The evening air in Barcelona was soft, golden, and warm. The sun dipped just behind the rooftops as Luca walked home, his cleats slung over his shoulder, and sweat still clinging to his neck. But he didn't feel tired.
He felt… alive.
The memory of training replayed in his head like a highlight reel—the touches, the reactions, the looks of shock from the coaches and players alike.
But just as strong was the presence that had now rooted itself inside him.
[System Active]Welcome back, Luca.Daily Analysis Ready. Would you like to view your progress?
Luca blinked. "Yeah… let's see it."
A translucent interface floated in front of his vision—faint enough not to distract, sharp enough to feel real.
🧠 [PLAYER PROFILE – LUCA HERRERA]
AGE: 15 (Birthday: Dec 10, 2008)HEIGHT: 1.74 mPOSITION: Attacking Midfielder / WingerLEVEL: 3XP: 245 / 300
⚽ [CURRENT STATS]
Dribbling: 84 (+10 from Ronaldinho Template)
Vision: 82 (+8 from Ronaldinho Template)
Shooting: 78 (+6 from Ronaldinho Template)
Technique: 83 (+7 from Ronaldinho Template)
Flair: 75 (+5 from Ronaldinho Template)
Speed: 70
Stamina: 68
Strength: 65
Defending: 55
Mentality: 74
Training Bonuses Applied.
Skill Tree Unlocked: "Joga Bonito – Tier 1"
Luca whistled under his breath. "This is insane…"
[NEW FUNCTION UNLOCKED – QUESTS]Complete Daily Challenges to earn XP and random rewards.Today's Quest: "Meg a Defender 3 Times – Reward: +2 Flair"
[NEW FEATURE – REPUTATION METER]Track how others perceive you:Coaches (High), Teammates (Neutral), Fans (Unknown)
He swiped the menu away with a thought as he turned the final corner.
There it was—the apartment. Cracked bricks. Peeling paint. Rusty door.But to him, it was home.
He opened the door and stepped in.
"Papá, I'm back."
His father, Javier Herrera, sat at the small table with a pan of fried potatoes and eggs. The kitchen was lit with a single buzzing bulb. A smile spread across his face as he turned.
"Mi campeón," Javier said. "How was practice?"
Luca dropped his bag, grabbed a fork, and sat across from him.
"I don't even know how to explain it," he said, shaking his head. "It was like… everything made sense today. I was seeing things before they happened. The ball felt like it was part of me. The coaches noticed. Everyone noticed."
Javier's eyes softened. "I told you, didn't I? You just needed your moment."
"I think this was it," Luca whispered. "Something changed."
They ate in silence for a while. Javier poured water into two cups and sat back, watching his son closely.
"You remind me of her more every day," he said gently.
Luca looked down.
"Mamá?"
Javier nodded.
"She had that same light. That same way of walking into a room and making everyone feel like something great was about to happen."
Luca's voice dropped. "Do you think… she'd be proud of me?"
Javier didn't hesitate. "Always."
Later that night, as Luca lay on his bed—cracked walls on both sides, a tiny poster of Ronaldinho above his head—the system whispered again.
[Daily Summary Saved]Reminder: Tomorrow's Quest – Completed Megs (0/3)Tip: Smiling while playing increases style-based XP gain. Ronaldinho knew. Now you do.
Luca laughed to himself.
"Okay then," he whispered. "I'll keep smiling."
He turned on his side, eyes already dreaming of the pitch.
Tomorrow, he'd show them again.
Not for himself. Not for the scouts. Not even for the coaches.
For her. For his father.For the ones who always believed… even when no one else did.