Upon returning from the beach, Dumi instructed Winston to go straight to his room and spend the rest of the day recovering. As Winston approached the hotel entrance, he spotted Annalise at the front desk. She noticed him and gave him a soft smile before winking.
Winston felt his cheeks warm. A moment later, he watched Annalise climb into her father's SUV. The vehicle pulled away from the hotel entrance, disappearing down the road.
Winston entered the hotel and headed straight for his room. When he opened the door, he was surprised to find Oswin missing.
Is he still training with Atlas Zebalini?
After showering, Winston stepped out of the bathroom and found Oswin already back. His friend had barely managed to drag himself to his side of the bed before collapsing onto the floor. Winston chuckled at the sight.
Looks like Atlas really worked him hard. Winston thought as he grabbed Oswin.
He walked toward the balcony and looked out over the city. Suburban streetlights dotted the roads below, creating a peaceful glow beneath the night sky.
This is the final week before my match with Maximilian. Winston's expression gradually became serious. Am I really ready to injure someone because of what Dumi told me? Football is supposed to be competition... not a battlefield.
His gaze shifted toward the translucent Core System interface. The same daily challenge continued to flash before him. Winston sighed before closing the sliding door and returning inside. He spent the entire night sitting on his bed, barely moving.
By morning, Oswin finally stirred. Winston noticed him beginning to wake and immediately pretended to be asleep. He had started doing that whenever Oswin stayed in their room.
Oswin let out a long grunt mixed with a yawn. "Wis, bro. You up?"
Winston pretended to stretch before opening his eyes. "I am now."
Oswin sat upright with an amused expression.
"Oh, good. I was about to shake you like a madman." He stretched his arms above his head. "How was your day at the beach yesterday? Find any ladies?"
Winston shifted onto his back and dramatically sighed. "Yeah. So many that my phone is completely full of their numbers. One even called me while you were sleeping."
Oswin spun his head toward him. "Haha. Very funny, Wis." Winston laughed.
"For real, though. Did you have fun at the beach?"
"Yeah, kinda." Winston's smile faded slightly. "But you know this is the final week before my match with Maximilian. It's been hard to relax with all that stress."
Oswin nodded. "Well, that's exactly what Dumi was worried about. I overheard him talking with Atlas, and apparently Atlas was the one who suggested the beach trip."
"Figured as much." Winston paused. "Anyway, how's it going with the legendary winger?"
Oswin groaned. "Ugh... tiring. How do you keep up with this kind of training? My muscles ache after a full day." He rubbed his shoulders. "But I've learned so much from him. He even helped me refine some techniques I've been struggling with..."
A long yawn interrupted him. "Are you coming to the training ground today?" As if he didn't already know the answer, Winston sat up. "You know it. You can never over-prepare."
"Right, right. True that." Oswin stood and stretched his back. "By the way, how are things with that receptionist chick?"
"Oh, you mean Annalise?"
"Yeah."
"Things are good. Although I haven't talked to her much recently."
Oswin shook his head. "You should make some time for her. You can't spend your entire life thinking about football."
Winston laughed. "I know. But right now, I want to focus on the upcoming match."
"Fair enough."
The two continued talking as they took turns showering and getting ready. By the time they left for the training ground, Oswin had completely distracted Winston from the daily challenge and the pressure surrounding his upcoming match.
Along the way, Oswin entertained him with stories about his past adventures—some involving a small-time gang, others involving girls whose parents nearly caught him sneaking around. At one point, he lifted his shirt and showed Winston the bruises along his ribs.
"You're telling me you actually survived that?"
Oswin grinned. "Obviously."
Winston burst out laughing. The stories continued all the way to the training ground.
After descending the steps leading to the training ground, Winston and Oswin were surprised to see Dumi and Atlas already there. Winston wasn't surprised to see Dumi this early—he was used to arriving at the training ground before everyone else—but Oswin clearly hadn't expected it.
