Inside the building, the young players were organized into sections according to their positions, from goalkeepers to strikers. The attacking midfielders joined the strikers' section, while the defensive midfielders went to the defenders' section. A considerable distance away from the standalone administration building, the main campus presented a vast terrain dotted with colossal glass domes, and positioned next to these impressive structures were fenced football fields, with the architectural design of each dome allowing for the inclusion of two to three football grounds. Upon entering the administration building, Winston and Oswin were presented with wristband watches that were designed to tighten around their arms and, as Winston inquired from a federation staff member, about these wristwatches that displayed their names and his various health metrics.
"These watches allow the Federation to monitor players' health, and they also help us keep track of your location at all times. The area we're in is secluded, and the nearest city is over a thousand kilometers away."
"Oh, are we allowed to leave the federation area?" Oswin asked, peeking at Winston's wristwatch.
Female staff calmly replied, "No. Players are not allowed to leave the facility until they finish their training. If you need more information, consult your instructor."
The female didn't wait for Winston and Oswin to ask more questions, she gestured them into the scanners. Once Oswin had completed his scan—Winston then moved inside the scanner, a sharp beeping sound emanated through the area. The male staff requested that Winston remove his ankle weights, but Winston clarified that they were for training.
The male staff then inspected the weights and subsequently allowed Winston to proceed inside the property.
Upon entering the striker training dome, to which another Federation staff member, Winston and Oswin had escorted them noticed a football field that was completely encompassed by rows of seats for spectators. The other players glanced at them and proceeded to look at the figure in front, behind Winston and Oswin—Sebastian and his two companions walked in.
"May I have your attention this," the man in the center of the field knocked a massive drum supported by four steel legs. On top of it is a small size monitor that had three nil digital.
"This is a kick-power meter. Each of you will have a chance to kick a ball at it. This first test is designed to measure the power of your shot. The monitor above the drum will display your kicking power.
The rating I'm looking for is 100. Yes, I know even many senior players struggle to reach that score, but you know what? I think you can do it."
The man's composed manner had a calming effect on the young players who had assembled, and subsequently, two members of the federation staff introduced a sizable screen displaying the complete roster of the youths' names. Furthermore, the screen was equipped with a column dedicated to group separation. With a warm smile on his face, he said, "Now, here's my favorite part of this challenge. The higher your score, the higher the group you'll be placed in. The top performers will be assigned to Groups A and B, while players with lower ratings will start in Groups C and D.
Of course, being placed in a lower group doesn't mean you're stuck there. You can work your way up from D to C, and eventually to A. On the other hand, players in Groups A and B can also drop to C or D if their performances decline. I'll explain the promotion and relegation system later.
Oh, and one more thing. This federation academy will serve as an evaluation metric when major clubs send scouts three months from now. Every challenge is worth three points. If you achieve a rating of 60 or higher, you'll earn all three points. Anything below 60 earns you 1 point."
The rankings were divided into four groups, from Group A to Group D, with six slots available in each group. To qualify for Group A, a youth player needed a score of 50 or higher.
However, placement within the group was determined by score. If a player scored 50 and another scored 52 or higher, the player with 50 points would drop down the rankings within Group A. As more players achieved higher scores, lower-scoring players would continue to be pushed down and could even be relegated to a lower group.
Meanwhile, players with lower ratings remained in the lower groups unless they achieved a higher score on another challenge.
Murmurs erupted among the youth. "No way! Sixty is easy enough to reach. We're all getting those three points. And that guy at the entrance was right—our future professional careers really do depend on how hard we work and what the scouts see."
One youth raised his hand—after the man pointed at the youth, he asked, "What's the penalty for being in group C and D?"
The man slightly smiled and said, "They are none," The youths who were holding their breaths let out a sigh of relief. Until the man said,
"Of course, we'll be sending your progress reports to the major clubs. Whether you rank at the bottom or the top throughout this training program, your performances will be documented and shared with scouts from those clubs.
That's why I expect each of you to give it your all over the next few months. Every challenge, every score, and every improvement will be recorded. Now then, shall we begin? The first player is Kyle Ortega."
