Soccer System: All the Skills, One Player!

The morning after the night of the trip, it was Saturday. So Lucas was on the training ground much earlier than usual.

The defeat tormented him.

Every moment of the game seemed to play over and over in his mind, like a movie. He wanted - needed - to improve.

"I should have done more," he muttered to himself as he put on his boots. His teammates hadn't arrived yet. He wanted some time alone to work on the weaknesses he had identified.

He started with quick passes against the wall, moving quickly, then moved on to medium-distance shots. Each touch on the ball felt like a slight change in his determination, as if he were reprogramming his body and mind.

The System, always present in his mind like a silent presence, notified him of his progress:

[Pass: +0.1]

[Ball Control: +0.3]

[Stamina: +0.2]

Lucas stopped, his chest heaving. He watched the notification disappear. "That's good, but what if it's not enough?"

He realized that, even with the growing numbers, there was something intangible that he still couldn't reach. It was as if, despite the power the System offered him, the responsibility it brought was a greater burden than he was prepared to carry.

Over the next few days, Lucas kept up an exhausting routine. He arrived early, left late, and trained on his own after normal training sessions with the team. His teammates noticed his dedication. Raphael approached him one afternoon while Lucas was practicing free-kicks.

"Hey, Lucas. Don't you think you're overdoing it?" he asked, throwing him a bottle of water. "Everyone needs a rest, you know? Even the best."

Lucas took the bottle and gave a small smile. "I know. But... I can't help it. I feel like I'm not good enough yet."

Raphael arched an eyebrow. "Not good enough? Lucas, you practically carried the team in that game. Did you see what you did? We were broken, and you lifted us up."

Lucas shook his head. "Lifting the team is one thing. Making a difference on the pitch is another. I have to be better. You all deserve it."

Raphael was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Then train. But remember that we're with you. You don't have to do it alone."

"Thank you, Raphael. I really do," Lucas replied sincerely.

On the sixth night after the defeat, Lucas sat alone in his bedroom. The System flashed in his mind with a series of numbers and statistics. He could see the progress: his passes were more accurate and his stamina was increasing, but, at the same time, an inner voice persisted.

"Do I really deserve this?" he thought aloud. "If I have this power, why can't I do more? Why can't I avoid defeat?"

+

[Attributes]n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Speed: 40

Shooting: 41

Dribbling: 36

Defense: 28

Physical: 39

Passing: 47

+

[Talents]

Ball Control: 16

Endurance: 12

Strength: 13

Heading: 10

Scoring: 16

Vision: 14

Positioning: 13

+

"I've improved considerably, but calculating my overall attributes allows me to understand how far below the professionals I am. If I have this power, why can't I do more? Why can't I avoid defeat?"

The System, always discreet but present, responded with an unexpected notification:

[The mission "A Greater Path" has been granted].

[Would you like to find out the purpose of this mission?]

Lucas frowned. Mission? It had been a long time since he last received a mission. He blinked a few times, trying to clear up the confusion, but the notification remained. With a sigh, he answered mentally:

"Yes."

[Main Mission: A Greater Path].

Description: Coach Eddie is considering replacing the captain. His leadership, performance and ability to inspire his teammates will be assessed at the next training match. He believes you are the ideal decision, but he is also hesitant to entrust this role to someone so inexperienced. This is your chance to prove that you can take on this responsibility.

Goal: Become the team captain at the end of the training match.

Rewards:

+25 Star Points

+1 Special Skill: Aura of Leadership (boosts teammates' performance when you're on the pitch).

+ 1 Epic Loot Box.]

Lucas felt his heart race. Captain? He had never even considered the possibility. For a moment, the burden of being a captain seemed overwhelming.

"Captain..." he muttered, repeating the word in a low voice. After a few seconds, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath and allowed the notification to dissipate. There was no time to hesitate. If the System believed he could do it, then maybe it was time to believe it too.

