Where it all began(rewrite)
Leo was a football fan who loved watching Cristiano Ronaldo play. He admired his skills, his speed, his charisma, and his passion for the game. He dreamed of becoming a professional footballer like him, but he knew he had no talent or opportunity to do so. He lived in a poor and war-torn country, where football was a luxury and survival was a struggle.
One day, he was caught in a crossfire between two rival factions and died from a bullet wound to his chest. He felt his life slipping away and regretted that he never got to play football or see Ronaldo in person. He closed his eyes and wished for a second chance.
He woke up in a hospital bed, surrounded by unfamiliar faces. He felt confused and disoriented, until he saw a TV screen showing a news report about Ronaldo's retirement. He realized that he had been reborn in another world, where football was still popular and Ronaldo was still active. He felt a surge of joy and excitement, until he noticed that the date on the TV was 2023. He had been reborn 10 years later than his original life.
He wondered why this had happened and what it meant for him. He looked around and saw a smartphone on the bedside table. He picked it up and saw that it belonged to him. He unlocked it and found an app called "Football System". He tapped on it and heard a voice in his head.
"Welcome to the Football System, Leo. You have been chosen as one of the lucky users of this system, which will help you achieve your dream of becoming a football star. As a novice user, you will receive a gift from the system: the dribbling skills of prime Cristiano Ronaldo. You can activate this gift anytime you want, but be careful not to overuse it or you will suffer from side effects. You can also earn points by completing tasks and challenges from the system, which you can use to buy more gifts or upgrade your skills. The system will guide you along your journey and provide you with useful information and tips. Are you ready to start your new life as a footballer?"
Leo could not believe what he was hearing. He felt like he was dreaming or hallucinating. He pinched himself and felt pain. He realized that this was real and that he had been given an amazing opportunity. He felt a mix of emotions: gratitude, curiosity, nervousness, and anticipation.
He decided to accept the system's offer and see where it would take him. He replied to the voice in his head.
"Yes, I am ready. Thank you for this chance."
"Very well, Leo. Congratulations on receiving your first gift from the system: prime Cristiano Ronaldo dribbling. You can activate it by saying 'Ronaldo' in your mind or out loud. You will feel a change in your body and mind, as if you were possessed by Ronaldo himself. You will be able to dribble past any opponent with ease and grace, as well as perform amazing tricks and feints with the ball. However, you should be aware of the limitations and risks of this gift. First, you can only use it for 10 minutes per day, otherwise you will suffer from fatigue, dizziness, nausea, or worse. Second, you should not rely on it too much or you will lose your own style and identity as a player. Third, you should not abuse it or show off too much or you will attract unwanted attention and jealousy from others. The system advises you to use this gift wisely and sparingly, as a tool to improve your own skills and confidence."
Leo listened carefully to the system's explanation and nodded in understanding. He felt eager to try out his new gift and see how it would feel to dribble like Ronaldo.
He asked the system.
"Can I use it now?"
The system replied.
"Yes, you can use it now, but only for a short time. You are still recovering from your rebirth process and your body is weak. You should rest more and wait until you are fully healed before using it for longer periods."
Leo agreed with the system's suggestion and decided to use his gift for only one minute.
He said in his mind.
"Ronaldo."
He felt a sudden change in his body and mind. He felt stronger, faster, sharper, and more confident than ever before. He felt like he had become Ronaldo himself.
He got out of the bed and grabbed a ball that was lying on the floor. He started to dribble around the room, avoiding the furniture and people with ease and grace. He performed amazing tricks and feints with the ball, such as stepovers, nutmegs, chops, flicks, spins, etc.
He felt exhilarated and ecstatic as he dribbled like Ronaldo.
He heard the system's voice in his head.
"Time's up, Leo. Deactivate your gift now."
He said in his mind.
"Deactivate."
He felt the change in his body and mind fade away. He felt weaker, slower, duller, and less confident than before. He felt like he had returned to his normal self.
He stopped dribbling and put the ball down. He looked around and saw that everyone in the room was staring at him with shock and awe. He felt embarrassed and awkward.
He heard the system's voice in his head.
"Well done, Leo. You have successfully used your first gift from the system: prime Cristiano Ronaldo dribbling. You have experienced a glimpse of what it is like to be a football legend. How do you feel?"
Leo replied to the system.
"I feel amazing. That was incredible. Thank you for this gift."
The system said.
"You're welcome, Leo. I'm glad you enjoyed it. But remember, this is only the beginning. You have a long way to go before you can become a football star. You will face many challenges and difficulties along the way. You will need to work hard, train hard, learn hard, and play hard. You will need to overcome your weaknesses, improve your strengths, develop your talents, and hone your skills. You will need to find your own style and identity as a player, not just copy someone else's. You will need to balance your passion and ambition with your humility and respect. You will need to make friends and allies, as well as enemies and rivals. You will need to deal with fame and fortune, as well as pressure and criticism. You will need to cope with success and failure, as well as joy and sorrow. You will need to live up to your potential and fulfill your destiny."
Leo listened attentively to the system's words and felt a surge of determination and motivation.
He said to the system.
"I understand, system. I'm ready for anything. I'm ready to start my new life as a footballer."
The system said.
"Very well, Leo. I'm proud of you. Let's begin our journey together."
The system gave him a smiley face emoji.
Leo smiled back.
He felt happy and hopeful.
He felt that this was the start of something great.