In the medical room of the Hoffenheim Training Base, the smell of disinfectant had become Oliver's most familiar scent these past few days.
During the latest physical examination, Doctor Marcus looked very satisfied. He looked at the latest local ultrasound images and said,
"Hmm, the recovery is going very well. Oliver's swelling has subsided remarkably, and his microcirculation is also recovering nicely. At this rate, he should be able to do light ball training by early next week, but body contact is absolutely forbidden for the short term."
Head coach Nagelsmann, standing beside him, nodded slightly upon hearing this, then turned to Oliver and said,
"Did you hear that, kid? Ball training is only next week! Before that…"
He turned to Oliver, who was sitting on the examination bed, and his tone suddenly became stern,
"Fitness room? Treadmill? Strength equipment? Don't touch any of it. I don't want to see you secretly doing extra training. And don't think I don't know you always find time to sneak in a few extra laps during your recovery! Stop these little tricks immediately, starting now!"
"Hehe… Yes… Coach."
Oliver, exposed, awkwardly rubbed his nose.
At 17 years old, his body was brimming with inexhaustible energy, making it harder for a self-disciplined person to stay put and do nothing.
This feeling was even more unbearable for Oliver than the injury itself.
Next, Nagelsmann assigned him two main tasks: one was rehabilitation training, and the other was to continue watching matches.
If he couldn't do ball training, he could continue with less physically demanding exercises.
Oliver knew his mentor was doing it for his own good, considering the long term. He nodded vigorously: "Understood, Coach. I will study the videos diligently."
Leaving the medical room, the perspective returned to the training ground.
His teammates were doing group drills in the distance. The shouts, the squeaking of cleats on the grass, and even the dull thud of collisions all tugged at Oliver's heart like hooks.
But he could only wrap himself in a loose tracksuit and slowly pace back to the quiet tactical analysis room.
Over the next few days, Oliver's life became exceptionally routine: in the mornings, under the guidance of the rehabilitation therapist, he performed extremely light, low-intensity activities aimed at maintaining muscle activity and promoting local blood circulation, followed by ice application;
In the afternoons, he holed up in the tactical room, repeatedly watching videos of top-level matches on a huge screen, absorbing information like a sponge.
There were also compilations of attacking players and classic match analyses carefully selected by Nagelsmann, with particular emphasis on observing their off-the-ball movements, how they stretched defenses, and how they made optimal passes under high-pressure pressing.
Oliver was very serious and fully engaged.
On the screen, Cristiano Ronaldo's phantom-like late runs, Lewandowski's reliance and unweighting when battling defenders in the box, Mbappé's decision-making after using his speed to create space…
These videos made him chew them over repeatedly, lost in thought.
But day after day, Oliver's desire for the game still emerged uncontrollably.
He didn't just want to understand; he wanted to play! He wanted to contend! He wanted to experience the thrill of on-field strategy and fighting for every inch of space!
Imagine a 17-year-old, at the peak of his energy.
Every day, he could only watch his teammates sprint, contend, and sweat on the field, while he could only sit on the sidelines or on a physical therapy bed. This feeling was definitely not good.
During a break in his recovery treatment, he returned to his dorm and gently touched the bruise under his ribs, unable to resist summoning the system in his mind:
"System, review my last injury. Besides the opponent's rough play, what was the subjective reason for my injury?"
After thinking, the system replied:
"Host injury source: Moscow Spartak defender's side-rear collision."
Collision location: Right side of the torso, rib area, point of impact was the force application point.
Body state: Before impact, was accelerating at full speed attempting to evade contact, center of gravity was in a dynamic shifting adjustment process.
Fundamental cause judgment: Insufficient instantaneous stability of core muscle groups under high-speed confrontation, leading to weak upper body resistance to displacement upon impact, exacerbated center of gravity imbalance, and excessive pressure on soft tissues of the ribs due to unstable landing posture, ultimately resulting in contusion.
"Colloquial explanation: The host's current lower body (core and lower limbs) lacks sufficient stability in top-level confrontations, unable to effectively dissipate the immense kinetic energy generated by impact, which is the fundamental cause of this injury."
"Unstable lower body…" Oliver murmured to himself, these words etched into his heart like a brand.
He recalled the feeling of being almost thrown sideways into the air when he was hit, that sense of being powerless to resist and out of control.
Indeed, in high-intensity matches like the Champions League, the competition of strength and balance is everywhere. A momentary "softness" can lead to the price of injury.
This is not a problem that can be solved by speed and skill alone.
He urgently wanted to improve his ability to contend, to make his body more "resilient."
However, reality was cruel.
