The pitch was empty.
Just me. Just the ball. Just the hum of tactical drones floating like lazy bees above the academy field.
Late night again. Everyone else was either asleep or watching reruns of the Martian Premier League in the common room.
I should've been resting too — with the scrimmage coming up.
But the screen wouldn't stop flickering in the corner of my vision:
> 🎯 Trait Available: Vision (Xavi)
Status: Locked
Requirement: "Unlock through Decision Clarity Test"
"Decision clarity," I muttered. "Sounds like a corporate slogan."
I rolled the ball under my foot. Back and forth. The turf whispered beneath my boots. Every shadow under the stadium lights felt like it was watching.
I'd activated Elastic Control without too much effort.
But this?
This was different.
---
> [INITIATE TRAIT UNLOCK TEST?]
➤ Yes | No
I exhaled and clicked Yes.
The academy's training fields were equipped with Level 3 holographic simulation tech — used for tactical drills, elite decision-making tests, and virtual scrimmages against AI-modeled teams. I'd used them before. But this time… it felt different.
The world changed.
The pitch lit up in 3D overlays — glowing lines, paths, zones. Like a chessboard made of light.
Players materialized as holograms — defenders in red, teammates in blue. They all moved at full speed.
The system voice echoed in my mind.
> "Welcome to Decision Clarity: Xavi Calibration Test."
"Three scenarios. One ball. No rewinds."
No pressure.
---
Scenario 1: The Press
A classic high press — two attackers cutting off passing lanes, one lunging in. I had the ball near my own box.
Simple. I took a breath.
Looked left.
Elastic touch — check.
Spotted Kenji wide. Quick release.
> ✅ Pass Success
✅ Field Awareness: Acceptable
🧠 Decision Score: 72%
Alright. Not bad.
---
Scenario 2: The Break
Counterattack. Three seconds to find the through ball. Defender closing fast.
I hesitated.
Waited too long.
Passed.
Too late.
> ❌ Interception
❌ Flow Broken
🧠 Decision Score: 41%
"Damn it."
---
Scenario 3: The Moment
This one felt real. Too real.
Ball came to my feet near the final third. My teammates moved. Spaces opened — and closed. A hundred possibilities.
The system was silent this time.
Just me. A beat then another.
I froze.
Didn't pass. Didn't shoot. I just stared.
The space collapsed. Defender smothered me. Ball gone.
The whole simulation fizzled.
> ❌ TRAIT UNLOCK FAILED
❌ Decision Clarity Incomplete
🧠 Final Score: 61%
System Note: "Greatness isn't just seeing the path. It's trusting yourself to take it."
The lights dimmed.
The pitch returned to normal.
I dropped to my knees, sweat dripping from my forehead even though the night was cold.
---
I stayed there, kneeling.
Empty stadium. Silent system. The weight of invisible eyes pressing down on me.
How could I have the GOAT System — literal legends in my head — and still choke?
---
Then, a voice:
"You froze."
I turned.
Kenji stood at the edge of the field, arms crossed.
"You were watching?"
> "Coach sent me to check on you."
Of course he did.
Kenji walked closer, expression unreadable. "You've improved tactically and physically but your mind isn't ready yet."
I frowned. "You got all that from standing there for five minutes?"
> "No. I got it from watching you all week."
Silence then he looked at the field.
> "You hesitated because you wanted the perfect move. But football isn't about perfection. It's about clarity in chaos."
I stared at him and muttered.
"…You sound like the system."
Kenji's head tilted. "What system?"
I blinked, heartbeat stuttering for a second.
"Nothing," I said quickly, brushing the grass off my knees. "Just a… figure of speech."
Kenji didn't say anything else, he just turned to walk away.
Then stopped.
> "Don't chase greatness," he said. "Earn it."
Then he was gone.
---
The screen flickered weakly as I sat back on the turf.
> [Trait: Vision (Xavi) — Locked]
System Tip: "Try again tomorrow."
I clenched my fists.
Failed or not — I wasn't quitting.
Tomorrow, I'd unlock it. Tomorrow, I'd see the field like Xavi.
Not because of the system.
Because I'd be ready.