Gazing at the scoreboard above the field, Winston held his chest and took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself. The white silhouette approached and raised its hand. High five—Winston returned the gesture, then glanced at the silhouette curiously.
How did it know where I was going to pass the ball?
As he jogged behind it, Winston shook his head and remembered that he still had four goals left to complete the challenge. I need to conserve my strength.
He looked around the field. It seemed larger than it had been during the initial Plain Simulation. Has the field expanded?
The burly silhouette received the ball and passed it to the black silhouette beside it. It stared at Winston for several seconds before sending another pass backward to one of the two silhouettes positioned behind it. The white silhouette immediately moved to intercept. The moment the black silhouettes noticed it approaching, they began passing the ball rapidly between themselves, forcing the white silhouette to chase from one side to the other. Then the formation changed. A long, rectangular passing pattern formed around the white silhouette.
Tiki-taka...
The black silhouettes passed the ball with frightening precision, moving it around the rectangle so quickly that the white silhouette couldn't close them down. Winston watched from outside the formation.
They're making a fool of it.
But Winston failed to notice one important detail. The burly silhouette had been watching him ever since the challenge began. During the previous Plain Simulation, Winston had relied heavily on instinct and luck. He had been talented, but he wasn't much of a tactician. The burly silhouette had recognized that weakness and was now using it against him.
Recognizing an opening, Winston sprinted toward the burly silhouette, which had its back turned toward him. The silhouette glanced over its shoulder. For a moment, Winston could have sworn it smirked. Instead of controlling the incoming ball, the burly silhouette deliberately allowed it to roll between its legs.
Winston stepped forward—only for the ball to continue between his own legs. He froze—the black silhouettes had trapped him inside the rectangular passing formation alongside the white silhouette.
Damn it!
The two of them chased the ball relentlessly, for what seem like hours. Winston's legs grew heavier with every step. His breathing became ragged, and sweat soaked through his clothes. Eventually, he dropped onto one knee, gasping for air. He looked toward the white silhouette.
It was still moving, still marking—still chasing.
How is it still going?
A strange buzzing sound suddenly entered Winston's ears. It resembled the vibrating string of a sine wave. The closer the white silhouette moved toward the ball, the clearer the sound became.
Winston frowned—then he heard something else, the ball brushing against the grass. He slowly lifted his head. , For some reason, he could hear everything. The movement of the ball, the shifting feet of the black silhouettes.
The subtle changes in their positioning, even the instant one of them prepared to receive a pass—Winston stopped covering his ears.
I can hear them...
The strange buzzing continued for another few seconds. Winston's eyes snapped open. A grin spread across his face. I can hear their movements. He pushed himself to his feet. The burly silhouette stood nearby as the ball approached.
Winston exhaled slowly, then he moved. He closed the distance and intercepted the ball before the burly silhouette could reach it. The black silhouettes froze for a fraction of a second. Then two of them immediately sprinted toward Winston.
Winston remained calm. As the first defender approached, he performed an elastico, sending the silhouette the wrong way. The second rushed in from the side. Winston flicked the ball past him and accelerated down the left side of the field. The white silhouette moved through the center, occasionally glancing toward Winston.
They're marking me heavily.
Winston lowered his shoulder. A quick body feint sent the nearest silhouette shifting the wrong way. He immediately crossed the ball toward the white silhouette. The pass was slightly overhit. But the white silhouette accelerated effortlessly. It reached the ball before it could roll out and shielded it with its body, spreading its arms wide to protect possession. Inside the penalty area, the white silhouette suddenly flicked the ball backward with a precise heel kick.
Winston was already there, he planted his foot. The shot rocketed toward the upper corner. The ball struck the back of the net.
Thwack!
[Plain challenge: 02 : 01]
Winston lifted his head and celebrated with the white silhouette before they both jogged back toward their side of the field. Still exhausted, Winston wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Oh my God... what was that?
For a brief moment, his hearing had become incredibly sharp. He could tell when the black silhouettes were passing or receiving the ball simply by listening to the movement around him.
Was that another ability?
Before he could think about it any further, the ball resurfaced. This time, the black silhouettes didn't play around. The white silhouette seemed to notice their sudden change in attitude as well.
