The night before the match.
Milovan Rajevac called the national team players into his room and offered them advice.
They could not sleep due to tension.
"What is there to fear? The opponent is a tiger without teeth. No, more like a cat without claws."
"But coach, what if Ho-young starts?"
The Ghana players feared Ho-young.
Many had been completely torn apart in front of him.
He was especially terrifying for defenders.
Some players could not sleep late into the night because of that.
With a place in the semifinals within reach, the tension only intensified.
Rajevac, on the other hand, remained composed.
"No, I am certain. This is reliable information. Ho-young is not in condition to play a full match yet."
He rated their chances of victory quite highly.
If Ho-young did not play even 45 minutes, they had a strong chance.
The experts shared the same view.
Against Ghana's powerful midfield, it was obvious what would happen if Ho-young did not feature.
And they succeeded in scoring the valuable opener.
But.
"Damn."
He came on earlier than expected.
Rajevac had thought he would enter at halftime at the earliest, not ten minutes sooner.
It is too early to change tactics.
He had planned to widen the gap to at least two goals. That plan was now ruined.
They had to hold on for the remaining ten minutes until halftime.
Rajevac inhaled deeply.
His breathing quickened.
His judgment began to blur.
With a semifinal spot hanging in the balance, it was only natural.
Past 9 PM.
Every second ticked by with suffocating tension.
All he could do was watch in silence.
The crowd held their breath as well.
Then.
Yes.
Rajevac raised his hand and requested a substitution.
The changes came as Ghana were awarded a corner.
[Korea]
[OUT 20. Lee Dong-goo]
[IN 10. Ho-young]
[Ghana]
[OUT 7. Samuel Inkoom]
[IN 13. Andre Ayew]
Andre Ayew, who replaced Samuel Inkoom, was a winger but had enough defensive ability to play as a wing-back.
That was why Rajevac brought him on.
[It appears they intend to hold out for the remaining ten minutes.]
[Yes. They are giving up on attack and focusing on defense. That gives us some relief.]
Ghana's blazing momentum began to fade the moment Ho-young stepped onto the pitch.
The crowd erupted, chanting his name.
It was not just the Red Devils supporters.
Many South African fans joined in.
Most supported Ghana as a fellow African nation, but quite a few cheered for Korea.
More precisely, they cheered for Ho-young.
[Ho-young enters. The atmosphere is overwhelming.]
[The tension is palpable. Ghana's players are clearly aware of him.]
The commentator was right.
The defenders already looked nervous.
Even Essien, who had played in numerous major tournaments including a Champions League final, bit his lower lip in tension.
He came on earlier than expected.
Essien exhaled roughly as he fixed his gaze on Ho-young.
I did not expect to face him at the World Cup, not just in the Champions League.
In truth, Essien had long wanted to face him.
It was the natural competitive spirit of a footballer.
Curiosity born from not having faced him before.
Of course, he never thought he could easily beat him.
He knew Ho-young's ability well and had heard how he overwhelmed Patrick Vieira.
He had also been stunned watching him dismantle Mascherano and Gattuso.
Since then, he occasionally watched his matches when he had time.
He truly considered him extraordinary.
Before retiring, he had wanted to face him at least once.
And Essien himself was in his prime.
At 27, not yet at his absolute peak, but strong enough to have led Chelsea to a domestic double last season.
It has been a while since I have had a proper challenge.
He clenched his teeth.
He looked like a beast.
Ho-young stared back at him.
[Michael Essien]
[Possessed Talents: Buffalo on the Field (T), Midfield Domination of the Buffalo (U), Incredible Stamina (S+3), Fearsome Physicality (S+), Innately Gifted African Musculature (S-), (More...)]
(You may acquire one talent upon meeting the conditions.)
(Acquiring a T-grade Title grants partial sensory abilities. Must be at least 18 years old.)
(S-grade or higher requires hidden conditions.)
(Condition 1: Win the match)
(Condition 2: Be selected as MOM)
(Condition 3: Record a goal or assist)
(Condition 4: Do not lose possession to Michael Essien more than twice)
(Hidden condition unlocks after acquiring at least one talent)
(Special Condition
(Special Condition
If Gattuso was a raging bull, Essien was a buffalo.
