Tariq adjusts his eyes to the blue screen that suddenly formed in front of him, he feels a jolt of surprise course through his body. His eyes widen in astonishment, and his mouth drops open in disbelief.
He stares at the screen, trying to make sense of what he is seeing. The blueish reflects off his face, it cast an otherworldly glow across his features. The people around him begin to notice his reaction.
Not wanting to draw attention to himself or appear crazy, Tariq quickly turns and makes his way to the nearest bathroom. Once inside, he locks the door behind him and leans against the "sink" (which was just a basin he fixed to the wall with wires, it also has a hole underneath it and a pipe) and trying to catch his breath.
As he stands there in the bathroom which no roofing in front of the mirror, he couldn't shake the feeling of awe and wonder that the blue screen has left him with.
Tariq had read many system-tagged web novels, manga and manhwa alike before he returned to the past. You could say he was an avid enjoyer of this sort of genre, he could instantly comprehend what was happening. This was the dream 'cheat' for any passionate fan of web novels.
The system could help him to level up his game and use it to become a great coach within a few years if it is anything like in those novels. It can allow him to gain a deeper understanding of the game, make better decisions, and optimize his team's performance.
He could easily become a legendary manager, it can allow him to identify areas of weakness in his opponents and make adjustments accordingly. This may sound kind of unfair but who is to judge in this situation.
He could clearly change his situation, have a wife and kids, he could earn money without resorting to robbery or drugs.
And above all he could better the situations of his mother and grandmother who are still amidst poverty in this remote village in the outskirts of Malindi. He could also help change the situation of this village where the nearest school and hospital is 5-10 km (3 to 6 miles), at least he finished his high school education in a boarding school; walking to and from Malindi Town everyday would be too tiresome.
However, it's always important to note that the system is not a magic solution that instantly makes him a legendary coach.
Tariq reflects on his past, he can't help but recall all the missed opportunities, deceptions, and betrayals he's had to endure because of his investigation into the mysterious death of his father.
His father, a respected school principal, was found dead under suspicious circumstances, and his quest for answers led him down a dark and treacherous path. His uncle, corrupt politician, who was involved in his father's death, made it his mission to sabotage his efforts at every turn also played a significant role in obstructing justice and covering up the truth about his father's death, causing him to lose friends, career opportunities, and even his own sense of self and turning to drugs.
But despite all the obstacles he faced, the he never gave up, driven by a fierce determination to uncover the truth.
"Is this not a dream, I'm I really awake?" Tariq wondered once again as he pinched cheek, a sensitive part of his skin, and tried to dispel doubts within his mind.
"Damn, that hurt!"
The pain was as real as it could get.
If he was really still asleep, then this dream world or fantasy had become his new reality which was too good to be true. And that wasn't a bad thing.
He was gladly accepting it.
Tariq calmed his mind and once again refocused on the contents of the virtual screen before him.
****
SPACE-TIME TUNNELING SUCCESSFUL
----
G.O.A.T SYSTEM INITIALIZING
----
"DING"
USER HAS BEEN DETECTED...
MATCHING BRAINWAVES...
ANALYZING BODY STATUS & DATA...
ORIENTING TO NEW USER...
----
ACTIVATION SUCCESSFUL
----
"DING"
----
Please select your desired type industry to start your journey on the path in becoming LEGENDARY:
a) Music
b) Movies
c) Football (Soccer)
d) Basketball
e) Chess
f) Writing
g) Teaching
i) Medicine
i) Other Sports
j) Other Professions
'NOTE: The system will aid you on your journey to ascend to the LEGENDARY status in any of the above professions.'
'Please make your choice after careful consideration. Your choice is irreversible.'
****
A smile slowly spread across Tariq's face after reading through the lustrous words on the blue screen. He wanted to run, to shout, to tell his mama and grandma what was happening, but he knew he couldn't. He had no way of explaining his circumstances, he would just sound crazy.
Tariq had gone back in time and acquired a freaking system that should've only existed in his fantasies. The system could elevate him to the LEGENDARY status in several professions.
Tariq carefully extended his right right hand and with his index finger and tapped screen on choice – C.
****
"DING"
----
USER HAS SELECTED FOOTBALL (SOCCER) INDUSTRY
'Confirm' 'Cancel'
(**NOTE**: Your choice is irreversible after confirmation.)
-------
PLEASE SELECT ONE OF THE THREE CHOICES
a) Manager
b) Player
c) Analyst
------
USER HAS SELECTED FOOTBALL MANAGER AS A PROFESSION
'Confirm' 'Cancel'
(**NOTE**: Your choice is irreversible after confirmation.)
-------
Why does it have to have soccer in brackets? Its Futbol and its a lifestyle.
Tariq did not even think twice and just choose his choice of the football industry. Football was his love, obsession, and the second thing he'd ever managed to achieve some positive results in his previous lifetime as he led the high school he worked for to win the nationals.
That's right he was high school teacher and also had the nationals under his belt that didn't matter did it.
And those other choices acting? singing? The only Kenyan actor he knew who made it to Hollywood was Lupita Nyo'ngo who starred in Black Panther: she's really good.
