Episode 4: A face genius is good at soccer

Episode 4: Ace of Training Camp (3)

I'm not a player with great stamina.

That doesn’t mean I have an unusually low activity level like Messi… Just a bit below average by high school league standards.

Since stamina training is fundamental to sports, I’ve been consistently working on it ever since I started playing soccer seriously.

However, the stamina training in college was much more intense than it was in high school.

In high school soccer, at best, you'd have a head coach and maybe one or two assistant coaches. But in the soccer team at Hojin University, we had a head coach, a senior coach, and even two additional assistant coaches.

That’s not to say that it was hard to keep up with the training. No, I could manage it even though it was tough.

But what really exhausted me wasn’t the training or the senior-junior relationships.

It was the points.

No matter how hard I tried and trained, the unchanging status window was what really got to me.

'Damn it. Why aren't my points going up?'

It had already been two weeks into the three-week training camp.

At first, all we did was stamina training. Then last week, we started tactical training, which was a bit of a relief. But as it turned out, our coach was like Mourinho.

"Hong Min-jun! Back up already!! The space is open!!"

"Hey! Hey, you idiot! Defense! How many times do I have to tell you to manage the line properly?!"

"Press! Press! Press! Stick to them in the final third!!"

"Transition! Switch quickly! If you drag the ball during a counterattack like that, the opposing team will have all the time they need to set up their defense!!"

Please, kill me.

I’ve never been great at tactical movements, so our coach, who put heavy emphasis on detailed tactics, especially defensive ones, constantly hurled every curse imaginable at me.

Damn it.

How am I supposed to know when to cover space and when to mark a man?!

And for crying out loud, they told me to carry the ball during counterattacks, but now it's all about the transition?

If I had such great passing ability and quick decision-making, I’d already be playing in the K-League. Why would I be here?

My strength lies in my technique, being able to easily get past two or three defenders! Creating cracks in a solid defense is my true role… But I’m having a hard time even against the senior starters from the third and fourth years.

So, with my mentality getting crushed, I kept pushing through the training.

Despite getting scolded more than the other players, the coach still insisted on putting me in the starting team for every practice match.

Maybe the wonder goal I scored on the first day left a strong impression.

Maybe the coach is mistaken. He might think that I'm struggling only because my stamina hasn’t caught up yet, but once the league starts, I’ll be able to show him what I did on the first day.

…That was a complete fluke, though.

'Damn it. If only my status window would work properly…'

Just as I was gritting my teeth and preparing for another practice match.

"Gather around. Today, we’re not having an intrasquad scrimmage. Instead, we’ll be playing a friendly match against another school."

The coach appeared with people from another school.

That’s great.

In pre-season, it’s standard practice to play friendly matches to get into game shape, so it looks like we’re going to be running a lot of friendly matches with just a week left in training camp.

But why are there girls…?

"They’ve also brought their cheer squad from Jijiang University, so make sure you don’t embarrass yourselves."

Cheer squad?

Is that a thing?

I quickly pulled out my smartphone and searched for 'Jijiang University'… Wow. It turns out it’s on par with our school—another notorious second-rate institution.

Hojin University and Jijiang University.

This will truly be a majestic showdown between two underdog schools.

Even so, this school must be strong in the arts and sports despite its low academic reputation, since a news article popped up about their soccer team competing in national tournaments.

"Wow, I’m jealous. They even have girls cheering them on."

One of the seniors mumbled to himself, so I went up to him and asked quietly.

"Senior, don’t we have a cheer squad?"

"We do. They just don’t cheer for us."

"Oh…."

How tragic.

Why? Soccer is so much fun! Soccer players are so cool!

Plus, soccer players have great stamina!

With so many advantages… Why!?

"Why? Because… there aren’t any good-looking guys on the soccer team."

"Oh…."

Damn superficial standards. I could feel anger rising from deep within me.

What a shitty world! Is everything really about looks?!

Just as tears of sadness were welling up in my eyes,

"But once school starts, I think we’ll get a lot of cheers too."

"Why?"

All the seniors stared at me.

What? Why?

"This guy pisses me off every time he acts like this."

"For real. When a good-looking guy pretends not to know he’s good-looking, it makes me want to kill him."

"You little… Even your dick’s probably black like some foreigner…."

That’s right.

I… am handsome.

I smiled contentedly, but then I felt some sharp gazes. When I looked around, I saw the girls from… not Ji-trash, but Jijiang University, gossiping about me.

When our eyes met, they squealed and waved.

Ha… Is this what it’s like to live as a handsome guy? This is… the best.

Today, I feel on top of the world! I’m in the best condition!

'...Wait a minute.'

Girls…??

Come to think of it, ever since I got the status window, I haven’t seen any girls because of this training camp. So I hadn’t realized until now… but what did my status window look like?

