**Chapter 6 — Fire in the Ink**
March 20th, 2007
The headlines were small, printed in narrow columns and tucked away in sports pages—but they were there.
> *"Teen Midfield Phenom Shines for Castilla."*
> *"Valen, Castilla's Silent Engine."*
> *"Next Big Thing or One-Game Wonder?"*
Nico skimmed them with practiced detachment. He sat at a quiet café in the outskirts of Madrid, hood up, earbuds in—but his name was out in the world now. There was no hiding.
Across the table, Álvaro, Castilla's starting winger, tapped the paper.
"You made it, man. Half these old journos didn't even know your name last week. Now they're spelling it right. That's something."
Nico gave a brief nod. "They'll forget it again if I mess up Saturday."
Álvaro laughed. "You ever gonna let yourself enjoy this?"
Nico sipped his black coffee. "Not until they scream my name in the Bernabéu. And even then, maybe not."
---
**March 24th, 2007 — Castilla vs. Getafe B**
Castilla's training pitch buzzed with activity. Coach Emil ran them through positioning drills all week, but tension was building for one reason:
Getafe B played like clockwork.
They pressed in synchronized waves. Their defensive line was young and fast. Their central midfielder, Leo Márquez, was a known prodigy—and the press was already comparing him to a young Busquets.
Emil called Nico in early.
"You'll be marked tight today. Márquez wants to make a statement. He's flashy. Arrogant. Thinks the game bends to him."
Nico said nothing.
"So prove it doesn't. Break him."
---
**Kickoff: 18:00**
The match began at high pace. Getafe's system kicked in immediately: coordinated pressing, compact lines, relentless pursuit of the ball.
Nico touched it—and Márquez was there, breathing on his neck, barking instructions.
"I know who you are, Valen," he sneered. "Just another pretty touch. I'll rip you apart."
Nico didn't speak.
He simply moved.
He drifted wide, pulled Márquez with him, then spun back into the center.
The ball arrived. One touch.
Second touch.
Then a *third*—a backheel pass that split two defenders.
Chance created.
Whistles from the crowd.
---
**Minute 18**
Márquez clipped his heels.
Yellow card.
Nico stood up. No flinch. No words.
Just a stare. Cold. Measured.
---
**System Notification:**
> **\[Match Quest Active]**
> Objective: High Rating vs Coordinated Press
> Optional: Break a press solo OR draw 3+ fouls
---
**Minute 27**
Getafe closed in. Three players converging. A standard trap.
Nico feinted left, then dropped his shoulder—and surged *through*.
He nutmegged the first, spun past the second, and shielded the third before launching a switch to the wing.
Coach Emil exploded from the sidelines.
"YES! That's how we do it!"
System buzzed:
> **Press Broken — Solo Escape Registered**
---
**Minute 39**
Another foul. Elbow to the ribs.
Nico drew his third of the match.
He got up again.
Same as before.
Unbending.
Relentless.
---
**Halftime: 0–0**
Inside the locker room, Emil leaned against the wall, watching his team.
"They're trying to choke us. And the only one breathing out there is Valen."
Players turned toward Nico.
He sat still. Then stood.
"Give me the ball faster. I'll find the cracks."
---
**Second Half**
Minute 52: A chipped ball over the top. Nico, on the run, traps it with his chest. The defender misjudges the bounce.
Nico toe-pokes it past him, charges into the box, then squares it.
Tap-in.
1–0.
Another assist.
System ping:
> **Quest Progress: 3/4**
---
Minute 77: Getafe equalizes off a corner. 1–1.
Tension.
Márquez smirks as he jogs past Nico.
"See? All your pretty passes mean nothing."
Nico breathes in slowly.
Minute 83: Castilla wins a free kick near midfield.
Nico doesn't wait. He picks the ball up, plays it fast, then makes the run himself.
The winger sees him.
One touch pass.
Nico arrives on the edge of the box. Defender charges.
He lets the ball roll, steps over, then fires low.
Goal.
2–1.
Nico doesn't celebrate wildly.
He points to his name on the back of his jersey.
Then looks at Márquez.
Márquez looks away.
---
**Full-time: Castilla 2 – 1 Getafe B**
> **Match Rating: 8.5**
> **Fouls Drawn: 4**
> **Press Broken: 1**
> **Goal + Assist Registered**
> **Quest Complete: 4/4 High-Level Performances**
> **Reward Unlocked: Player Template Selection Available**
System Interface shifted.
A new screen appeared.
> **Choose Your Template:**
>
> * **Zinedine Zidane** — Supreme composure, vision, and elegance. Dictate games with a single touch.
> * **Ronaldinho** — Joyful creativity, audacious flair, and magnetic dribbling. Break defenses with pure magic.
> * **Francesco Totti** — Lethal passing, cunning positioning, and golden technique. The master of subtle brilliance.
> * **Custom Path** — Build your legacy your way.
Nico stared at the screen, fingers hovering.
Whispers outside the locker room grew louder.
He wasn't the silent kid anymore.
He was the fire underneath Madrid.
And now, he'd decide what kind of storm to become.
---
**End of Chapter 6**
*Next: Nico makes his choice. And with choice, comes power.