Chapter 8: Springboard To Greater Success

Conor doesn't want to lose again.

One month, 5 matches, and only 1 win. There is no doubt that the team's record so far this season is terrible.

One of the main reasons for this is that Joel Brockman has not met Conor's expectations. He originally thought that this kid, who was from the Premier League and proved himself in the championship (2nd division), could bring some victories to the team, but Joel hasn't shown anything except for slacking off in training and making continuous mistakes on the pitch, now he understands why this later seem downgrading level instead of upgrading.

Initially, Conor could console himself by saying that Joel was still adjusting to playing in a lower league that was more physical.

However, after yesterday's training session, Conor had to face the fact that Brockman, the "Big Bear," really just a talks.

He can't control the ball well, he lacks vision, and his passing is atrocious. Even Lucas, a youth academy player, could outplay him in forward. Conor can't imagine what a disaster it would be to let him play in an official match.

Speaking of Lucas, Conor was surprised by the young player's performance in training yesterday. Since the last time Joel cynically knocked him down during a training, Lucas seems to have transformed. Normally quiet, Lucas even started trash-talking Joel yesterday.

The most surprising thing was the level Lucas displayed on the pitch.

Maybe Lucas was motivated to prove himself after being humiliated by Joel. But in any case, he did show some potential.

Conor now dares not say whether Lucas is ready for the top leagues, but for the sake of the team's future, he intends to give Lucas a chance.

Today's match is against the reserves of Arsenal, a team known for developing top talents. The most threatening player on their side is a young midfielder, Diego Vargas, who was touted as a future star.

Diego Vargas was highly rated during his youth career. He is 1.80 meters tall, has excellent ball control, and can play both central midfield and attacking midfield roles. After being picked up by Arsenal from La masia, he was immediately sent to their reserve team to gain more experience.

Both players are in similar positions, but Vargas seems to be on a different level compared to Joel.

If Joel's performance continues to be disappointing today, Conor wouldn't mind giving Lucas more time on the pitch. If Lucas doesn't perform well, he can be substituted at any time—this is football, after all.

But if Lucas plays well... Conor touched his bald head. If Lucas can deliver, it would be a game-changer!

Many players are like this. Their efforts may not be visible at ordinary times, but they can suddenly shine at some point. Whether in the top leagues or lower divisions, countless players suddenly emerge from obscurity.

Although Conor isn't overly optimistic about Lucas excelling against Vargas, he's willing to take the gamble.

---

Lucas woke up today feeling sore all over.

Last night, he had trained until 11 PM. However, even after such a long session, his progress felt minimal.

It seems it will take a tremendous amount of work to reach the level of his idol, Reus, at his peak. Lucas estimates that at least one or two months of daily training would be required to fill the progress bar.

Right now, Lucas isn't sure if he will retain his previous abilities after leveling up. For example, Reus wasn't known for his defensive stability or game reading when he was younger but more about his speed. Will Lucas's defensive skills also regress as he upgrades?

Or, as he progresses, will he become a synthesis of Reus's abilities at different stages?

The system he received is far more rudimentary than the ones he read about in novels. There are no tasks, no dialogue boxes—just a progress bar and a description. It's as simple as can be.

But this kind of system has its advantages. He can control his destiny through hard work instead of being guided by the system.

So, Lucas's only way to solve his doubts is to train hard and upgrade as soon as possible.

Because of last night's intense training, his body is aching. Lucas regrets that there's a match tonight. If his soreness affects his performance, it will all be for nothing.

No matter how good you are, you have to prove it on the pitch. What's the use of talent if no one knows about it?

Lucas shook his head. It seems that in the future, he can't just train mindlessly. He needs to make a proper training plan.

As usual, Reggie honked the car horn downstairs when Lucas finished dressing.

Lucas hurriedly grabbed two pieces of toast and rushed downstairs. The thought of playing in an official match made him a little excited and a little nervous.

After all, Lucas had never experienced what it was like to play in front of thousands of spectators.

