Chapter 71: Volume 1, - 71: Five Points
The five available points remained highlighted at the top of the translucent interface within Rayan’s vision.
His eyes drifted straight to Pace and Acceleration. The impulse was almost magnetic. He closed his eyes for a second and imagined what five extra points in raw speed would look like on Pitch Three. Bursting past defenders without needing a double-move, leaving full-backs stranded in open grass, leaving no time for recovering central defenders to slide across.
It was the easiest fantasy to picture. But as he opened the physical attribute panel, the stark reality of his profile forced him to pause. Acceleration was already his strongest natural trait. Making himself slightly faster wouldn’t fix the moments where the ball drifted three feet too far ahead during a sudden change of direction, or the frantic, rushed mis-hits when a shooting opportunity presented itself in a crowded box.
Rayan scrolled through his weaker technical and mental metrics, reading the factual descriptions provided by the interface:
[DRIBBLING (41): Governs control, balance, and ball retention while moving at speed or changing direction.]
[BALL CONTROL (40): Governs initial contact, receiving efficiency, and immediate ball positioning upon receipt.]
[SHOOTING (39): Governs striking cleanliness, foot placement, and accuracy under non-ideal angles.]
[COMPOSURE (37): Governs execution consistency under physical pressure, fatigue, and psychological stress.]
There was no highlighted recommendation and no ’Auto-Allocate’ button. The System remained completely neutral, offering no guidance on how to build his profile. The responsibility was entirely his.
If he couldn’t keep the ball close when changing direction, raw pace would only carry him into trouble faster. If his first touch popped up under pressure, he would never get the chance to shoot. And if his composure failed the moment a defender closed him down, every technical action would break down anyway.
Rayan hovered over the categories, making his decisions one by one.
He assigned two points to Dribbling, raising it from 41 to 43. He placed one point into Ball Control, bringing it to 41. He pushed Shooting up by one point, reaching 40. Finally, he assigned his last point to Composure, lifting it from 37 to 38.
[ATTRIBUTE ALLOCATION COMPLETE.]
[Dribbling: 41 → 43]
[Ball Control: 40 → 41]
[Shooting: 39 → 40]
[Composure: 37 → 38]
[Available Attribute Points: 0]
He waited, expecting the broad header at the top of his display to shift. It didn’t.
[Composite Overall: 44 (Unchanged)]
Rayan stared at the numbers for a moment, a brief prickle of disappointment touching him. But as he looked at the targeted technical increases, he understood. Raising four specific, practical metrics by one or two points didn’t immediately shift his entire composite baseline, but it directly addressed the exact flaws that plagued his daily game.
On Sunday afternoon, during Sporting’s light recovery session, Rayan tested his new baseline on the pitch.
There was no sudden surge of magic. He didn’t turn into Duarte Faria or start gliding through three defenders at once. When Duarte Lopes threw a heavy shoulder into his side during a small-sided possession drill, Rayan still stumbled and lost his balance, forced to play a hasty backward pass.
Yet, the subtle shifts were real.
During an eight-versus-eight drill, Nuno clipped a firm pass into Rayan’s feet along the left touchline. As Rodrigo Neves closed him down, Rayan’s first touch ran slightly across his body. He adjusted half a step sooner than usual, pulled the ball back under control and chopped inside before Rodrigo could reach it. The ball remained within playing distance instead of escaping into the defender’s path.
During the finishing drill, his first side-footed effort came off his boot more cleanly and forced Diogo down to save. The next delivery arrived slightly behind him, and Rayan rushed the adjustment, dragging his shot wide of the near post. Shooting 40 had not given him a new technique. A well-prepared attempt simply felt easier to strike correctly.
Ten minutes later, Rayan tested the changes too eagerly. He received near the centre circle, saw a narrow gap beside Nunes and tried to carry through it before the space had fully opened. His third touch ran too far ahead, and Nunes stepped across to win the ball cleanly.
"Release it earlier, Rayan," Tavares called from the touchline. "The gap wasn’t there."
Rayan nodded and recovered his position.
Monday morning at Escola Secundária do Oriente brought a quiet reality check.
Rayan walked through the school gates wearing his usual dark hoodie, half-expecting the hallway to feel different after his first official goal. A small clip of the finish had circulated on a local youth football page over the weekend, but as he moved towards his locker, normal life swept past him completely uninterrupted.
Idris was standing by the radiator, frantically skimming a history textbook ahead of their first-period assessment. Nearby, Mateus "Teu" Santos was engrossed in a debate with two classmates about a guitar pedal he was trying to buy online.
Joca jogged up, tapping Rayan’s shoulder. "That low cross clip got two hundred views on my story," Joca said, leaning in. "Listen, for the next home match, I want to mount a camera behind the north goal. I need permission from the academy coordinator."
"Tavares will say no," Rayan said truthfully.
"Ask him anyway," Joca pushed, before moving off to catch another friend.
Bia walked over with her school bag slung over one shoulder, Daniela and Mari trailing close behind as they discussed a public-space design project for civic class.
"Nice goal on Saturday, Rayan," Bia said, giving him a genuine, warm smile.
"Thanks," Rayan said, feeling a small smile form.
"Did you finish the history summary for group presentation?" Bia added without pausing, pulling a notepad from her bag. "You said you’d email it yesterday."
Rayan blinked, his football thoughts instantly evaporating. "I... I did half of it. I’ll finish it during lunch."
Bia raised an eyebrow teasingly. "Goalscorer or not, we’re not failing history. Lunchtime, library."
A boy from the year above passed by, eyeing Rayan’s Sporting track jacket. "Saw the goal, El Mansouri. Real SC was playing ten men behind the ball, right? Easy tap-in."
Rayan didn’t bother arguing. The student walked on, and Rayan let out a quiet breath. The world hadn’t rearranged itself around his first official goal, and strange as it felt, the normality was grounding.
That night, alone in his room after finishing his history homework, Rayan called up the interface once more.
He navigated past the empty [ATTRIBUTE ALLOCATION] screen and opened the [SKILL LIBRARY]. A new notification resolved within the interface.
[BASIC SKILL LIBRARY UNLOCKED]
[Available Skill Tokens: 1 (Basic)]
Three distinct skill options expanded side by side, each accompanied by a precise, clinical summary:
[BODY FEINT]
[Deceives defender’s balance through synchronised head, shoulder, and hip weight transfer prior to making the exit touch. Effective for creating immediate half-yard separation without stopping the ball.]
[SINGLE STEP-OVER]
[Disguises intended direction of travel by stepping one foot around the circumference of the ball. Alters defender’s recovery rhythm and forces hesitation in tight wide channels.]
[FIRST-TOUCH ESCAPE]
[Enhances directional first contact when receiving under close pressure. Uses body angle and weighted touch to transform a defensive reception into an immediate forward exit.]
Rayan stared at the three options, his heart beating a little faster. The Single Step-over looked visually striking. It was the classic winger’s weapon, the move he had watched elite players execute a thousand times on television.
He hovered over the selections, the single Basic Skill Token waiting at the bottom of the display, unresolved.
[Available Skill Tokens: 1]