When the two coaches noticed them, Dumi smiled. "It's nice to see you two enjoying yourselves. What's the joke?"
Oswin nonchalantly shrugged. "Old men wouldn't understand."
Dumi and Atlas shook their heads. "You seem to forget that we were young once too," Atlas said.
Dumi grinned. "They think courting women is something new. Kid, we were doing that before you were in diapers."
The playful banter continued for several minutes before Atlas finally suggested they get started. This time, the coaches decided to combine Winston and Oswin's training. The first exercise focused on creating chances from different angles. The reason for combining their sessions was simple—Oswin wanted to help Winston. The two genuinely enjoyed playing together, and their chemistry was undeniable. They complemented each other like fire and air. More importantly, both shared the same ambition: to become the best players in their league and, eventually, in the entire football world.
Winston suggested the first drill. They positioned four mannequins outside the penalty area to represent defenders. Winston had chosen the drill because it reminded him of the Plain Simulation, where he had failed to cut behind the defense quickly enough.
My reaction speed has improved since then. I want to see how much of a difference it makes.
Oswin stood about forty meters away on the left side of the pitch, beside a cone. The whistle blew. Oswin immediately sprinted twenty meters toward the opposite cone before sending the ball toward Winston.
Winston reacted instantly. He controlled the pass and smoothly navigated through the mannequins before gently placing the ball into the bottom-right corner. Dumi and Atlas exchanged glances before clapping.
"Not bad," Atlas said.
Winston and Oswin continued switching roles throughout the day's training session. They experimented with different angles, passing combinations, and finishing techniques. On the pitch, the two seemed to enjoy themselves endlessly, constantly challenging each other and laughing whenever one of them pulled off something impressive.
Eventually, the session came to an end. Dumi motioned for Winston to follow him. "Listen, kid. I think I've taught you everything I can." Winston's smile faded. "Now, everything else is up to you. For the next four days, we won't be training. You need to focus on calming your mind."
Dumi placed a hand on Winston's shoulder. "I suggest you spend some time at the indoor pool or sauna. And this time, I'm serious—I don't want you doing any extra training." Winston nodded slowly.
"You need to take your body seriously. You don't want to injure yourself. Haruto isn't around, and his treatment isn't cheap. So take care of yourself, kid."
A sense of dread settled in Winston's chest. He had always known this day would eventually come, but it had arrived sooner than he expected. The past few weeks had gone by so quickly that he hadn't realized how attached he had become to Dumi and his training.
Winston lowered his head, fighting to keep his emotions under control. Dumi noticed. "Don't worry about it, kid. Go hit the sauna. Lise told me there's a private one behind the hotel."
He gave Winston's shoulder a final pat before walking away. Thank you, Dumi. I'll never forget what you've done for me. It means more than you know. I'll make you proud.
Winston climbed the steps and made his way through the long hallway toward the rear of the hotel. When he finally reached the back grounds, he was greeted by a beautiful landscape. A wooden cabin stood a short distance from the hotel, surrounded by perfectly manicured grass and neat concrete walkways. A fountain stood nearby, featuring a Roman-style statue of a man pouring water from a large vessel.
The entire area was peaceful. Winston approached the cabin and opened the door. To his surprise, it was completely empty. He stepped inside and looked around. Then, just as he was about to pour himself some water, the Core System suddenly appeared before his eyes.
A warning flashed across the translucent screen.
Ding!
[Shooting]
Shooting: 70
Att. Position: 70
Finishing: 70
Shot Power: 70
Long Shots: 70
Volleys: 70
Penalties: 70
[Dribbling]
Dribbling: 70
Agility: 70
Balance: 70
Reactions: 70
Ball Control: 70
Composure: 70
[Passing]
Passing: 70
Vision: 70
Crossing: 70
FK Acc.: 70
Short Pass: 70
Long Pass: 70
Curve: 70
Heading Acc.: 70
[Preparing Core plain challenge]
[30 second till the challenge]
Wait waaaaaaaaaittttttt!!!!