With all attention focused on him, Winston experienced a touch of nervousness as he readied himself to launch the ball, the very moment he propelled it forward. The old man pressed the button, entire dome went quiet. They all watched the small monitor above the massive drum. Until it landed on "Winston, 30—D."
"Tsk, that was disappointing. I thought you said he finished second on the league scoreboard," said one youth in disdain.
"I thought he was going to beat Sebastian's record. Sure, he finished second on the scoreboard, but maybe it was a fluke. No... that can't be right. My cousin played with him and said he was unbelievably good on the ball."
In disdain, the youth sneered at Winston and said, "Tell your cousin to check his eyes,"
Some of the youth knew nothing about Winston beyond what the man at the front entrance had told them. Some even looked at him with disdain because he had been given the opportunity to play for the senior team, only to make a laughingstock of himself and the youth league. And that now they are here in a secluded area fighting to be picked by big clubs.
Sebastian gazed at Winston with a look of contentment, fully aware that Winston would be unable to surpass his score, finding the situation quite amusing. However, his demeanor shifted dramatically the moment he observed the two gentlemen dressed in black suits rise and depart, and prior to their exit, they fixed Winston with an intense, unwavering gaze.
Fueled by his annoyance, Sebastian's gaze settled intensely on Winston, and in that moment, he began to ponder the specific relationship that Winston might share with the individual in charge of the federation. Following his investigation into Winston's background, he discovered that Winston was not particularly remarkable in any way.
He lived in a medium suburb area with both parents and a high school sister, and how he was chosen by Westminster on a whim. Now Sebastian was also interested in Winston.
On the field, Winston's mind raced, and he heard those two youths. He pondered the reasons behind his dismal performance, recalling how he had utilized his father's namesake, an incredibly potent kicking technique, to strike the ball with tremendous force. With his head down, he walked into the stands and sat next to Oswin.
"You're okay. Don't worry about them. There are still other challenges ahead, and we'll focus on those. I'll help you reach Group A."
"Thanks, bro, but I swear I hit the ball as hard as I could. Ahem... maybe the nerves got to me," Winston said, looking at his leg.
I know I used the Spear Technique. Then how the hell did I score so low? Damn it. Now I have to work my way up to Group A to improve my chances with the Big Three scouts. Hopefully, the next challenge lets me earn a spot in Group B or A.
***
As they moved beyond the dome, a pair of men dressed in black suits traversed a considerable walkway, with the expanse of football fields visible on either side of their path. The man coldly asked, "What's the rating score of that kid,"
The young man raised his tablet, which was at his side, and quickly replied, "He scored 100. His vitality spiked for a few seconds as he kicked the ball."
The old man picked his pace, leaving the young man behind, and he too picked up his pace to match the old man. Although it might have seemed like anger, the old man's tone was merely his natural speaking style, and in reality, he was quite pleased to have observed the extraordinary effects of the medicinal substance. Now he had leverage amongst his group of directors in the Federation of Football League.
After some hesitation concerning this medication, the man spoke from his shoulder, expressing his reservations.
"Keep watch over him, and what about the other kid?"
"We sent some men over to pick him up, but they had an incident."
The old man stopped, now pissed, he asked, "What kind of incident?"
The young man replied, "They were killed, we have a recording of the perpetrator."
The old man stretched out his hand, and the young man quickly handed the tablet. When the old man played the video, a gruesome scene made him wince a little—he handed the tablet back to the young man. Fixing his tie and putting his hand in his pocket, he looked over the two pillar mountains far on the horizon that were pointing toward the beautiful cloudless sky. The old man shifted his gaze and asked, "Did you find who he works for?"
"No, we're still investigating. Once we've gathered enough information, we'll forward our findings to your office," the young man said, taking back the tablet.
The old man remained silent and walked off. As he neared the end of the hallway leading to the main building, he came to a halt and looked back over his shoulder.
"Make sure you have more men guiding the academy. And make sure no news of Winston being here gets out."
"Yes, sir,"
***
"Inside the dome, the man who had conducted the massive drum test stood before the seated youths and instructed them to address him and his companions as 'Instructors.'"
"Now that's out of the way, as I said before, these results are being monitored by some of the biggest clubs around. If you want to be scouted by them, you'd better make sure you pass these dome challenges.
Of course, simply passing shouldn't be your only goal. Use your time here to train, improve, and prove that you deserve their attention."
"You will be divided into Groups A, B, C, and D, and each group will have its own living quarters. Every building will have an instructor assigned to it. If you need anything, report it to your instructor. They will take attendance every morning and patrol the assigned buildings at night.
