Preparations

After the medical Mr. Christophe Benard drove the two boys back to their apartment before disclosing the results of their tests. He then explained to the boys how they had passed but still needed to undergo one final test before they could receive the soccer academy's scholarship.

"Let me get this straight," Marcus intoned, frowning. "We passed the medical, but the coach still wants to put us through another test before we sign a contract?" He was as outspoken as usual.

"Why an under-19 match though?" asked Adam. The slanting rays of the evening sun coming into the small kitchen through the opposite window highlighted the sullen look on his face.

Mr. Christophe Benard, seated on one of the chairs on the opposite side, looked at him and smiled.

"Are you scared?"

"Yes, I'm," Marcus replied honestly.

He was informed that he was to face the under-19 players who'd been undergoing well-tailored professional training from their childhood. He wasn't so naive to think he would best such players—two to three years his seniors.

"Do you watch the English Premier League?" Mr. Christophe Benard asked, leaning back in his seat.

The question caught Adam off guard. He looked at the scout, wondering why he'd brought up the premiership—but nothing came to his mind at that moment. Nonetheless, he still decided to humor the aged scout with an answer.

"I do." He nodded.

Mr. Christophe Benard cast a teasing glance at Adam before speaking.

"Then you must have watched the Arsenal team of 2003 when Cesc Fàbregas made his debut for the Gunners at the age of 16. That was in an English Premiership club. But the boy Cesc started his professional career at such a young age and still managed to impress in one of the toughest leagues on the planet."

"What about you now that you joined Newcastle United F.C your going to be playing in the premiership if you join the club so are you boys ready or not? because if your not the door is right there"Mr.Christophe Benard said

Mr. Christophe Benard seemed more like a coach rather than a scout.

"If you can't even perform in a friendly game of the Newcastle United F.c under-19s, how will you succeed as a professional player later on? Will you be able to compete with boys, talented as Cesc?" The scout queried, locking eyes with all the boys

The questions hit Adam's psyche like a blacksmith's hammer on hot iron, molding a determination of steel he'd never possessed in the entirety of his two lives. His eyes lit up as a dozen or so new ambitions streamed through his brain. He desired to be a winner who was able to compete with anybody.

He couldn't help but think about the greats like Lionel Messi and Christiano Ronaldo. They had made their debuts in official matches at the ages of seventeen and eighteen, respectively. But they had shined like the stars they were, stumping their names in the histories of their clubs.

Adam dreamed of such glory and was determined to achieve it

'I need to start gunning for the top right away' He thought

He resolved to be the greatest such that if he ever faltered, he would fall close to the top. If he set his sights on besting Ronaldinho but failed, he would at least compare with Neymar or end up as a Mohamed Salah in the future. And that was not a bad thing for him since he was just a failure in his past life.

With the system as support, coupled with his hard work, he believed that he would reach the top sooner or later. He just had to correct his attitude before it was too late.

With newfound vigor, he looked at the scout with a glint in his eyes. "I understand," they said solemnly. "I'll aim for an excellent performance during the friendly match with West ham. You won't be disappointed."The boys shouted with spirit

"Atta-boys. That's the spirit." The scout laughed.

"Remember that motivation is only your motor, but you have to steer toward the right destination. I have been a scout for a long time and can tell that you're two are talents. Your destination should be the top professional leagues of Europe."

"Your body is top notch".

Adam was embarrassed by the praise since he'd used a system's vitality-enhancing elixir to improve his physique. He simply maintained a poker face as he continued listening to the scout's words.

"If you play well, you may catch the eye of Newcastle's head coach. I'm sure that he'll be present for the game since he's looking for new players to join the senior team. You may escape the fate of staying in the academy for a period greater than six months if he notices you."

"Really?" all of the boys exclaimed in unison, jumping up from their seats in surprise. They longed to play soccer as professionals. Debuting quicker was their goal.

'So is this how Tyler debuted at the age of sixteen this could be my chance'.Adam thought

" I'll be taking you to acquire your temporary residence permits from the police tomorrow. After that, you'll be able to open a United Kingdom bank account where we'll deposit your allowances."

"When do we depart?" Marcus asked.

"8:30 in the morning," Mr. Christophe Benard replied. "We need to finish all your immigration procedures by noon since you all will need to attend the pre-match training session with the under-19s tomorrow afternoon.

"Do we need to pay for the gym?" Adam cut in before the scout could continue. He'd already chanced upon a small gym in his building's basement earlier that day. It could satisfy all his needs without the need to pay for expensive membership in the city center. He didn't wish to spend his allowance on anything unnecessary

"You don't have to worry," Mr. Christophe Benard replied, smiling. "As long as you use the gym between 6 to 8 AM, you won't have to pay a single cent."

"Oh, that's great. I'll be sure to check it out on Saturday." His training with the under-19s was only on Friday and Monday. He would have the whole weekend to check out the gym.