Noah woke to pale sunlight streaming through a window that wasn't his own. For a brief moment, he thought he was still back home in his small bedroom, safe and familiar. But the faint hum of the air conditioning and the sterile silence of the Ajax player dormitory reminded him otherwise. Amsterdam. A new country, a new league, a new beginning. He sat on the edge of his bed, rubbed his face, and exhaled. This was no dream—this was real. He had made it here, but the comfort he once clung to was nowhere to be found.
A faint shimmer appeared in his peripheral vision, soft and familiar.
[Football Vision Console Activated]
Initializing…
Legacy Package Detected: "Iniesta's Legacy"
Skills: Spatial Awareness Lv 2 | La Pausa Lv 1 | Weighted Passing Lv 2
Trait: Quick Scan (Basic)
Adaptation Progress: 15%
The text disappeared as quickly as it appeared, leaving Noah staring at nothing but his dorm room wall. The console never issued commands, never forced him into anything. It simply existed, monitoring, providing subtle feedback—his quiet companion since this journey began. It felt oddly reassuring to know it was still with him here, far away from home.
He pulled on the Ajax training kit, the bright badge heavy with history, and stared at himself in the mirror. He looked like a professional player now, but he didn't feel like one yet. He grabbed his phone and headed to the dining hall, where a wave of Dutch conversation rolled over him instantly. He couldn't catch a single full sentence, only broken words and quick laughs.
A tall blond player with sharp blue eyes noticed him lingering by the door and switched to English without hesitation. "You're Noah, right? England?"
"Yeah. Noah Carter," Noah replied, grateful for the kindness.
"Sven. Welcome." The handshake was firm but brief, and Sven returned to his friends, who were already mid-conversation.
Noah grabbed his breakfast—cheese, bread, and eggs—and sat alone. It felt strange. Back at his academy, there was always someone cracking jokes, someone pushing him around or asking for advice. Here, everyone seemed locked into their own rhythm. He ate in silence and then stepped outside to call home.
His mother's face lit up the screen almost instantly. "You look nervous," she said with a warm smile.
"I am," Noah admitted, lowering his voice slightly as though someone might overhear. "It feels… different here."
"You'll be fine," she reassured him. "You're here because you're good enough. They wouldn't have chosen you otherwise."
His father leaned into the frame. "Remember why they picked you. Play your football, Noah. That passing of yours is what sets you apart. Don't lose it, and don't hide."
He smiled faintly, holding onto their words like rope in a storm. "Thanks, Dad. Thanks, Mom. I'll call after training."
The call ended, leaving him staring at the blank screen for a moment longer. Then he exhaled sharply, picked up his bag, and made his way to the training grounds.
The Ajax facility was pristine, almost too perfect. Every blade of grass seemed measured, every white line freshly painted. The head coach blew his whistle, his voice sharp and commanding, introducing Noah quickly. "Welcome, Noah Carter, midfield, England." A few players nodded, then immediately went back to their routines. No applause, no grand gestures. Just business. Noah swallowed hard and joined the warm-up.
Rondos started almost immediately, and Noah realized within seconds how different this environment was. The ball moved faster, sharper, with almost no wasted movement. Players attacked space with surgical precision, and pressing pressure arrived instantly the moment anyone hesitated. His first touches were clean, but one heavy roll sent the ball too far, and the group erupted in casual laughter. It wasn't cruel, just the kind of teasing that said, we're watching, and you're new.
[Console Update]
Short Passing Accuracy: 85% → 87%
First Touch (Under Pressure): 6/10
Decision Time: 0.38s (Target: 0.30s)
Noah clenched his jaw and settled himself. He wasn't here to impress in one touch; he was here to adapt, to grow. He sharpened his focus, scanning constantly, and began threading crisper passes. The rhythm of the rondo started to make sense, and for the first time that morning, he felt a hint of belonging.
Position drills followed, and Noah found himself in a pivot role. Back home, his instinct was often to play safe, reset to defenders, and let someone else take the risk. But here, Jamal Idrissi—a compact, powerful midfielder with sharp eyes and sharper words—called him out immediately. "Don't hide, Carter. Forward. Always forward!"
Noah adjusted his stance, opened his body, and split the defensive line with a line-breaking pass that curved perfectly into a runner's path. Jamal didn't smile, but he didn't shout again either. That was praise enough.
[Console Notice]
Progressive Passing Index: +4%
Chemistry Link Detected: Jamal Idrissi (Status: Neutral)
Small-sided games felt like being thrown into a storm. Ajax pressed like wolves, closing down space in seconds, forcing Noah to make split-second decisions or lose possession. One moment, he pulled off a perfect outside-foot flick to escape pressure; the next, a late scan cost him the ball entirely. Each mistake burned, but each success felt like oxygen.
[Console Data Sync]
Key Pass Attempts: 7 → Success: 5
Turnovers (Pressure): 3
Tempo Sync: 68%
By the end of training, sweat clung to his shirt, and his lungs burned, but he smiled anyway. He hadn't dominated, but he hadn't been overwhelmed either. He was learning.
Jamal walked by and tossed him a water bottle. "Clean feet, Carter. But scared feet. Fix that."
Noah smirked, shaking his head. "Yeah, I'm working on it."
[Bond Created: Jamal Idrissi]
Passing Rhythm Synergy: +3% Potential
Off the pitch, things weren't easier. Language felt like an opponent he couldn't read, and every meal seemed like sitting at someone else's table. He started practicing simple Dutch phrases late at night, muttering words under his breath, while keeping a notebook of Ajax's tactical nuances and his own mistakes. There were many.
One evening, he called home. "I feel invisible here," he admitted.
"Good," his father said firmly. "That means you're outside your comfort zone. Don't hide again, Noah."
His mother's voice softened. "We miss you, but you left to grow. Don't waste that chance."
He ended the call, stared at his notebook, and wrote two words in bold: Stop hiding.
[New Skill Focus Added]
Progressive Passing Under Pressure
Trait: Quick Scan (Basic)
A few days later, Jamal knocked on his dorm door. "We're heading into the city. You coming?"
Noah hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah."
Amsterdam glowed under streetlights, canals reflecting gold like liquid mirrors, cyclists cutting through the night like streaks of light. Jamal and Sven talked easily, pulling Noah into their conversation when he started drifting away. It wasn't home, but it felt like the start of one.
Later that night, lying in bed, Noah smiled faintly. He was still behind, still nervous, but something inside him had shifted. He was no longer just surviving—he was adapting. Slowly.
[Console Summary]
Legacy Skills: Spatial Awareness Lv 2 | La Pausa Lv 1 | Weighted Passing Lv 2
Trait: Quick Scan (Basic)
Adaptation Progress: 15%
New Bond: Jamal Idrissi (+3% Passing Synergy)