*

The following afternoon, the training camp was empty when Lucas arrived. He knew he needed to prepare not only physically, but mentally, too. The responsibility of leading the team required something he wasn't sure he had yet: the trust of his teammates.

He began training alone, as usual. Quick passes against the wall, dribbling between makeshift cones, medium- and long-distance shots.

'How can I be captain if I can't even trust myself completely?' he thought, kicking the ball with excessive force. It sailed wide of the makeshift goal, hitting the fence posts.

"Hey, you don't have to drill the ball," a familiar voice joked.

Lucas turned to see Denis, the holding midfielder, approaching with a smile on his face. He was on crutches.

"I hear you've been doing a lot of training on your own. Are you planning to replace us?"

Lucas stopped immediately, surprised to see Denis approaching with careful steps, leaning on his crutches. He remembered perfectly the moment Denis had been injured in the game against Dortmund. The scene was vivid: the cry of pain, the silence in the stands, the worried looks from the coach and his teammates. Denis had been a key player in that game, and they felt his absence keenly.

"Denis? What are you doing here?" Lucas asked, frowning.

Denis smiled slightly, but there was something in his eyes that showed the pain still present. "Oh, you know. I can't stay away from the countryside for long. And I've also heard that our young prodigy has been overdoing it in training." He waved one of his crutches in Lucas' direction, as if pointing an accusing finger.

Lucas laughed awkwardly, running a hand through his sweat-soaked hair. "It's not an exaggeration, it's just... I need to improve. After that defeat, I feel I need to make up for it. I want to have more confidence from my teammates."

"That's an enormous responsibility, Lucas. And it's not just about being the best player. You know that, don't you?"

Lucas sat down next to him, staring at the empty pitch. "I know. And that's why I'm so nervous. You trust me, but... I want to lead, and leading differs from playing well."

Denis put a hand on Lucas's shoulder. "Leading is about inspiring. It's about making everyone around you want to be better because you're there, showing them the way. And you know what? You already do that. Maybe you don't realize it, but that's what you do on the pitch. That's what you did in that game against Dortmund. Even when all seemed lost."

Lucas looked at Denis, absorbing his words. He remembered how he had fought until the last minute in that game, even though he knew the chances were slim. But leading... Being a captain was a different responsibility.

"And how do I prove it?" Lucas finally asked.

Denis smiled. "First, stop thinking that you have to do everything yourself. Being a captain isn't about carrying the team on your back; it's about making everyone feel strong enough to carry the team together. Trust them as much as they trust you."

Lucas was silent for a moment, letting Denis' words settle in. He knew he was right. He had always felt the need to be perfect, to make up for any shortcomings with more effort. But perhaps leading was more about connection than performance.

"Thank you, Denis. I needed to hear that." Lucas finally said.

"You're welcome." Denis picked up his crutches and left the field as he heard others approaching. "And remember: you're not alone."

Lucas watched Denis walk away.

Half an hour later, the field was full of energy. Coach Eddie gathered all the players together, explaining the plan for the training match. There would be two mixed teams, starters and reserves together, to test dynamics and tactics.

Experience tales at empire

Lucas was focused, but also nervous. The game began, and from the first touch of the ball, Lucas attempted to put into practice what Denis had said. He called for passes, organized the defense, encouraged his teammates after mistakes. At one point, Raphael missed a simple chance of scoring. He put his head down, clearly frustrated.

Lucas ran up to him and put his hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Raphael. You can do it. Next ball, I'll pass you to the right spot. Just trust me."

Raphael nodded. Minutes later, Lucas received the ball in midfield, dribbled past two opponents and made a perfect pass to Raphael, who scored with a placed shot and went to thank Lucas.

However, things would not be so easy for Lucas, because within the Brighton U20s, there was someone with ambitions as big as Lucas and that person was Javier, someone who was already the captain of the old A-Team, someone experienced, calm, older and also very intelligent. With Denis injured, Javier was in the starting line-up and the tactical team certainly preferred someone like him, who had the ideal profile of being a captain.

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