The next few hours of dome training passed in a blur. Winston barely registered the instructor's commands. The only exercise he clearly remembered was a series of explosive sprints from cone to cone. Beyond that, his thoughts were consumed by his latest realization.
He couldn't stop thinking about the Awakenings. How do I fully unlock them?
Again and again, he replayed passing scenarios in his mind, analyzing every movement and decision. He searched for the trigger that would awaken Spatial Zenith, but no matter how many possibilities he considered, nothing clicked.
Several hours later, once the attacking dome session had ended, Winston headed straight to the training ground beside Building D. He gathered a pile of cones and scattered them across the field, creating a maze of obstacles.
Placing the ball at his feet, he began weaving through the course while passing the ball between the cones. He deliberately refrained from using either the Nethen Essence or the Voltage Core.
This wasn't about speed—It wasn't about power. His only goal was to sharpen his awareness—to maintain complete concentration while guiding every pass with perfect precision, ensuring the ball threaded through the maze without touching a single cone.
This wasn't a drill Dumi had taught him, nor was it part of the Federation's training program. It was something Winston had devised on the spot—a way to force himself to understand Spatial Zenith through repetition and precision.
Hour after hour, he repeated the drill. Every failed pass was met with a frustrated groan or a weary sigh.
He reset the cones, started over—failed again.
Then started over once more. The cycle continued relentlessly until the sun dipped below the horizon, bathing the training ground in the warm glow of sunset.
He continued the drill until the evening curfew bell echoed across the academy grounds. The next day, he repeated the same routine.
Morning training in the dome. Afternoon practice on the training field. From sunrise until the sun dipped below the horizon, Winston devoted every spare moment to understanding Spatial Zenith.
After every session, he opened the Core System, hoping to see some sign of progress. Every time, he was disappointed. Spatial Zenith hadn't advanced—not even a fraction.
Still, he refused to give up. The routine became his life. One day turned into another, and before he realized it, an entire week had passed.
Then came the weekend. The Federation Academy gave every youth a day off. The instructors encouraged them to relax—to recover in the saunas, train in the gym, or simply rest after the demanding week.
Most of the youths followed their advice. Some headed to the gym.
Others soaked in the saunas—A few wandered around the academy, enjoying the rare freedom, while others slept through most of the day. Oswin and Bongani invited Winston to join them at the sauna and the gym.
He politely declined. Instead, he returned to the football field.
If everyone else were resting… He would train—somewhere deep inside, he felt he was on the verge of a breakthrough. In reality, he was both close... and impossibly far away. On Sunday, he trained even harder than before. He poured everything he had into the drill, convinced that one more attempt—one more perfect pass—would finally unlock Spatial Zenith.
But as the sun disappeared below the horizon, nothing had changed.
No breakthrough—no grasping. Exhausted, Winston collapsed onto the neatly trimmed grass, staring at the darkening sky.
I repeated this drill thousands of times… I was certain I was about to break through. So what am I missing? Did I misunderstand this awakening? Or is there something about Spatial Zenith... that I've completely overlooked?
Ding
[User Daily Challenge]
[Challenge: Diego]
Winston abruptly sat upright. He had completely forgotten about the one-on-one challenge. His gaze settled on the name displayed before him.
Diego.
Furrowing his brow, Winston searched his memory, trying to recall the player. Nothing came to mind. He immediately opened the Federation roster on his wristwatch and began scrolling through the rankings. He checked Group A first.
Nothing—Then Group B, Still nothing. When he reached Group C, he slowed down, carefully reading each name one by one. Finally, near the bottom of the list, he found him.
Diego.
Winston glanced back at his own ranking. He was currently sitting at the top of Group D.
So that's why...
The realization dawned on him almost immediately. The core system wasn't choosing opponents at random. It was guiding him toward the next logical challenge. A faint smile appeared on Winston's face. He had originally planned to wait another two weeks before challenging anyone, hoping to grow stronger first. But it seemed the Core System had other plans.
