The sun was beating down relentlessly on the field that early afternoon. From the heat and the sound of cicadas in the bushes not far from the field, Lucas Tanaka could easily tell that it was summer.
So if, as the mission description stated, this was a practice game to determine who would start in the first league game, then the league in question could only be the Chubu Summer League, which used school vacations to promote a major league that included most of the teams in the Chubu region of Japan.
The Chubu Summer League wasn't as famous as the Kanto Summer League, but it was certainly important.
Lucas took a deep breath, feeling the tension in his muscles and the sweat dripping down his forehead. The vest he wore now seemed to weigh more than it should, carrying with it a series of dreams and burdens whose weight he hadn't felt at sixteen in the past. He looked at his teammates, some waving at him in encouragement, others simply focused on the ball.
Everyone was aware that this was a crucial opportunity, and everyone wanted to be in the starting lineup.
Coach Yamamoto's whistle blew sharply, breaking the momentary silence and signaling the resumption of the game.
Lucas was a midfielder, so he saw several players advance in front of him when the ball was released. They were the strikers.
Lucas' heart quickened as the ball and his team advanced toward the opposing defense. His legs moved almost automatically because his eyes were focused.
[Paying attention to the ball is important, but it can also be good to pay attention to the surrounding players.]
'That voice again...' Lucas thought. 'And it's still telling me how to play soccer? Who do you think you are?'
[I am Céos, your assistant skill.]
Lucas was still very confused by what was happening to him, but he didn't have time for more questions because his first opportunity came when one of the team's players lost control of the ball. Without hesitation, he charged forward and intercepted a desperation pass.
The crowd, made up of a few schoolmates on the railings around the field, let out a murmur of excitement.
Lucas was known to be a good player at school, so it was somewhat normal for people to get excited when he touched the ball.
Quickly, another player from the first team rushed towards Lucas to cover his teammate's mistake, but Lucas almost automatically turned his body to protect the ball from his opponent. As a result, the first-team defender ran right past him, leaving a wide corridor in front of Lucas.
"I'll stop you, Tanaka!" shouted Nishida, suddenly appearing behind Lucas.
Nishida was a natural center forward. It was unusual for him to be so far back, running behind a midfielder. This was just a small proof that the first team players knew how dangerous Lucas could be.
Nishida's teammates were also quick to try to close the gap created by Lucas' dribbling.
[It's wise to pass the ball.]
"You don't have to tell me! I know how to play soccer!" Lucas shouted.
He quickly raised his head to look for a teammate in a better position. He saw Junpei open on the right wing. It was a perfect opportunity. Lucas fired a powerful shot, sending the ball high into the air.
The sound of the shot echoed across the field, and for a moment, all eyes were on the sky. The ball rose so high that it cast a shadow against the bright sun.
Junpei ran, taking advantage of the gap in the defense created by the opponent's desperation to mark Lucas.
However, Lucas clearly missed the speed and height of the pass. Junpei was supposed to receive the ball at his feet and run forward to cross the ball into the box or shoot, but Lucas' pass was too high.
Junpei even tried to head the ball from behind, but it was too high. He could barely get his head on the ball and it continued on its way, landing outside the box.
Lucas paused, gasping as he watched the wasted opportunity.
Junpei raised his hand in an apologetic gesture, but Lucas knew it was his fault. He had put too much force into the pass, and now the team had to regroup quickly.
"Hey, Tanaka, what was that you were yelling?" One of Lucas' reserve teammates asked.
Nishida stopped beside him, a little out of breath. "It was ' I know how to play soccer!', wasn't it? Hhahaha!"
"You can't yell that and then miss a pass, man!"
Lucas put a hand to the back of his head and followed the laughter, a little embarrassed. He didn't even realize it, but in the heat of the moment, he yelled at Céos in a loud voice.
The game restarted with a fullback for the first team. Lucas retreated a bit down the field, already feeling the sweat running down his face and neck.
The ball was put back into play, and the opposition began to move forward. Lucas positioned himself strategically, this time following Ceo's advice and watching his opponents' movements more closely. When a pass was directed to the middle, he anticipated it and tried to anticipate the ball again.
However, Kenji, another first team midfielder, was quicker than Lucas and kept the ball for his team. He picked up the ball and made a quick pass to the left back, who in turn made a vertical pass to the first team left winger.
The play was frenetic, and most of the first team was much more in sync. It didn't take long for the left winger to get to the top of the box, where Nishida was screaming for the ball.
Nishida was a natural center forward. No matter how the ball came to him in the box, he would find a way to finish. He was too dangerous not to be marked, but that wasn't Lucas' job.
Lucas trusted the work of his team's defenders and prepared for the counterattack.
But when the ball was crossed, it didn't go towards the penalty area, but to the halfway line, where Kenji was waiting.
The gleam in Kenji's eyes revealed his clear intention: he was ready to finish the job.
From that moment on, every movement on the field seemed to be in slow motion for Lucas, who, even from a distance, was able to capture every detail with astonishing clarity.
Kenji took a firm step forward and his right foot met the ball in mid-air. He sent it towards the goal with frightening power and precision.
The ball sliced through the air like an arrow, or rather a spear, traveling at high speed as it spun around its own axis.
The opposing goalkeeper tried to reach the ball, stretching as far as he could, but there was no way. The ball had a predetermined trajectory that took it straight into the upper right corner of the goal.
The unmistakable sound of the net rattled across the pitch, followed by a brief moment of absolute silence. Then an explosion of cheers and applause swept the field, the celebration of a magnificent goal, with even the reserve players praising Kenji.
Lucas stood still, unresponsive. At that moment, a movie played in Lucas' head, literally the movie of his life. Kenji's goal pushed Lucas even further away from his dream. If he couldn't be a starter and excel in the summer league, he would never go to be a professional, just like in his previous life.
[The hidden function of the skill
[The skill of
[
[The player Kenji Nakamaru has demonstrated the skill