Elijah awoke to a thin shaft of sunlight slicing through his curtains. The weight of the final quest—"Claim the World Championship Throne"—settled over him like the crisp morning air. No Interface notification glowed on his wristpad; this was entirely his own mission, the culmination of Act II's burn to rise. His manifesto above the rig spelled it out in bold marker:
"Hybrid Catalyst perfected. Now seize the world's greatest title."
His personal tracker still read:
Focus: 100 Stamina: 9 Confidence: Champion Teamwork: 100 Catalyst Kills: 43 Buff Triggers: 43
Today, Phoenix Vanguard faced Eclipse Prime, the reigning world champions—an invincible force with centuries of cumulative wins, synchronized like a well-oiled engine. To dethrone them, Elijah would need every ounce of his fused support-carry flame, every mental reset, and every ounce of trust in his team.
Pre-Final Strategy
In Obsidian's Grand Final war room, Forge stood before the giant holo-display reflecting Eclipse Prime's meta:
Map 1 – Citadel's Shadow: Prime opens with fast five-man mid rush, baiting two smokes at head height. Map 2 – Ravenfall: Prime's signature "Skyhook" rotation—one lurker sends false pings while four staff A-long flank. Map 3 – Tower Ruins: Prime's "Obsidian Barrage"—multiple staggered pushes to overwhelm support bursts.
Elijah tapped his marker and wrote their counter-plan:
Citadel Defense: Hold a thin B defense, delay by Ammo Packs—first blood on breach then "Catalyst!" Ravenfall Offense: Bait the lurk at C-tower, then split A-catwalk with split Pulse Surge at plant. Tower Decider: Reserve mental reset and dual Pulse Surge for round 7 clutch.
He assigned refinements:
EchoPulse to tag high-smokes with drones. WaveRider to color-coded tri-smoke sequences. GearShift to choreograph non-lethal grenade bait. LowPoly to integrate countdown timers for both Catalyst and Surge.
The team broke to practice mode, hearts synchronized in unspoken resolve.
Warm-Up: Precision Fire
In custom Citadel's Shadow, Phoenix drilled under Forge's watchful eye:
Cycle 1: Elijah landed the first kill at 0:14 and called "Catalyst!" Teammates buffed in 0.7s; WaveRider's smoke held mid-spawn. Cycle 2: Prime's fast-smoke simulation forced a delayed kill; Elijah missed the buff window. He flagged the error and reset. Cycles 3–5: Ten consecutive perfect kill-buff drills. Final Cycle: Two kills within five seconds triggered a perfect Pulse Surge, granting Phoenix a 1.5s team buff and a smoke ring that sealed a mock plant.
The whiteboard tally read: "Citadel — Drill Complete." Elijah exhaled, Focus steady at 100, but Stamina ticked to 8—yet his spirit burned brighter than ever.
Grand Final – Map 1: Citadel's Shadow
The Geneva Arena rumbled as Phoenix Vanguard and Eclipse Prime took their booths. Map 1 began, Phoenix defending.
Rounds 1–3 Round 1: Prime rushed mid with a coordinated smoke wall. Elijah peeked through the gap, scored Catalyst Kill #44 at 0:12, then called "Catalyst!" Buff flowed; WaveRider's flash blinded three. Phoenix won 6–3. Round 2: Prime faked mid then slammed B-lower. Elijah read the rush, secured Catalyst Kill #45, but buff call came 0.6s late—Eclipse capitalized and won 5–6. Round 3: After a swift mental reset off-stage, Elijah reentered with calm. He timed a kill on breach at 0:18, buffed perfectly, and Phoenix retook the round 6–4. Rounds 4–6
Forge called a short break. Elijah sipped water and walked through a two-minute "Catalyst Breather"—deep inhales, exhale "Resonate"—staving off burnout. Resumption:
Round 4: Pulse Surge activation: two entry kills in under 5s triggered a Surge ring; teammates flowed in micro-Clarity sync. 6–2 Win. Round 5: Prime's mid-split caught WaveRider off; Phoenix lost 3–6. Confidence flickered. Round 6: Final kill at spawn wall—Catalyst Kill #46—and a two-man revive under smoke cover sealed 6–3 Win.
Phoenix closed Map 1 at 4–2, a strong start but far from insurmountable.
Mid-Map Recalibration
Back in the booth, Forge displayed the VOD for Round 5's B-rush collapse. Elijah pointed out his 0.8s buff delay, and the team ran a rapid three-breath drill. Then he said, "Confidence comes from precision. Let's hold that edge for Ravenfall." Stamina recovered to 9, and Focus remained unwavering.
Map 2: Ravenfall
Phoenix on offense first. Ravenfall's passageways loomed.
Rounds 1–2 Round 1: Elijah faked B-rush, securing an early kill—Catalyst Kill #47, then prompted Pulse Surge for 1.5s buff. Phoenix won 6–3. Round 2: Prime mirrored the "Skyhook," rotating four through A-long, one flanked C. Elijah's buff call synchronized; WaveRider's angled smokes split their push. 6–4 Win. Rounds 3–4
Eclipse Prime adapted with high-vision cams.
Round 3: Elijah's kill came, but buff triggered too early. Phoenix lost 4–6. Round 4: Elijah held firm, nailed a C-tower entry kill—Catalyst Kill #48—then buffed and revived GearShift under smoke. 6–2 Win. Rounds 5–6 Round 5: Prime executed a seamless lurk; Phoenix lost 5–6 after a miscommunicated buff. Round 6: Mental reset timeout; Elijah called a calm lockdown, then scored Catalyst Kill #49 at 0:22, followed by two revives. Phoenix sealed 6–4 Win, closing Map 2 4–2 and clinching the series 2–0.
The arena erupted—Phoenix Vanguard had dethroned the world champions in straight maps. Elijah felt a surge of triumph tempered by exhaustion: Stamina at 8, Focus still full, Confidence at its peak.
Post-Match Triumph & Reflection
Backstage, Forge embraced Elijah: "You led us through every burn and breakthrough. You earned this world." Kayzen's cheering voice echoed via holo-link: "We believed in you, Captain." EchoPulse, WaveRider, GearShift, and LowPoly high-fived, showering him with victory cheers.
Elijah gazed at his manifesto one last time in Act II:
"Quest Complete: Claim the World Championship Throne."
Self-rewards glittered in his heart: the Hybrid Catalyst role had lifted the team to glory. But as he basked in confetti and unbridled celebration, he felt the next chapter beckon: Act III's legacy phase—discovering how to live greatness beyond the burn.
He closed his eyes, absorbing the moment:
"To rise, I burned; to conquer, I forged a new flame."