alan smiled wistfully stroking his earring, "This is the last chance. We can't afford to lose this time. So, Gabriel… if you or anyone else were to crush this World Cup. I, won't let either of them have their way." he warned.

"We, having lost so many times, are determined to win at least once and want you, who have never lost before, to experience victory for the first time," Alan declared resolutely.