Depths Forgotten V

An excellent display of team cooperation is shown by Quevilly-Rouen as they progressed the ball along the left-hand side of the pitch. After the halftime rest that both sides were subjected to, it is clear that the home team have decreased their number of long balls as it won't work against Le Havre's back 5. It was a sample of decisive passing along the flanks as the home team methodically carried the ball to Le Havre's side of the pitch.

This change wasn't unnoticed by the keen observers at the side as they detected this change in mentality, but they didn't react to it as they resisted the urge to immediately react, instead opting to observe for a few more minutes before making a decision.

The whole Le Havre team diligently tracked back to help defend, but so was Quevilly-Rouen as bodies were thrown forward, but not in an aggressive position as they were positionally stretching the Le Havre team shape. The ball travelled around the outer edges of the Le Havre box as the oppositional team recycled the ball, dangling it in front of the visiting team. The opponents are playing wider than before, Kai could tell the vertical distance between players has increased, and that Quevilly-Rouen decided to use the full width of the pitch to increase their attacking threat.

The two wide players in a 4-4-2 are also used to their fullest advantage against a 5-3-2 as it's a 2 vs 1 battle on the flanks.

The ball is by the feet of Lamboley, the winger already showed his class with that fantastic assist during a moment of transition, the player eyed the field in front of him as he observed the Cameroonian wingback staring right at him. Yet the player isn't agitated in the slightest as he patiently waited on the flank, holding on to the ball leisurely.

Sébastien: "Lamboley holding off Eze... in a tricky spot—"

But the winger's pass shut Sébastien right up as Lamboley found the attacking left-back, Leon Cohen, of Quevilly-Rouen. Cohen received the ball in his path to overlap Lamboley, his first touch to stable the ball, and before taking the second touch, he scanned the pitch, yet appalled by his options as he inherently understand that crossing the ball wouldn't be successful.

Leon changed his mind, adapting from his intended cross to a heavy touch on the ball as he charged further down the left flank. As Eze is tasked with marking Lamboley, it is up to Allard as he moved out to stop the overlapping threat.

Sébastien: "—and lays it to Leon... WHO DRIBBLES INTO THE BOX!"

A danger, a threat that threatened the current scoreline came into his range as Allard instinctively stepped out to deal with the threat. The distance between the two players was closing. 15 meters. 10 meters. 5 meters. And then the inevitable battle between the two players occurred.

But this moment of distraction was used against Le Havre, as when all eyes were on Leon, the full-back used his strong left foot as he knocked the ball right to the edge of the box to an open player left unmarked.

Lamboley had the ball again as it arrived by his feet, but he wasn't unchallenged as Allard saw this pass coming miles away as he quickly switched his target from Leon to Lamboley.

Eze realised his mistake too as he hurriedly chased after Lamboley that is lurking in the box. It's those two players that made the wing their own home as they easily carved apart the left wing. Kai's heart raced as he watched their defence being torn apart. Lanier also saw the same issue developing, and couldn't help but get all screamy-screamy down the touchline.

Lamboley's eyed the goal, as he observed it was already 10 minutes into the second half, and with it being a tiring day, he was growing tired. The tiring winger didn't pay too much effort into his technique as he decided to do nothing more than smash the ball into the back of the net.

But Rivera came sliding in front of Lamboley last second as he put his whole body on the line to stop the shot, but the winger was one step ahead as he was always thinking ahead of time, and seeing the opportunity, instead of shooting, the winger decided to pass the ball again.

Sébastien: "TO THE FEET OF PATERNOSTER!!!"

The midfielder was free, and the general of Quevilly-Rouen was unmarked as he arrived late in the Le Havre box. He had space, a moment of peace was Rivera vacated his man-marking duties to stop the shot. Paternoster had all the time in the world as he eyed keeper Faira down. There was a superiority felt by the player, a confidence brew in him as he struck the ball with pinpoint accuracy.

"—— HE SHOOTS!!!!!!"

Everyone's heart stumped as the player sent the ball in the direction of the Le Havre goal. Spectators watched in awe as they witness the splendid technique from the teenager, the ball wasn't over-hit, and there wasn't much power in it either, but it showed remarkable control over the ball as everyone watched the projectile roll across the ground in breaking speed.

