The training ground looked different that morning.
Not bigger.
Not louder.
But heavier.
The air carried a strange tension that every player could feel the moment they stepped onto the pitch. Conversations were quieter. Footsteps slower. Eyes sharper.
Lamii felt it too.
Today wasn't a normal match.
Today was the ego test.
The large digital board beside the field flickered to life again. Players gathered around it instinctively. No one wanted to miss what was coming next.
The words appeared slowly across the screen.
EGO TEST—LEADERSHIP MATCH
Two leaders.
Two teams.
One rule: Win by controlling the game.
Another line appeared.
Players may change teams at any moment if they believe another leader gives them a better chance to win.
A wave of murmurs rippled through the group.
"That's insane."
"People are going to betray each other."
"Trust won't exist in this match."
Lamii stared at the screen.
So this was the real test.
Not just skill.
Control.
Behind the players, Coach Salva stepped forward with his usual calm expression.
"You all saw the rankings," he said.
His eyes moved slowly across the group before stopping on two players.
Lamii.
Papii.
"You are both labeled as threats."
Papii smirked.
Lamii remained quiet.
Salva continued.
"Today we will see which threat the game fears more."
He turned toward the rest of the players.
"You must choose your leader."
The field fell silent.
The Choosing
Papii stepped forward first.
He didn't hesitate.
"Anyone who wants to win fast, come with me."
Confidence rolled off him like heat.
Power players stepped forward immediately.
Marco.
Rui.
Two strong defenders who loved physical battles.
Papii grinned.
Lamii watched quietly.
He knew the type Papii attracted.
Strength.
Directness.
Explosion.
Then Lamii stepped forward.
"I'm not promising quick wins," he said calmly.
Some players looked confused.
"I'm promising control."
He pointed toward the midfield.
"If you want to understand the game… come with me."
Three players moved instantly.
Esteban.
A technical winger.
Mateo Jr., a calm defensive midfielder.
And Diego, a quick striker who loved clever passes.
The teams formed naturally.
But several players remained in the middle.
Undecided.
Watching.
Waiting.
Coach Salva nodded slowly.
"Perfect."
He raised his whistle.
"Remember the rule."
His voice echoed across the pitch.
"Anyone can change sides."
The whistle blew.
The Ego Test began.
First Blood
Papii's team struck first.
Violently.
From kickoff, Papii charged through midfield like a storm. Marco launched a long pass toward him. The ball dropped perfectly.
Lamii moved to intercept.
Too slow.
Papii controlled it with his chest and blasted forward.
One defender.
Gone.
Second defender.
Shoulder charge.
Gone.
Now only the goalkeeper stood in his way.
Without hesitation, Papii unleashed a thunderous shot.
The net exploded backward.
Goal.
The pitch erupted with shocked shouts.
Papii spread his arms wide.
"THAT'S HOW YOU START!"
His teammates roared.
Lamii watched quietly.
Raw power…
Effective.
But predictable.
The match restarted.
Lamii's Answer
Lamii received the ball deep in midfield.
Immediately two defenders rushed him.
He didn't panic.
Instead, he slowed.
A tiny pause.
The same pause that made defenders uncomfortable.
The first defender lunged.
Lamii rolled the ball behind his heel.
The second defender stepped in.
Lamii spun past him.
Gasps erupted from the sidelines.
Now Lamii accelerated.
Not fast like Papii.
But smooth.
Fluid.
Like water finding a path through rocks.
He reached the edge of the penalty area.
Three defenders closed in.
Lamii smiled slightly.
Perfect.
He tapped the ball sideways.
Esteban sprinted onto it.
Cross.
Diego leaped.
Header.
Goal.
The scoreboard updated.
1 – 1.
Lamii simply nodded to his teammates.
No celebration.
Just control.
The First Betrayal
Something strange happened next.
One of Papii's defenders slowly walked toward Lamii's side.
Players noticed immediately.
"Are you serious?" Marco shouted.
The defender shrugged.
"I want to win."
The academy had warned them.
Trust would break.
And it had begun.
Papii laughed loudly.
"Go ahead," he said.
"Anyone scared can leave."
But inside, his eyes burned.
Lamii watched the switch calmly.
