Bidding farewell to the intense training and fierce matches in Sinsheim, Oliver boarded the train to Munich. After getting off the train at the station, Thomas Muller personally drove to pick him up. Upon meeting, he gave Oliver a solid bear hug and handed him a brand-new pair of traditional Bavarian leather trousers.
"Oliver, remember to change your clothes later; when in Rome, do as the Romans do! Don't worry, they'll fit perfectly. I estimated the size. Let's head to the changing area first!" Thomas Muller was even more familiar with Oliver than Oliver himself. The two drove to the changing area for the Oktoberfest.
At Thomas Muller's urging, Oliver also changed into the dark brown leather trousers with a white shirt and leather suspenders. Although the size was indeed just right, this outfit, for someone accustomed to jerseys and track pants, still made him feel a little unaccustomed.
"Haha, no need to be embarrassed! Here, it's strange not to wear this!" Thomas Muller laughed heartily, already putting on his own more brightly colored leather trousers. Oliver looked at his somewhat unfamiliar and slightly goofy reflection in the mirror, and he couldn't help but laugh as well.
This year's Oktoberfest venue was still very grand. The giant colorful Ferris wheel slowly turned, and deafening Bavarian brass band music emanated from huge tents, mixing with the laughter, singing, and toasts of thousands of people. The air was filled with the mouth-watering aroma of roasted chicken and sausages, the rich scent of pretzels, and the mellow fragrance of malt beer.
Thomas Muller, knowing the way, led Oliver into a large and noisy tent. This was Bayern's tent area. Some of Bayern Munich's players, Lewandowski, Vidal, Robben, and Coman, were already seated around a long wooden table.
"Hey, look who's here!" Seeing the three, dressed in traditional attire, take their seats, Vidal laughed loudly and raised his huge beer mug in a toast. Robben also showed his characteristic smile and nodded in greeting. Oliver had only seen these football stars from a distance on the field before, and now sitting at the same table with them, he still felt a little excited and nervous.
"Welcome, young man." Lewandowski, with a Polish accent in his German, calmly raised his glass to him.
"You've been playing very well recently, especially against Sevilla."
"Thank you, Mr. Lewandowski," Oliver quickly replied.
The atmosphere quickly became lively. Thomas Muller was a natural icebreaker, and with Vidal's straightforwardness, laughter never ceased at the table. A huge roasted pork knuckle was brought to the table, with golden crispy skin and a rich meaty aroma. Vidal generously tore off a large piece and stuffed it into his mouth, his mouth glistening with oil, then asked why others were looking at him, which caused everyone to burst into laughter.
In front of Oliver were piled pretzels, roasted chicken wings, and various traditional German snacks, which he ate with relish. Thomas Muller specifically ordered several mixed fruit juices and local specialty lemon sodas for him, all of which tasted very good. Although he couldn't taste the beer, the lively atmosphere and tempting food alone allowed him to completely relax and enjoy the rare leisure time.
When players gather, the topic naturally revolves around football. Everyone chatted about their insights during training and matches, and Oliver also shared his thoughts on the insights he gained during games.
"Oliver, it sounds like Julian has really brought out the best in you," Robben said. "In the last match, your timing for that burst from the flank was indeed very difficult to defend."
"You flatter me, Mr. Robben. The help from the coach and teammates is indispensable. Your shot quality in the last match was also very high."
As the conversation grew lively, Oliver's gaze met with Kingsley Coman, who was sitting opposite him. Coman was like him, and yet not like him. They were similar in that both were discarded by Paris Saint-Germain's youth academy; they were different in that Coman was a speed-based winger, while Oliver was a technical winger.
"Kingsley," Oliver initiated, with a special sense of understanding, "I remember... you also came from the Paris Saint-Germain youth academy?"
A glimmer of recognition flashed in Coman's bright eyes: "Yes, I left in 2014. My first stop was Juventus, and then I came to Bayern."
A sense of familiarity was quickly established between the two, and Oliver replied, "It seems Paris Saint-Germain's youth academy has always had a very unique vision. I left this summer."
"Hahahahaha..." Coman laughed, raised his glass, and proactively clinked it with Oliver, "Cheers to the 'League of the Discarded'!"
"To the League of the Discarded!"
Oliver also laughed, raised his glass, and clinked it with him. Through this simple exchange, a subtle connection was forged between the two young men who had both been released for free by Paris. They talked about the training methods during their time in the Paris youth academy, and Coman also shared some of the adaptation problems he encountered when he first established himself in the top League with Oliver.
