The roar of the Mestalla was still ringing in Tobi Oliveira's ears as he stepped out of the stadium the following morning. Valencia had given the team a light recovery session, but his muscles still ached from the Villarreal clash. It wasn't just physical fatigue; the weight of expectations, the pressure to perform, the hunger to not just exist in the first team but to shine—it all built up inside him like pressure behind a dam.
His breath fogged in the morning chill. The team van was waiting, but today, he waved it off. He wanted to walk, headphones in, hoodie up, just him and the city.
Valencia was waking up. Shop shutters rattled open. A bakery's scent curled around the streets. Tobi walked past a newsstand. His face was on the cover of Marca. Headline: "Teen Star Saves Valencia Again—But for How Long?"
He paused.
For how long?
---
System Prompt:
> [DAILY GOAL CHECK – PHYSICAL CONDITION: 78%] Fatigue Recovery Suggested Sleep Deprivation Detected Emotional Health – Mild Strain
He closed the tab.
No system warning was going to stop him today.
---
Back to School
By noon, Tobi was seated in a classroom, wearing a Valencia hoodie, head down as the teacher rattled off formulas for physics.
His classmates watched him. Some in awe, some with envy.
He did his best to blend in. He scribbled notes. But his phone buzzed under the desk.
Mum : Meeting with Adidas rep confirmed. Tonight. 8PM.
He sighed.
> [SYSTEM PROMPT – TIME MANAGEMENT MODULE ACTIVATED] Conflict Detected:
School: Homework Due (Physics)
Event: Brand Meeting
> Suggested Path: Complete Homework First. Delegate Brand Research to Agent (Mom).
He texted back: Can you prep the talking points? I'll come straight after school.
Mum: Already on it. Focus on your studies, meu filho.
He smiled.
---
Home Turf, Sister's Cheer
At home, Leonor burst into the living room with a training bib and a Valencia Women's Youth jersey.
"I scored in training today!" she beamed. "Coach said I'm like you—but faster!"
Tobi smirked. "Of course you're faster. I'm still tired from yesterday."
She flopped onto the couch beside him. "Will you come to my friendly match next week?"
He hesitated. They had a game against Real Sociedad that weekend. But her eyes sparkled with hope.
"I'll try, Leo. Promise."
She gave him a thumbs up and skipped away.
> [SYSTEM ANCHOR – Sister Bond Boost Activated] Emotional Clarity: +10% Fatigue -5%
---
Brand Wars
At 8PM, Tobi and his mother sat in the private conference room of a sleek downtown hotel. Across the table: Adidas executives and a marketing strategist.
They projected a campaign mockup: "The Future is Now – Featuring Tobi Oliveira".
Adidas wanted exclusive image rights, a multi-year deal, and a signature boot line by 18.
Amália narrowed her eyes. "And what's the yearly figure?"
"€1.5 million, increasing by 10% annually," one of the reps answered.
Tobi blinked.
The numbers were astronomical compared to his youth contracts. But it wasn't just the money—it was pressure.
> [SYSTEM DECISION TREE – SPONSORSHIP] Pros:
Financial Security
Global Exposure Cons:
Time Commitments
Distraction Risk
He turned to his mom. "We'll need to talk this over. I don't want to rush."
She nodded. "We'll get back to you."
Outside, Tobi exhaled deeply. "This is real, isn't it?"
"Everything you do now," she said softly, "echoes into the future."
---
Losing Ground
Valencia's next match was an away trip to Real Sociedad. Tough team. Strong midfield.
Baraja rotated the squad, but left Tobi starting.
In the locker room, he pulled up the System.
> PRE-MATCH STATS: Dribbling: 82 Vision: 86 Short Passing: 88 Long Passing: 81 Shooting: 76 Tactical Awareness: 83 Composure: 85 Work Rate: 89 Stamina: 74 Strength: 66
Overall: 82
Kickoff.
The match turned ugly fast. High press. Frantic tackles. Tobi misplaced two passes early. The crowd jeered. Even Baraja looked concerned.
In the 33rd minute, he lunged to intercept a pass and twisted his ankle slightly. Enough to limp.
At halftime, the physio checked him.
"You can push through, but risk swelling."
Tobi gritted his teeth. "I'll continue."
Second half, he soldiered on. But Real Sociedad scored twice. Valencia couldn't respond. Tobi was subbed in the 78th minute.
Final score: 0–2.
He sat on the bench, face buried in his hands.
> [SYSTEM STATS DROP – Temporary Injury Penalty] Acceleration: -3 Agility: -4 Overall: 79
---
Lessons and Recovery
Back in Valencia, Tobi went straight to physio. Icing, massage, and rest. No full training for 3 days.
While his teammates practiced, he sat on the sidelines, notebook in hand, drawing tactical diagrams. Observing. Studying.
Baraja approached. "You know what makes a great midfielder?"
Tobi looked up.
"Not just flair. Vision. Or numbers. It's resilience."
He nodded.
> [SYSTEM UPDATE – NEW TRAIT UNLOCKED] Trait: "Iron Will" Description: Performance drop from fatigue/injury reduced by 10%. Boosted mental recovery.
At night, he dreamed of the pitch again. Only this time, he wasn't playing. He was watching—his younger self. Lost. Tired. But then… Leonor appeared in the dream. She handed him the ball.
"Go again," she said.
And he did.
---