Chapter 2: A New Beginning

Jason Carter's heart pounded as he stared at the glowing blue text hovering in front of him. His mind struggled to process what was happening. A system? Was he dreaming? Hallucinating?

He wiped his face, but the text remained.

[Welcome, Player. The Ultimate Striker System has been activated.]

His breath came slow and controlled as he reread the words. This wasn't a joke. This wasn't something he had ever heard of happening to anyone else. His pulse quickened with both fear and excitement.

The system had already analyzed him, giving him a Striker Rating of 62 and pointing out his strengths and weaknesses.

Finishing (B-)

Acceleration (C+)

Positioning (B)

Decision-Making (D)

Physicality (C-)

Tactical Awareness (D+)

Then, there was the Starter Pack Reward.

[Striker's Instinct (Level 1) Unlocked]

[+2 Finishing, +2 Acceleration]

Jason flexed his fingers, an odd warmth flowing through his body. He didn't feel different, yet at the same time, something deep inside told him he was.

A beep rang in his ears.

[Beginner Mission Unlocked!]

Mission: Score a Goal Within 24 Hours

Reward: +3 Shooting, +1 Tactical Awareness, Skill Upgrade (Striker's Instinct Level 2)]

Jason's head snapped up. Score a goal?

He turned toward the empty training pitch in the distance. His cleats were still in his bag. His body was sore from the match, but his legs twitched with restless energy.

One goal.

That was all it took to see if this thing was real.

Jason grabbed his bag and jogged toward the field, his mind racing with anticipation.

The floodlights flickered to life as Jason placed a ball on the penalty spot. The academy's practice pitch was deserted, the only sounds coming from the distant hum of cars and the occasional rustle of wind through the trees.

He took a deep breath, eyes locked onto the goal.

Alright. Let's test this.

He stepped forward and swung his foot at the ball.

Thud!

The ball flew toward the bottom corner—sharp, precise. A solid strike.

But then—

A new sensation kicked in. His brain registered something different mid-shot, a pulse of instinct running through his body. He saw the exact moment where his shot could've been better, where the angle could've been improved.

His Striker's Instinct had activated.

Jason's eyes widened. That was weird…

He set another ball down, adjusting his stance slightly based on the feeling.

He struck it again.

This time, the ball rocketed into the top corner, hitting the net with a satisfying snap.

A sharp ding! sounded in his head.

[Mission Complete! Reward Unlocked.]

A rush of energy surged through Jason's veins. His vision flickered, his body tensed, and then…

[Shooting +3, Tactical Awareness +1]

[Skill Upgraded: Striker's Instinct → Level 2]

Jason stumbled back, catching his breath. He didn't just feel stronger—he felt sharper, more aware. The way he saw the goal, the angles, the positioning—it was different now.

His mind buzzed with new possibilities.

Was this really happening?

Jason returned to the dorms late that night, his body still tingling with adrenaline. He barely noticed his roommate, Eric, sprawled across his bed, playing on his phone.

"Yo, where the hell did you disappear to?" Eric asked, not looking up. "Didn't see you after the match."

Jason hesitated. "Just needed some air."

Eric snorted. "Yeah, bet you did." He finally turned to face him, shaking his head. "I still can't believe they didn't pick you, man. Politics, I tell you. Those scouts already knew who they wanted before today."

Jason tossed his bag onto his bed, sitting down. His rejection still stung, but… he wasn't as hopeless as before.

"I'll figure something out," Jason said, more confident than he expected.

Eric raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that?"

Jason smirked. "Yeah."

He wasn't done yet.

He had the system now.

This was only the beginning.