Chapter 4: A Shot at Redemption

Jason Carter felt a surge of adrenaline as he jogged back to his dorm. A trial match. A chance to prove himself.

It wasn't a professional contract, but it was something—a way to fight his way back into football.

As soon as he entered his room, Eric was already awake, sitting up in bed, scrolling through his phone. He glanced at Jason, then raised an eyebrow.

"You're back early," Eric said. "Training?"

Jason nodded, tossing his bag on the chair. "Yeah."

Eric smirked. "Guess getting rejected didn't kill you after all."

Jason rolled his eyes but didn't respond. He had no time for pointless conversations. He pulled up the system in his mind instead.

[Mission Unlocked!]

Trial by Fire:

Objective: Perform well in the trial match and score at least 1 goal.

Reward: +5 Finishing, +3 Acceleration, Special Skill Unlock.

Penalty: Loss of potential future opportunities.

Jason's heartbeat quickened. The system wasn't playing around.

If he failed, he could lose real opportunities to turn professional.

He clenched his fists. I won't fail.

The next few days were a blur of intense training. Jason pushed his body harder than ever, testing the limits of his improved stats. His Finishing and Acceleration had already improved, but he still had weaknesses to fix—Decision-Making, Tactical Awareness, Physicality.

He studied game footage, practiced one-touch finishing, and focused on reading defenders.

Every night before sleeping, he reviewed his system stats, tracking his progress.

He could feel himself improving.

But would it be enough?

The day of the trial match arrived.

Jason stood outside the local stadium, a modest venue where lower-league clubs scouted hidden talents. The atmosphere buzzed with energy—players warming up, scouts taking notes, and coaches chatting on the sidelines.

Jason tightened his laces. He had no official invitation, but as Reynolds had said, "If you're good enough, people will notice."

He scanned the field. The teams were forming—two mixed squads of trialists, most of whom had played in academies but weren't selected by clubs.

Then, he spotted Coach Reynolds.

The assistant coach gave him a nod and a slight smirk before walking over to another coach. Moments later, one of the squads found themselves short one striker.

Jason stepped forward.

"I'll play."

The coach hesitated, eyeing him up and down. "You played academy ball?"

Jason met his gaze. "Yeah."

After a pause, the coach shrugged. "Fine. Put on a bib. You're in."

Jason exhaled, slipping on the number 9 jersey.

This was it.

His chance to prove himself.

The match kicked off, and from the first whistle, Jason could tell—this wasn't going to be easy.

These weren't random street footballers. They were all desperate players fighting for contracts. The intensity was high, tackles were rough, and nobody held back.

Jason positioned himself up top, watching the game unfold. His instincts kicked in immediately. Striker's Instinct (Level 2) activated, helping him read the defense.

He wasn't just running randomly—he was picking the right spaces, waiting for the perfect moment.

Then, in the 20th minute, his chance came.

A teammate broke down the wing and swung in a low cross. The ball skidded across the box, defenders lunging to clear it.

Jason reacted without thinking.

He lunged forward, twisting his body, and met the ball with a powerful first-time shot.

Boom!

The ball rocketed past the keeper and slammed into the top corner.

Goal.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then, a burst of cheers.

Jason stood still, breathing heavily. The feeling of the net bulging, the eyes of the scouts watching—it was intoxicating.

He wasn't just fighting for his dream.

He was proving he belonged.

And this was only the beginning.