The youth player who was being called was in front of Winston and Oswin. As the room descended into a profound silence, so deep that the muffled sounds of footsteps from beyond the dome became perceptible, the youth proceeded to advance to the middle of the field. As the man's smile reached the youth, it brought a measure of composure to the younger individual, and the man subsequently entered a capacious steel receptacle packed with a multitude of balls, and it was noted that every single one of these balls was emblazoned with the official symbols of the Federation.
Ortega prepared himself, steeling his resolve, in order to carry out the kick from the specified distance of 16.5 meters, aiming directly for the enormous drum. Following a brief series of deep breaths, he initiated a sprint and unleashed a forceful kick at the ball, causing the immense drum to produce a resonant sound.
After the digits on the monitor's meter sped up considerably, they then ceased their movement when they reached 20, at which point the man let out a sigh and shook his head. "D, okay, who's next? Hmm... Damien." Ortega slumped his shoulders in disappointment, still shaking his head. The man then told everyone that once they were done with the test, they were to take a seat in the stands. Damien stood and paced himself, and then he blasted the ball. The massive drum rang out again, the digital numbers sped up, and it landed on 30.
"Group D," said the man who was now leaning on the steel basket that was filled with footballs,
"Wait, what's with this massive drum? I've been studying it, but I can't figure it out. How strong is it? Do we need to generate enough momentum to kick the ball and pass this challenge?" said one of the youth players, folding his arms and rubbing his chin.
"Maybe that trick to pass the first player created too much momentum," said one of the youth players, his eyes fixed on the massive drum as he studied it carefully.
The youths were whispering to one another, creating an atmosphere that closely resembled a gathering of scholars exchanging knowledge and insights. Winston and Oswin stood there listening to the murmurs until Oswin leaned to Winston and asked, "Do you think it's true that creating momentum will actually high our score?" Winston stared at the massive drum and the monitor, Winston pondered for a while. I don't think they'd make this test that easy. And this instructor's laid-back attitude creates a false sense of calm, making us lower our guard. Right now, that tactic seems to be working.
The mood has already started to shift. I suspect there's more to this massive drum than he's letting on. He never told us how much it weighs—only the score he wants us to achieve.
Maybe I should use this new speed of mine to aim for a higher score. Winston pondered and replied,
"There's no obvious technique to getting a high score. Both of those players put everything they had into their kicks, so I think there's something more to this massive drum. Maybe we should build up momentum before striking the ball."
"Damn, now I'm getting nervous. Aren't you nervous? You seem so calm." Oswin said,
Despite his outward appearance of calmness, Winston was, in reality, quite anxious, with his mind actively processing the situation as he scrutinized the positions and momentum of the two players who had just kicked the ball. After two more youths took the test and received rating, and A and D, Winston carefully studied their attempts. He focused on the player who scored an A with 50 rating points, comparing the way he generated momentum to the approach of the player who earned the lower score.
"Dante, 56—A. Huey, 45—D. Rahiem, 57—A." the man said, dribbling the ball from the ground.
From an entrance situated at the far end of the upper seating area, a gentleman attired in a suit made his entrance. Despite the wrinkles etched across his face, the bald man carried himself with quiet authority. Combined with his neatly trimmed beard, he appeared to be somewhere in his late forties or early fifties. He took a seat at the back of the room and remained silent.
A moment later, another man entered, dressed in a black suit and appearing to be in his thirties. He sat beside the older gentleman. As the two men settled into their seats, the room fell silent, and a heavy tension filled the air. The man, who remained positioned with his back against the steel basket, redirected his gaze to observe the two gentlemen who had just entered the dome, before returning his attention to the youth standing before him, whose demeanor had now become noticeably tense.
"Lucas, you are next,"
Oswin clenches his teeth and side eye Lucas—who chuckles at Oswin. "I can't wait to see how far you have come since that day," said Lucas, walking toward the massive drum. Before preparing to blast the ball, he glanced at Oswin. Who glare at Lucas with his arms folded.
"Lucas 60—A," the man said, looking at Lucas, "Which junior team did you play for?"
"Oh, I played for F.C. Cerceda as a winger," Lucas replied,
"Didn't F.C. C already submit a bid to sign you after the junior league concluded?"
Lucas shifted his gaze toward Oswin and said, "I needed to prove my skill, and I have unfinished business,"
The man shifted his gaze and saw Oswin, and nodded his head and gestured for Lucas to take a seat.