Chapter 13: The Academy Life Begins
Lucas looked out the van window as the streets of São Paulo rushed by. The crowded favela faded into tall buildings and wide roads. The city felt calmer as the van turned onto the tree-lined driveway of the Morumbi academy. The engine stopped, and the driver nodded.
"The dorms are on the left. Check in with the supervisor before you unpack," he said.
Lucas stepped out of the van and threw his duffel bag over his shoulder. The air smelled cleaner, with a hint of fresh-cut grass. In the distance, he heard the thump of a ball from the training fields, mixed with the sound of rustling leaves. The academy felt like a different world, neat hedges, smooth paths, and shiny glass buildings glowing in the afternoon sun.
Inside the dorm, a receptionist told Lucas to go to Room 104 on the second floor. The room was simple but useful: two bunk beds, a shared desk, a closet, and a small window looking out at the fields.
Two boys were already there. One lay on the lower bunk, flipping through a football magazine. The other sat cross-legged on the top bunk, arranging a stack of notebooks.
"Hey," said the boy with the magazine, looking up. "You the new guy? I'm Diego. Position: Winger. From Rio." He grinned wide, full of energy.
"Lucas," he replied, dropping his bag by the empty bed. "Position: Winger. From Vila Nova."
The quieter boy glanced down. "Thiago," he said simply. "Defensive midfielder. São Bernardo." His tone was reserved, his focus returning to his notebooks.
Diego chuckled. "Thiago's all business. You'll get used to him. So, Vila Nova, huh? You must be legit if they pulled you from there."
Lucas shrugged, unpacking his few belongings. "Just trying to keep up."
After settling in, the three boys went to the cafeteria for lunch. For Lucas, the food was a surprise, grilled chicken, brown rice, black beans, steamed vegetables, and fresh fruit juice, all made for young athletes.
It was nothing like the fried street food he was used to. Diego talked nonstop about the beaches in Rio, while Thiago ate quietly, only nodding now and then.
After lunch, they went to orientation in a meeting room that smelled like whiteboard markers. A serious-looking, Coach Silva, explained the academy schedule like clockwork: 6:00 AM warm-ups, technical drills in the morning, school classes at midday, tactical training in the afternoon, and study time in the evening. There were weekly performance reviews.
"Being consistent is more important than being talented," Coach Silva said, looking around the room. "Showing off won't get you far here. Staying focused will."
That evening in Room 104, Lucas lay on his bunk, staring at the faint cracks in the ceiling. Diego was already snoring, and Thiago was reading a tactics book under a small clip-on light. Suddenly, a familiar chime echoed in Lucas's mind, his system was activating.
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[Focused Growth Plan: Unlocked]
Customize your weekly training objectives and accelerate growth.
You may select up to 3 Focus Areas.
Choices will shape quests, system support, and skill mastery.
Current Legacy Points: 244
A glowing interface materialized in his vision, listing attributes:
• Sprint Speed
• Agility
• Short Passing
• Weak Foot Accuracy
• Vision
• Stamina
• Ball Control
• Mental Resilience
• Dribbling
• Press Resistance
• Tactical Understanding
• Finishing
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Lucas considered his options. Although he's a winger, Lucas wanted to become more versatile so he could adapt to any attacking position.
Ronaldinho's Vision, unlocked earlier, was still at low mastery, sharpening it would make him a creative force in midfield. Neymar's Flair, another skill in his arsenal, demanded quick, explosive movements to dazzle defenders, so Agility was a must. Cavani's Finishing, though potent, needed polish to ensure he could capitalize on chances in any position. With a big training match rumored for tomorrow, he needed to be dynamic, creative, and lethal.
He selected:
• Vision
• Agility
• Finishing
The system pulsed with approval.
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[Focus Areas Confirmed: Vision, Agility, Finishing]
Micro-Objectives:
• Create 3 chances with through balls or key passes in small scrimmages (0/3)
• Successfully beat 5 defenders using quick cuts or flair-driven moves in 1v1 drills (0/5)
• Score 2 goals in training matches or finishing drills (0/2)
Rewards:
• +75 Legacy Points
• +5% Ronaldinho's Vision Progress
• +3% Cavani's Finishing Progress
• +1% Permanent Agility Growth
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Lucas exhaled, a small smile forming on his lips. The system's clear goals felt steady and real, specific, measurable, and focused on true football progress.
It wasn't a magic shortcut but a tool that rewarded hard work, exactly what he needed to become a versatile, game-changing attacker.
Dinner in the cafeteria brought a new challenge. As Lucas, Diego, and Thiago picked up their trays, a group of older U-15 players nearby stared at them. One, a broad-shouldered boy with a cocky grin, leaned back in his chair.
"New kids, huh? What's your deal, Vila Nova?" he shouted, his voice loud enough for the whole room to hear.
Lucas met his gaze. "Just here to play."
The boy Henrique, Lucas heard someone say laughed. "Vila Nova's got no history. You sure you're not lost?" His friends snickered.
Diego tensed, ready to reply, but Lucas stayed calm, quietly memorizing Henrique's face.
"We'll see on the pitch," Lucas said calmly, then turned back to his food. Thiago gave him a small nod of approval.
Later that night in the dorm, Lucas lay awake, thinking about the encounter. Henrique's insult hurt, but it also sparked a fire inside him. Tomorrow's closed-door training match was his chance to prove himself, not just to Henrique, but to the coaches and to himself.
The next morning began at dawn. Lucas joined the team for warm-ups, feeling the cool air sharp against his skin. Coach Silva, a lean man holding a whistle and clipboard, shouted commands.
"Move with purpose! No half-effort!"
The first drill was a possession game, the ball zipping between players in a tight circle. Lucas focused on spotting gaps, threading precise through balls to teammates.
[Chances Created: 1/3]
In the afternoon's small-sided scrimmage, he drifted between winger and attacking midfielder roles, using quick cuts to shake off markers and slipping a sharp pass to Diego for a run.
[Chances Created: 2/3]
During finishing drills, Lucas latched onto a low cross, striking the ball cleanly into the top corner with Cavani's precision.
[Goals Scored: 1/2]
In 1v1 drills, he faced Thiago, channeling Neymar's Flair with a rapid step-over and a burst of speed to glide past.
[Defenders Beaten: 1/5]
The system tracked his progress silently, its feedback seamless. Every completed pass, every sharp movement, every clinical finish built momentum.
By the end of the day, Lucas collapsed onto his bunk, muscles aching but mind buzzing. Diego was already recounting the day's drills with exaggerated flair, while Thiago quietly jotted notes in his book.
Lucas didn't need to dominate the pitch tomorrow. He just needed to show up, stay focused, and chip away at his goals, one pass, one dribble, one goal at a time.
With the Focused Growth Plan guiding him, every step felt like progress toward becoming the versatile, game-changing player he dreamed of being. As he drifted to sleep, the faint chime of the system echoed in his mind, a quiet promise of greatness waiting to be earned.