Soccer System: All the Skills, One Player!

As the players took up their positions, Hillebrand clenched his fists, mentally warming himself up to get into the rhythm of the match.

"It's going to be tough, but I'm ready to hold this side up," he muttered to Lucas, who gave him a slight smile and a nod.

Outside the pitch, a small but growing group of club employees was gathering. It was rare to see a match between the development teams so heated.

The rumor had started with a cleaner who was passing by and witnessed Willian and Arthur's performance in the first half.

"You guys need to see this," he said to others in the cafeteria. "There are kids out there playing like professionals."

The group now included assistant analysts, physiotherapists and even a few administrators who left their desks to take a peek.

"Who's playing?" asked one of the first team's assistant coaches, attracted by the commotion.

"Team-B is in front. A Japanese boy is running the midfield," replied another, pointing to the skinny boy with his hands on his waist.

The ball rolled again, and Team-A showed their intentions in the first few seconds.

Simon received a quick pass from Javier and shot down the right flank, putting Hillebrand under immediate pressure.

Hillebrand, taller and more robust, held his ground, forcing Simon to retreat. But not without effort; Simon was agile, constantly testing the defensive limits.

"Nice one, Hillebrand!" shouted Felix from the center of the defense. "Keep it tight there!"

Javier, always alert, took advantage of the momentary indecision and took responsibility. With a precise touch, he pushed the ball to Ethan, who had dropped back to look for the ball, as Jimenez had instructed at half-time.

Ethan turned quickly, leaving Daniel behind, and advanced towards the box.

Luiz Fernando, with years of youth system experience, intercepted the ball. His clean tackle disarmed the striker and drew applause from the small crowd on the side of the pitch.

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Lucas was attentive. He knew that, despite their solid defense, the A-Team was dangerous. He dropped back to help with the defensive transition, stealing the ball from Willian and immediately starting the counter-attack. Lucas raised his head, looking for Arthur up front. Parker closely marked the striker, but gestured to Lucas, asking for the ball.

"Look at that boy," commented one physio, watching Lucas. "He's got impressive vision for his age."

"That's not all," replied the assistant coach, crossing his arms. "He's got leadership. You didn't see how he organized the team at half-time. That's not easily taught."

More employees approached, attracted by the excitement that now dominated the atmosphere. However, the eyes of many outside the camp were fixed on Lucas, because the rumors about him inside the club kept growing.

Outside the touchline, a middle-aged man wearing a gray jacket with the Brighton emblem was watching with increased attention. His name was Samuel Drayton, one of the club's most respected scouts. He crossed his arms, his face showing a mixture of curiosity and skepticism. Rumors of promising talent often spread behind the scenes. But, the growing presence of other coaching staff at that match intrigued him.

"So that's the boy..." muttered Drayton to himself, as his eyes followed Lucas.

Drayton remembered a recent conversation with the first team's assistant coach, Takashi Otsuka, during a break at the training center.

It was a sunny afternoon, and Otsuka was leaning against the balcony parapet, watching the professionals train on the main pitch. Drayton approached, holding a coffee.

"You seem to be in reflective mode today, Otsuka," commented Drayton, trying to strike up a conversation.

Otsuka smiled slightly, but didn't look away from the field. "I remembered a trip I made to Japan. A boy playing for a club at a small soccer school in my town caught my eye, although I don't know if you've heard about it. I saw myself in him. He had something special, you know?"

"Ow, are you overestimating yourself or criticizing the boy? HAHAHA?"

"Haha! Maybe both!" Otsuka laughed too. "Anyway, it wasn't just his ball skills, but his intelligence, his calmness in pressure situations, his will to win. It was like watching a miniature adult."

"Interesting. And what happened to him?" asked Drayton, taking a sip of his coffee.

"I put him forward for a test here at Brighton. He passed, of course. He's at the base now, still adapting, but... something tells me he might be different." Otsuka finally turned to face Drayton. "Keep an eye out. Lucas Tanaka is his name."

"A Japanese man called Lucas? How different! HAHAHA!"

