Striker of the Gods

As they made their way to the dressing rooms, Caos joked with Mbappé and Vini, grinning as he poured a bottle of water over Courtois's head. The keeper jolted in surprise, water running down his face.

"J'en ai ras le cul. Pourquoi t'as fait ça ? Je m'en bats les couilles !" Courtois shouted, chasing after Caos down the hallway.

The others burst into laughter. The playful chaos echoed through the corridor, a backstage fire of camaraderie and hype. The team's energy wasn't just physical—it was spiritual. Alive. As they approached the locker room, that shared madness built into something electric.

Inside, Caos was greeted by Xabi Alonso, arms open wide. He hugged him tight.

"You were epic out there, smashing like a real gamer," said Xabi, grinning. "I thought you were done, King Kong. You've made a hell of a contribution."

Caos beamed. "Thanks, Xabi. Just trying to keep up with the legends."

"Hell yeah," Mbappé added, tossing a towel onto the bench. "He's been the best addition to this team. I wanna try his training next season."

Vini scoffed. "Caos goes nuts every match. Makes me wonder if he's even human." He smirked. "No wonder he doesn't have a girlfriend. Not that I need one either."

Valverde raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you two should start a club."

Laughter bounced off the walls.

As the team settled, the room quieted. Strategy talk began—fast, focused. But Caos stood up, eyes burning with that sharp calm he carried before a storm.

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight that counts," he began, "but the fight in the dog that wins."

He looked around the room, making eye contact with each man there.

"Bad days. Bad months. Bad years. They don't last forever. But what they do—what they can do—is teach you. And I believe something: you can't feel real joy unless you've felt heartache. You can't know victory unless you've tasted failure. You can't understand what it's like to feel holy unless you've felt truly, deeply evil."

He paused. The silence was heavy, but not empty.

"And you can't be born again… until you've died."

The room held its breath. Heads nodded. Hands clenched. Hearts beat faster. The second half awaited them, but now they didn't just carry tactics—they carried fire.

To be continued…