Unleashed Natura: Wings, Paws, & Scales.

Chapter 9: After The Storm

The locker room of Ubers was filled with the sound of labored breathing… and muted curses. The atmosphere was thick with disappointment and frustration.

Marco stood in the center of the room, trying to rally his teammates. "Come on, guys. We played a good game. We can learn from this and come back stronger."

Barou, however, was far from being cheered up. He stormed over to his locker and slammed his fist into it, leaving a dent. "Good game? We lost, of how shitty you guys play!" he snarled.

Marco approached him cautiously, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I know you're frustrated, Barou, but this isn't the end. We can—"

Barou shrugged off Marco's hand violently and turned away, his eyes blazing with fury. "We can do what, Marco? Make excuses? I'm tired of excuses! We should've crushed them!"

In the corner, Shan Li sat silently, his head bowed. The chaos around him seemed to amplify his stillness. Suddenly, he snapped his head up, eyes blazing. "Enough!" he shouted, his voice slicing through the noise.

The entire room fell silent, every eye turning towards Shan Li. Even Barou stopped in his tracks, momentarily stunned. Shan Li stood up, his voice calm but with a dangerous edge. "We lost because we let them control the game. Next time, we will play by my rules. Understood?"

His unexpected outburst left everyone in shock, including Barou, who now seemed more curious than angry. "And what makes you think your rules will make a difference?" Barou challenged, his voice still simmering with anger.

Shan Li's gaze hardened. "Because I won't tolerate weakness. Not in myself, and not in this team. If you can't handle that, then step aside."

At that moment, Marc Snuffy stepped forward, his presence commanding immediate attention. "Listen up, you amateurs!" he barked, his voice carrying the weight of authority.

"We got played today, and it hurts. But this is the time to reflect and grow. Our defense was sloppy, and our offense lacked coordination. We need to tighten up and work as a unit. No more playing as individuals. We win as a team or we don't win at all. Got it?"

The players nodded, absorbing his words. Snuffy's tough-love approach was exactly what they needed to hear, igniting a renewed sense of determination in their eyes.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in PXG's locker room was a mix of celebration and underlying tension. They had won, but not everyone felt like celebrating. Elias, in particular, was seething with frustration.

Elias, visibly frustrated, paced the room, his agitation evident in his clenched fists and furrowed brow. "Damn it! We should've dominated them from start to finish!"

Rin, calm and collected as always, observed from a distance before approaching him. "You did adequately, but complacency leads to defeat," he stated flatly, his tone devoid of emotion.

Elias whirled around, his eyes flashing with anger. "Adequately? We barely scraped by! This isn't good enough!"

For a moment, it looked like a fight might break out, but Rin remained unaffected, his expression impassive. "Then strive for excellence," he said curtly, before turning away.

As Makoto rubbed his temples, trying to shake off the frustration, he caught Rin's eye. Approaching him tentatively, Makoto spoke up. "Rin, do you think our strategy needs adjustment?"

Rin glanced at Makoto briefly before responding. "Perhaps. Analyze the data, adapt accordingly," he replied, his voice devoid of any sense of urgency.

Makoto nodded, taking in Rin's words before turning to Elias. "We need better communication on the field," he stated firmly. "I can't keep relying on individual plays."