The ball was sent straight to the bottom left corner. Faira was expecting a smash but was left on his foot as he didn't expect that to be the direction the ball would go, which is a phenomenal shot. The goalkeeper was left wide-eyed, confused as he only saw a ball that was fast approaching him. The midfielder found the net.

Sébastien: "GOALLLLLLLL!!! — Paternoster with the finish!!! He has every right to be delighted with that strike! What a remarkable show of skill by the teenage starlet!"

Bewilderment. Rage. Injustice. These are just some of the feelings that conjured up within Kai's heart as he lifelessly watch the ball roll into their net. He was shocked, but even more, so that he didn't dare react. He couldn't stop the re-trace as the emotion-filled boy stood there with a blank expression, tears streaming down his face.

The tears grew into frustration. No amount of apology from his teammates could soothe the young adult, the instinct to act strong was nothing but a facade as he felt like a child, insignificant as he saw a goal taken away from his grasp.

Sébastien: "HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT!!!"

Lanier was sharing the same blend of emotions beside him as the coach looked around, eyeing up the numerous misses in his squad, unaware that a huge drop in team performance was occurring in front of him.

The Le Havre players left the pitch in fury, as they watched their side succumb to another defeat of the season. They left the field in angry tears, seeing it as another disappointing moment in their young careers. Le Havre was now desperate for points in this match, as they were in desperate need to stay competitive in the youth league and save themselves from the embarrassment of the level of football they have all come to know and love.

The match clock appeared to have a thought on its own as the passage of time passed in a blur of light. Kai felt as if his whole life flashed before his eyes. Each shot, each touch, each challenge, each chance, each set piece. He felt as if his eyes had been peered through the clock at times, and watched every second of his life be captured and contemplated on. It was unnerving, for there was no end to the sights that stared back at him.

Sébastien: "It's 2–1 in favour of Quevilly-Rouen. Can Le Havre still come back from this?"

From the depths of his heel Kai pulled his spirits back to the surface as he pushed himself to the human limits, he told himself to be motivated, to keep believing in the team, that the game isn't yet over. But the coach know that he was just merely consoling himself as he didn't have the tiniest of the belief that they could pull the comeback

Kai's eyes unfocused from his surroundings as he seemingly drifted his thoughts into the distance, his mind wavering away as he lost his heart in the game. He wasn't focusing on the game anymore, the game had lost the will to play the game with Le Havre.

Kai: "I can't keep fighting. I can't keep fighting. I can't keep fighting."

Time seemed to stand still as he was cut short by a momentous and life-changing experience that occurred right before his eyes. The distraught youngster had to watch the remainder of the match through his closed eyelids as if it was some sort of cruel and sadistic punishment. He was struggling to remain focused on the game, even with his eyes closed. He was struggling to breathe as the air seemed to be quickly leaving his body, and there was nothing that he could do about it.

Unwilling to give up so easily, he knew that he had to hold himself together, that he needed to remain as human as he could. He had to fight, he needed to fight. If he didn't stay strong, if he didn't fight, if he let go, he would give up and his life would turn into a dark place. He wouldn't be able to face the young football players that were still fighting.

Yet his mind flashed to a memory. The thought of defeat ran through his mind, he remembered that he once lost a game, and this was all he had left to remind him of that moment. He still remembered what happened, what he did, and where he was. He was present but the events seemed to be happening somewhere else, they weren't happening right in front of him. He remembered his behaviour, as well as the behaviour of the other people in the pub. He had cried, he had been distraught, and he had sung his team's songs on a solo basis yet his fellow peers were already silent as they understood the odds were against them. He long reminded in the pub, singing until none were left standing. By then, the pub was empty, long had the fans left as they didn't have the heart to continue, only the lone Asian man remaining in there as he watched his team marching off heartbreakingly.

He questioned why, why would these so-called "fans" leave when the match has yet to finish.

He questioned himself as he sat at his bedside in silence, begging for the answer he sought. The old thatch pine tree was facing him, the outside was illuminated by the moonlight that streaked through the trees, it was peaceful and serene. This was the place where he always came to sleep. He watched the moon's reflection fall on the wooden floor. He stared up at the bird's nest that he crafted, sitting atop the branches. He was comfortable in the nest as he heard the happy cooing of the birds.

