The next morning, rain greeted the Manchester United academy like an uninvited guest.
The pitch was wet, muddy in places, and slippery enough to send careless players flat on their backs. For most kids, that meant complaints. For the coaches, it meant opportunity.
"Good," Coach Harrison said, clapping his hands together. "Football isn't played in perfect conditions. If you can't adapt, you don't belong here."
Noah adjusted his boots, quietly observing the field.
Wet pitch. Reduced friction. Ball speed increases by around twelve percent, his adult mind calculated automatically.
At the same time—
SYSTEM NOTICE:
Environmental Adjustment Detected
Recommended Focus: Balance, First Touch, Core Stability
Noah exhaled slowly.
You're really getting smarter…
Liam slipped immediately during warm-ups and landed on his back.
"WHY IS THE GROUND ATTACKING ME?" he shouted.
Marcus laughed so hard he nearly joined him.
Ethan pushed his glasses up. "Statistically speaking, Liam, you're just bad."
Noah chuckled. Moments like these reminded him why he loved football—not just the game, but the people.
Then the whistle blew.
"Five-a-side," Coach Harrison said. "Fast rotations. No holding the ball for more than three seconds."
Noah's eyes immediately found Damien Blackwood.
Damien stood confidently, rain dripping from his hair, eyes sharp and focused. Unlike yesterday, there was no smirk—just intent.
He's serious today, Noah realized.
The match began explosively.
The ball zipped across the wet grass faster than usual. One bad touch could end everything.
Noah received his first pass and instantly felt it—the pitch fighting back.
The ball slipped slightly under his foot.
A mistake.
Damien pounced.
He burst forward with frightening speed, using a signature dribble Noah recognized—a sharp lateral cut followed by a sudden acceleration.
That's not normal for his age…
Damien fired a shot.
Goal.
Silence fell for half a second.
Then Damien turned, rain-soaked grin returning. "Careful, Ravenscroft. Rain doesn't care about potential."
Liam groaned. "I hate prodigies."
Noah didn't respond. He was busy analyzing.
SYSTEM ANALYSIS:
Opponent: Damien Blackwood
Type: Ego leaning toward Prodigy
Strengths: Acceleration, Ball Control, Confidence
Weakness: Predictable finishing pattern
So that's it… Noah thought. He always shoots low-right after the cut.
The restart came quickly.
This time, Noah didn't rush.
He focused on his breathing. His posture. His center of gravity.
SYSTEM PROMPT:
Shadow Step – Available
Duration: 3 seconds
Cooldown: 10 minutes
Noah hesitated.
Not yet.
He received the ball again, rain splashing around his boots. Damien charged toward him.
Instead of dribbling, Noah passed backward—simple, clean.
Damien blinked.
Then Noah moved.
He wasn't faster than Damien.
He wasn't stronger.
But he was earlier.
He cut into open space before the defenders realized it existed.
Liam passed instinctively.
Noah received the ball at the edge of the box.
One touch.
Second touch.
Shot.
The ball curved slightly—just enough to avoid the keeper's gloves.
Goal.
"YES!" Liam screamed, sliding on his knees and nearly taking out Marcus.
Damien stared, eyes narrowed.
That wasn't a technique, he realized.
That was timing.
The game intensified.
Both teams adapted quickly, techniques clashing like blades.
One kid used a powerful straight-line charge.
Another attempted a flashy spin that failed miserably due to the rain.
Noah felt pressure building.
This world wasn't like real football.
Everyone here was good.
No—too good.
And that excited him.
Midway through the match, Damien intercepted a pass and broke forward again.
Same dribble. Same cut.
Now, Noah decided.
ACTIVATING: SHADOW STEP
The world sharpened.
For three seconds, Noah's body felt lighter—his legs responding instantly to intent.
He didn't chase Damien.
He appeared in his path.
Damien's eyes widened as Noah slid perfectly, not touching the man—only the ball.
Clean steal.
Gasps echoed from the sidelines.
Noah rose, heart pounding.
Three seconds… and it felt like that?
He passed forward, sprinted, and received the return.
This time, when he shot, he changed the angle.
Goal.
The whistle blew moments later.
Match over.
Noah collapsed onto the wet grass, chest rising and falling rapidly. His muscles burned, but his mind was alive.
Damien approached, rain dripping from his chin.
"…That move," Damien said quietly. "That interception. That wasn't normal."
Noah smiled faintly. "Neither was your dribble."
Damien clicked his tongue, then smirked.
"Good. That means I won't get bored."
Coach Harrison watched them carefully.
Later, as the boys changed in the locker room, the system spoke again.
SYSTEM UPDATE:
Match Performance Analyzed
Stat Growth:
Balance +1
Positioning +1
Game Sense +2
New Insight Unlocked:
Instinct Synchronization (Passive – Temporary)
Your intuition and system guidance are beginning to align.
Noah leaned back against the bench, staring at the ceiling.
This wasn't power.
Not yet.
This was something better.
A foundation.
Outside, the rain continued to fall—but for Noah Ravenscroft, the storm had only just begun.