After the final whistle, Orochi joined his teammates in the locker room. The atmosphere was festive. Coach Parker spoke one last time: "You guys were incredible today! That's exactly what I wanted to see. Orochi, you were the driving force of this team, keep it up. But let's not get carried away, the season is just beginning."
Orochi, still calm, smiled slightly. It's a good start, I think that in two or three games, they'll outclass me, playing against kids my age is way too easy, he thought.
The return to the bus was marked by an electric atmosphere. The young players were euphoric, each one going over their actions, their passes, their dribbles. Matteo, the center forward, addressed Orochi:
"Hey, man! That pass you gave me for my goal, it was crazy! You saw it coming before I even moved! »
Orochi, always humble, smiled and calmly replied:
"I just saw the space, and you positioned yourself well. It was perfect."
Luis, who had scored the last goal, intervened:
"Seriously, Orochi, how do you manage to see everything so quickly? It's like you have an adult's vision of the game."
Orochi shrugged:
"We all play together, it's a question of observation."
The discussions were going well, some joking about their opponents' mistakes, others recounting their emotions during the match. The energy in the bus was palpable, but Orochi, although delighted with their victory, fell back into his thoughts.
When the bus arrived at the training center, Orochi found his father, who was waiting for him, leaning against his car. The latter had voluntarily chosen to travel alone, in order to let Orochi integrate with his teammates and fully experience the group experience.
"So, how was it, son?" his father asked with a smile.
Orochi replied with a small smile:
"Well, we won 7-0. I scored two goals and made several assists. The match was easy, but it was fun."
His father patted his shoulder, proud of himself:
"That doesn't surprise me. Come on, let's go upstairs, your mother and brother are waiting for you."
Back home, Maria and Alejandro were eager to hear the story of the match. Alejandro, in particular, was almost jumping with impatience:
"So, tell us! How many goals did you score?"
Orochi flopped down on the couch before answering:
"Two goals. One on a free kick and another after dribbling past two players. And I made five assists."
Maria sat down next to him, looking admiring:
"My dear, you were incredible. You're really becoming an exceptional player."
Alejandro, his eyes wide, exclaimed:
"Five assists?! Are you a genius or what?"
Orochi burst out laughing:
"No, I just do what's necessary for the team."
The weeks passed, and after each match, Orochi's superiority became more and more evident. His game was of unparalleled precision, and his performances attracted the attention of the coaches. At a meeting of the junior team coaches, the decision was made: Orochi would be upgraded to play with the 10- to 12-year-olds, even though he was only eight.
Orochi stepped onto the training ground with his new group, made up of older and more experienced kids. Although excited by this new challenge, he remained impassive, silently analyzing the situation. Among the players, three faces particularly caught his attention: Demian Cant, Yuri Garulla, and David Obsidian, two pillars of the future FC Barcelona U18 team. He didn't expect to find them here.
Demian, Yuri, and David... This is going to be interesting, Orochi thought. If I make an impression on them now, it will help my plans for the future.
For his part, Demian was the first to notice Orochi among the newcomers. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw him. He didn't expect such a young player, whom he had met during the tests, to end up in a U10 team. Demian, astonished, turned to Yuri, who had seen him staring at Orochi.
"Do you know him?" Yuri asked, intrigued by Demian's unusual attention, as he usually didn't show any interest in anyone.
Demian nodded, "Yeah, I saw him during the youth trials. He's really strong."
Yuri remained silent, his expression thoughtful. "How come Demian, who never shows any interest in anyone, thinks so highly of this kid?"
Their coach, a large man named Sergio González, motioned for everyone to come closer. He stood straight in the middle of the field, and his voice carried naturally.
"Team, I'd like to introduce you to Orochi Tsukigami. Although he's younger than most of you, he's been elevated to this team due to his exceptional skills."
After this short introduction, González started training, and from the first few exercises, everyone quickly understood what the coach meant. Orochi demonstrated impressive mastery in every situation, whether it was during defensive phases, offensive actions or possession games.
