Legion was stunned. "Did… we win?"
{Revival Complete!}
Instantly after Bald Celves roared and exploded into a million fragments, the game system accelerated as Endrick and Maria202 were revived instantly back to the game. They were back to the Estadio do Arruna storyline.
When the story reappeared, they were back in the City of Dawn.
Instantly after they appeared, all the Celves and other football-loving creatures in this fantastical city seemed to know as they looked up.
The next moment, the Mayor of Arruna City looked up with pure joy on his face as he soon fell on his knees.
He cried. "Our prayers…, have been answered".
He sounded extremely emotional. "The Gods of football have answered our prayers, they've rained down their football blessings and divine skills on us".
On seeing their Mayor, all the Celves and other creatures went on their knees as they gave their total gratitude and appreciation to the football Gods.
"Free football…, is back".
Joy, harmony, ecstasy, these became the dominant emotions among the citizens of the City of Dawn as they celebrated the return of free football.
To Endrick and the others, everything felt like a movie but at this moment, the emotion being showed by the Celves was so real that they became affected.
"We did it". Endrick muttered".
"We saved the City of Dawn". Maria202 completed it for him.
The next moment, the game interface lit up.
{Free football… is back!}
{Congratulations! You have completed Stadium Storyline Quest: Estadio do Arruna!}
{You have been rewarded with 6,000 XP}
{You have unlocked football affinity with the Estadio do Arruna!}
{Football Affinity: When playing football in the Estadio do Arruna, all your ball attack damage is amplified by 30% and your familiarity with the stadium has increased exponentially, increasing your football ability on the pitch.}
…
{Congratulations! For being the first group of players to clear the Estadio do Arruna Storyline, you have each been rewarded with 10,000 XP!}
{For your contributions in killing the final boss, Bald Celves, you have been rewarded with one of his special abilities!}
{Draw randomizing…, please wait…}
{You have been rewarded with Iron Head Technique: Powerful Header!}
>Iron Head Technique- Powerful Header: When activated, your leaping ability, body strength, and balance increases by 50%, granting you the power header ability. +150% attack damage when activated<
Instantly after these series of notifications showed, leaving Endrick and his 2 teammates stunned, a regional Holyfield City announcement was released.
*****
{Holyfield City Regional Announcement:}
{First Clear of the Storyline Quest of the Estadio do Arruna have been achieved by Team Ghost: Endrickdinho; Maria202; Legion!}
…
{Holyfield City Regional Announcement:}
{First Kill of the Final Boss of the Estadio do Arruna Storyline Quest, Bald Celves have been achieved by Team Ghost: Endrickdinho; Maria202; Legion!}
…
{Holyfield City Regional Announcement:}
{First players to become Level 7 players: Endrickdinho; Maria202; Legion!}
"…"
"…"
"….."
The whole Brazilian Unity football player community was sent into a frenzy, a crazy frenzy that was not stopping anytime soon.
…
Back in the lair of Bald Celves.
{Congratulations! You have leveled up!}
{You have become a level 7 football player!}
{18,400/20,000XP to level up!}
"Holy… Sh*t!" This was Endrick's initial reaction to everything.
"…" Maria202 was flabbergasted.
"…" Even Legion was not unfazed this time, he was stunned.
Endrick's decision that they should try playing the storyline of the Estadio do Arruna was completely random. He never thought that clearing it first was attributed with so much benefits, he was still stunned by everything that he gained.
"That's some next level sh*t man!"
After getting over their flabbergasted state, they finally paid attention to their performance. Of course, all 3 of them were so impressed by their performance that they kept on hyping each other.
"Legion's last-minute rampage still gives me goosebumps man!"
"Without it, we would have lost".
"Bro, can you teach me that skill in our next combat training?"
"Not a chance!" Legion's face turned cold.
Endrick was not deterred. "Please!"
"NO!"
"Err…" He got his clue.
While still basking in the feeling of their achievement, Endrick finally paid attention to Maria202. "Your performance also exceeded my expectations".
