[The Core Plain challenge]
[0/05 Goals]
After the entire experience of being suspended in the air finally ended, Winston wondered what kind of challenge awaited him this time. Judging by the previous challenge, he was nervous that the Core would force him through something even more difficult.
He took several deep breaths and prepared himself. Once the strange airborne sensation disappeared, Winston opened his eyes and performed a few breathing exercises.
"Let's do this. I'm ready." He looked to his left. A white silhouette was suspended in midair. A moment later, it dropped toward the ground.
Thud!
It landed in a crouch before slowly standing. Winston studied it carefully. That must be my teammate.
His gaze shifted toward the opposite side of the field. Four black silhouettes stood there. Unlike the previous challenge, they weren't motionless. Winston's excitement grew when the ball suddenly appeared at the center of the field. He felt more confident this time. He wanted to test a theory.
He passed the ball to the white silhouette standing beside him. The silhouette moved naturally, trapping the ball before passing it straight back. Winston's eyes widened. It can actually play without no restriction.
The moment Winston touched the ball, the four black silhouettes began moving. They weren't waiting for him to enter their range anymore. They were reacting to his movements. The white silhouette quickly crossed the halfway line and moved toward the far left side of the field. Winston was both astonished and relieved.
So I don't have to control it myself.
He focused on the nearest black silhouette—a burly figure positioned toward the front. Winston accelerated, his feet moved rapidly, performing a series of quick touches before he shifted the ball to one side and burst past the defender.
The black silhouette stumbled behind him. Winston couldn't help but marvel at his own agility. I'm faster than before. He sprinted toward another black silhouette and attempted to slide the ball past it. But this time, the defender reacted. It intercepted the ball cleanly and immediately passed it to another black silhouette.
The second silhouette trapped the ball. Winston narrowed his eyes. The white silhouette immediately moved to mark the ball carrier. As he watched, Winston realized something.
It's copying me.
The white silhouette was using the same movements Winston had relied on during the previous Core challenge. It darted across the field with the ball, dribbling along the edge of the penalty area. Its footwork was smooth and agile.
Then it performed a sudden change of direction. The nearby black silhouette practically had its ankles broken—figuratively, of course. The white silhouette continued along the left side of the box before sending the ball toward Winston. But Winston was caught between two black silhouettes. He stretched out his leg.
Tap!
The ball struck the inside of his foot and narrowly missed the goal. Winston clapped his hands in frustration.
"Damn it!"
The white silhouette approached and grabbed him beneath the arm, helping him back to his feet. Winston froze for a moment. It felt almost human. He glanced at the silhouette in disbelief, it was a sold figure. embarrassed by the opportunity he had just wasted.
The two jogged back toward their side of the field. Winston glanced over his shoulder. The black silhouettes were moving freely now. And he noticed something else. His right side was completely open.
If I move farther to the right, maybe the white silhouette will follow me.
Winston shifted toward the right side of the field. His plan was simple. I'll bait the central defender toward me. Then the white silhouette and I can attack together. good thing this plan also works in defense too, for now I will play as defense midfielder. shifting his gaze next to him, And the white silhouette will play as a defender, so when it time to quick attack I will bait some of these guys.
They could almost play a game of tag with the defenders—one attacking while the other dropped back to cover. It wasn't a perfect strategy. There were still four black silhouettes. If all four attacked simultaneously, the plan would collapse. The ball suddenly appeared again. The burly black silhouette at the front sprinted toward the center of the field, lightly tapping the ball between its feet.
Two other black silhouettes followed behind. Winston's eyes sharpened. For a split second, his vision seemed to slow. He saw the burly silhouette preparing to pass.
Whoosh!
The sharp sound of the ball skimming across the field seemed to echo directly through Winston's ears. He rubbed them in confusion.
What was that?
When he looked up again, the white silhouette had already engaged the ball carrier. But the black silhouette was faster than expected. It performed an elastico and burst forward. The burly silhouette entered the penalty area before abruptly stopping the ball beneath its cleats. Then it looked back at Winston. Winston stared at it, the silhouette didn't shoot. Instead, it calmly passed the ball backward to one of the two black silhouettes following behind. Winston couldn't help chuckling.