On confirming the manager option, the translucent screen instantly dispersed into glittering golden particles before assembling back with a spinning golden football at the center. The ball then disappeared into the background before new words started appearing on the virtual screen.
****
"DING"
FOOTBALL MANAGER SYSTEM SUCCESSFULLY INITIALIZED
----
REBOOTING
REBOOTING
IMPLANTING BIO-CODE IN DNA OF USER...
THIS WILL HURT SO BUCKLE UP
****
He started to feel an excruciating pain in his head that radiated through his entire body, it felt like information is forcefully injected into his mind. His head throbs with a pounding headache that intensifies with every passing second, he could also feel it in his bones. The pain is so intense that he can feel his muscles contracting, and his skin becomes slick with sweat.
He can feel his heart racing as the pain becomes unbearable, and he wonders how much more he can endure. He feels like screaming out in agony, but he knows that he can't. He knows he is in a bathroom, screaming out for help wouldn't be the best course of action because it may cause a panic to his neighbors.
Suddenly, Tariq hears a ding sound in his head, and the pain stops as quickly as it had started. He is left panting and sweating, still unable to move for a few moments as he tries to comprehend what just happened. The silence that follows is almost deafening, and he feels a strange sense of relief that the pain is gone. His head still throbs with the remnants of the headache, and he feels a sense of disorientation as he tries to make sense of what just happened.
Slowly, he begins to regain control of his body, and he stands up shakily, trying to steady himself against the bathroom wall. His thoughts are scattered, and he struggles to process what he has just experienced. As he is breathing heavily, a smile starts to form; this was just like those novels but now it was real, too real.
****
SOCCER FOOTBALL MANAGER SYSTEM SUCCESSFULLY BOUND TO NEW USER
----
POPULATING USER INTERFACE...
UPDATING USER STATS...
UPDATING MISSIONS...
----
FOOTBALL MANAGER UI SUCCESSFULLY UPDATED
----
USER CAN ACCESS INFO BY FOLLOWING THE TAB MENUS
****
The message ended there. The virtual screen once again became blank. But not for long. Shortly, glowing tab-menus started populating the blue screen.
****
FOOTBALL MANAGER SYSTEM
COACHING LEVEL: 1 - Newbie (0/100 EXP points to level-up)
USER: Tariq Omari
AGE: 17 years
ASSESSMENT: Grade-D
POINTS: 0
(Evaluation: How are you going to become a professional football coach if you aren't as good as an amateur player)
----
USER MENU
*USER STATS
*SYSTEM MISSIONS
*SYSTEM SHOP (locked)
*SYSTEM LOTTERY (locked)
----
NOTE: Please level up the system to unlock more functions.
****
Tariq instantly understood the contents of the system User-Interface after taking a single glance.
It was like a User Interface of a simple android mobile game that the user could use to navigate the game menus.
But Tariq was astonished by the system's assessment of his talent.
He had been playing and studying football since he was eight years and felt like he was good at it. But the system was assessing him at only Grade-D.
The grading was different from Tariq's expectations he was pretty confident in his assessment. So, he tapped on the 'USER STATS' button to understand why.
Another list populated the virtual page as soon as his finger left the virtual button.
*USER STATS
->Physical Fitness: D
(TAP FOR MORE INFO)
->Football Technique: C+
-> Managerial Skills: D
(TAP FOR MORE INFO)
->Game Intelligence: C+
->Mental Ability and Mindset: C+
->Skills: NONE
*****
->Managerial Skills: D+
-Transfer Evaluation & Scouting: D
-Tactical Analysis & Understanding: C
-Staff Evaluation: F
-Game preparations: D
-Coach's Eye: D
-Coach's Aura: F
*****
USER STATS
->Physical Fitness (Av. Rating: D+)
Balance and Coordination: E
Agility: E
Strength: C-
Stamina: C+
Endurance: C+
NOTE: What even are you, to be a LEGENDARY Manager you must lead by example; you should no different from a profession player.
****
"DING"
ABRUPT MISSION
#NEW MISSION: Lead by example
*Task 1: Run 70 miles within a week.
*Task 2: Complete 100 seat-ups daily for a week.
*Task 3: Complete 100 squats daily for a week.
*Task 4: Complete 50 press-ups daily for a week.
*Task 5: Complete 100 Burpee Pull-ups for a week.
*Task 6: Complete four rounds of half a dozen Yoga poses daily for a week.
------
*REWARDS
-> Coach's Aura from is upgraded from F to C+ (If you are not yet a real coach, at least you can feel like one)
-> One random Managerial Skill (May include a random tactic)
-> ????
-> 10 Points
------
*PUNISHMENT in case the mission is still incomplete after the stipulated time.
->Loss of System.
->Random leg of the user will be permanently crippled (No compromise).
----
*Remarks: A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. And that step must be taken now.
****
"Now!" Tariq exclaimed. Since he'd been through a lot in the past few hours, he was tired and spent out.
So, he was just about to go out and relax by taking a walk around his old neighborhood after he ate some his Mama's cooking, but the damn system just swatted his plans.