The test isn't just football.
It's psychology.
Another whistle.
Play continued.
The Duel
Ten minutes later, the moment everyone wanted finally happened.
Lamii vs. Papii.
The ball rolled loose near midfield.
Both sprinted toward it.
They arrived at the same time.
Their feet collided with the ball.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then Papii shoved forward with raw strength.
Lamii absorbed the impact.
The crowd of players gathered around them.
A silent duel.
Papii pushed again.
"Move," he growled.
Lamii tilted his head.
"Make me."
Suddenly Lamii flicked the ball upward.
It popped over Papii's foot.
Lamii slipped past him with a quick turn.
The move happened so fast that Papii froze for half a second.
Lamii burst forward.
The field opened.
But then—
BOOM.
A brutal tackle slammed into his side.
Lamii crashed into the grass.
The ball rolled free.
No whistle.
Pain shot through his ribs.
But he forced himself up again.
Because that was the rule now.
No weakness.
Chaos
The match became wild.
Players switched sides twice more.
Strategies collapsed.
Teams rebuilt themselves in seconds.
At one point, even Diego briefly considered joining Papii's team before Lamii stopped him with a simple sentence.
"Do you want the ball… or do you want to chase it?"
Diego stayed.
Moments later, Lamii threaded a pass through four defenders.
Diego scored again.
The balance of power shifted.
But Papii wasn't finished.
The Monster Goal
Late in the match, Papii received the ball near the halfway line.
Three defenders blocked his path.
He didn't slow down.
He accelerated.
The first defender tried to tackle.
Papii bulldozed through him.
The second defender grabbed his jersey.
Papii dragged him five meters before breaking free.
Now only Lamii stood between him and the goal.
The stadium-like tension returned.
Lamii stepped forward calmly.
"You're predictable," he said.
Papii grinned.
"Then stop me."
He blasted the ball forward.
Lamii stepped to intercept—
But Papii did something unexpected.
A sudden heel flick.
The ball slipped behind Lamii.
Papii sprinted past him.
Goalkeeper rushing.
Shot.
The ball screamed into the top corner.
Goal.
Silence.
Then explosive cheers.
Even Lamii had to admit it.
That was incredible.
The Final Minutes
The scoreboard read:
2 – 2
The sun was beginning to set.
Sweat soaked every jersey.
Players were exhausted.
Coach Salva checked his watch.
"Three minutes left," he announced.
Everything slowed.
Every pass mattered now.
Lamii closed his eyes briefly.
Control the game.
The ball came to him one last time.
Midfield.
Two defenders.
One Papii charging from behind.
Lamii took a breath.
Then he began to dribble.
One touch.
Second touch.
Step-over.
Inside cut.
The first defender collapsed.
The second defender hesitated.
Lamii slipped between them.
The crowd held its breath.
He reached the edge of the penalty box.
Papii was sprinting toward him again.
This time faster.
Stronger.
Closer.
Lamii looked up.
One teammate open.
One shooting lane.
One impossible idea.
His mind raced.
Pass…
Shoot…
Or prove something greater?
Papii shouted as he lunged.
"MAKE YOUR DECISION!"
Lamii swung his left foot.
The entire academy froze.
The ball lifted into the air—
Whistle.
Coach Salva blew it.
The match ended.
Before anyone saw where the ball would land.
Players screamed in frustration.
"What?!"
"That was the winning play!"
Salva lowered the whistle calmly.
"The Ego Test isn't about the score," he said.
He pointed at Lamii.
"It's about decisions."
Then he pointed at Papii.
"And pressure."
The players slowly calmed down.
Salva turned to the digital board.
It updated again.
SYSTEM EVALUATION IN PROGRESS
Lamii wiped sweat from his face.
His heart still raced.
Across the field, Papii stared at him.
Both knew the truth.
This battle had only started.
Somewhere far away, scouts were already watching footage of the match.
Analyzing.
Comparing.
Choosing.
The hunt for the future had begun.
And two names were rising faster than anyone expected.
Lamii.
Papii.
One would control the game.
The other would try to destroy it.
But only one could become the player who wore the most powerful number in football.
Number 10.
And the system would decide who was worthy.