Chapter 20 - 20

Scene 1 — End of Training and the Charged Calm The final hours of training had exhausted the players. Each of them was breathing hard, their muscles tense, their eyes tired, but their minds continued to work without stopping. Pachira sat on the ground, watching the ball, remembering the feeling of his first failure in front of his friends in the neighborhood, and why he always ran faster than everyone: to escape his shyness. Isagi holds the ball in his hands, his heart beating fast, memories flooding in for a single moment: his childhood in the shadows, where he had no one to watch him but the ball. Nagi breathes slowly, his mind analyzing every move he made today, and all at once he conjures up the feeling of failure in front of his family's expectations. Ryo stands with great physical confidence, but inside he feels isolated in an abandoned playground from his childhood days, where he learned to rely on his strength alone. Chigbury watches his teammates, every small move calculated. He remembers the moment he watched opponents on the streets of his childhood, where he learned to read every move before it happened. Silence fell over the hall, as if the earth itself was waiting for what would happen. --- Scene 2 — Ego suddenly appears across the screen, the lights suddenly go out. Intermittent whispers passed between the players, but there was no time to talk. Then a huge screen lit up on the ceiling of the hall, and Ego's face appeared filling every corner. Complete silence. Even the air seemed heavy. His voice was sharp: "Everyone, stop… Today, there will be no normal evaluation. "It won't just be goals or passes... Today you will face yourselves." --- Scene 3 — A direct speech to each player that Ego directed on the screen was not directed at Asaf alone, but included everyone. "Each of you carries something from your past...but it doesn't matter now. "The present determines who you become." Pachira felt the pressure, clutched his mouth, trying to control his heartbeat. Isagi smiled briefly, but he felt that every step had to be calculated. Nagi turned his eyes around the hall, silently analyzing everything. Ryo tensed his shoulders, ready to explode with force. Chigbury collected every little movement in his mind, preparing for every eventuality. Ego raised his voice: "The real monster emerges under maximum pressure... Every wrong move will expose your inner weakness." --- Scene 4 — Preparing for Individual Training The lights are partially back on, revealing a stadium equipped with the latest technology. Individual schedules for each player appeared on the screen: Pachira: Facing a very fast opponent, tricky passes, and sudden changes of direction. Isaghi: Making critical decisions under time pressure, there is no room for hesitation. Naghi: Facing a smart opponent who tries to exploit any hesitation. Ryu: Endure tremendous physical pressure against an opponent who mimics his strength. Chigbury: Read all the moves of multiple opponents at once. Ego said in a frightening tone: "Now go... and we will see who will emerge as a monster... and who will become a memory." --- Scene 5 — Players' Reactions Pachira took a deep breath, putting all his fear from the past behind him, and just thinking about moving. Isagi feels afraid, but he smiles internally, ready to risk it for the first time without reserve. Nagi follows his opponent with a sharp eye, analyzing every angle and every possibility, his heart is calm but tense. Ryo stands confidently, focusing on his physical strength and determination, ready to overcome any obstacle. Chigbury watches everyone carefully, every move calculated, every step expected, his heart calm but ready to explode. --- Scene 6 — Short glimpses of the past At this moment, the focus was not on the long flashback, but rather a quick and intense glimpse of each character: Pachira: The first big failure in front of his friends, a feeling of shame flowing through his body. Isagi: Feeling lonely in the neighborhood, but he learned to rely on himself. Naghi: Disappointment in the face of his family's expectations, the beginning of learning to control psychological pressure. Ryo: A moment of isolation in an abandoned stadium, learning how to create his own strength alone. Chigbury: Observing an opponent on the street, learning to read every move before it happens. These moments are very short but enough to show the influence of the past on the present. --- Scene 7 — The Open End of the Act The players are standing now, each one feeling the weight of the upcoming task, each one knowing that every mistake will reveal their weaknesses. The lights dimmed, the screen went down, and the stadium became almost silent. But deep inside each player, the past has not been forgotten, but is waiting for the right moment to gradually emerge during the individual training in Chapter 17. The chapter leaves the reader on the edge of anticipation, ready to confront each player with his history, instincts, and skills. ---