Originally, Winston had planned to challenge someone he was confident he could defeat. Instead, the Core System had made the decision for him. Letting out a quiet sigh, he pushed himself to his feet and brushed the grass from his clothes before stretching his sore muscles.
Well… looks like I'll have to prepare first. I'll need to gather a team before I can challenge Diego.
With his mind made up, Winston headed back to Building D. After taking a long shower to wash away the day's exhaustion, he decided to turn in early. Before closing his eyes, he guided the Nethen Essence through his body. The cool current flowed through his meridians, soothing his swollen muscles and easing the lingering aches from days of relentless training. He continued circulating the Essence until his breathing slowed and his body relaxed.
Before long, sleep claimed him.
Winston woke before dawn. Instead of beginning his usual morning workout, he headed straight for Building A. After explaining his purpose to the Building A instructor, he was allowed inside. Crossing the entrance, Winston made his way onto the training field in front of the building. There, he spotted Oswin exchanging passes with Lukas Hickman—the defender who had given Winston a difficult match back in the junior league.
The moment Oswin noticed him, a broad grin spread across his face.
"Wis!" he called out. "Came to pay us a visit?" Winston jogged onto the field, waiting for Oswin to pass him the ball.
"Hickman, you're in Group A too?" he asked as he controlled the pass. "And yeah, I came to scout the competition."
Lukas stepped in to pressure him immediately. "I've always been here," he replied with a laugh. "You're the one who only visited once. I tried saying hello that day, but you looked like you had the weight of the world on your shoulders."
Winston smiled apologetically. "Sorry about that. I had a lot on my mind."
After a short training session, Lukas headed inside Building A and returned carrying three bottles of water. The three sat on the neatly trimmed grass.
Oswin stretched his legs before turning toward Winston with a playful smile. "Now then," he said, clearing his throat dramatically. "How may Therapist Oswin assist you today, Sir Winston?"
Winston chuckled and played along. "Therapist Oswin, I have a problem I need help with."
"Excellent." Oswin rubbed his hands together.
"I'm listening."
"I'm planning to issue my first one-on-one challenge this week," Winston said. "But first, I need to recruit a team."
Oswin froze—his eyes widened with excitement. "Seriously?"
He jumped to his feet. "Now you're talking! So... who's the unlucky guy?"
Just then, Lukas returned and handed each of them a bottle of water. "What'd I miss?" he asked.
Oswin pointed excitedly at Winston. "My boy's finally making his move! He's challenging someone this week."
Lukas looked at Winston. "Really? Who's the target?"
"A player named Diego," Winston answered. "He's currently ranked at the bottom of Group C."
Lukas thought for a moment before nodding. "I know him—he used to play for Fair Oak F.C. as an attacking midfielder. We played against his team once. He was skilled, but nothing really stood out back then."
He shrugged. "Still... if the Federation Academy selected him, they obviously saw potential the rest of us didn't."
Oswin snapped his fingers. "Diego... Diego… Oh! I remember now. He's that quiet guy."
Winston looked at him in surprise. "Wait... you know him?"
Oswin shook his head. "Not personally. I just remember hearing people mention his name back at the dome after you were taken to the infirmary."
He folded his arms. "Honestly, I don't think he'll be the biggest problem. The real challenge is putting together a solid team."
Silence settled between them as Winston and Oswin mentally went through the academy's roster. After a moment, Lukas cleared his throat.
"Count me in. I'd like to help."
Winston's face immediately brightened. "Really? Thank you."
He smiled gratefully. "And if someone challenges you and you ever need a striker... you can count on me."
Lukas smiled back. "Deal."
Oswin rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "All right... we've got ourselves a defender. Now we need a few more players."
He looked at Winston. "Have you asked Bongani yet?"
"Not yet," Winston admitted. "I came to you first because you know more people around here than I do."
"Good choice." Oswin nodded.
"Bongani's definitely worth asking."
He paused before asking, "So... when are you planning to send the challenge?"
"Today," Winston answered. "If possible."
Oswin clapped his hands together, a grin spreading across his face. "Gentlemen..."
He pointed dramatically toward the academy grounds. "It's time to recruit a team."