For three days straight Winston had been training shooting techniques with Oswin's help and Dumi's constructive guidance. The shooting technique skill he had acquired from the skill shop, he had also mastered it to the point. Even after many trials and errors–he also could combine the dead-ball with placed shot into his own style. He named it Spear after the nickname he once heard when they called his father on the field when Winston was a child. "Yo, Wis," Oswin said, lying on his side of the bed. "Yeah, what's up?"
"Do you think Atlas Zebalini will accept me as a protégé, How did you convince Dumi to take you in as a mentor,"
Winston then stepped out of the bathroom, his attention fixed on Oswin, and he said, "well I got help from his daughter, since Atlas is Dumi's friend, I know he will vouch for you,"
Turning on his side, and leaning on his hand, and yawningly said, "I don't know bro, maybe I should check if he has a daughter so she could vouch for me, how do you keep up with this type of training, it's exhausting, I never felt this tired, anyway I c..."
Oswin drifted to sleep mid-sentence, Winston sat on his bed, grabbed his phone from the bedside table and dialed his home number. After it rang about three times. Before he could hang up, a soft female voice picked up. "Daley household, hello,"
Relieved that someone picked up, Winston calmly replied, "Hey Mom, it's me Winston,"
"Hey honey, I was worried that you had forgotten about us,"
"I am sorry about that, I was busy with training. And I was trying to call, but nobody was picking up,"
"Sorry about that, we have been busy with Anita's schoolwork and work,"
"Cough"
"It's okay, Mom, you should see a doctor—I am worried about your flu."
"Cough, I will, maybe I need to get some rest, I have been working a lot as of late, but don't worry, I will make some green tea. Enough about me and my flu. How's training over there?,"
"You know, Mom, it's training—the league took a four-week break, so right now. We are focusing on training."
"Oh, that good, you should take this time to check the scenery,"
"I already did, how's Anita and Dad,"
"They are good; your father has taken more work hours, and Anita still the same going shopping with her friends"
"Okay, I miss you guys,"
"Cough, cough, cough, We miss you too, if you feel lonely, don't forget to call home. I will make sure we pick up,"
"Listen Mom, I have to go, make sure you take care of that flu. I love you,"
"I will, honey, I love you too. Bye"
"Bye."
After Winston hung up his phone, he walked toward the open sliding door leading to the balcony. The warm, dark orange sun grape the side of the hotel, Winston gazed at the horizon. The scene was breath taken Winston opened the core system. Thanks to this week's training, I have gotten a lot better with my shooting, now I have to find a way to get more reward points. But the core system doesn't give out tasks that could reward me with more points.
Ding!
[Nethen Essence: 74%]
[Voltage Core: 74%]
[Shooting]
Shooting: 70
Att. Position: 70
Finishing: 67
Shot Power: 50
Long Shots: 70
Volleys: 66
Penalties: 65
From being low on my stats to reaching seventy in these past weeks, even the Nethen essence and Voltage are on their way to reaching ninety. I need to keep improving my skills in order to have a better chance of the senior club scouts to pick me. After the match with Maximilian, I need to be at least the top scorer in the league, I am really grateful to this system—I don't know where it came from or what the purpose of it is, but I am truly grateful.
He closed the core system and then, as part of his routine, he successfully broke his record, increasing it from 100 to 180. His gaze swept over his sculpted muscles before settling on the thick, circular weight encircling his ankle. When he was training shooting with Oswin, he had forgotten about the ankle weights until Oswin brought them up. He explained that the ankle weights were part of his training and admitted to Oswin that he had forgotten about them. Of course, the weight of the ankles affected his kicking power, when he told Dumi about the ankle weight hindering his kick power, Dumi told him—he needs to overcome it. It was easier said than done, the circle weight ankles were easier when walking, running, but they were hard with the ball on his feet. Especially when he needed to trap a high ball. Honestly, that was the painstaking part of his training because he had to attempt the training drill for half a day. Despite being able to maneuver with the ankle weights, he experienced a decrease in kicking power, from sixty to fifty. But it was not a total loss—he had now mastered his body control, and he could now score from different angles from outside the box. And his accuracy was also at the level of being scouted by the senior club scouts, after he was done with his regiment, he opened the core system. He recalled that he hadn't checked his ratings and potential.
Ding!
[Winston Daley]
[Nethen Essence: 74%]
[Voltage Core: 74%]
Name: Daley Winston
Birthdate: 25-11-04
Age: 19
Weak Foot: 2
Height: 176cm (5'9)
Foot: Right
Profession: Footballer
Team: Westminster F.C. (Under twenty-one team)
Player Rating: 86
Position: Center forward.
Potential: 89
Acceleration
Sprint Speed
Shooting
Passing
Dribbling
Physical
Reward Points: 05
Acquired skills
Skills moves: None.
Winston's eyes widened, his rating and potential are now at the level of a senior player. He stood up and paced around the room, the rush of excitement he felt, he wanted to scream at the top of his lungs. The hard work he has been putting in these couple of weeks has finally paid off. Drenched in sweat, Winston watched the sun's slow ascent into his room and felt a tranquil calm settle over him as he soaked in its gentle heat. Recalling all the obstacles he had faced until now, he was thankful that he could overcome them. He grabbed his gym bag and left for the training grounds.
When he arrived at the training ground, he noticed that there was no training equipment placed on the ground. Dumi's voice jolted him, making him whip around to look at him. "Kid, we are not training today. We are going to the beach, we need to relax. I don't want what happened to your legs. To happen on your entire body"
"Should I call Oswin?,"
"No, Atlas is on his way to your room, I suspect they will be training today."
"Oh, yeah, you said he is coming today,"
"Yep, when I mention your teammate's name, you should have seen Atlas. His interest peaked, apparently, he was keeping taps on him. He first saw him before the senior club picked him. That kid was making a buzz around, too bad he was injured and he had to sit the entire year on the sideline,"
Winston didn't know Oswin was that popular, sure, Winston knew Oswin was skilled amongst the youth club. He didn't know that Oswin was that popular to where football legendary were keeping an eye on him. "Wow, I didn't know he was that popular, I knew he is the most skilled and popular amongst our teammates, I didn't think he was that popular,"
"But you are now as skilled as him, it's just that you haven't realized it," Dumi said, opening his SUV driver's side door. Winston paused for a moment, he hadn't compared his skills with Oswin. Opening the passenger car door, he hopefully said, "I hope so because I am looking to be the best in the club and the league too,"
Grinning while turning the engine, Dumi said, "Then you better show off what you have learned in these past weeks on that match with that kid, a week from now."
[User Daily Challenge]
[Score: 00/04]
[Goal heading: 00/01]
[Cripple Maximilian]