Oh, and I almost forgot. Players in Groups C and D are allowed to challenge players in Groups A and B to a match, and vice versa. Just like a regular match, the challenger is responsible for recruiting players for their team. If either side fails to assemble a team within the allotted time, the opposing side will win by default, and the points will be awarded accordingly.
Any player who agrees to join either team will have one point at stake. If their team wins, they gain one point. If their team loses, they lose one point. So choose your teammates wisely.
If a player from Group C or D defeats a player from Group A or B, the challenger will take three points from the loser. However, if the challenger loses, then the player they challenged will take three points from them instead.
That said, players in Groups A and B cannot take the positions of players in Groups C and D—only their points.
Also, once you reach the top of Groups C or D, don't waste time defending your spot. Challenge someone in the group above you and keep climbing the rankings.
Now then, do you all remember the wristwatches you were given at the entrance?"
Every youth in the stands looked at their wristwatches and noticed that they had different rating numbers. Group A had 50 rating at the end of each youth's name, Sebastian being number one. Group B had 40 ratings, group C had 30, and group D had 20.
The man cleared his throat and continued, "These wristwatches track your performance and progress. If your ratings drop below zero, you will be expelled from the Federation Academy. We have no place for lazy players here,"
Looking toward the stands, the instructor noticed the lower-rated youths wearing disappointed expressions. "These training tests will be conducted every day, so those of you with low ratings shouldn't look down on yourselves. You still have plenty of opportunities to improve.
In the upcoming tests, make sure you sharpen your skills and continue pushing yourselves.
That's all from me. One last thing—welcome to the Federation Academy. We hope your time here proves rewarding and opens the path to a successful football career."
The instructor gestured toward the double doors.
"The federation staff will now escort you to your assigned group buildings."
Lucas raised his hand, and the instructor pointed at him, "Are we allowed to challenge players who are in the same group?"
"No, but players from Groups C and D are allowed to recruit players from Groups A and B onto their teams.
Oh, and let me clarify a few things. Every loss will cost you points, and you may only challenge a player once per week. You must also form a team of eleven players. You're free to ask around and recruit teammates for your match.
If you fail to assemble a team within the allotted time, you will automatically lose points.
And one more thing—we do not condone fighting among yourselves. If you have a dispute with someone, settle it on the pitch."
"That makes sense. It wouldn't make much sense if players in Group A could only challenge one another. This system is more inclusive—players aren't allowed to challenge others within their own group; they can only challenge players from different groups." One youth said, stroking his chin.
Murmurs spread among the youth. Winston glanced at his wristwatch. He knew the man at the entrance had painted a target on his back, and now he was the lowest-rated attacking player in the dome. If he wanted to change that, he needed to find a football field and put in more training. As Winston let out a sigh while contemplating his unfortunate situation, his gaze shifted towards Oswin.
"Oh yeah, by the way, congratulations on making it into Group A."
"Thanks, bro, but I can't shake the feeling that I have a target on my back. Most of the players in Group A probably think I'm the weakest one here, and knowing Lucas, he's definitely planning something."
"Compared to everyone else, I scored the lowest rating in the entire group. Anyway, who is this Lucas guy? Did he do something to you?"
This time, Oswin remained calm. He glanced toward Lucas, who was seated beside Sebastian and another youth player.
"He was my teammate back in the junior league. To be honest, we were friends. We grew up in the same neighborhood."
Oswin paused before continuing.
"When I got news that a senior team was scouting me, Lucas became jealous. We trained hard back then—just like you and Maximilian do now. There were scouts watching one of our training matches. I didn't notice it at the time, but apparently Lucas couldn't stand the fact that I was the one being considered."
His gaze lowered to his hands. He began twiddling his fingers, pressing them against one another.
"During training, I got the ball between my legs and was moving past him when he came in with a reckless slide tackle."
Oswin fell silent for a moment.
"I tore my Achilles tendon. The doctors said it would take about a year to fully recover. After that, he was expelled from the team. I never saw him again, and he never apologized. This is the first time we've seen each other in years."
Straightening his back, Oswin leaned into his seat, his expression hardening.
"But I'm not as naïve as I was back then. If he tries anything again, I won't just sit there and take it."
Winston remained silent and moved his eyes between Lucas and Oswin, at that moment comprehending the underlying tension that existed between them. Winston understood that both of them had enemies watching their every move. While Oswin had to deal with Lucas, Winston had his own problem.
Oswin leaned closer and lowered his voice.
"You should keep an eye on Sebastian," he said. "I've been watching him from the stands. Ever since you arrived, he's been paying far too much attention to you."
Winston frowned.
Oswin continued, "He's been observing you the entire time. I don't know what he's planning, but I'd be careful if I were you."