He was currently restricted from even slow jogging, let alone strength training and contact drills.
That feeling of being eager to succeed yet bound by physical injuries grew stronger.
"Am I just supposed to wait during this time?" Oliver was unwilling.
He opened the system's powerful yet heavily pay-to-win [Skill Shop].
The dazzling array of skill trees, physical enhancement, and technical fine-tuning panels was overwhelming.
He subconsciously filtered directly for options that improved strength and confrontation attributes. The results were mostly high-end items like [Bedrock Confrontation Training Pack] (5600 points) and [High Wall Will: Confrontation Stability Enhancement] (7500 points), which made him gasp at their prices. And without exception, they were all marked with warnings like "requires basic physical strength," "requires high-intensity training support," or even "not suitable for redemption during recovery."
His current points were simply not enough, and his physical condition also did not allow for extensive training.
He browsed somewhat dejectedly, his gaze aimlessly sweeping over less conspicuous categories like [Life Skills].
Suddenly, a skill with a strong Eastern ink-wash style icon caught his attention:
"Skill Name: Aikido Grandmaster"
"Skill Type: Life Skill"
"Effect Overview: Grandmaster-level Aikido, the crystallization of ancient philosophy and martial arts wisdom. This skill focuses on guiding the harmony of internal body circulation, exercising deep core muscle groups and lower limb joint stability, enhancing body perception and coordination, achieving a state of 'relaxed yet not loose, heavy yet not stiff.'
Long-term practice can slowly but continuously enhance the practitioner's basic physical fitness and has significant benefits for chronic strain and injury recovery.
Its essence lies in the refinement of center of gravity control and lower body foundation, combined with unique standing meditation, silk reeling, and shifting footwork, significantly improving core stability, center of gravity transition sensitivity, and lower body support, especially static and dynamic impact resistance. Gentle and slow, without violent impact, extremely suitable for enhancing lower body foundation during convalescence and recovery."
"Redemption Points: 2700"
"Ai... Kido??" Oliver was not entirely unfamiliar with the term. As a child, he occasionally saw elderly people practicing in parks in the Birmingham community, and at the time, it just felt like they were slowly drawing circles.
But this skill description seemed to be exactly what he needed right now!
Gentle, meaning it wouldn't worsen the injury; healing, meaning it could aid recovery; and most importantly, improving lower body stability!
He glanced at his total points: 7680. 2700 was not a small sum, especially for him, every point was "blood and sweat money" hard-earned from matches and training.
But thinking of the pain in Moscow, thinking of even more intense confrontations on the field in the future…
He gritted his teeth, focused his consciousness on the skill icon, and clicked confirm redemption!
"Redemption successful! Consumed 2700 points, obtained Life Skill [Aikido Grandmaster]. Current total points: 4980."
"Skill distribution in progress: Aikido Principles (Grandmaster level), Standing Posture Comprehension (Grandmaster level), Cloud Hands (Grandmaster level), Footwork and Body Shape Essentials infusion complete."
"Strongly recommend the host to practice in conjunction with daily actual training. Skill effects will gradually integrate into body instincts over time. Persistence is key to seeing results."
After the system finished speaking, an indescribable sensation flowed through Oliver's limbs.
This was not like the knowledge infusion he felt when redeeming other skills.
Instead, it was a deep guidance that resonated with the deep bones, muscles, and even breathing rhythm of his body.
Oliver's mind was already filled with the essentials of Aikido movements. His body instinctively yearned to stretch, to coil, to feel that inner "qi" and "intent."
He started practicing right away.
Oliver stood on the empty floor in the center of the room, took a deep breath, and relaxed his entire body.
"Huu…" He adopted the starting posture.
The movements infused by the system naturally appeared in his mind: rising stance, sinking shoulders and dropping elbows, loosening the waist and tucking the hips, feet shoulder-width apart… his intention sinking to his lower abdomen.
He began to move slowly.
His movements were extremely slow, arms lifting, circling outwards, retracting, each movement like exploring forward in viscous air.
His breathing became deep and steady. He consciously tried to feel the flow of his center of gravity between his feet, and every subtle tilt of his body was led by his waist and hips to stabilize his foundation.
On the first night of training, he practiced for less than twenty minutes, feeling nothing special, just a slow, awkward stretching.
Early the next morning, he quietly tried again in the green belt next to his dorm.
He focused particularly on the "Aikido core skill" emphasized by the system—standing meditation.
Also known as horse stance
Seemingly motionless, in reality, all the bones in his body were subtly adjusting and aligning.