The past couldn't be changed but this past could. He wasn't afraid anymore. He was sent back with a purpose, he hated the mere possibility of defeat, and he loathed the glory in victory. He didn't want to be different. He wanted to be like everyone else, he wanted to have a family, to have a life that didn't include the torture that he had lived with his entire life.

Kai was losing hope. He was losing strength. He felt sick and he felt exhausted. He felt that if he didn't let go, he wouldn't be able to live through this. He slowly started to feel an overwhelming sense of peace. He let go. He was letting go of all that pain, he was letting go of the anguish that he was feeling. He slowly drifted off into a state of unconsciousness.

Kai had defeated his mind. He had spent the past years in a trance, he had suppressed all the anguish that he was feeling to remain in the state of neutrality.

Able to sleep, as if asleep, yet present. His memories long suppressed in the archival section have reignited in his consciousness as he remembered his passion, the agony of misfortune, that his love of football topples everything around him. Football isn't just a game, it is a matter of life or death for him. It's a drug of choice for his worries, his flaws, his depression and his weaknesses. It is the one thing that he can't be without, for it is in him and his blood, almost. He's a walking nightmare, a walking parasite of humanity. He lives to relive his past.

Kai breathed the game. Even in the midst of the night he silently arranged socks on his bed, engaging in his mental battle against himself, to preoccupy himself with the tactical aspect of the game. This is why he was so fond of football; this is the one thing that brought him happiness in his life. He began to lose himself in the game and forgot the woes that surrounded his life, as he let the game consume him. He wanted to enjoy it. He wanted to release all the tension that had been accumulating in his body.

Kai was playing football on his own. He was following his mind, his feelings, and his emotions. He was playing a game in which he was aware that he was not winning, yet he didn't care, he didn't want to lose, not now, he didn't want to lose anymore. Not ever. Kai was afraid. Afraid of his love for football and for the idea of losing it again, not at the possibility of losing a match, but the possibility of a burnt-out passion, he was so afraid of it.

He sat motionless, almost frozen in his spot. He was focused on the game. His hands moved in slow motion as his eyes followed the ball as it was being thrown. He saw the ball bounding into his lap, he was looking at his daughter. She was playing football with him, she was only five. Kai remembered all the times that he would play with her in the past. His memories began to resurface, and slowly yet surely the memories became sharper. His heart began to swell with love, it was his love for football and his love for his daughter. He couldn't lose. He couldn't lose any more.

His hands started to tremble. He couldn't feel the discomfort that had crept up on him and confined him in his shell. All that he could feel was his love for football and the love that his daughter had for football. The minutes passed and he felt a sharp pain that burned up from his core. Kai yelled out and let out a cry for help. He could no longer control his tears. He could no longer feel the pain and heartbreak that he had felt, yet it was there, lingering in the deepest recesses of his mind because he knew that it was waiting for him to let it in.

A few minutes passed and he felt his breathing slow down, his tears began to subside. His eyelids began to droop. He could feel his eyes closing and he couldn't do anything about it. His daughter was waiting for him, not in reality but in consciousness.

"Come on dad, play with me."

Kai's mouth moved as his lips began to move. His eyes closed as his hands reached up to his daughter's face.

"Come on dad. Let's play," he heard his daughter say as she pulled him in for a kiss.

"I'm ready. Let's play football." Kai whispered back.

.

[ Requirement Fulfilled ]

A voice suddenly spoke in Kai head. He was confused, bewildered at what was happening.

[ Loading... ]

[ Loading... ]

[ Loading... ]

[ Host Recognised ]

[ Assimilation Successful ]

Kai was making sense of what is happening. He was an avid webnovel reader in his past life. He had transmigrated to the past, he was always confused, questioning if he would get a golden finger.

But time passed, so much so that Kai completely neglected the chance of him having a cheat. He had transmigrated for 2 months now. But only at this moment did he activate it...

[ Welcome to the Football System ]

[ Activate? ]

[ Yes/No ]

There was no hesitance in the player as he whispered to himself. 'Activate System'