Their similar backgrounds gave them a unique sense of closeness. Even though they belonged to different teams, they could still feel a mutual appreciation off the field. For the next two days, Oliver truly immersed himself in the joyful atmosphere of Oktoberfest. He and the Bayern stars clapped and stomped their feet to the lively music in the huge tents, trying to sing along to the simple yet powerful Bavarian songs. They experienced thrilling roller coasters and the Ferris wheel. Thomas Muller also took Oliver to take photos in front of various humorous backdrops.
In the photos, Oliver, wearing leather trousers and a relaxed smile, was a completely different person from his calm and decisive finisher image on the field. Joyful times are always short-lived; the two-day vacation ended, and Oliver had to return.
"Oliver, keep in touch. Next time you come to Munich for an away game, I'll treat you to dinner!" Coman hugged him goodbye.
Lewandowski was still concise: "Focus on the game, kid. Your shooting skills are excellent."
Oliver also hugged each of the Bayern players goodbye, genuinely feeling that these stars were all exceptionally good. Then, Oliver boarded the train for his return journey. The train slowly pulled out of Munich station, and the festive bright lights and bustling crowds outside the window gradually faded behind. The train car was relatively quiet, and Oliver leaned back in his seat.
Although his body was slightly tired from two consecutive days of excitement, his spirit felt completely cleansed, relaxed, and full of energy. Interacting, chatting, and vacationing with these top players without any barriers gave him more sense of belonging and self-confidence; he seemed to have broadened his horizons once again.
He took out his phone and saw a message Thomas Muller had just sent: "Kid, remember to send me a message when you get home safely, and don't forget, I've secretly taken and saved a picture of you in those leather trousers. 😏"
Oliver couldn't help but laugh out loud, his fingers quickly typing a reply: "Thomas, secretly taking photos isn't gentlemanly behavior 😭, thank you for Bayern's hospitality! These two days were truly super fun! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻"
He pressed the send button, and the message was successfully delivered. As soon as the message sent notification sound faded, Oliver was about to lean back in his seat and sleep for a while.
Suddenly, that familiar system sound rang again:
[Detected host's interaction value with Thomas Muller has reached 100%, unlocking skill: Fatal Instinct, skill matching degree 100%.]
Oliver was startled, almost doubting if he had misheard. 100% matching degree? He had acquired many skills from the beginning until now. But no matter which skill, the highest system matching degree was only over 90%. It had never been 100%! This full matching degree hit him like a huge exclamation mark.
He subconsciously asked in his mind:
"System, what's going on? How can the matching degree be 100%?"
The system's response was still cold, but its logic was exceptionally clear:
"Currently, the host's real-time calculation and understanding of the spatial logical structure on the football field have exceeded Thomas Muller's original level. The host's comprehensive abilities in off-ball movement prediction, space creation before receiving the ball, and vision coverage and depth have reached world-class. The core mechanism of the Fatal Instinct ability perfectly aligns with the host's current spatial perception ability, with no information loss or comprehension barriers, thus the matching degree is evaluated at 100%, and the host's Vision attribute has increased again."
As soon as this sentence was finished, the system popped up a new prompt:
[Hint: Vision S → S+ ]
Oliver immediately brought up his attribute panel, his gaze directly locking onto the "Vision" section. Indeed, the S-rank identifier that originally shone with dazzling golden light, representing top-tier level. At this moment, it silently transformed into a deeper, more understated, yet awe-inspiring S+! S+ Vision! S-rank and S+-rank, seemingly a step away, represent a fundamental leap.
This means Oliver can more precisely predict the positions and reactions of teammates and opponents at least one to two steps ahead, thereby finding the most hidden, most deadly, and often most unexpected attacking path! This was precisely the terrifying instinct that Thomas Muller was famous for! It was also the reason why Thomas Muller, although his footwork was not the most top-notch, could always deliver decisive passes or goals in the most crucial positions. Oliver leaned by the train window, looking at the rapidly flowing scenery outside, his heart surging with shock like a tide.
He understood the system's words.It wasn't that he had "learned" Thomas Muller's skill, but that his own attributes and understanding of space perfectly aligned with the new skill, which led to these astonishing changes.
Therefore, Thomas Muller's renowned innate talent for precisely "sniffing out" goal-scoring opportunities like a hound had been internalized by him into his own more powerful Vision attribute. Oliver was gradually evolving from a winger with top-tier spatial awareness into a qualified commander on the green field. This was one of the absolute qualities needed to become a team captain.
...
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