If there's anything worse than a concussion?
It's being cleared for class immediately after a concussion.
"Back on your feet?" Coach Navarro had asked that morning, half-smirking.
"Mostly."
"Good. You've got Tactical Theory at 10. Don't be late. Professor Dax hates humans."
He wasn't joking.
---
The academy's academic wing looked like a luxury spaceship crashed into a university. Silver walls, floating halls, anti-grav elevators — and desks that hovered slightly off the floor like lazy hoverboards.
Room 3A was already packed when I walked in.
Dozens of students, from all corners of the galaxy.
Humans. Martians. A couple Zyrixians — tall, bug-eyed creatures that clicked when they were annoyed. A Gralko with arms too long for the desk. One girl with translucent skin who literally shimmered when she was bored.
And smack in the middle of the room, the reason I considered faking another injury:
Professor Dax.
Tall. Pale. Ears like bat wings. And a face permanently twisted like someone just served him cold soup.
He spotted me instantly.
"Ah. Vega. Earth's fallen hero returns."
The room chuckled.
I gave him a weak salute. "Didn't know I was missed, Professor."
> "You weren't."
He gestured lazily toward an empty hover-desk near the back. I slipped into it, trying to stay low-key. Musa gave me a nod from across the room. Kenji didn't look up.
I tapped the desk. The console lit up.
> ⚽ COURSE: Advanced Tactical Theory
🧠 MODULE: Spatial Dominance, Micro-Decisions & Anticipation
🎯 QUIZ: Real-time Simulation | 20 Questions | No Pause | No Retry
Great.
---
The lights dimmed. The quiz began.
A 3D pitch flickered into the air in front of each student. Plays started to unfold. Every few seconds, the simulation froze and a question popped up.
> "What's the optimal passing lane for a central midfielder in this 3-2-2-3 inverted triangle under high press?"
A) Left channel
B) Split pass through pivot
C) Drop back to CB
D) Cross-switch to wide flank
My brain hesitated… and then—
FLASH.
The screen in the corner of my eye lit up:
> ⚡ Suggestion: B) Split pass — low angle, 76% success rate
Xavi says: "Think before you blink."
I blinked.
Clicked B.
Next question.
> "How should a player adjust their line of engagement when—"
> ⚡ GOAT System: "Step higher. Force the mistake. Controlled risk."
I answered again and again and again.
Until…
> ✅ 20/20
🏆 Fastest Completion Time: 1:42
📊 Ranked #1
I froze.
The room hadn't even finished yet.
Students still stared at their hovering simulations, muttering answers, swiping wrong options. Even Kenji's eyes narrowed as he clicked slowly, deliberately.
I shrunk into my seat then I heard it.
Professor Dax's voice, dry and suspicious:
"Well, well… Alejandro Vega Ruiz. Top of the class."
Heads turned.
Musa raised a brow. A Zyrixian actually hissed.
Dax floated toward me, robes swishing like he was gliding.
> "Fascinating. The Earth boy scores a perfect tactical round… mere hours after suffering head trauma."
"It's the swelling," I said, forcing a grin. "Boosted my processing speed."
More laughter. But less friendly this time.
The kind of laughter people use when they don't believe you.
Dax wasn't laughing.
He leaned in closer. "Tell me, Vega. Did you study during your coma?"
"I'm just a fast learner," I said, trying to sound chill.
> "Hmm."
He turned away. "Next module. Full match simulation. Let's see if it was luck."
---
After class, Musa caught up with me in the hallway.
He stared.
"Alright," he said. "What's going on?"
"What do you mean?"
> "Don't play dumb. You were never bad, but today? You were reading plays before they even happened."
"Maybe the concussion shook something loose."
> "Or gave you wifi access to Xavi's brain?"
I flinched.
He laughed, but it wasn't playful this time.
> "Look, I'm all for improvement. But if you're juicing on some new gen-Earth tech? Just don't lie to my face."
I wanted to say something, anything but I couldn't.
Because what do you say when your best friend suspects the truth and the truth sounds insane?
That you met ghosts of football legends?
That you've got a system in your head giving you cheat codes in class?
That Ronaldinho's actual voice laughed when you flicked the ball behind your heel?
---
Back in my room, I collapsed onto the bunk.
Kenji was there, polishing his boots. He didn't say a word. Didn't look up.
But as I lay down, eyes on the ceiling…
He spoke.
> "You're not the same."
My chest tightened. "What do you mean?"
Kenji didn't blink.
> "You used to hesitate. Today, you didn't."
A pause.
> "That's not normal."
I closed my eyes.
The screen flickered quietly above me.
> 🎯 New Trait Available Soon: "Calm in Chaos" — Buffon
🎓 Off-Field Bonus Unlocked: "Tactical Recall"
System Rank Progress: 2%
I exhaled.
Things were getting dangerous not just because of the system.
But because people were starting to notice.
And I hadn't even scratched the surface yet.