His fascia was stretched and integrated in an invisible tension, and every muscle in his core area was resisting subtle swaying in a state that was both relaxed and highly alert, constantly searching for the point of absolute balance and stability.
During his first attempt, he couldn't hold it for even a minute before Oliver's front thighs began to ache and tremble, and his waist and abdomen also felt strained.
But he gritted his teeth and persisted, adjusting strictly according to the posture corrected by the system. Each time he resumed the standing posture, he tried his best to hold it for a few more seconds.
Gradually, this became his most important "training" privately, outside of his recovery schedule.
In the morning mist, in quiet corners during lunch breaks, and after dinner as the sun set, Oliver's steady, mountain-like figure began to appear in various quiet corners of the Hoffenheim Training Base.
He wore his usual training attire, standing quietly, his knees slightly bent, his legs already rooted to the ground.
Oliver also practiced Cloud Hands, experiencing the balance in fluidity and feeling the exquisite coordination of his body as a pivot in dissipating force.
This peculiar sight quickly caught the attention of his teammates.
"Oliver, what are you doing? Practicing standing still as punishment?" Gnabry was the first to notice, exaggeratedly imitating his posture, only to wobble and almost fall after a few seconds.
Hübner watched with interest: "It looks… very calm? Like meditating? Is this kung fu?"
Amiri observed more closely: "Hmm… this posture looks… very demanding on the legs and waist. The core needs to be kept very stable, like… a standing plank?"
Nagelsmann, on his way back to his office one day, saw Oliver standing alone in a corner of the grass from a distance.
He stopped curiously and observed for a long time.
Oliver was concentrating on his standing posture. He was completely calm, mentally focused, his breathing long and deep, and his body posture was relaxed yet upright.
"What are you… doing?" Nagelsmann scratched his head and asked.
Oliver stopped his movements and smiled at his mentor: "Coach, this is Aikido, a martial art." He patted his leg and said,
"Especially this standing posture exercise, it's very helpful for increasing core strength and lower body strength. It's very gentle, doesn't involve the ribs, but can still activate all the tendons and bones in the body, helping us improve body stability and balance, and also regulate breathing and relax the mind. I'm using it to aid my recovery."
Nagelsmann nodded, with approval in his eyes:
"Hmm… a very interesting method, Oliver. I'll try it too."
He walked curiously to where Oliver had been standing, imitating Oliver by slightly bending his knees and sitting down with his hips tucked in.
"Is this right? Is the center of gravity in the middle of the body?" Nagelsmann asked.
Then, Oliver, like an old Aikido master, corrected his mentor's subtle posture:
"Coach, you need to imagine your back leaning against a very comfortable wall. Don't bend backward, and don't be too tense. The most important thing is to feel that vertical sensation of power flowing from your feet to the top of your head."
Nagelsmann tried a few times, nodding then shaking his head:
"Oh… This movement is much harder than I expected! I can feel my muscles trembling slightly, and my lower body always wants to sway. It seems to be effective for core training."
He moved around a bit and patted Oliver's shoulder,
"This training feels alright. Keep doing it, as long as it doesn't worsen your injury and helps you recover. This kind of wisdom… is indeed very unique."
Nagelsmann had a good impression of this method that integrated both physical and mental cultivation.
With the coach's tacit approval and even encouragement, Oliver practiced with greater peace of mind.
The guidance provided by the 2700 points of "tuition fee" was incredibly subtle.
Whenever his Aikido movements deviated, an intuitive "need to correct" would automatically emerge from within his body, prompting him to constantly adjust, making his posture increasingly closer to the standard.
Each time he finished his standing meditation, Oliver would feel his legs heavy and sore as if filled with lead, yet his mind was exceptionally clear and lucid, and his breathing was remarkably deep and smooth.
The bruised area on his ribs, as it expanded and contracted with the depth of his breathing during standing meditation, also produced a warm, slightly tingling sensation of comfort. It seemed as if each deep breath was flushing away the stagnation, accelerating healing.
Days passed steadily with standing meditation, the slow progression of Aikido, the continuous absorption of match analyses, and regular physical therapy.
Gradually, Oliver felt his body much lighter, recovering faster than the doctor had expected.
And more importantly, in that still-as-water standing meditation, in that seemingly monotonous "rooting to the ground" day after day.
Oliver could truly feel some extremely subtle yet undeniable changes occurring within his body.
His thighs and core felt as if they had been infused with a more "resilient" and "condensed" strength.
This strength was not the bulging muscle sensation gained from lifting weights in the gym, but a deep-seated, heavy "stability" rooted in his tendons and bones.
This was an instinctive lower-body stability when faced with impact.
...
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