The soft knock at his door came just after 6 a.m.
"Tobi," his mother called, her voice groggy but urgent. "Get up. You've got training."
He rolled out of bed, every limb protesting. Muscles stiff from the battle against Atlético, mind fogged from overthinking contracts, matches, and media. But none of that stopped his feet from touching the cold floor.
Discipline didn't need motivation.
Discipline just woke up and worked.
---
Training Ground Tension
Valencia's training facility was quiet at first. Then came the shouting, the whistle blows, and the thudding rhythm of drills.
Coach Baraja was in a mood. The loss of two points still gnawed at him.
"Intensity! We need tempo!" he barked. "Just because you play one good match doesn't mean you've arrived!"
Tobi took it personally, even if the words weren't meant for him.
He chased every ball like it owed him something. He fought for every inch like it was sacred.
> [SYSTEM NOTICE – Attribute Gains Available] Acceleration: +2 Stamina: +1 Pressure Resistance: +3
Still, something was off.
In passing drills, he mistimed a release. In rondos, his positioning was half a second late.
Diakhaby pulled him aside. "What's up?"
Tobi shrugged. "Maybe I'm tired."
"Or maybe you're letting the hype get to your head."
Tobi stared at the grass.
Maybe.
---
School Spiral
Later that week, he showed up late to chemistry class.
"Mr. Oliveira," the teacher said with an arched brow. "Football doesn't excuse you from real life."
The snickers from the back row stung more than any tackle.
He sat down, scribbling formulas with a shaking hand. At lunch, he didn't eat. Just reviewed tactical videos on his phone while classmates talked about a new show on Netflix.
He had no idea what they were watching.
And for the first time, he missed it.
---
Spotlight Burns
He walked into the press room that Friday, already feeling the heat. Microphones. Cameras. Reporters.
"Do you feel ready to lead Valencia into the future?" one asked.
"What do you think of the Real Madrid rumors?" another piled on.
Tobi kept his answers short.
"I'm focused on the next match."
"I'm still learning."
"My future is with Valencia."
But inside, the panic clawed up his throat.
What if he messed up? What if he failed?
What if they stopped believing in him?
> [SYSTEM WARNING – MENTAL FATIGUE INCREASING]
Confidence Buff: Inactive
Decision-Making: -2 (Temporary)
---
Leonor's Light
When he got home that night, he found Leonor waiting at the kitchen table.
"I drew something," she said, sliding a sketch across the table.
It was him—in full kit, Valencia badge shining, arms spread like wings.
"You even got my hair right," he said, voice cracking.
Leonor nodded solemnly. "You're my hero."
He blinked hard.
"I'm scared sometimes," he admitted. "Of not being good enough."
"You're already good enough. But even if you weren't, you're still my brother."
---
Grit Over Glamour
Saturday. Matchday.
A mid-table side, Getafe, was visiting. Everyone expected Valencia to win.
But Getafe was a brawler of a team. No finesse. Just grit.
And for the first twenty minutes, they strangled every bit of rhythm out of the game.
Tobi tried to dictate the tempo. He looked for space. But the touch was heavy, the passes short.
Coach Baraja's face was stormy.
"Tobi, wake up!"
In the 35th minute, Getafe scored.
Tobi's misplaced pass led to a counter.
0–1.
The boos were faint, but they came.
---
The Turnaround
Halftime was brutal.
Baraja didn't yell. That was worse. He just said, "Prove that you're more than a headline."
Second half.
Tobi closed his eyes. Blocked out the noise.
He simplified. Short passes. One-twos. Lure defenders. Exploit space.
In the 68th minute, he saw the run.
A no-look ball split two defenders. Yaremchuk finished it.
1–1.
Tobi didn't celebrate. He went straight back to the halfway line.
Then, in the dying minutes, he earned a free kick just outside the box.
He didn't take it. Passed it short, cut around, received it again, and curled it top corner.
2–1.
Redemption.
Full-time.
> [MATCH REVIEW] Assists: 1 Goal: 1 Man of the Match
> [SYSTEM UPDATE – MENTAL RESILIENCE UNLOCKED] Trait: "Storm Survivor" Temporary Penalties Removed
---
A Quiet Moment
After the match, while the team celebrated, Tobi slipped away to the edge of the stadium. Alone.
He pulled up the system and stared at the numbers.
> Name: Tobi Oliveira Position: CAM Age: 17
Vision: 91 Passing: 92 Dribbling: 85 Tactical Awareness: 92 Composure: 90 Mental Resilience: 82
And a new stat:
> Popularity: Growing
He smiled, just a little.
And whispered, "Let them come."
---