On the last day, Winston was moving normally again. He had even joined Boris on his early-morning laps, with Dumi joining them as well. Winston discovered that, like Boris, Dumi had his own morning training routine. The three continued working through the same exercises throughout the day, pushing themselves until sunset.
That evening, the three of them gathered around a small fire beneath a bright full moon, partially obscured by drifting clouds. Boris had prepared a tray of red meat and chicken, placing the pieces over the open flame. The sizzling meat filled the air with an irresistible aroma, and Winston's stomach immediately growled. Dumi lay on the grass nearby with his legs crossed, staring up at the night sky.
[Nethen Essence: 71%]
[Voltage Core: 71%]
Looking over at the Core notification, Winston felt a mixture of emotions. Over the past three days, he had hoped the intense training would increase his Nethen Essence percentage to one hundred percent, or at least bring it close. Poking the fire with a stick, he sighed. Boris noticed immediately.
Throughout the training sessions, Boris had peppered Winston with questions about his life and football career. Dumi hadn't gone into much detail about why he had brought Winston there for one-on-one training, so Boris had gotten most of the information directly from Winston.
"Don't worry about your upcoming match, my friend. You will definitely win. Trust me, the other kid doesn't know what he got himself into," Boris said as he flipped a ribeye steak and some vegetables on the steel grill.
Patting Ivan on the side, Winston calmly replied, "Thank you, Mr. Boris. I hope so. But I don't want to underestimate my opponent."
"True, true." Boris nodded. "That's the best way to look at it. It's better to focus on your own progress." He immediately sucked on his index finger after burning it while flipping the meat.
Dumi, still lying on the grass with his legs crossed, smiled. "I told you, this kid is smart," He sat up and stretched his body. "Anyway, we'll be leaving early tomorrow. Once you're finished with dinner, it's better to go to sleep early."
The smell of the grilled meat filled the air as Boris continued tending to the fire. "And don't take off those ankle weights until match day."
Winston glanced down at the weights strapped around his ankles. "Yes, Coach."
Boris handed Winston a plate filled with meat and grilled vegetables. "Make sure you visit me again if you want more intense training, my young friend. I'll always be here. Me, Ivan, and Anna."
Winston smiled. "Thank you. I definitely will."
By the time morning arrived, Winston had adapted to his unusual schedule. He had started using the late-night hours to work on things he hadn't prioritized before. He researched the Core system online, recorded everything he experienced in his journal, and followed his usual training regimen until sunrise.
He glanced down at his ankle weights and chuckled to himself. These three days taught me a lot about my body's limits. This military-style training is no joke. It's incredibly intense. I'm glad I called Dumi and asked for something more demanding. His expression hardened. When I saw Maximilian and the striker coach, I sensed something... malicious. It was like watching a viper preparing to strike its prey. Especially that grin on his face.
Winston clenched his fists. Tsk. I'll show both of them. I'll become the best striker in the club. I won't be the one sitting on the bench.
On the ground-floor balcony, Dumi slowly swirled the whisky in his glass while gazing up at the clouds.
"Have you heard about the new drug circulating on the black market? Haruto told me about it when I visited him a few weeks ago."
Boris leaned against the opposite side of the balcony.
"When you called me about it, I asked around. Apparently, the drug is still in a trial phase. One kid killed his friend after taking the pill, and there are several other people being used as guinea pigs. I suspect they don't even know about the possible side effects."
He glanced toward Dumi. "Do you suspect someone is using it?"
"No. I want to know where the pill came from." Dumi took a sip of whisky. "Someone I know consumed it, and nothing happened to them."
Dumi's thoughts immediately returned to Winston. He suspected Winston was the person who had taken the pill. He already knew about Winston's sleepless nights and had spent the first week quietly observing him. After investigating the drug, Dumi discovered that its supposed creation didn't coincide with Winston's recovery. He also uncovered additional information about the boy.
Winston stood with his gym bag resting over his shoulder as he descended the stairs. Ivan and Anna immediately rose and followed him through the downstairs hallway. The sound of a creaking door caused both Boris and Dumi, who were standing on the porch balcony, to turn their heads.
Dumi leaned against one of the balcony pillars and finished the last of his whisky. "Boris, keep me posted if you learn anything new." He turned toward Winston. "Let's go, kid. We've got a long way to go before we reach the city."
Winston approached Boris and extended his hand. "Thank you, Mr. Boris, for letting me use your place for private training."
Boris laughed proudly. "You're welcome, my young friend. Make sure you visit again."
Winston crouched down and patted both German Shepherds. "And thank you too, Anna. Ivan. Without you two rooting for me, I wouldn't have made it."
The dogs responded with enthusiastic tail wags and affectionate licks. Winston smiled before standing and walking toward the car.
After they had been driving for a while, Winston noticed something unusual. Dumi wasn't playing his usual smooth jazz. The car remained quiet until they reached the highway leading toward Arlesey City.
"Kid," Dumi said, "this upcoming weekend, I want you to relax. No solo training either. Enjoy the scenery, catch up on some sleep, and learn to take breaks. You need to focus on enjoying your life, too."
"Yes, Coach. I will."
"And it starts now. Once we reach the city, enjoy the hotel and its surroundings."
"Yes, Coach."
Winston wondered why Dumi seemed so cautious, but he quickly dismissed the thought of disobeying him. Dumi was a professional, and Winston trusted his judgment.
I wonder what I'll do this weekend.
Naturally, he could socialize with Oswin, although considering Oswin's reputation for constantly chasing women, Winston wasn't sure that would be the most relaxing option.
Maybe I'll spend some time in the sauna or pool. Or perhaps take another tour of the city.
When they arrived, Dumi dropped Winston off at the hotel entrance. "Remember, no training. Relax."
Winston nodded before heading inside.
Across the road, a black SUV with heavily tinted windows sat parked along the curb. "Ma'am, he's back. Should we approach him again?"
Sitting cross-legged in the back seat, Diana examined the documents spread across her lap without looking up. "No. We've already spoken to the client. Let's head back to headquarters for now. Winston will call us when he's ready."
"Yes, ma'am."
As Winston entered the hotel, he immediately noticed something strange. The ground floor was packed. What happened? He approached one of the youths lingering nearby. "Excuse me, what happened? Why are there so many people here?"
"Huh? Oh, there were some guys playing football on the ground floor, man. It was intense."
Winston frowned. Football? Inside the hotel?
He asked the youth for more information, but the boy didn't seem to know much. By the time Winston arrived, the match was already drawing to a close. He carefully made his way through the crowd, scanning the spectators for a familiar face. After a while, he passed a group of youths excitedly discussing what they had just witnessed. The crowd seemed to be everywhere, making it difficult for him to move through the packed floor.
Eventually, Winston reached the receptionist's desk. The hotel required every player to report whenever they left or returned to the premises. The receptionist would then relay that information to the head coach. The crowd still hadn't dispersed. Winston glanced around one last time before heading to his room. Once inside, he returned to his usual routine.
He read, he journaled, he exercised. And he continued until morning.