"Boom! Boom! Boom...!"
Once again, the sound of a foot striking a soccer ball filled the air. Ma'el was full of energy, continuously practicing and waiting for his Skill Level to change.
This is a turning point for him, one that could very well change his football career!
He must cherish it and put in more effort.
After dozens of training sessions, Ma'el pulled up the panel again.
[Skills: Long Shot Level 1]
[Skill Level: (38/100)]
[Utility: You slowly feel...]
"There's indeed some improvement."
Ma'el's eyes lit up completely. At this rate, maybe in two or three days, he could upgrade his Long Shot to Level 2.
What effect might it have then?
It should have a certain power and accuracy.
Anticipation surged in his heart, but he was also puzzled: "I just don't know how to acquire other skills?"
Long Shot is certainly an important shooting technique, more than enough for him in the early stages.
But over time, he can't possibly keep practicing just this one skill?
"Could it be like today—practice repeatedly until I finally grasp it?"
A notion sprouted in Ma'el's mind, but he didn't waste much time pondering it. He picked up the soccer ball and started shooting practice again.
No matter what, first, he needs to improve his Long Shot!
There's not much time left; he must have a key trait that catches the coaching staff's eye!
"Boom!"
Ma'el swung his leg for another shot, and because he was so excited, he put too much force into it, sending the ball soaring into the sky.
He wasn't discouraged at all; instead, he happily let out a loud cheer to the sky, as if everything was now hopeful.
If the team's equipment room hadn't closed early, he surely would have borrowed a few more soccer balls to shoot a few more times and then collect them.
No, if he had more money, he would hire a few ball boys just to retrieve the soccer balls for him!
But if he plays well in the future, how could he worry about money?
Ma'el envisioned the future. He thought, once he has money, he'll buy a room full of soccer shoes, a few villas, and some luxury cars.
He never wants to wear shoes with peeling soles again; he wants custom-made super shoes.
As time passed tick by tick, darkness gradually fell.
Ma'el didn't know how long he practiced or how many shots he took.
It wasn't until his visibility decreased that he stopped, dragging his lead-heavy right leg while holding the soccer ball toward the dormitory.
He glanced at the panel, and unsurprisingly, his Skill Level significantly improved once more!
[Skills: Long Shot Level 1]
[Skill Level: (61/100)]
[Utility: You slowly feel...]
"Tomorrow, with more soccer balls to increase efficiency, I can definitely reach Level 2!"
Even though he was drenched and utterly exhausted, Ma'el felt refreshed. He hummed a tune on his way back to the dormitory.
Shortly after showering, his phone suddenly rang; it was his uncle calling.
"How have things been these past few days?" his uncle's voice came from the other end.
"Pretty good. I've made significant progress, but I don't know if I can stay," Ma'el replied honestly. He remembered his uncle treated the original him well, and even though he didn't fully support him in playing soccer, he wasn't opposed either.
But due to the pressure of making a living and from his aunt, it was becoming increasingly difficult to support him.
If he were truly afraid of wasting money, he wouldn't have let him choose this path as a child.
"It'd be great if you could stay. If not, come back here. I can help you find an apprenticeship, and you can work your way up. Do you still have enough money?"
"I have enough," Ma'el nodded. They usually slept in the dormitory, and their daily meals were in the cafeteria at the training base, so there wasn't much expense.
Especially after Coach Hans lent him a pair of soccer shoes, he practically had no worries.
"Your little sister has been wanting to find you. I'll let her take the phone, Eva!"
He heard footsteps approaching rapidly on the other end, followed by a charmingly cute voice full of joy: "When will you come back, brother?"
"That depends on whether I can stay here,"
Ma'el smiled. Eva, his uncle's third daughter, was seven years old this year. She had the best relationship with the original him, who was the most adorable.
"Will I be able to see you playing soccer on TV?"
The voice on the other end was innocent and delightful. "My summer vacation is about to start. I can go out and play every day. I want you to take me out for pizza."
"If I have time, I will definitely take you,"
Ma'el replied, feeling that chatting with such an obedient child could melt one's heart. He thought for a moment and then laughed: "Hopefully by the time your summer vacation comes, you'll be able to see your brother playing on TV."
"Okay!" The other end didn't realize that her brother was painting a rosy picture, nor did she know what the second half of what he meant.
After chatting with his uncle for a few more minutes, Ma'el hung up the phone, feeling a wave of sleepiness wash over him.
He turned off his phone, ready to sleep, but then heard it buzz a few times.
When he reopened it, there was a transfer record; 300 Euro was transferred, leaving a balance of 529.5 Euro.
A text message followed immediately from his uncle's number: "It's been a while since you bought soccer shoes. Buy a pair tomorrow. I don't have much to give, but I hope you can fulfill your dreams at Arsenal."
Ma'el was dumbfounded for a long time, engulfed by an indescribable feeling.
Uncontrollably, a surge of motivation burst forth from his heart, spreading throughout his body... it felt like he wasn't just one person.
Whether it was due to sheer exhaustion or a change in mindset, he slept soundly that night.
......
The next day.
The sun was shining brightly, and a gentle breeze was blowing.
After waking up, Ma'el felt a soreness throughout his body, probably due to over-exerting himself in yesterday's training.
This is unavoidable; Skill Level and muscle memory develop through consistent practice like this.
After breakfast at the cafeteria, Ma'el went to the equipment room to borrow 10 soccer balls. He then headed to the field to start his shooting practice.
Today was Sunday, the team's only rest day each week without a training schedule.
This was exactly what Ma'el wanted; he planned to focus on extra practice for Long Shots without distractions.
Usually, the Arsenal Academy has two training sessions a day, divided into morning and afternoon sessions.
In the morning, they either practice basic technical skills or work on strength and physical ability. The afternoon session consists of tactical and team coordination training.
In addition, there are two weekly cultural lessons.
After a simple warm-up, Ma'el set all the soccer balls in front of the arc of the penalty area and kicked two balls, both hitting the target with decent quality.
It seems that the Skill Level improvement from yesterday was gradually starting to show effects.
This made him even more eager for upgrades and even more hopeful for the future.
"Boom! Boom! Boom...!"
Ball after ball crashed into the net, making it tremble violently and cave in.
This time, with more soccer balls, his efficiency was higher.
The speed at which his Skill Level increased was also slightly faster than yesterday.
Watching the numbers on the panel soar, Ma'el's motivation was endless, not pausing for a moment.
It was nearly eleven when he finally ran out of strength and decided to take a break.
A sudden wave of nausea hit him. Despite the large amount of physical exertion, he had no appetite.
This is the body's response to over-exhaustion, typically occurring after extensive physical training.
"The more it feels like this, the more I need to replenish my energy."
Ma'el drank some water and rested for a while, eventually forcing himself to the cafeteria to eat lunch.
After a nap to recharge, he dragged his worn-out body back to the training ground around three in the afternoon to start a new round of practice.
The feeling of strain intensified. After the initial excitement and novelty, the monotony and pain finally set in.
But Ma'el didn't give up, nor did he reduce his training volume.
"Boom! Boom...!"
He kicked ball after ball, even when he felt as if the sweat was pouring down like rain and his head was spinning, his legs moved almost mechanically.
Finally, after one of the shots, Ma'el suddenly felt strength surging into his thighs and ankles, along with a rapid increase in muscle memory related to shooting.
[Skills: Violent Strike Level 2]
[Skill Level: (1/300)]
[Utility: After prolonged practice, your Long Shot ability has shown potential. With ample preparation and force, you can occasionally deliver high-quality long-range shots!]