For three days straight, Winston had been training his shooting techniques with Oswin's help and Dumi's constructive guidance. The shooting skill he had purchased from the Skill Shop had become almost second nature after countless repetitions. Through trial and error, he had also learned how to combine the dead-ball technique with a placed shot, eventually turning it into something uniquely his own.
He named the technique Spear, after a nickname he had once heard people use for his father on the football field when Winston was a child.
"Yo, Wis," Oswin called from his side of the bed.
"Yeah? What's up?"
"Do you think Atlas Zebalini will accept me as a protégé? How did you convince Dumi to take you on as a student?"
Winston stepped out of the bathroom, his attention shifting toward Oswin.
"Well, I got some help from his daughter. Since Atlas is Dumi's friend, I'm sure Dumi will vouch for you."
Oswin rolled onto his side and propped his head up with one hand. "I don't know, bro. Maybe I should find out if Atlas has a daughter so she can vouch for me too." He yawned. "How do you keep up with this kind of training? It's exhausting. I've never felt this tired in my life. Anyway, I c—"
Oswin drifted off to sleep before he could finish his sentence.
Winston chuckled softly. He sat on his bed, picked up his phone from the bedside table, and dialed home. The phone rang three times. Just as he was about to hang up, a soft female voice answered.
"Dalely household, hello?"
Relieved that someone had finally picked up, Winston smiled. "Hey, Mom. It's me, Winston."
"Hey, honey. I was worried you'd forgotten about us."
"I'm sorry. I've been busy with training. I tried calling earlier, but nobody was picking up."
"Sorry about that. We've been busy with Anita's schoolwork and work."
A sudden cough came through the phone. Winston's expression changed. "Are you okay, Mom. You should see a doctor. I'm worried about that flu."
"Cough... I'll be fine. Maybe I just need some rest. I've been working a lot lately. Don't worry, though. I'll make some green tea." She paused. "Enough about me. How's training going over there?"
"You know, Mom... it's training." Winston chuckled. "The league is on a four-week break, so we're focusing on training for now."
"Oh, that's good. You should take some time to enjoy the scenery, too."
"I already did."
"And how are Anita and Dad?"
"They're doing well. Your father has been taking more hours at work, and Anita is still the same—always going shopping with her friends."
Winston smiled. "Okay. I miss you guys."
"Cough... cough, cough..." His mother's voice softened. "We miss you too. If you feel lonely, don't forget to call home. I'll make sure we pick up."
"I will. Listen, Mom, I have to go. Please take care of that flu, okay? I love you."
"I will, honey. I love you too."
"Bye."
"Bye."
Winston ended the call and sat quietly for a moment. Then he walked toward the open sliding door leading to the balcony. The warm, dark-orange sunlight bathed the side of the hotel as the sun descended toward the horizon. Winston leaned against the railing, taking in the breathtaking view.
For a few moments, he simply enjoyed the scenery. Then he summoned the Core System. Thanks to this week's training, I've improved a lot with my shooting. His eyes moved across the interface. Now I need to find a way to earn more reward points.
He frowned. But the Core System hasn't given me any new challenges that reward points.
Ding!
[Nethen Essence: 74%]
[Voltage Core: 74%]
[Shooting]
Shooting: 70
Att. Position: 70
Finishing: 67
Shot Power: 50
Long Shots: 70
Volleys: 66
Penalties: 65
From starting with such low stats to reaching seventy in just a few weeks... Even Nethen Essence and Voltage are on their way to reaching ninety. I need to keep improving my skills if I want a better chance of being noticed by the senior club scouts. After my match with Maximilian, I need to at least become the top scorer in the league. I'm truly grateful to this system. I don't know where it came from or what its purpose is, but I'm grateful.
Winston closed the Core System and returned to his usual routine. He successfully broke his previous record, increasing it from one hundred to one hundred and eighty push-ups.
Afterward, his gaze swept over his sculpted muscles before settling on the thick, circular weight strapped around his ankle. He had completely forgotten about the ankle weights while training with Oswin until—he brought them up. Winston explained that they were part of his training and admitted that he'd almost forgotten he was still wearing them. Of course, the extra weight affected his kicking power. When Winston told Dumi about the problem, Dumi simply told him that he needed to overcome it.
Easier said than done, walking and running with the ankle weights had gradually become manageable, but controlling the ball with them was an entirely different matter. Trapping a high ball was especially difficult. The added weight made it harder for Winston to lift his leg quickly and maintain control of the ball.
Honestly, that had been the most painstaking part of his training. He had spent half a day repeatedly practicing the same drills until his movements became more natural. Despite learning how to maneuver with the ankle weights, his kicking power had dropped from sixty to fifty.
But it wasn't a total loss. Winston had developed much greater control over his body. He could now strike the ball from different angles outside the box, and his accuracy had improved to a level that he believed could attract the attention of senior club scouts. After completing his training routine, Winston opened the Core System again.
I haven't checked my rating or potential in a while.
He turned his attention toward the screen.
Ding!
[Stats]
Name: Daley Winston
Age: 19
Weak Foot: 2
Foot: Right
Profession: Footballer
Team: Westminster F.C. (Under twenty-one team)
Player Rating: 86
Position: Center forward.
Potential: 89
Acceleration [Voltage Core: 74%]
Sprint Speed [Voltage Core: 74%]
Shooting
Passing
Dribbling
Physical [Nethen Essence: 74%]
Reward Points: 05
Acquired skills
Skills moves: None.
Winston's eyes widened. His rating and potential had finally reached the range of a scouters. He stood up and paced around the room, barely able to contain his excitement. He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs. All the hard work he had put in over the past few weeks had finally paid off.
Drenched in sweat, Winston watched as the sun slowly rose over the horizon, its warm light spilling into his room. He stood there quietly, soaking in its gentle heat. As he recalled all the obstacles he had faced, a deep sense of gratitude filled him. Somehow, he had overcome every one of them. He grabbed his gym bag and left for the training ground.
When he arrived, however, he noticed there was no training equipment scattered across the field.
Dumi's voice suddenly jolted him. "Kid, we're not training today." Winston turned around. "We're going to the beach. We need to relax. I don't want what happened to your legs to happen to your entire body."
"Should I call Oswin?"
"No. Atlas is on his way to your room. I suspect they'll be training today."
"Oh, yeah. You said he was coming today."
"Yep." Dumi grinned. "When I mentioned your teammate's name, you should've seen Atlas. His interest immediately peeked. Apparently, he's been keeping tabs on him. He first noticed Oswin before the senior club picked him up. That kid was already making a name for himself. Too bad he got injured and had to spend the entire year on the sidelines."
Winston stared at Dumi in surprise. He had known Oswin was talented among the youth players, but he hadn't realized he was that well-known. If a football legend like Atlas had been keeping an eye on him, Oswin's reputation clearly extended far beyond the academy.
"Wow... I didn't know he was that popular. I knew he was one of the most skilled and popular players among our teammates, but I didn't think he was popular enough for football legends to keep an eye on him."
"But you're just as skilled as him now," Dumi said. "It's just that you haven't realized it yet."
Dumi opened the driver's-side door of his SUV. Winston paused for a moment. He had never really compared his abilities to Oswin's before. He opened the passenger door and climbed inside. "I hope so. Because I'm aiming to become the best player in the club... and in the league."
Dumi grinned as he started the engine. "Then you'd better show off everything you've learned over the past few weeks when you face that kid a week from now."
[User Daily Challenge]
[Score: 00/04]
[Goal heading: 00/01]
[Cripple Maximilian]