Friday arrived too soon.
Tobi stood at the edge of the São Vicente High School pitch, the familiar flutter of pre-game nerves churning in his stomach. The trial was simple: a series of drills followed by a scrimmage. Coach Farinha would choose the top 18 players to represent the school in the regional youth tournament.
Tobi's name was already buzzing in hushed whispers.
> "Did you hear he's training like crazy?"
"They say he's not the same Tobi anymore."
"Doesn't matter. João's still the captain."
He ignored it. Their words were noise. He had more important things to focus on.
---
System Alert: Tournament Trials Detected
> Temporary Boost Activated: "Focused Flame"
+5 Mentality
+3 Dribbling
+5% decision-making accuracy
Duration: 2 hours
Tobi exhaled, rolling his shoulders. The system was responding to the pressure. Just like it had promised.
He jogged to the warm-up circle, where the others were already stretching.
João Reis gave him a cocky smile. "Try not to cry this time, Oliveira."
Tobi didn't rise to the bait.
He just gave him a nod. "Let's see who's smiling after the scrimmage."
---
Drills: Agility, Ball Control, and Finishing
Coach Farinha barked instructions as the players sprinted through cones, juggled under pressure, and drilled low shots into the corners of the net.
João was fast. No doubt about it. His sprints were clean, and his finishing was powerful.
But Tobi? Tobi was flawless.
Every touch was measured. Every dribble calculated. His passes split cones like lasers. His finishes—calm, tucked into the side netting, left and right.
The System's passive enhancements were subtle but powerful. He wasn't just faster—he was smarter. Anticipating every bounce. Reading the movements of the other boys with precision.
---
System Update:
> XP Gained: +40
Dribbling: +1
Passing: +1
Finishing Skill Detected: "Clean Strike" – Active Skill (Lv1)
A precise, low-powered shot aimed at the corner. Improves accuracy by 10% when used.
---
The Scrimmage Match
Tobi was placed on the "B Team"—a clear message. João was captain of the "A Team," stacked with the coach's favorites. But Tobi smiled.
Coach wanted to test him. That was fine. He would respond.
The match kicked off, and right away, it was clear the A Team underestimated them. João danced on the ball, calling out fake instructions to humiliate the others. The midfielders barely passed.
Tobi played deeper, just behind the striker, controlling the tempo.
Ten minutes in, he intercepted a lazy sideways pass. In one fluid motion, he dribbled past two defenders, slipped the ball through a narrow gap, and sent his striker through on goal.
1–0. Assist, Tobi.
João glared at him across the field.
---
System Notification: "Match Condition" Activated
> +10% XP gain
+5 to vision during gameplay
Stamina consumption increased by 15%
---
The game escalated.
João equalized moments later with a rocket from the edge of the box. His celebration was all arms and arrogance. "That's how it's done!" he shouted.
But Tobi didn't waver.
He answered with movement. Intelligent positioning. Smooth turns. Diagonal passes that carved open the defense.
In the 26th minute, he received the ball near the halfway line, executed a roulette, burst past two midfielders, and laid it off again for another assist.
2–1.
Coach Farinha began nodding to himself.
---
Final Minute – The Statement
The score was 2–2. Coach signaled for last play.
Tobi knew what to do.
He dropped deep, collected a switch pass, and began driving forward. João came lunging in with a late tackle—but Tobi sidestepped, brushing past him with a Quick Shift. The goal was 25 meters away.
> "Clean Strike" Activated
He didn't hesitate.
The shot was low. Fast. Curling slightly. The keeper dove—
Too late.
3–2.
Game over.
---
System Update:
> Level Up! Level 3 Achieved.
+3 Skill Points
+1 Shooting, +1 Vision
Reputation: +10 (Local)
Trait Gained: "Composed Finisher" – Small chance to reduce shot error under pressure
---
After the Match
As the players gathered around Coach Farinha, his eyes swept the group.
"The following players are selected for the regional youth tournament," he began.
João grinned, knowing he'd be called.
Tobi didn't care. He had already proven what he needed to.
But then...
> "Reis. Pereira. Silva… Oliveira. You'll be our vice-captain."
The pitch fell quiet.
João's smirk vanished.
Tobi didn't gloat. He just nodded respectfully.
"Thank you, Coach."
---
That Night
He stood on the old rooftop near his house, a place he used to go to cry after bad matches. This time, he just watched the stars.
He had done it.
He was back on the path.
But he knew this was only the beginning.
The youth tournament would draw scouts. From Lisbon. From Braga. From Porto. It was an opportunity—and a threat.
He had six months to change his future.
And the world wouldn't go easy on him.
---
System Quest Complete: "Redeem the Past"
> Reward: Passive Skill "Insight Vision"
Improves awareness of player movement in a 10m radius. Bonus effect: Visual hints when making high-risk passes.
---
Next stop: the regional tournament.
One pitch at a time, one match at a time—Tobi would reclaim everything he lost.
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