The stage for the final set of the fifth round is ready with both teams rejuvenated and ready to settle the score in this decisive battle. Squid Academy attacked first by winning the opening set but Vulerby lashed back in the ensuing set to bring the round to where it is now with whoever winning this set and round being in prime position to win the match overall. No substitutions were made and the players didn't look like they wanted to be taken out what with this battle becoming personal for both teams the longer they clashed with one another; the longer this match continued, the greater their distaste for one another grew. The coaches and players on the Vulerby sidelines looked upbeat after winning that last set but the tension of succumbing to defeat still lingered. The Squid Academy sidelines were full of rattled nerves and worrisome faces with all the players reeling from losing an opportunity to close it out and take control. Nonetheless, their vanguard looked full of conviction as they lined up on the turf prepared for the finale of booyah ball. Both sides waiting patiently for the whistle to blow with the entire world focused on them, they let their thoughts linger about their loved ones and how they must've felt watching from the comforts of their own homes.

"Remember what I told you, everyone! We're going headstrong!" Romaine reminds his squad before the ball is in play.

"This is a marathon, not a sprint!" Azule shouts, wanting his feelings to resonate with his comrades who've fought valiantly thus far.

The third set carried the same intensity as the previous pair with both teams jumping off on the right foot this time around and trading points like punches thrown in a boxing match. Whenever Vulerby would score, Squid Academy retaliated by scoring as well. From an impactful ace serve from Waheer to an emphatic kill from Reice, plenty of action happened on each play. A strike from Jory veering out of bounds to award Vulerby the point, A lucky kill from Saul earning the point, the teams went back and forth and sixteen points later, the score was still even. The serve going to Squid Academy following a power play by the wall of the blues to deny Vulerby the point that'd give them some breathing space, Pastelle stood at the backline with the ball in hand and her gun in the other ready to start the next play that'd hopefully wrestle momentum back in their favor. A solid strike that goes well over the net, Samir has no trouble receiving the serve and passes it to Dhaman, who found his target after they emerged from the pool of pink they'd spent turfing during each rally. A high leap and slam following, Romaine sent the swirling pink ball back to Squid Academy and broke their wall easily, but Sky was on the other side and denied him the point. Azule rushes down the wing where the ball is headed and scanning the opponent's half and then his, he notices their chances to orchestrate an attack wouldn't come quickly enough with how readily the Vulerby squad adjusted.

The color commentator's jaw drops, "It's a dump!"

"Saul catches it however!" The Lead commentator quickly adds, engrossed in the match like the many spectators cheering.

"Vulerby set up their counterattack following Azule's sneaky attempt. Romaine, Samir, and Waheer are on the rush!"

"Blocked by Reice!"

"Saved by Isaac and once again, the rally is kept alive!"

Vulerby were knocking on the door with each emphatic strike, their timing on every spike improving by the second. It wouldn't be long before Squid Academy could return those gun breaking spikes that sent the ball their way like a canon. The point won for Vulerby following another Romaine kill, Squid Academy slipped behind by a couple points until a critical error by Isaac on a block awarded them the point instead that fueled their comeback. Following a pair of rallies won by Squid Academy after Vulerby did well to contest them, the inklings in pink did well to stop their run at three points and regain the lead. Squid Academy answered back immediately afterwards however and tied it all up at 15. Vulerby tried everything but nothing could shake them off their tails. A spike from Romaine, a dump from Dhaman, several attempts to force the opponent to make an error behind their impressive walls, but nothing worked in their favor as each and every point got contested in a fierce rally. After an intense few points allotted, Vulerby found themselves trailing 20-18 after Squid Academy managed to not only win the latest rally, but pocketed a couple aces off of Aaron. What felt like the worst case scenario as their biggest concerns were finally manifesting into reality and it looked like once again Squid Academy were about to do what made them so infamous in the first place, a piercing shout from Vulerby woke up his team. They were only down by a couple with plenty of time left in the round and with the sultan of all people in attendance and no way would he allow them to embarrass themselves. Mustering up that pride that carried them so far as they are, Vulerby fought tooth and nail for each point-but so too did Squid Academy, who continued to roll behind the hot hand of Aaron and maintain their lead despite the resurgence from Vulerby.