Drayton blinked, turning his attention back to the field.

"So that's the boy I heard about..." He narrowed his eyes as Lucas advanced with the ball, pressed by the opposing midfield at the same time. "Let's see how good he really is."

On the pitch, Lucas seemed oblivious to the growing audience outside the four lines. After playing in a small, almost full stadium in Japan, he no longer felt nervous about having a viewer. He was completely focused on the game. When Javier took a shot, Lucas dribbled past him. A covering player tried to tackle him from the side. But, Lucas took a short touch and escaped over the back line. This drew murmurs of approval from the small crowd.

"He's got excellent ball control," commented one analyst next to Drayton.

"That's not all," replied Drayton, his eyes fixed on the boy. "He thinks two steps ahead. Look how he already knows where he's going before he even receives the ball."

Lucas raised his head, scanning the field with his eyes. He saw Arthur moving between the opposing defenders, trying to find space. With a strong pass, Lucas launched the ball, which found Arthur on the move.

Parker tried to block, but Arthur got in a powerful shot. The ball went inches past the post, prompting a collective groan from the B-Team.

"Damn, almost!" cried Arthur, frustrated, while Lucas raised his arms in encouragement.

"Calm down, Arthur! We'll get there!" shouted Lucas, quickly returning to his position in midfield.

"I know, I just want to score my hat-trick!"

Drayton frowned. "He's not just skillful. He leads."Nôv(el)B\\jnn

As the game went on, Drayton remembered other talents he had seen over the years.

Many had skill, but few could command a game, especially at such a young age. Even fewer could keep their composure under pressure.

On the pitch, Lucas seemed to be everywhere at once. He had an incredible breath of fresh air. He helped in defense, organized the midfield and still found time to create chances in attack and even be dangerous on his own.

Javier, from Team-A, noticed this and started pressing Lucas more aggressively, trying to limit his impact.

"Mark him closely!" Javier shouted to his teammates.

But Lucas had already been through this a few times. He used quick touches and clever movements to evade marking. On one occasion, he received a tight pass from Miguel, surrounded by three A-Team players. With a sideways touch, he left two of them behind and laid the ball off to Raphael, who was advancing down the flank.

On the outside of the pitch, Drayton crossed his arms.

"Hiroshi was right. This kid has something special." He turned to the analyst next to him. "How old is he again?"

"Seventeen, I think," replied the analyst.

Drayton shook his head slowly. "Seventeen, and playing with the calm of someone with a decade of professional experience."

Meanwhile, on the pitch, Lucas was far from satisfied. He knew his team needed one more goal to be more secure on the scoreboard.

The ball was put back into play, and Team-B launched an attack. Felix regained possession in midfield and quickly passed to Lucas. He looked forward and saw Arthur, Hillebrand, and Miguel.

With a perfect pass, Lucas put the ball into the space between Parker and Kevin. Arthur sped up, leaving the two defenders behind. He got hold of the ball, and, before Mark could react, struck a powerful shot. The ball sailed into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

The pitch erupted in applause and shouts. Lucas ran to hug Arthur, who raised his arms in celebration.

"I told you!" shouted Lucas, smiling.

Arthur, with a broad smile, immediately went to hug him. It was thanks to Lucas not giving up on him that he could score three goals.

"Man, you're the best, Lucas!!!"

Drayton tilted his head, as if assessing Lucas' every move. "He can play well in training, but he needs to prove himself in big games," he muttered.

The B-Team celebrated as if they had won a championship, and Arthur couldn't contain his smile. He finally felt that he had found his rhythm, but even amid the celebration, Lucas was already thinking about the next step. He wasn't the type to relax until the final whistle.

"Well done, everyone, but it's not over yet!" He gestured for everyone to return to their positions quickly.

On the other side of the pitch, Ethan was standing with his hands on his waist, his gaze fixed on Lucas. He was clearly annoyed.

"This kid thinks he's already won. Let's turn this around. Don't let them breathe. If you have to, break his leg."

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