Chapter 3: Injected Ability

As a football fan, who has never imagined that one day he could step onto the professional pitch? Who has never dreamed of playing alongside the stars they've idolized, winning one championship after another, and gaining wealth and fame?

It's precisely because of this shared dream among fans that the career mode in FIFA games has become so popular. In the game, every football fan can fulfill their fantasy at least once. Since its introduction, this player-based mode has become a staple of the FIFA series.

But outside of games and fantasies, very few fans get to live this dream. After all, professional football is far more challenging than any game could capture.

However, Lucas now has a chance to make his dream a reality.

He suddenly gained the physical attributes of a professional player and even had the foundation to break into the top leagues. But whether he can truly achieve his dream depends on his ability to fully harness this newfound ability.

After dinner at Reggie's house, they rested for a while before heading out to the mini-foot pitch near the house, as planned.

The goalposts on this pitch were made of iron, and the original white paint was peeling off in many places. The net was a patchwork of old ropes, as real nets would quickly wear out and tear.

There were cracks in the worn concrete ground, and the wire fence surrounding the pitch was full of holes. Although this pitch was run down, it was the only place nearby where the two could play without interruptions.

Lucas nervously held the football. Although he now had the physique of a professional player, standing at 1,85 cm and weighing 79 kg, he was still worried about his football skills, which hadn't even been good enough to make the local team.

While there are indeed players in professional football who dominate the game more through physicality than skill, such as the towering Drogba or the future tireless midfielders like Valverde, those players are still technically proficient compared to most people, you will be shocked watching their skills. And besides, Lucas's physique could only be considered not bad in the world of professional football.

"Why don't you take a few shots first to get a feel for it?" Seeing Lucas standing there lost in thought with the football, Reggie pointed to the goal.

"Oh... right..." Lucas nodded. In the past, his favorite way of scoring at school was by shooting. He had always thought he was pretty accurate.

But in reality, that was because shooting was his only way of scoring, and Lucas's inability to dribble past defenders even though he was Brazilian made him believe shooting was his best skill. The truth was, his shooting wasn't that great.

Just as Lucas raised the football to kick it, a line of text suddenly appeared before his eyes.

"Ah!" Lucas exclaimed in surprise, dropping the football.

"What's wrong, man? Are you feeling okay?" Reggie hurried over, concerned. He thought Lucas might be experiencing some aftereffects from his previous fall. After all, it's serious when someone faints after hitting their head. Even though the doctor had said everything was fine, Reggie was still worried.

"It's nothing, I just... uh, let's start playing, Reggie. I'll warm up a bit more." Lucas waved him off, indicating he was okay.

After confirming that only he could see the text, Lucas stepped aside, pretending to stretch his legs while actually studying the message in front of him.

The text was simple, just one sentence:

[The 2023-24 Marco Reus ability has been injected.]

Lucas read the message in his mind, and a progress bar appeared before him, but it was empty. There was also a small note:

[The ability of Marco Reus in the 2022-23 season.]

"Marco Reus!?" Lucas's heart skipped a beat. Marco Reus was one of his favorite footballers! He remembered that before this strange incident, he had been watching the Champions League Final, Dortmund against Real Madrid; although he liked Real Madrid very much, he still hoped Reus could end his career perfectly.

Unlike most fans who idolized Messi, Ronaldo, or Neymar, Lucas had always been drawn to players like Reus, Müller, and Vardy, who combined skill with resilience. Reus, known for his technical ability, vision, and versatility, was also admired for his determination to keep playing despite numerous injuries.

Before this bizarre event, Lucas knew that Reus had been an inspiration to many, not just for his talent but for his perseverance. While others might have given up, Reus continued to fight, to come back stronger. This was the spirit Lucas admired most.

But now, it seemed that Lucas had somehow acquired a link to Marco Reus.

The message said that the ability of Reus from the 2023-24 season had been injected. What did that mean? Could it be that Lucas now possessed the skills of the legendary German footballer?

"Hey, Lucas, what are you standing around for? It's almost time to warm up, take a few shots."

Reggie's shout snapped Lucas out of his thoughts, and the progress bar and text disappeared.

Lucas nodded, recalling Reus's performance during the 2023-24 season.

Although Reus was past his athletic prime by that time and plagued by injuries, he was still a key player for Borussia Dortmund. He played a total of 41 games that season and 13 Champions League games. His experience and technical ability allowed him to contribute significantly, with his precise shooting and playmaking skills still a threat to any defense, scoring 9 goals and 7 assists.

"Pass me the ball," Lucas called out, positioning himself directly to the opposite penalty area.

Reggie raised an eyebrow, as Lucas had never been confident enough to take shots from that distance before. But he didn't think much of it and passed the ball.

Lucas received the ball and immediately felt more in control. It was as if his touch had improved as if the ball was an extension of his body.

He took a deep breath, adjusted his stance, and struck the ball with a perfect balance of power and precision. The football soared through the air in a beautiful arc, smashing into the top corner of the net.

Reggie's eyes widened in disbelief. "What the... that was amazing! Do it again!"

Lucas grinned, still in shock himself but eager to test this newfound ability. He was still on the other side of the pitch and received another pass from Reggie. This time, he aimed for the bottom corner, and the ball sailed smoothly into the net once more.

Over the next few minutes, Lucas took ten shots from various positions, and nine of them found their target with the same precision. It wasn't until the eleventh shot that the ball narrowly missed, grazing the post on its way out.

Professional footballers often maintain high accuracy during training, but for someone who had never shown such skill before, this was extraordinary.

"I swear, man," Reggie said, walking up to Lucas and looking him up and down, "you hit your head and suddenly became a shooting machine!"

"Well, I've been secretly practicing my shots, heh, and I guess I got lucky today." Lucas scratched his head, trying to downplay his sudden talent. At that moment, the progress bar appeared before him again.

He noticed that the once-empty progress bar was now filled with a faint white light, indicating that something had changed. There was also a small line of text that read,

[The ability of Marco Reus in the 2022-23 season.]

Could it be that as he trained or played matches, this progress bar would fill up, unlocking more of Reus's abilities? And if he kept training, could he reach the peak of Reus's career?

The idea was so incredible that Lucas almost didn't dare to think about it.

Becoming a professional footballer? Maybe it wasn't so far-fetched after all!