Are you seriously playing with me?
He stared directly at the faceless figure. "Okay. Game on. Now you're speaking my language."
Winston and the white silhouette immediately moved to surround the two black players. They pressed from opposite sides, attempting to force an error. It reminded Winston of his previous challenge, when he had easily overwhelmed the black silhouettes. But these opponents were different.
They adapted—as the ball approached, one black silhouette accelerated toward it and passed immediately to the other. The second silhouette was already moving.
One touch, pass. Another touch—a return pass. Their movements became faster and more coordinated.
Tiki-taka... Winston's expression gradually changed. They're actually playing possession football.
The passing continued. For minutes—then hours. Time had no meaning inside the simulation. There was no clock, no indication of day or night, only artificial sun that the system controls. Winston only knew that his body was getting heavier. His breathing became harsher. Sweat soaked through his clothes.
Why isn't my energy recovering?
Normally, whenever he pushed himself to exhaustion, the core system would restore his energy. But this time, nothing happened. The black silhouettes continued passing. The burly silhouette eventually joined the other two, forming a triangle.
The three moved the ball between themselves with frightening efficiency. Winston struggled to keep up. His legs felt heavy, his lungs burned. The white silhouette moved closer and supported him when he began to stumble. Winston gritted his teeth.
I can't keep doing this.
The burly silhouette suddenly received the ball. Its faceless head tilted slightly toward Winston. Somehow, Winston could almost feel it smiling. The silhouette dribbled the ball toward its waist before twisting its body, then it jumped.
A powerful spinning kick sent the ball screaming across the field. The black silhouette landed smoothly and began walking toward its side of the field. Before leaving, it turned its head toward Winston. It looked him up and down. Almost as if it were disappointed. Winston stood there, exhausted and drenched in sweat. The white silhouette supported him as he struggled to remain upright. For the first time, Winston understood something important.
Maybe I'm approaching this the wrong way.
He didn't necessarily have to score every goal himself. He had a teammate, a teammate who could move independently. A teammate who could imitate his techniques. Winston slowly straightened his back.
If I conserve my strength... His eyes sharpened. Maybe I don't need to be the one scoring the goals. He looked toward the white silhouette. Maybe I should let it do the scoring for me.
[Plain challenge: 00 : 01]
The white silhouette was as agile as Winston and played with a style reminiscent of Oswin's. Winston patted it on the shoulder and gave it a thumbs-up. When the ball appeared, Winston inhaled deeply before walking toward it. He glanced at the white silhouette and nodded.
For a brief moment, Winston's eyes sharpened. Thin lines appeared across the black silhouettes, highlighting their vulnerabilities. At the same time, he noticed the white silhouette sprinting down the flank.
Can it see the same thing I can?
Without hesitation, the white silhouette accelerated down the left side with the ball, skillfully dribbling toward the edge of the penalty area. Winston moved at the same time. He sprinted in a straight line, bursting past the burly silhouette and the other black silhouettes positioned in midfield. They immediately turned and chased after him, attempting to pressure him before he could receive the ball.
As Winston reached the box, he glanced over his shoulder. A black silhouette lunged toward him, but Winston slipped beneath its arm and continued his run. The white silhouette passed the ball toward him. Winston stopped it beneath his foot.
He looked up, the burly silhouette stood several meters away. Winston lifted his hand and slowly curled his fingers, deliberately beckoning it closer. The black silhouette seemed to understand. Seeing Winston breathing heavily, it suddenly charged toward him.
A smirk appeared on Winston's face. At the last possible moment, he flicked the ball between the silhouette's legs. The burly silhouette tried to react, but it was too late. The ball sailed between them and over the head of another black silhouette rushing in to cover. The white silhouette was already there. With perfect timing, it stepped into the ball's path and gently redirected it with the inside of its foot.
The ball rolled toward the open goal.
Thwack!
[Plain challenge: 01 : 01]