It was just past midnight when Tobi stepped out onto the empty balcony of his apartment. The Valencia night was quiet, the streets mostly deserted. He could still hear echoes of the crowd, feel the vibration of the Mestalla under his boots.
But the game was over. The fans had gone home.
And he was still awake.
He leaned against the railing, the cool wind brushing his face. He hadn't even taken off his matchday shirt—his name, "Oliveira," printed boldly on the back, the number 10 glinting under the moonlight.
> [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION] Status: Fatigued Buff: "Storm Survivor" – Active Duration Remaining: 3 matches
It helped, but it didn't fix everything.
Monday – Reality Bites
Monday morning came with a sharp reminder: life didn't pause just because you scored a wonder goal.
He arrived late to his literature class, again.
His teacher, Mr. Gouveia, eyed him critically. "Mr. Oliveira, you're a footballer, not a ghost. If you don't submit your assignment by Friday, you'll fail the module."
Tobi tried to smile, but it came out lopsided.
He barely scraped through the rest of his classes, juggling essays with match reviews, studying opponents while trying to remember who Jane Eyre was.
> [SYSTEM WARNING] Balance Disrupted: School–Football–Life Recommend: Time Allocation Adjustment
He sighed.
"I need more hours in a day," he muttered.
Tuesday – Family Moments
He arrived home late that night to the smell of feijoada simmering in the kitchen.
"Mama?" he called.
"In here!" his mother replied, voice cheerful.
Leonor rushed out of her room wearing her Valencia youth kit. "I got moved up to U15 starting eleven!"
Tobi dropped his bag, sweeping her up in a hug.
"Proud of you, Leo."
"You gonna come watch this weekend?" she asked hopefully.
He hesitated.
"I'll try."
Their mother, Clara, entered the room, wiping her hands. "You need to slow down. I'm your agent, not your nanny."
He chuckled. "Don't worry, you're both."
Her eyes softened. "You're doing good, son. But don't forget to breathe."
Wednesday – Training Test
At training, Coach Baraja had new drills.
He set up mini-matches with tight midfield battles.
"You want to be a world-class CAM?" he asked. "Then act like it."
Tobi dug deep. Turned sharper. Passed cleaner. Fought harder.
Hugo Guillamón clapped him on the back. "You're a beast today."
"Every day," Tobi said through gritted teeth.
> [SYSTEM UPDATE] Short Passing: +1 First Touch: +1 Tactical Awareness: +1
But at night, the fatigue returned like a shadow.
He opened his laptop, started his literature paper.
And passed out at his desk.
---
Thursday – The Noise Returns
Rumors.
It started on social media. A transfer blog tweeted: "Manchester City tracking Tobi Oliveira – internal interest confirmed."
The replies exploded.
> "Next KDB?" "Hope he doesn't leave already." "City buys everyone, ffs."
He stared at it for a moment.
> [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION] Rumor Tracker: Activated Transfer Interest: Manchester City – 37% Popularity Spike: +8%
He turned off his phone.
"Focus," he whispered.
---
Friday – Quiet Before the Storm
On Friday, Clara met him outside the training facility.
"There's an offer," she said, handing him a printed letter.
"Already?"
"It's not official. Just an expression of interest. They're watching."
He didn't open the letter.
"I'm not leaving," he said. "Not yet."
She nodded slowly. "Good. You've got more to prove here."
Saturday – Matchday Pressure
Valencia vs. Sevilla.
A match that would determine whether Valencia stayed in the top four. The pressure was thick, the media louder than usual.
In the locker room, Tobi sat in silence, hands wrapped, boots laced, earbuds in.
His routine. His armor.
Coach Baraja stood in front of the squad.
"This isn't about revenge. It's about identity. Who are we? What kind of club are we?"
He turned to Tobi.
"You're the engine, Oliveira. Show them."
---
Game Time
The whistle blew.
Valencia started brightly. Fluid passes, quick switches.
Tobi was in the thick of it. Demanding the ball, directing the press, orchestrating with calm.
In the 23rd minute, he intercepted a pass and slid a perfect through ball to Yaremchuk.
1–0.
But Sevilla fought back.
By the 60th minute, it was 1–1.
The stadium held its breath.
Then came the moment.
Tobi, just outside the box. Ball at his feet. One defender rushing.
He faked, dragged, stepped, and curled it.
Off the post.
Rebound.
He sprinted in and volleyed it home.
2–1.
He kissed the badge.
> [SYSTEM UPDATE] Shot Power: +2 Clutch Trait: Activated
---
Later That Night
He lay on his bed, replaying the match.
His phone buzzed. A message from Coach Baraja.
"Great performance. You're becoming the heartbeat. Keep going."
He smiled, then pulled up the system.
> Name: Tobi Oliveira Age: 17 Club: Valencia CF – First Team Position: CAM
Attributes: Vision: 93 Passing: 94 Dribbling: 86 Tactical Awareness: 93 Composure: 91 Mental Resilience: 85 Shot Power: 83 Stamina: 84 Popularity: High
And under Goals This Season:
> 8 Goals, 12 Assists (La Liga)
He closed the interface.
And finally, slept.
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