Benchwarmer

I was born without talent. No speed, no strength, no flair—just another kid dreaming of football greatness. At 15, I was on the verge of being kicked out of Schalke 04’s academy—a club struggling to survive in Bundesliga 2. I wasn’t just a benchwarmer; I was a liability. Too weak, too slow, too average. "You’re not good enough." "This academy doesn’t have room for failures." I believed them. Until the night everything changed. A screen appeared before my eyes. [INFINITE POTENTIAL SYSTEM ACTIVATED] Welcome, Vihaan Singh. Your journey begins now. Suddenly, I could see my stats like a video game, upgrade my abilities, and even steal skills from the best. My body? A work in progress—one pill at a time. now this isn’t just about proving some people wrong. This is about becoming the greatest footballer the world has ever seen. They called me a lost cause. Soon, they’ll chant my name in stadiums worldwide. From the bottom of the footballing world, I will rise— From Zero to Ballon d’Or.

When I opened my eyes, I was inside a novel. [The Heroine's Battle]. It was a novel that discussed the heroine's life the moment she entered high society. A novel that focused on her growth, taking in different people, beasts, and races. In a sense, she formed a harem of strong people ready to fight for her. I became a cannon fodder who was the first villain of the novel. It was a minor role that got mentioned a few times. The problem was, the cannon fodder I became was only a benchwarmer for the original owner which was the heroine and is meant to die while fighting against her. The bigger problem was that this wasn't my first time living this life and knew that war would soon come. "...survive. I just need to survive." Just as he did in his previous world, he just needs to survive. And when he does, well, he can think of what to do next after that.