Discount?

"What is happening?" Nakahara's voice reverberated, startling every football player surrounding Aoi and Ogata.

Nakahara caught a glimpse of Aoi standing while Ogata shivered in fear as he sat on the ground and was greatly surprised.

When every football player turned their attention to him, he asked, "What happened?"

He was concerned about Ogata's current condition, for it appeared he had just received a massive mental shock, ending with his face contorted in terror.

Furthermore, he was really staring at Aoi, and so, instinctively, he was infuriated at Aoi and could not help but glare at him.

He even felt more infuriated when Aoi just shrugged in response.

One of the football players replied, "They were having a… what do you call this one? One versus one?"

The football player beside him continued, "Ogata probably challenged Aoi to try dribbling past him. Well, as you can see… the result should have devastated Ogata. Can he still recover, Coach?"

Of course, Nakahara had a slight idea of what happened. Only he wanted someone to clarify his assumption.

His horror turned out to be true. But then again, he was still surprised to discover Ogata was really defeated by Aoi.

If he had to choose the best defender individually, it would be Ogata. If it had been the best defender when it came to tactics, ordering his fellow defenders to halt any attempt at his opponent's advance, it would have been Kuduo.

To think Ogata was conquered by Aoi.

It was simply inconceivable.

He glanced at Aoi with eyes full of doubt.

He turned to Kaga and was about to confirm if it was true when he saw his unsightly face.

He could not dare to imagine the result of the duel he did not even witness.

"I see." Nakahara nodded. "Don't worry. He will recover… only if he does not have to face Aoi. I mean…" He turned to Kaga once again and called him. "Kaga, come here. Narrate what happened."

Kaga nodded and jogged towards Nakahara.

He quickly narrated the occurrence in a low voice, and the other football players instantly lost interest in them as they focused on Aoi.

They stared at him in awe.

Aoi simply shrugged at their intense gaze filled with awe, curiosity, and envy.

He was not bothered by their thoughts of him, even though they were staring at him in respect and admiration… and some even regarded him as someone they must surpass.

However, he was bothered by the notification by the system.

[Ding! You have completed the mission! You have been rewarded with 15 Ego Points!

Ding! You have garnered the respect of other football players. Your Ego has been boosted. You have been rewarded with 5 Ego Points!]

Aoi was filled with ecstasy and satisfaction when he heard the system's announcement.

He did not hesitate to call the system to announce his current Ego Points.

[Current Ego Points: 42]

'That's massive. I can spend, like, 20 Ego Points now.'

Aoi hastily called the system to present him with his current physical capabilities.

 However, as the system showed his current stats through his vision, he was distracted by Oka, who, as always, hugged him on all fours.

He even almost lost his footing, for he was completely taken off guard.

Thankfully, he upgraded his Endurance.

He instantly decided to erase the wall of text before him by calling the system to order it to do so and focused on Oka.

"Aoi! That was amazing! You are a better dribbler than me!"

Aoi rolled his eyes and recalled Oka's dribbling skills.

Certainly, he was assured Oka's ball control and dribbling skills were almost A grade, or perhaps on that level.

Furthermore, he was learning complicated dribbling techniques. Obviously, Oka was better than he was.

Furthermore, he could still remember Oka performing a curling shot, a shot that curved the ball. 

To buy the curled shot needed him to spend 100 Ego Points, which was too expensive.

Another way for him to acquire that technique was to ask Oka to teach him, but that would be… not egoistic.

Nonetheless, he tried to question the system.

[Denied! You will be heavily punished if you ask other football players. That is not an Egoistic Behavior!

Furthermore, you can learn it by yourself, but the efficiency will not be the same as buying the technique directly from the system. Thus, the Egoistic Ace System encouraged the host to buy techniques directly at the store.

The Egoistic Ace System assured that once the host upgraded some of his technical skills and physical capabilities to a certain grade, the cost of buying the technique would decrease.]

Aoi was exhilarated to receive such massive information from the system. Although he should have been disheartened for knowing he could not receive any teachings from other football players, he was not concerned since, as the Egoistic Ace System affected his way of thinking, he was egoistic enough to not pursue such an inegoistic approach.

The fact that the expensive techniques from the store would be decreased, as though he would be receiving a discount, as long as he upgraded his techniques and physical capabilities already delighted him.

"Why are you not saying anything, Aoi? React, will you?" Oka shook Aoi's head while the latter's expression remained indifferent. 

Aoi pushed Oka away, and the latter did not resist as he steadily landed on the ground.

Aoi said, "You are a better ball controller and dribbler yourself. Stop praising me."

Oka rolled his eyes and snorted.

"You are saying that, but you do not even acknowledge my years of effort to achieve those skills. Yet, you? I had not seen you play football until we played together just yesterday, and now? Ever since yesterday, I really thought I was still dreaming."

"You are overreacting."

Aoi stopped focusing on Oka and swept his eyes to other football players, now concentrating on their own world. Some were dribbling, some passing the ball to each other, some were controlling the ball…

They were doing something differently, but they possessed the same fiery, raging eyes.

They were certainly motivated.

Aoi did not even need to ask them what could be the reason.

He smiled ambiguously.