10 - <Stellar Impulse>
"What's the matter, Tanaka? Are you angry because I finished?" Nishida asked, confused by the look on Lucas' face.
His friend's question brought Lucas back to reality, and he shook his head.
"It's not that. I was just surprised at how high you jumped. How do you do that?"
"Why are you asking me now? I thought we were here because you wanted to teach me how to pass."
"Yes, that's why we're here. But it's only fair that you teach me something as well, right?"
The truth was, there was a reason why Lucas wanted Nishidato teach him how to jump up to his head.
[Skill Copy Conditions
"First of all," Lucas continued. "Why did you jump before the ball I kicked reached you? I'm sure the ball would have landed on your foot if you hadn't jumped up and headed it before it did."
Nishida walked over to the goal, picked up the ball, and squeezed it. "I'm a goal-scoring striker. It's natural for me to try to touch the ball as soon as I get a cross. Whether it's a corner or a cross after a through ball, defenders always get in front of big strikers like me to keep the ball out, so I also have to get forward and fight to get a header on the ball."
"So you think..." Lucas finished.
"Hey, of course I think! I'm not an airhead!" Nishida shouted, annoyed that he was being honest.
"Calm down, calm down! I didn't mean that I think you're stupid or anything! I was just surprised that this was a well thought out action."
"Argh! Strikers have to think too, not just put the ball in the net and go out to celebrate."
That day, Lucas noticed something he had never noticed before. On the field, the players were like cogs in a gigantic clock. If the goal was like the bell ringing at noon on the clock, the strikers were the last cogs.
"I think... I want to be a striker." For the first time, Lucas expressed an idea that had been forming in his mind since he had gone back in time.
Nishid alooked at Lucas in surprise. He had always known Lucas as a classic No8, a midfielder who rarely missed a pass, so he had never imagined him as a striker.
Nishida let out a deep sigh, tossed the ball up, and caught it again before speaking.
"It's difficult to be a striker, Tanaka. Most soccer players dream of being strikers when they're kids. They want to be the heroes, the ones who score the goals and get standing ovations from the crowd. But as time goes on, many discover that they don't have the talent or the mentality, and end up moving backwards on the pitch to find positions that suit them better. Even goalkeepers dream of being strikers at first, before realizing that their skills are better suited to defense than offense."
Lucas knew that his friend was right. Being a striker wasn't just a matter of wanting to be one, it was a matter of having the talent and determination to face the greatest challenges and expectations that came with the position. It was an absurd amount of pressure.
Normally, Lucas wouldn't dream of such a thing, but with the Champion System, it seemed like an achievable goal.
"I understand that, Nishida. I know that being a striker is one of the most difficult positions, and people expect more from a striker than from any other position on the pitch. That's why I need to learn how to score goals in every way. That's why I want you to teach me how to jump high so I can fight in the box. I want to learn everything I need to be a good striker like you."
Nishida looked at Lucas' determined expression and realized that he was really committed to this new ambition. He couldn't deny the strength of his friend's will, and maybe, just maybe, Lucas could really make this change in position.
"All right, Tanaka," Nishida said, tossing the ball to Lucas' feet. "I'll help you. But high jumping isn't just a question of leg strength; it involves technique, timing, and most of all, a lot of practice."
Lucas smiled. "That's why we're going to train together. You'll work on your passes and crosses, while I'll work on my headers and shots. Let's start now."
Nishida nodded in agreement and began to explain the basics of the push-up.
"To jump high, the first thing you have to master is positioning. When you see the ball coming, you need to adjust your body to maximize the force and..."
It had been a long day, but by the end of it, Lucas and Nishida had learned something completely new.
After a series of unsuccessful attempts, Lucas positioned himself in the area and waited for Nishida's cross.
The ball came in high and fast. It wasn't a perfect header, but it was Nishida's best cross yet.
With his eyes fixed on the trajectory, Lucas prepared to jump. He bent his knees and jumped with all the strength he could muster in his legs. In the air, he felt the lightness and power of the momentum, as if he were floating for a brief moment. That was inertia.
His head met the ball at the perfect point, and he headed it into the goal.
[Copy Conditions Achieved].
[Skill of
[
Lucas landed with a broad smile on his face, panting but triumphant. He looked at Nishida, who was sweating and panting heavily.
"I did it..." Nishida murmured, surprised by his pass.
"That was incredible, Nishida! You did it!" Lucas shouted.
Nishida, with his black hair, even looked a little shy. "Thanks... I mean, I would have done it before, but you never reached the ball!"
"Right. Well, let's keep practicing and get even better." Lucas picked up the ball.
"No, it's getting late. We haven't even had lunch, and tomorrow is travel day. We have to go back to the house and rest."
"You know you're a lot more regimented than you seem to others, right?" Lucas joked, but he was tired as well.
Just then, new notifications from the Champion System finally appeared.
[You have completed a training session. Your attributes can be increased...]
[You have increased your Headbutt skill by 5 points.]
[You have increased your Stance skill by 3 points.]
'So this is how I increase my talents?'
[Yes, your talents will be improved with training that focuses on those talents, because normal training can't improve them.] Céos replied quickly.
'Okay, but what's the difference between the "talents" and my normal attributes? Because my dribbling definitely won't be improved by doing push-ups.'
[The "dribbling" attribute is called that because dribbling requires agility. By developing your agility, you will improve your ability to complete dribbles. However, there is no way to measure your dribbling repertoire. Dribbling is a body technique that you have to learn on your own or get a special skill for. Some players dribble almost automatically].
'I see…'
"What are you doing, Tanaka? Take the ball and come on. I'll buy us a drink before we go!"
"I'll take coffee." Lucas said.
"Coffee? You sound like an old man sometimes."