"I never knew you had so much football knowledge".
"I would be disrespecting my lineage if I didn't know so much". Maria202 smiled. "It's the family tradition".
"Family tradition?" Endrick was stunned.
'In this era?' He thought.
"What's your full name?" He suddenly blurted out.
Maria202 was not able to hold herself due to the emotions in this moment, she also blurted out her answer. "Maria Andres Messi".
"Ok".
"Wait…, what?"
She blushed. "That's my full name".
"…" Endrick's eyes widened like saucers as his head instantly geared into his overthinking state, a million thoughts went through his mind.
In trepidation, he asked. "For some reason, is the full family name Maria Lionel Andres Messi?"
Maria202 looked at him with surprise. "We normally don't put the Lionel but yeah, you're right". She became suspicious. "How did you know?"
"…"
Endrick did not answer her, a bomb just went off in his head.
'Holy Sh*t!'
'Holy Freak!'
'Holy Smokes!'
"Holy Chicken Nuggets!'
He looked at her and suddenly blurted. "Let's go to your place".
"Huh?"
"Umm…, I want to see those archives from your dad that you talked about after our game with team Brazilian Wall ended".
"Oh, you're interested?!"
For some reason, Maria202 did not just sound excited at the prospect of others going through her dad's archives, she also sounded spookily aroused.
"…"
…
Maria's house was a modest one, compared to Endrick's family house, this one looked far more shabby.
She had only 1 parent, her mom kicked the bucket 2 years ago.
Her dad was a bald middle-aged man, a crazy football enthusiast, a weirdo in the terms of the galactic society of this era.
His passion was so out of place in an era of galactic wars and space travel.
Diego Andres Messi was so full of passion as he spoke.
"1000 years ago, long before the era of galactic wars, football once reigned supreme. Then, my ancestor, the legendary Lionel Andres Messi was widely recognized as the greatest player of all time".
"Every generation till now, my family did well to keep all the archives and history that were recorded about his legendary life and career before his death".
"For a long time, my life has remained that of depression, the thought that football was no longer a thing was killing me from within".
"This only lasted until the creation of Unity".
"When Unity was created, I found my passion, I found my drive".
"I may not have the talent, but through my knowledge that was passed down from the era of my ancestor, I believe I have what it takes to be the best coach that ever graced the era of Unity".
"I tell you my boys, the creation of Unity is what will save our Universe".
"Without football, life has no meaning…"
"Life is meaningless without…"
While the enthusiastic middle-aged man blabbered on, leaving Maria feeling slightly embarrassed, Endrick and Legion toured through the collection.
It took Endrick all his persuasion power to drag Legion along here after logging out of the game just in time to avoid the scrutiny of thousands of Brazilian Unity football players after the regional announcements.
The archives and well-preserved pictures in the library did not depict much about football, but they definitely recorded a lot about Messi's career.
Endrick was stunned as he read through the interesting life of his football idol after his reincarnation. He read about Messi's middle-aged years, and also Messi's old age, everything felt like a perfectly written fairytale to him.
At some point, tears welled in his eyes.
Maria was stunned, Legion froze at the sight.
Endrick wiped his tears and laughed. "Haha…, please ignore that, I'm very weird, I get overly emotional at times".
When the tour finally ended, Endrick's mood was complicated.
Maria escorted them on their way out while she explained. "My family's obsession is crazy in this era but we're extremely proud of our lineage".
"This is why I want to do everything to succeed in Unity".
"If my dad can also become a coach in one of the newly created clubs in Unity, that would be even better, I hope they accept one of his applications".
A few minutes later, just before they separated, they received a call to their galactic cells directly from a strange number with a familiar nickname.
BEEP!
{NEW! 1 Unread Message}
{Sender: The Bogeyman}
{The schedule for the 3rd round games were shifted forward. The results are already out, visit the game to confirm if your team advanced.}
****
Discord server link
https://discord.gg/4kauKusRZU