Chapter 5: Proving Ground

The ball nestled into the top corner, the net rippling violently as Jason's shot crashed home. For a brief second, everything went silent. Then, the noise exploded around him—the cheers from players, the murmurs from scouts, and the shouts from the sidelines.

Jason stood still, absorbing the moment.

He had scored.

In a trial match filled with hungry players fighting for a chance, he had made his mark.

Ding!

A system notification flashed in his vision.

[Mission Progress: Trial by Fire]

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

Reward Unlocked: +5 Finishing, +3 Acceleration, Special Skill Unlock (Pending Match Completion).

Jason barely had time to process it before a teammate, a stocky midfielder, clapped him on the back.

"Hell of a strike, man," he said. "What's your name?"

"Jason," he replied, still catching his breath.

The midfielder nodded. "Rodrigo. Keep making those runs—I'll find you."

Jason gave a sharp nod. He wasn't done yet.

The match restarted, and immediately, Jason felt a shift.

The defenders had noticed him now.

Before the goal, they had been treating him like just another trialist. Now, they were marking him tighter, more physical, trying to shut him down.

A tall center-back with a shaved head, likely the toughest defender on the pitch, stepped closer.

"You got lucky," the defender muttered as Jason took his position. "It won't happen again."

Jason smirked. "We'll see."

As the game progressed, Jason realized just how much he had leveled up.

His Striker's Instinct (Level 2) was working in ways he hadn't fully understood before.

When a cross came in, he knew where it would land. When a defender stepped up, he could anticipate their movement before they even acted.

The acceleration boost also made a huge difference. He was faster than before.

Before he got the system, he had struggled against strong defenders who could outmuscle him. Now, instead of relying on brute force, he used his improved positioning and speed to evade them entirely.

But the other players weren't pushovers.

The defenders adjusted, pressing high and cutting off passing lanes. Jason found himself getting fewer touches, his impact limited as the game became a midfield battle.

This was his next test.

How would he respond when the opposition adapted?

70th minute.

The match was still 1-1. Scouts were watching every move, and Jason knew—one more goal could make all the difference.

Rodrigo, his midfielder, controlled the ball near the edge of the box. Jason made a quick darting run behind the defenders, pointing to the space.

Rodrigo spotted him, but instead of passing, he hesitated—before attempting a long shot instead.

The ball blazed over the bar.

Jason groaned internally. He had timed his run perfectly, but Rodrigo had chosen the wrong option.

And that's when Jason realized something.

Decision-Making.

His own Decision-Making stat was still low (D+).

And so was Rodrigo's.

Jason exhaled. If I want to win, I need to take control.

Instead of waiting for service, he dropped deeper, offering himself as a passing option. It was a risk—strikers weren't supposed to roam too much. But if his teammates couldn't create chances, he would do it himself.

The next time Rodrigo received the ball, Jason called for it.

The midfielder hesitated—then passed.

Jason took one quick touch and turned toward goal.

Two defenders rushed him. He faked left, then burst right, using his improved acceleration to glide past the first.

The second lunged in for a tackle.

Jason reacted instantly.

Striker's Instinct Activated.

A slight touch nudged the ball just past the defender's outstretched foot.

Now he was through—one-on-one with the keeper.

The goalkeeper rushed forward, spreading his arms wide. Jason had seconds to react.

A week ago, he would have hesitated.

Now?

He lifted the ball with a delicate chip.

The ball soared over the diving keeper, floating beautifully into the net.

A second goal.

Ding!

[Mission Complete!]

Final Reward Unlocked: Special Skill – Phantom Striker (Level 1).

The stadium murmured with excitement. The scouts had noticed.

Jason jogged back to his half, his mind racing—not just from the goal, but from the new skill he had just unlocked.

But he had no time to check it now.

There were still 20 minutes left.

And in football, anything could happen.

The final whistle blew.

The match ended 2-1, with Jason's brace being the difference. As he walked off the pitch, drenched in sweat, he could feel eyes on him.

The scouts. The coaches. They had seen what he could do.

As he reached the sidelines, Coach Reynolds approached with a grin.

"Not bad, kid," Reynolds said. "Not bad at all."

Jason wiped his face with his jersey. "Think it was enough?"

Reynolds chuckled. "You'll find out soon."

Just then, a man in a club polo walked over—a representative from a lower-league club.

Jason's heart pounded.

This was it.

His first step back into professional football.

And he wasn't going to stop here.