Damian. The Copa Escolar.
On paper, the tournament wasn't something truly prestigious known worldwide or even countrywide, but to the kids it was everything.
It was their first medal they could ever place around their neck, symbolising childhood pride and success. Every boy wanted to win for themselves and for their respective schools.
Last year, Diego's school was eliminated at the quarterfinals by the school that went on to win. The school mocked them, and Damian couldn't forget it.
Damian wasn't used to falling short, so the shame never left him. Sometimes when he closed his eyes at night, he remembered his rival, Teodoro, the tall one with braided hair, telling him: "Are you even trying?"
This made him super adamant on vengeance. He wanted to return to the pitch, bury Colegio Aurelia under goals and humiliation, and emerge MVP of the tournament.
To accomplish this, Damian trained like a professional footballer already.
Every single morning after waking up, he would drink a glass of water and do a lot of jumping jacks. After that, he would do 50 pushups before he left his room.
Everyone thought Damian was perfectly built by nature, but they didn't know he put in the work.
After breakfast, Damian jogs and runs like a soldier. If it was a school day, he cycled to school, if it wasn't, he cycled straight to the community field to meet others.
He was hyperactive. And as Diego's Physicality subject, he was the perfect prototype on this grass level.
Every step Damian took… every squat… every sprint… every drop of sweat… flowed straight into him using the system. All progress made was granted to Diego tenfold while Diego also trained individually.
Within six full days of bonding...
[Subject: Damian]
[Physicality: 0.056%]
[You receive: 0.56% Physicality increase]
[Stamina: 24>>>25]
When Diego saw this progress, he began to wonder how many points he would gain if he had C.Ronaldo as his subject. Surely, with the way Ronaldo trained like a soldier, Diego could make it to an OVR of 60 in just two months or maybe one.
But that wasn't possible. 10x Trait Binding only worked for a fellow player on the same career level.
~~~~~
After the seventh day of his bond with Damian, Diego knew he ought to renew it with physical contact.
They had another intraschool match one afternoon, a game that ended in a 3:2 loss for Diego's team. For the first time, Damian didn't find the net in a match, but he was the producer of all three assists.
It annoyed Diego, but in a respectful way. Even on an off-scoring day, Damian was a menace.
When the whistle blew, Diego knew his congratulations wouldn't be suspicious. So, he approached Damian with a handshake, and Damian proudly entertained it.
[10x Bind Renewed!]
[Subject: Damian Bernárdez| Club: ???]
Diego needed all the points he could get. When the Copa Escolar began, he was sure Damian would push himself harder than ever, and every drop of that effort would bleed 10x directly into his Physicality.
That match had been the last school fixture before summer break officially began. This meant the freedom of holiday, and also the Copa Escolar was right at their doorstep.
Coach De gathered the boys under a tamarind shade, giving each and every one personal remarks on their performance in all the matches so far, and areas of improvement.
Diego was told he was a visible prodigy the more he associated with the other ballers. But the problem Coach De had with the boy was his field intelligence and awareness.
Diego played like someone who only knew street football or even vintage football, and not the current reality—modern football.
Despite the big flaw, Coach De decided not to drop him.
"After three matches playing you at left-back," he said, "I've made my decision. Montoya, you're staying there."
"Really, Coach?"
"And right-back for versatility and possible screamers," Coach De said "You use your left foot better than many. I want to see where that can take you. So, you're part of the twenty-one going to the tournament."
Diego made the roster. He couldn't hold back his smile all week. It was his first step into official football competition.