When I was told to make a wish in my dream… What was my answer to the soccer god or whatever?

“…Sex.”

"What did you just say?"

"Look at this guy's eyes. He loses his mind when he sees women."

"Shall we take care of him, master?"

"Kill him."

Urgh, argh, ugh, ack.

While getting pummeled by the seniors, I missed all the coach’s instructions.

But… I guess it doesn’t really matter?

I’ve learned the team’s movements so far from all the cursing, and the coach doesn’t expect me to get the detailed movements right anyway. I’ll just do whatever feels right in the moment.

But right now, what's important to me isn't the friendly match; it's the sexy girls over there who are screaming and looking at me.

'Sex... Yeah, it was sex! The way to earn points is through sex!!'

Ah, my brilliant foresight! I must have invested in charm for this very moment! Well done, past me...!!

If I had wasted those points on soccer skills, where would I have found the guts to have sex?

It’s not like I was ugly in the past, but... if I’ve made it to college and am still single, there’s gotta be a reason for that.

Granted, going to all-boys middle and high schools was probably the biggest reason.

"Number 15 from Hojin University, go get 'em!!"

"You’re as milky white as milk, number 15!!"

"Ahhh~ Did you see that? Oh my god!"

When the cheering girls from the other team excitedly shouted, I flashed a smile and waved at them, which seemed to make them even more ecstatic.

As expected from a friendly college match, the cheering squad of girls was gathered up close enough that we could see their faces.

And those bodies… Oh, wow.

'As expected of the cool crowd!'

I need to show them a good performance to raise my approval rating.

Just as I was solidifying my resolve—

<A special event for your first friendly match!!>

<For this match, you can select three attributes to boost with additional stats.>

Something good appeared.

Oh, jackpot!

【Skills】 【Mental】 【Physical】

Dribbling 072▲ | Vision 046 | Speed 059

Technique 065▲ | Anticipation 044 | Acceleration 073▲

Trapping 057 | Judgment 042 | Balance 056

Short Pass 048 | Focus 056 | Agility 059

Long Pass 041 | Off the Ball 047 | Reaction 079

Shooting 045 | Marking 038 | Power 054

Free Kick 042 | Composure 052 | Jumping 046

Header 038 | Leadership 040 | Stamina 047

Tackling 032 | Teamwork 039 | Recovery 065

 

【Hidden】

Genius 046 | Charm 095 | Intelligence 028

【Height: 175 cm | Weight: 63 kg】

【Available Points】 0P

Wow~ Even if it’s temporary, just look at these beautiful stats.

In soccer, nothing shines more than dribbling breakthroughs.

Since I can only choose three attributes, there’s no point in raising passing or mental stats halfway. It’s better to maximize my strengths.

I hope the game starts soon.

With a pounding heart, I stood in position.

Our team formation is a 4-3-3.

One center forward with left and right wingers. The midfield consists of two central midfielders and one defensive midfielder in a classic setup.

My position is on the left wing.

The overall tactic is defense-oriented, with a low defensive line and the right winger actively contributing to defense, but I'm satisfied.

Because I'm the spearhead of the counterattack.

Just like now.

The match started with the other team's kickoff.

At first, the opponents slowly passed the ball around in their defensive area. Seeing no pressure from our team, they started moving the ball through midfield and into their attacking zone.

But as soon as one of their forwards took the first touch, our defensive midfielder and one of the central midfielders immediately closed in on him. This was a tactical response to the coach's instruction to apply relentless pressure once the opponent entered our final third.

Though the opponent's forward tried to pass the ball back as if expecting the pressure, our players, still sharp at the beginning of the match, moved as a unit and quickly intercepted the return pass, kicking it long toward the left side.

'Here it comes!'

This was also part of our planned play, so the moment we intercepted the ball, I sprinted forward.

The ball flew farther than anticipated, but one of the stats I had boosted with the event was acceleration, and my feet felt unusually light as I dashed forward.

"Stop him!!"

"He's fast!"

The opponent's formation was a 4-2-3-1.

Using two defensive midfielders, their backup defense arrived quickly.

One of their defensive midfielders was closing in fast.

As I glanced at the ball flying through the air, I noticed that he was definitely bigger than me.

'Can't engage physically.'

Even though it’s still early in the match, some players are willing to commit a foul and use their body to push you around. My physical strength is below average, so I might not hold up.

In this situation—

I intentionally let the falling ball pass by, and I could feel my opponent sneering at me.

But then,

Thump!

The ball bounced off the back of my heel, arcing over his head, and the look of shock on his face was priceless.

That expression sent a thrill through me.

This is it!! This is why I play forward, why I love being the one to break through the defense!

I gently trapped the ball as it fell and continued forward.

"Damn it, stop him!!"

Heading straight for the final line of defense.

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