His midfield control was extraordinary. In one match against Manchester United, he had not allowed a single shot on target.
It proved he was the best box-to-box midfielder.
That was why Ho-young wanted to face him.
As expected, there were many desirable talents.
Midfield domination, and especially Innately Gifted African Musculature (S-), were highly appealing.
Recently, as his technical skills had developed rapidly, Ho-young had begun to feel the limits of his body.
He knew how to run faster, but sometimes it felt as if his body could not fully keep up.
If he acquired physical-related talents, he could use his existing abilities more efficiently.
For today, I will focus on the unique talent first.
He rotated his ankle lightly for a final check.
His condition was good.
The ankle posed no real issue, and he could play about 60 minutes without pushing too hard.
Whistle.
The match resumed.
At the same time, Ho-young's voice reached Park Ji-seok.
"Hyung, I will take the near post."
"Okay. Ki-hun and Du-rim, watch for the counter. Let's get one back before halftime."
"Yes."
36th minute.
About 12 minutes remained until halftime.
[Ghana's corner kick.]
[Kevin-Prince Boateng stands over it. He strikes it.]
Boateng was confident with set pieces.
But the corner did not come in.
Instead.
[A low pass rolled outside the penalty area.]
A powerful ground pass shot toward the edge of the box.
Sulley Muntari and Essien, both capable of long-range strikes, were waiting.
Given Ho-young's exceptional defensive positioning, sending in an aerial ball was risky.
That was why they targeted the edge of the box.
[The ball falls to Essien. He controls it.]
[They must block it.]
Tap.
A clean touch.
True to his versatility, Essien's first touch was excellent.
With that single touch, he created the perfect angle for a long-range shot.
Without hesitation, he struck it.
A slight smile formed at the corner of his mouth.
That is in.
The moment it left his foot, he felt certain.
But.
Thud.
Something unbelievable happened.
The powerful shot, which should have driven toward goal, instead soared high into the air.
[Blocked. Was that Ho-young?]
[Yes, it is Ho-young.]
Stationed near the post, Ho-young had sprinted out of the box and blocked the shot with his body.
A true free role.
[He never disappoints.]
[Still not over. Stay focused.]
The danger was not finished.
Muntari collected the loose ball and laid it off to Andre Ayew, initiating a second phase.
If Korea had won it back, a counter-attack was possible.
But.
Tap.
[Andre Ayew passes backward. Are they choosing to run down the clock?]
It was Rajevac's instruction to avoid risks and circulate the ball.
Essien began dictating the tempo from midfield.
We just need to hold for ten minutes. The flow is still ours.
Maintaining control was crucial.
So Essien slowed the tempo and asserted himself in midfield.
Then.
"Essien. Behind."
He had no time to turn for the back pass.
A chilling presence was already at his back.
Ho-young.
Once again.
Like an octopus, he slipped a foot in from behind and stole the ball.
When did he get there?
Before he could process it, the tempo surged.
Essien did not give up.
His strengths were physicality and mentality.
Technically, he was no slouch either.
The moment he lost possession, he chased Ho-young down.
He was not an elite tackler like a pure defender, but he trusted his physical duels and persistence.
At that moment.
He grabbed Ho-young's arm and stretched out his long leg to win the ball.
But Ho-young did not yield in a physical battle.
Physically, he even had the advantage.
Their shoulders collided.
Thud.
And Essien was the one pushed back.
He groaned.
For a moment, his head spun and his stomach churned.
He had battled many players, but never someone this strong yet flexible.
And Ho-young was Asian.
It felt as if he combined the best traits of elite physical players.
From that point, momentum shifted.
Within ten minutes, midfield belonged to Ho-young.
In that brief span, Essien could do nothing.
The tide had already turned.
Fortunately, by reinforcing their defense, Ghana avoided conceding.
Whistle.
The halftime whistle saved them.
Essien gasped for air as he hurried into the locker room.
He no longer felt the desire to test himself against Ho-young.
And the biggest problem was that there were still 45 minutes left.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)