Soccer System: All the Skills, One Player!

Lucas looked at the system panel, pleased to see the completion notification appear.

[Session 1 completed!]

[Reward: 5 Attribute Points added].

[Next Session will be released in 1 week].

He was wet, and his muscles were tense, but it hadn't been that bad. Perhaps because he had been the first?

Lucy was sitting on the edge of the pool, fiddling with her goggles. She looked at Lucas, who seemed exhausted.

"You really don't joke when you say you're going to give it your all, do you?" Lucy commented with a half-smile, still impressed by his dedication.

Lucas shrugged, laughing. "If there's one thing I've learned from soccer, it's that when you commit to something, go all the way."

Lucy nodded in agreement, but her smile soon gave way to a more serious look. "You know you're trying really hard, don't you? I don't want to sound annoying, but it's important not to overdo it."

"I know, Lucy." He smiled to reassure her. "That's why I'm training with a simple plan. And if I need help, I know you'll be here to remind me not to overdo it."

She laughed lightly, feeling less worried.

As the two of them collected their belongings, Lucas noticed that the girls in the club were still whispering amongst themselves, looking at him and Lucy. Although he was used to the attention because of the soccer, he felt a slight discomfort when he realized Lucy might be uncomfortable with it, after all, he was supposed to give an answer after that afternoon on the terrace and couldn't decide what to do.

"Hey, Lucy." He called out as they left the pool area. "Would you like some hot chocolate? It's cold outside, and I think we deserve it after that workout."

Lucy paused for a moment, surprised by the invitation.

"Do you want a hot chocolate?" she asked, a little suspicious, but with a small smile.

"Of course! The weather's perfect for it. And besides..." He scratched the back of his head, looking a little guilty. - I guess I owe you that after all the talk about me.

Lucy arched her eyebrows and crossed her arm. "Do you think a hot chocolate will make up because half the girls at the swimming club now think we're dating?"

Lucas was speechless for a moment, his face blushing slightly.

"Well... yeah, maybe that doesn't solve everything..." He laughed, a little awkwardly. "But at least it's a start."

Lucy laughed too, shaking her head. "All right, but you pay."

"Done!" Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire

The two of them left the building together, ignoring the curious stares of those still inside. Outside, the autumn chill made them shiver, having just come out of the hot pool.

When they entered the campus cafeteria, the warm atmosphere immediately warmed them up. They sat at a table by the window, watching the rain falling outside.

While they waited for their drinks, Lucy looked at Lucas and smiled. "You know, I never thought you enjoyed swimming so much. You're not doing it to try..."

"What?! No, of course not. I mean..."

Lucy laughed at the embarrassed way Lucas tried to express himself. He exhaled.

"Actually, I liked it a lot when I was younger." Lucas replied, leaning his elbows on the table. "But over time, soccer took over everything. I kind of... put aside the other things I liked."

"And now? Do you think you can balance two things, or do you only have eyes for soccer?"

Lucas was silent for a moment, thinking about her ambiguous question. He knew the answer wasn't as simple as "yes" or "no".

"I honestly don't know," he admitted, leaning his elbows on the table and interlacing his fingers. "Football has always been my focus. It's my dream, you know? But... There are days when I wonder if I'll be able to balance other things in life, like... friendships, hobbies, or even..." He stopped talking, his face blushing a little. "Well, you get the idea."

Lucy rested her chin on her hand and smiled softly. "I get it. I think it's normal to feel this way. Big dreams require enormous sacrifices, right?"

Lucas nodded slowly. "I feel that as long as I don't achieve my goal of becoming a professional, everything will remain unknown. You can't think about balance if the dream still seems so... distant. I don't know if that makes sense."

Lucy laughed softly, leaning forward a little more. "It makes sense, yes. I think the important thing is to keep moving forward, even if it's one step at a time."

Lucas smiled back, relieved to hear that. "Thank you, Lucy. It's good to know that you understand."

She raised her little finger towards him; her face serious despite the relaxed gesture. "So, let's make a promise."

Lucas blinked, confused. "Promise? What kind of promise?"

"A simple one. You promise that when you turn professional, you'll give me an answer. And I promise that I'll keep trying so that your answer becomes what I expect."

Lucas lifted his little finger and intertwined it with hers. "I promise."

"Promise." replied Lucy, laughing as their fingers loosened.

The waiter arrived with the hot chocolates, and they both settled into their chairs. They chatted for a while longer, exchanging stories and laughs while the rain continued outside. The cozy atmosphere of the coffee was a perfect contrast to the cold, damp weather outside, and Lucas felt grateful for that moment. For a moment, he allowed himself to forget his worries about the system, training, and the future. There, with Lucy, everything seemed simpler.

When they had finished, they both got up and prepared to face the cold outside again. Lucas paid the bill, as he had promised, and the two of them walked through the campus together until they went their separate ways.

-:-

The weeks following the start of the special training were intense for Lucas Tanaka. Every day seemed like a struggle to balance training at the club, the academic routine and the intensive training sessions provided by the system.

On the pitch, Lucas also reaped the rewards of his efforts. Brighton U-20, under Jimenez, continued to impress in the national and international championships. The team excelled in the group stage of the Champions Youth League and maintained their lead in the domestic league.

Brighton's style of play mixed with intensity and creativity, and Lucas, in the center of midfield, was the mastermind behind the most brilliant moves.

During a thrilling match against Chelsea U20, Lucas surprised everyone by dribbling past three players in a row before finishing into the goalkeeper's bottom right-hand corner. The move went viral on social media, earning praise from sports commentators and fans alike.

Little by little, Lucas Tanaka's name was mentioned in a wider circle. Scouts from professional clubs were present at almost every Brighton game, and post-match interviews always included questions about the Japanese prodigy.

Jimenez and Eddie made a point of protecting Lucas and the other players from too much pressure, but the attention was unavoidable.

Although Lucas was the centerpiece, Brighton's success was a team effort. Aidan, the left-back, stood out for the way he was quick and had a great right leg, with which he took good shots; Arthur, the center-forward, scored goals in almost every game he started, establishing himself as the team's top scorer - although Willian was always playing a few games.

At the back, Daniel Riber and Luiz Fernando formed the solid starting duo, providing security and organization. Anton, the goalkeeper, was one hero in several matches, with spectacular saves that saved the team at crucial moments.

The chemistry between the players, combined with the efforts of the coaching staff, made Brighton a finely tuned machine.

With a brilliant campaign that was exceeding expectations, Brighton was recognized throughout Europe as one of the best youth teams.

Articles in sports newspapers highlighted the "Brighton Revolution" and credited the success to a combination of individual talent and an innovative tactical system. Lucas was nicknamed "The Japanese Machinist", a title he accepted with humility because of the papers said that Brighton was doing well when Lucas was doing well.

In addition, Lucas' interaction with his teammates strengthened the atmosphere in the dressing room. He became close friends with Miguel and Felix and everyone noticed his leadership.

Off the pitch, he continued to train intensely with training sessions.

So those two months flew by and, before the boys knew it, the most important stage of the year had arrived: the Champions Youth League playoffs.

Brighton had had a good campaign and even managed a win against Dortmund in their second group game, but this wasn't enough for them to top the group on goal difference. As a result, Brighton came second and that meant they had to play a team that came first in one group.

That afternoon, after training, all the team's players gathered in front of a television in the Brighton dressing room. They were eager to know who they would face in the Round of 16 of the Champions Youth League.

Would it be Bayern? Barcelona? Some English team they'd already played against? Liverpool and Chelsea were both alive and leading their groups, so it wouldn't be surprising.