The first exercise consisted of a quick passing game in a small space, where the objective was to keep the ball under pressure. As soon as the ball reached Orochi, he moved with natural ease, pivoting, dribbling and finding teammates in angles that no one would have thought possible.
"Incredible…" David muttered as he watched Orochi slip through the defenders without apparent effort. Yuri, still watching, frowned. Orochi never made mistakes, every pass was precise, every dribble was fluid. Even when he seemed trapped, he always found a solution.
The Emperor's Eyes are really something I don't even have to try very hard. I did well to choose this ability, it's completely OP. Orochi thought as he continued playing as if nothing had happened.
Señor González paused after this exercise to analyze each player's performance:
"Orochi, impeccable. You guys, look how he anticipates the movements before the action even happens. That's what I expect from each of you."
The next exercise was about ball recovery. Orochi, despite being primarily a playmaker, showed an exceptional ability to read the opponent's intentions, intercepting several passes and cutting trajectories with precision. His teammates looked at him with admiration, some wondering how he could be so ahead of the game.
Yuri, while defending in a duel against Orochi, immediately felt the difference in level. The young player had completely caught him off guard with an unexpected change of pace. Even though he had tried to press Orochi, the latter slipped through his fingers as if he were reading his every move. This moment left Yuri perplexed. "What is this guy?" he thought, frustrated but intrigued.
At the end of the drill, Señor González whistled and gathered the team back in the center.
"Good job, everyone. Orochi, you're setting an example again. You should all take inspiration from him, not just for his talent, but for his ability to think quickly. That's essential at this level."
Next came an offensive drill, where the players had to create plays and finish in front of the goalkeeper. Here again, Orochi shone. Whether as a passer or a finisher, he always found a way around the defense. On his first try, he received a long pass from Demian, dribbled past two defenders with pinpoint control before placing the ball in the back of the net with surgical precision.
David Obsidian, on defense, approached Demian, impressed:
"This guy is a monster, you were right. He's going to be a real asset."
The last exercise of the day was a simulation of a reduced match. Each team had to score in a limited time. Orochi, in the center of the game, led the offensive with an almost insolent ease. On several occasions, he destabilized the opposing defense, playing with a speed and intelligence that disconcerted even the most experienced.
Yuri, opposite him, could only recognize Orochi's superiority. "He is incredible…" he thought, surprised by the impact that such a young child could have on a team.
When the final whistle sounded, the training was coming to an end. Señor González gathered the team one last time:
"Well done, everyone. The level is going to increase, and I want to see each of you rise to the level of expectations."
Orochi, although silent, felt the admiring glances of his new teammates. He knew he had made a strong impression, but for him, this was only the beginning.
The months that followed were a veritable rise for Orochi. Despite the age difference, he outshone his teammates. Every match was a new demonstration of his talent. The press began to talk about him, some newspapers even calling him a "national genius." This could have made him uncomfortable, but his parents quickly took action to protect him from the media exposure. They wanted Orochi to stay focused on his development, away from the spotlight.
At nine years old, Orochi was already a legend in the making, even among older players. He played with an ease that left his opponents perplexed. He and his team managed to win several national tournaments and was undefeated in the junior league standings. Yet, despite his growing success, Orochi kept his head. He knew that the road would be long, and that his ultimate goal—to become the best player in the world—required much more than raw talent.
One afternoon, while Orochi was studying in his room, his brother Alejandro rushed in, looking worried.
"Orochi, did you hear the news?"
Orochi looked up from his book, intrigued.
"No, what's going on?"
Alejandro, a lifelong soccer fan, replied in a trembling voice, "Fukuda Tetsuya... He was seriously injured. It's serious. He'll be out for several years..."
So it finally happened... Even though I knew it was going to happen, I'm still sad that such a great player got injured like that. But hey, this is the beginning of something great.