The score 24-22 in Squid Academy's favor, they were at set point and on the verge of clinching the round to take the 3-2 lead. But a viewer watching this match couldn't tell because the noise they heard broadcasting on the tv wasn't in favor of Squid Academy, but of Vulerby instead. Despite being in prime position to win, the Squid Academy players on the turf still felt like they were behind, and it was all thanks to that overwhelming support for their opponents. The pressure on them to close it out and win it here toiled in their thoughts as the next serve gets played; the Squid Academy fans back in the arena and watching at home all shared the same sentiment in praying for this next serve by Reice to be the game winning point. Unfortunately that prayer fell on deaf ears. Isaac made the play to start the rally, Dhaman made the set, and Samir did the spike. Block by Jory. Saul saves the balls and passes it to Waheer, who then sets up Romaine for the kill. One touch on the ball by Azule. A wild trajectory off the play, Sky rushes out of bounds to keep it in play-somehow able to set from way outside for Pastelle, who did her best to perform a kill off the circumstances. The wall of Vulerby is present, but they don't get the stop as the blue ball escaped their unfinished wall just in time. The hearts of everyone sank in that moment as those few seconds seemed to be the end of the round as the ball narrowly landed on the line along the sideline. A decision too close to call, the replay showed that the ball was partly out of bounds and as such, point awarded to Vulerby. A one point game now, the stakes on the set tripled: A point for Squid Academy meant victory and a chance to end it in the next round but a point for Vulerby and the deuce rule will go into effect, and should that happen, almost all momentum will sit with Vulerby. A race to protect their lead here and now as a tie virtually meant a victory for Vulerby, Squid Academy got their defenses ready for a Vulerby serve from Dhaman. A critical moment in the entire match, Dhaman placed the ball in the best place he knew would be difficult to return and ensure they got another serve. The pink ball sent down the baseline with a loud slam and trail of pink following, Dhaman believed the point to be secured as he landed on his feet, but awaiting the ball on the other side with all intentions of keeping the ball alive stood Pastelle.

"Sorry!" Pastelle shouts after the roll, realizing the pass was off target from where Sky would want it, but Sky didn't care where the ball went because she was going to set it regardless.

"Everyone move!" Azule shouts, triggering the all-out attack with everyone but Pastelle rushing the net.

Vulerby were already in defensive position, with their wall already closing down which space would prove most troublesome while the rest of the team got in position to return whatever Squid Academy sent their way. Sure enough, Sky sent it to Azule who managed to bypass the wall but ran into another one in Romaine. Vulerby's counterattack started as the wall already got back in position to score while Dhaman set them up, but Reice and Aaron interrupted Saul's attempt. Pastelle was sent running once more and kept the ball alive, and like last time, Sky did the unthinkable in sending the ball into the perfect spot. Jory couldn't make the kill however as Isaac stood in his way just before the baseline, sending a pass to Dhaman that found Romaine on the delivery. It felt like this was the one to finally put the rally to rest and tie the set when considering who was the one sending the ball over the net, but when Romaine saw the ball go across, his heart sunk as he saw who was the one on the receiving end to deny him the point. It wasn't Azule.

For the longest time in this set, I wondered how things would appear when we got towards the end. Would it be the captain or their ace? Who would be the one I have to keep my eye one the most because of the danger? I knew Azule would only get better and better as the round continued but I miscalculated on my perception of Sky. She's that good.

The swirling pink and blue ball soaring high above approaching the net, the Vulerby players were on their heels unsure if to be ready to start their counterattack on the return or commit to the block-the way Sky managed to manipulate the spin on the ball was so precise that even Shiva got out of her seat in amazement once she noticed the spin on the ball changed; as someone who mastered such techniques, she recognized when someone pulled off those difficult skills cleverly. With the ball appearing to dip like a meteor, the Vulerby players committed to the block ready to defend the charging trio of Rice, Aaron, and Jory. Romaine felt tense as is but once he noticed who was about to set the ball, his entire body screamed to rush for the net. Featherless and void of presence, the atmosphere of the contest and the outside noise all created the perfect storm. The trio jumped, and so too did the wall but no there was no ball. Instead, the ball was just over the net dropping into Vulerby territory with Romaine diving to keep it alive-to no success. All eyes turning to the tiny blue spot made on a canvas of pink, the yard got eerily silent following the whistle blowing for the end of the final set. Sultan Ruhtab left the balcony after having seen enough. Romaine closed his fists and grimaced as he looked up at the captain peering at him from beyond the net.

"Squid Academy wins the fifth round!"

What followed in Mugil arena was an overwhelming cheer from the supporters who felt relief in having not only taken the lead but also taken back to back round-the first in this match altogether. In their eyes, the writing was on the wall for Vulerby. The Vulerby supporters were shocked by what they just witnessed but they too were soon back to letting their voices be heard, believing in their squad. A return to the sidelines, the Squid Academy players were exhausted-including the fresh substitutes. It was only a single round but it felt like three crammed into one. Actively getting assisted by the others, they all listen to what Fuchsia and the others had to say as they try to get as much taken care of in the break as possible. The buzzer sounded afterwards to dismiss the teams from their benches, Fuchsia patted everyone on the backs and wished them the best of fortune in the sixth round. Her message to them the same as always: stick to the plan given. Fresh faces appearing on both sides, the lineups for the final round is set in stone. Romaine, Abel, Jadib, Abraham, Cain, and Theodore will be the final stand for Vulerby and for Squid Academy, Azule, Sky, Pastelle, Zaneki, Mason, and Evelyn will be the squad they decide for attempting to close out the match. A critical round of Splat Zones awaiting the teams at the center of attention in Mugil Arena, many questions loom for how this competitive match will conclude.