Winston woke up earlier than he expected—checking his phone that was lying beside him, the time was four-thirty am. He dragged himself out of his bed, walked toward the window, and when he checked outside—it was still dark. Not wanting to wait until the summer sun started blazing its early morning rays. Although the training ground doesn't open early, Winston decided to start with a morning run around his suburban neighborhood.
The last time he took a tour around his neighborhood was when he started moving into it. A couple of years ago, the area was located on the northern part within a few kilometers from the city, the area is known for being one of the safest and best areas to settle into. But it was quite expensive and the training ground was located a few kilometers downtown near the end of the city. To get there, one needed to rely on public transport, and Winston lived on the eastern side of this area.
Before relocating to this suburban area, he lived near the training ground downtown—Winston and his friends played on that old ground full of patches of holes, and they enjoyed playing there after it rained because. They started slipping up on those holes. until Westminster fixed it a couple of years ago as part of their philanthropic initiatives for the city.
Those memories were one reason he felt in love with playing football. Of course, the most important one was when he was young, five or six or so Winston's father used to take him into the football games where Winston watched his father play football, these were not often as Winston's father was working a lot.
This is far enough, I should turn around and wash up, and go to the training ground before I meet with Oswin.
Winston ran back home. This time he decided to just sprint full speed home, he wanted to test his stamina and monitor it by doing patterned breathing, he counted with every sprint before taking a break. He saw that his lungs always gave in around five minutes. His chest tightened and his lungs felt constricted when he tried to sprint for six minutes.
I need to start lifting weights again, this is pathetic. The last time I lifted some weights was back in the senior club.
"Oh, you're home early, I thought you would arrive late."
"The ground doesn't open until seven or eight am," he also added "I wanted to do some warm up running around the block, and I'll be meeting with my friend in the afternoon so I have to carry my training clothes and clean casual clothes too."
"I am happy that you can take time to enjoy yourself. And meet new people"
"Thanks, Mom, you dressed nice Where are you going?"
"Thank you, baby, your sister and I are going shopping. A new shop recently opened," she also added, "By the way, breakfast is in the microwave, make sure you eat before heading out."
"C'mon, Mom, let's rush before someone grabs all the nice clothes."
Winston waved them goodbye as they drove out of the driveway. Covered in sweat, he hurried inside and started wolfing down his breakfast. And rushed upstairs to his room and prepared his training clothes and casual clothes. He noticed that the core system had a message for him. When he clicked on it–it surprised him. The little burst of running he was doing seemed to boost some of his basic skills.
[User boosted skills]
Pace +1
Physical +1
so those sprinting drills boosted my pace, physical and stamina, I wonder if I can keep boosting them up.
Pace
Acceleration: 73 +1
Sprint speed: 74 +1
Physical
Physical: 66 +1
Stamina: 66 +1
Strength: 61 +1
Winston rushed out of his house. This time he wasn't jogging or running, Winston decided to walk to public transportation since he wanted to look close to his stats and he wanted to focus on one category this time. All this time he was just doing things to see which one would boost fast, even the skills he chose a few days earlier. All he wanted was to be put in the first eleven. Now he wants to be the best striker in this club. Waiting for the traffic light to turn green so he can cross the road.
He took out his phone while it was black. He used his phone as an inconspicuous tool to access the Core system without drawing attention to himself..
Today I should focus on my physique. The one I have not will make me not to be picked or be substituted on the second for sure.
The reason I scored that goal was because the system daily challenge, and my form was terrible.
I'm even surprised I scored, I know my shooting power is high, but without techniques I won't be lucky.
Since tomorrow is training day, I should ask the coach for more physical training. For now, I will do what I can to boost them a little.
"Winston, my boy, I see you're putting in that hard work again."
"Good morning, Mr. Groundkeeper. Yes, I am. Ever since I played with the seniors I wanted to play there with them again."
"I saw that game, back then you needed more work. Look at you now, you are more motivated than last time. You seemed to be all over the place. Back then I also heard you scored your first goal for under twenty-one."
"I tried my best, even though I was substituted in during the last few minutes."
"You are still young and besides the goal you scored, for sure your coach will not waste your talent."
Both kept talking for a few minutes until the groundskeeper gave him some more training equipment, and he left Winston to continue doing his drills. When he got disturbed by his alarm, he rushed, packing his stuff, Winston ran toward the changing room where he took a quick shower and changed into his regular clothes.
***
He entered the alley as a shortcut when crossing the busy street downtown. The aroma of freshly baked pastries made him feel hungry as he exited the alley.
He entered the store, heard a voice, and then saw Busisiwe sitting by herself in the middle of the store, facing the door and typing on her laptop.
"We are close for now."
"Oh, when are you going to open?. I'm supposed to be meeting my friend here."
Busisiwe looked over her laptop. "Oh, Winston, Oswin told me you two will meet here." Busisiwe stood up and went over to the counter and started fixing her apron. "While you wait, would you like something to eat?"
"Yeah, classic pie and a soft drink."
"How do you know Oswin? Were you two dating?"
"Heck no, ewww, believe it or not we're actually siblings, cousins to be specific."
"Oh."
"I am surprised he didn't yap about us being cousins, he has been talking about you and how he saw you playing in the Supreme League a couple of months ago. When he heard that both of you are playing on the same team, he was like a high school girl."
She added, "His dream is to play in the Supreme League too, but he got injured and had to sit back for a year, and he missed his opportunity,"
"What was that team again, mmhmm!." she said, laying down fresh batches of pies.
Clink-ding
"I knew I would find you here. You're ready." Winston noticed Oswin with his training bag, at that moment, Winston realized Oswin was also training intensely, perhaps masking it with his laid-back attitude. "Yeah, we can go."
"Cheers, Busi."
"Goodbye, thank you for the pie and drink."
"Sure, come back now."
With that Winston and Oswin walked down the busy road, crossing roads and maneuvering from fast Uber and workers who are on their bicycles. "You were training. I see someone who wants to beat Maximilian on being called first for the first eleven."
"You know it, the last game we played I felt amazing. I also see you were training too."
"Hehehe, you know it. I was just practicing skills from that last game because I felt out of practice. By the way, you never told me how the Supreme League selected you to play.
"My selection was random, a result of senior team injuries, though I had spent time as a reserve. And that match was my first."
"Ah, dang, you were lucky."
"Enough about me, how about you, with your skills, you should have been signed into the senior team already?"
"Thanks man, I got a nasty injury that took a year to heal. But before that happened, I got a chance to train with the seniors."
"Which team wanted to sign you?"
"Western Park F.C."
"No way you were about to be signed by the fourth biggest team in the league."
"Right, when they approached me, I was also shocked that I couldn't sleep."
"Damn crazy."
Once they left the bustling street, Winston pondered how close he and Oswin were to realizing their aspirations.
Additionally, he felt it was necessary to put in more work to be part of the first eleven. Winston felt he didn't push himself hard enough when they signed him to the senior league.
He thought since a big team signed him to play for them at senior league, he can now grow slowly. And that backfired on him.
When the coaches selected Winston from the youth league, they believed his skills would develop with time. Those skills would refine, and his growth was too slow. He focused only on his shooting, which is why it reached seventy. The system presented him with a path to greatness, to become a football legend and the best globally, by enabling him to monitor statistics, practice discipline, and train diligently for his legendary aspirations.
He smirked and clenched his fist.