The match continued. For what felt like hours, the two sides exchanged goals. Winston's strange abilities continued appearing at random intervals. Sometimes his vision sharpened, allowing him to see thin lines highlighting weaknesses in the black silhouettes. Other times, his hearing became incredibly sensitive, allowing him to track the movement of the ball and anticipate passes before they happened.
But the abilities never appeared together. They came and went within seconds, switching without warning. Then something else happened. Winston's mind suddenly began producing ideas faster than he could process them.
Move there, Pass now—Draw that defender out. Every decision seemed to lead toward a favorable outcome. What the hell is this?
That ability disappeared almost as quickly as it had appeared. Winston was beginning to understand.
The Core isn't just improving my body.
Whatever was happening to him, the system seemed to be unlocking different aspects of his potential one at a time. But there was a problem, his body was reaching its limit. Winston glanced toward the scoreboard, hoping to see some indication of a halftime break. He dropped to one knee, breathing heavily as his vision began to blur.
Come on... I need a break.
Then something strange appeared in front of him. An internal ripple began deep within Winston's abdomen. It spread outward through his body in a powerful wave, traveling beneath his skin and through every muscle and organ until it finally reached his head.
His eyes widened. No way. He stared at the abdomen in disbelief.
My energy has returned.
The exhaustion suddenly felt different. His body was still drenched in sweat, but the overwhelming fatigue that had been crushing him moments earlier began to fade. Winston slowly stood, He clenched and unclenched his fists.
His breathing steadied. I don't feel tired anymore. A grin slowly spread across his face. For a moment, he had genuinely thought he was finished.
Thank you, Core System.
He looked toward the black silhouettes.
Four opponents—one teammate. And several goals still separating him from completing the challenge. Winston rolled his shoulders and took a deep breath.
I'm not done yet.
[Plain challenge: 04 : 04]
This is the hardest challenge yet. I've never played this much in any game. Even Dumi and Boris's training has nothing on this.
Those abilities... What were they? For a few seconds, I could hear, see, and think on an entirely different level. How did I even come up with those plays?
And without the white silhouette, I'd be in serious trouble. Even if the Core System restores my health, I wouldn't be able to score these four goals alone. When I get back to reality, I need to write down everything I learned here. Winston glanced toward the burly silhouette. For now, I need to beat that guy. He seems to be the captain of the others. Judging by the way he's playing, my guess is right—the Core has been studying my movements and adapting to my training.
Whatever. I only need one more goal. Then this challenge is over. Winston initiated the next play.
When the ball returned to him, he immediately carried it down the right side of the field before sending a high pass toward the white silhouette positioned on the far left. The white silhouette controlled the ball with its chest, cushioning it before letting it drop to the ground. Two black silhouettes closed in immediately, leaving it with almost no room to maneuver.
They forced the white silhouette deeper into its own half. Winston received the return pass on the opposite side and encountered the same problem. The burly silhouette stepped forward, constantly testing him with its superior strength.
Fortunately, Winston could withstand the physical pressure. The Core's health recovery was keeping his body from collapsing under the strain. He dribbled deeper into his own half, searching for an escape route, but the two black silhouettes continued closing him down.
Winston glanced toward his left. The white silhouette suddenly shifted its body.
A quick feint, then another. It burst past the two black silhouettes, leaving them behind.
Now!
Winston lowered his center of gravity and shielded the ball. The burly silhouette charged forward. It used its brute strength to shove Winston ahead, forcing him to release the ball several meters farther than intended.
Winston twisted his body—then he struck. The ball curled through the air toward the white silhouette, which was already sprinting toward the opposite side of the field.
The white silhouette met the pass in stride, It didn't slow down. Instead, it triggered its run and accelerated toward the penalty area. Winston watched as the distance between the silhouette and the goal rapidly disappeared.
The ball slammed into the back of the net. Winston clenched his fists.
One more.
Thwack!
[Plain challenge: 05 : 04]
[Congratulation]
[The Core Plane challenge: Completed]
[Winston vs The Core]
[05/05 Goals]
[User reward: 60 points]
[The awakening: Innate Terra]
[The awakening: Spatial Zenith]
[The awakening: Absolute]
[Innate Terra: 10%]
[Spatial Zenith: 10%]
[Absolute: 10%]
[Now exiting The Core Plane]