"Lucas, good morning!" Reggie greeted him as Lucas got in the car.

"How did the job at the car wash go yesterday?" Lucas asked as he fastened his seatbelt.

"The usual, not much money, but enough for many days' worth of food, how are you feeling about the match today?"

Reggie was full of anticipation for the game, but not for himself—he was eager to see how Lucas would perform.

Two days ago, he saw Lucas's ball control skills at the local pitch, and he lost a friendly match to him.

Yesterday, Reggie witnessed Lucas outplaying the "star" Joel in training. Joel's expression was as sour as could be, and Reggie still remembers it vividly.

Today is the third day since Lucas was discharged from the hospital. What incredible things he might do, Reggie had no idea.

"This is my first official match since the injury, so I'm a bit nervous," Lucas said, realizing that Reggie was staring at him in surprise.

He quickly corrected himself, remembering that it wasn't actually his first official match in this league—just the first since his injury. For Lucas, though, it really was his first match in this new life.

In order to avoid suspicion, Lucas immediately changed his words. "I mean, the first time I've played since the injury. I'm a little nervous."

"Don't be nervous, don't be nervous. If you make a couple of mistakes right off the bat, Conor will definitely bench you. By the way, guess who you're up against today?"

"Who?" Lucas had trained so hard yesterday that he forgot to research his opponents.

"It's Diego Vargas, the former youth sensation from Barcelona! In the youth leagues last season, he was averaging over 1,4 goals per match! Do you know what that means? If you can outperform him, you'll definitely catch the eye of some scouts!"

Reggie was practically foaming at the mouth as he talked, while Lucas quickly searched his memory for information on Diego Vargas.

The name sounded familiar. Lucas remembered that in his previous life, Vargas was a fringe player in La Liga, never quite making a name for himself.

In his previous life, Vargas had never fully lived up to the hype. Throughout his career, he remained a marginal figure.

In other words, this opponent wasn't as formidable as Reggie thought. But right now, people didn't know that—in their eyes, Vargas was still a highly promising talent.

"Lucas, Lucas!? Are you listening?"

"Uh…yeah, I'm listening. So, what were we talking about?" Lucas used an awkward smile to cover up the fact that he had been distracted.

"I said, if Joel continues to struggle today, you need to seize the opportunity. So, give it everything you've got. I'll be sure to pass you the ball!"

Reggie said this with a determined expression and extended his fist toward Lucas. They bumped fists lightly and continued their drive toward their football dreams.

---

The stadium was mostly empty, with only a fraction of the seats occupied.

But even so, the cheers from the fans were loud enough to make Lucas lick his lips nervously.

"Lucas, don't zone out today! Stay with me on the bench and be ready at any moment. I don't want to see you make consecutive mistakes like last time!"

As Lucas was surveying his surroundings, a bald man in a suit shouted at him. The man was Coach Conor, the head coach of the team.

"Oh…okay…" Lucas nodded mechanically, looking around at his jersey and the strong, experienced players around him. He couldn't help but swallow nervously.

He was really here, standing on a professional football pitch! Although this was just a lower-division match, it was still professional football!

Lucas wasn't playing his first match in this league, but for him, it felt like his debut.

As the rest of the team gathered to hype each other up, Lucas stood there, lost in thought.

But his mind was alive, replaying all the incredible things that had happened to him over the past few days.

Waking up in the hospital, inexplicably gaining the skills of Marco Reus, acquiring a system that could make him stronger, and outplaying a former top-tier league player in training…

And now, he finally stood here, on the field of professional competition.

Suddenly, Lucas heard cheers from the stands. He turned his head to see a tall, athletic player waving to the crowd.

This face seemed familiar to Lucas, but judging by the reaction of the fans, it was Diego Vargas.

Lucas's opponent today—and potentially his springboard to greater success.

Lucas took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. Would he spend the rest of his life to be a professional player that no one knows and live a life of tightening his belt?

　　 No, from now on, he will let such days say goodbye to himself.