Training 2

Kelvin and Ian looked at each other. Neither of them smiled.

Rafael blew the whistle. The match began at that moment.

The small-sided game demanded quick thinking and precision in passing. Kelvin kept faking his running direction to mislead defenders and create space to ask for the ball. Ian, meanwhile, controlled the midfield with quick passes, trying to dictate the rhythm of the match.

At one point, Ian received the ball in the center and, without looking, made a perfect through pass. Kelvin understood the intent immediately. He sprinted forward, controlled the ball on the first touch, and, even with the defender closing in, chipped it lightly over the makeshift goalkeeper, sending the ball straight into the small goal.

Some of the spectators started looking at each other.

– Are these guys really from our school? – one of them murmured from the sidelines.

Rafael simply wrote something on his clipboard.

Kelvin smiled discreetly.

The activity continued for another ten minutes. Kelvin was involved in two more goals and provided an assist. His body was hot, sweat was dripping down his face, but he wanted more. Much more.

Coach Rafael gathered the group in the center of the court. He observed each of them for a few seconds before speaking:

– That was better than I expected. But we're not done yet.

Some students looked at each other, surprised. Most were already sweaty and tired from the intense pace of the previous drill. Kelvin, however, looked more eager than ever. He felt the warm-up had just ended.

– Let's increase the difficulty – Rafael continued. – Instead of duos, we'll now have four-on-four teams. The two-touch rule stays. I want to see how you move as a team.

He glanced at his clipboard, made a few quick notes, and started pointing:

– Kelvin, Ian, Bruno, and Márcio... you four are together. On the other side: Kazana, Matheus, Lucas, and Danilo. Goalkeepers remain fixed.

The groups moved quickly. Kelvin walked over to his new teammates. He already knew Ian, but the other two looked older and more physically built. One of them, Bruno, had scars on his legs. From his love for football, Kelvin understood they were likely old injuries. The other, Márcio, seemed quiet and reserved.

Ian crossed his arms.

– No mistakes now. There are more players, but the goal is the same, guys: win!

Kelvin just nodded. His eyes were fixed on the ball that the coach placed in the center of the court.

Rafael blew the whistle.

The ball started rolling again.

Kelvin received a pass and began driving toward the center, giving a short touch to Ian, who was already positioned up front. Ian received and turned smoothly on Lucas, getting past his marker brilliantly.

Bruno quickly got open on the right flank, and Ian didn't hesitate to send the ball his way. The boy advanced almost to the end line and crossed it low into the middle of the court.

Kelvin beat the defender to the ball, stepped in front with his left foot, and deflected it into the goal.

1–0.

The game had barely begun, and the difference in pace was already noticeable. The small field forced everyone to make quick decisions. Kelvin, not being used to playing on this type of court, felt a slight discomfort but ignored it and stayed focused.

On the other side, Kazana, wearing the number 10 jersey, tried to organize the opposing team. Matheus and Lucas started pressing hard, trying to close the gaps. Danilo, the tallest on their side, always positioned himself near the small goal area, ready to block shots.

Kelvin dropped back when needed, always watching Ian's movements. Even without exchanging words or glances, the two began to connect like pieces of a puzzle, helping and understanding each other perfectly on the court.

Ian got the ball again and drew the defenders. With two touches, he turned and passed back, where Márcio came running with speed. Márcio controlled it, faked a shot, cut inside, and opened space for Kelvin.

The pass came fast and low. Kelvin was ready to shoot with his left foot, but for a brief moment, his leg pulled back on its own, as if with a will of its own, and he let the ball roll to his right foot. He struck hard.

2–0.

This time, not even the goalkeeper tried to dive.

– That kid's from another planet – Matheus said, laughing, trying to hide the tension.

Kazana told everyone to regroup. They came back more aggressive, marking tightly. Kelvin felt a light shove in one play but kept his balance. On the next play, Ian's pass wasn't accurate, and the opponents recovered the ball.

Lucas drove with speed, got past Márcio, and passed to Danilo, who turned and laid it back. Kazana appeared alone and shot low into the corner.

2–1.

Rafael watched everything closely, without saying a word. He just wrote occasionally on his clipboard. The timer around his neck beeped quietly, marking the remaining training time.

Kelvin wiped the sweat off his forehead with his forearm. He was sweating, yes, but not tired. On the contrary, his body wanted more. The system seemed to be adapting to him.

The ball was rolling again.

Kelvin gave a small smile, looked up, and closed his eyes slightly.

– Now – he whispered to himself.

[Instinctive Dribble Style – Active]

Ian passed the ball to him, and he looked completely calm, seemingly re-energized. Time around him felt slowed down. His feet moved on their own, light, almost as if guided by the wind.

The first defender approached. A sharp cut to the left.

The second tried to body block. Kelvin twisted his ankle, nutmegged him, and was already past.

Shouts and reactions came from Ian, who watched in awe.

– What the...?

– He's getting past everyone!

Kelvin accelerated. Danilo tried to block, but Kelvin faked a right-foot shot, pulled it with the left, and left the defender completely lost.

Now, only the goalkeeper remained. Kelvin tapped the ball with the outside of his foot, wrong-footing the keeper, and rolled it into the empty goal.

Silence for a second.

Then, a burst of voices.

– DUDE!

– What was that play?!

– You danced with the ball!

Kelvin just took a deep breath. He didn't smile. Didn't pose. But inside, his blood boiled. He was happy, felt complete. He knew perfectly well that, if not for the system... he'd never have pulled that off.

Rafael blew the whistle loudly.

– End of training! – his voice cut through the noise. Everyone stopped and turned to the coach.

He walked to the center of the court, clipboard now hanging at his side.

– Very good. You all did great today. I saw smart movements, good passes, and above all, teamwork. – His eyes quickly landed on Kelvin, then Ian, before looking back at the group. – But remember: push yourselves to go further!

Rafael then turned to Kelvin.

– Kelvin, great job. Especially that last play. You have good instincts... but let's see if you can keep that up in real training. I really liked what I saw. I want you in the next sessions.

Kelvin nodded silently, watching Rafael say something similar to Ian.

As the others dispersed, laughing, sweating, grabbing their bags, Kelvin glanced briefly at Ian, who stood near the bench with a discreet smile.

– That was... interesting – Ian said, picking up his water bottle.

Kelvin shrugged.

– Well, it was only our first training.

The session was over. But for Kelvin, it was the beginning of his new "self."

And the system, as if reading his thoughts, flashed again:

[Mission Complete: Make a Good First Impression]

[Level Up: 1 → 2]

[New Mission Unlocked: "Earn Your Spot in the Starting Lineup"]

[Difficulty: Easy]

[Reward: +50 XP]

Kelvin took a deep breath and, looking again at the system, noticed the stat window open:

[Upon leveling up, all your stats increased by 3]

[XP required for next level: 200]

[Strength: 9.2 / 10]

[Speed: 10 / 10]

[Stamina: 9.3 / 10]

[Body Control: 10 / 10]

[Flexibility: 9.8 / 10]

[Balance: 10 / 10]

[Muscle Recovery: 9.8 / 10]

After reading all his stats, Kelvin quickly questioned himself:

– Am I about to beat the system? Everything's almost at 10... – he murmured to himself while grabbing his things to head home.

But as he left the school court, Kazana watched him. Every step. Every move.

And as soon as Kelvin was out of sight, Kazana punched the wall hard. Then picked up the soccer ball... and started training alone.