Episode 15: A face genius is good at soccer

Episode 15: Tactical Movements (1)

They say that women don’t let go of their phones even when they’re dying, and that might actually be true.

As soon as Ha-yeon noona woke up, the first thing she did was grab her phone and start tapping away, sending messages nonstop.

“Who are you texting so much?”

“Oh... uh, just someone.”

“Who? Don’t tell me it’s a boyfriend?”

“Boyfriend? No way, it’s a girl.”

If it’s a girl... Could it be Ji-kyung noona? What on earth would they be talking about? It seems like she’s telling her everything that happened with me. I’m curious about what she’s saying, but... it can’t be anything bad, right?

It can’t be, considering:

<Incomplete Combustion>

—Unsatisfying sex! Acquisition reduced by 1/3!

<Conquest of a Slut!>

—Conquering an easy woman! Acquisition reduced by 1/3!

<Conquering a Slut!>

—Fully satisfying a woman with a lot of male experience! 50% reduction in the 'Incomplete Combustion' debuff!

As soon as I opened the status window, these event messages flooded in.

All three messages were the same as with Ji-kyung noona. The only difference is that Ji-kyung noona also has additional debuffs like "Unattractive Woman" and "Boring Sex."

Looking at it this way, it seems like Ji-kyung noona is getting the short end of the stick.

But then again, our relationship started as a one-night stand, so there’s no particular affection involved, and we’re not dating either. Doing it every day does tend to make you get tired of it.

It’s not like Ji-kyung noona is some kind of world-class beauty or a legendary lover either.

Maybe she’s getting tired of me too?

Oh? Could it be that she’s playing hard to get because she’s bored?

I was about to delve into some deep contemplation when Ha-yeon noona’s grumbling brought me back to reality.

“Ugh... I can’t feel anything down there. You’re a beast.”

“Ji-kyung noona said the same thing. You two are just alike.”

“Seriously. I finally understand what Ji-kyung was talking about. It feels amazing, but... it’s overwhelming.”

As the 'Incomplete Combustion' event message suggests, neither Ji-kyung noona nor Ha-yeon noona has ever had a completely satisfying experience with me because they both tire out midway through.

Man... It seems even having too much stamina can be a problem. Not that I want to tone it down, though.

The clock shows it’s 5 a.m.

I woke up a bit earlier than usual, but instead of lazing around, I figured it’d be better to get up, so I started heading for the shower when—

“Eek!?”

Ha-yeon noona, who had been looking at her phone, let out a startled yelp.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“N-no, nothing. I... I need to shower first! I’m in a hurry!”

She rushed into the bathroom and came out in no time, dressed up and ready to go.

“Min-jun, I’m heading out first! See you later!”

“Oh, uh, okay. Take care.”

Bang! The door closed, and I stood there staring at it blankly.

...What was that about? She acted like the house was on fire or something.

* * *

[Hidden]

Genius: 046 | Charm: 095 | Intelligence: 028

[Height: 175 cm | Weight: 63 kg]

[Available Points] 4P

Opening the status window revealed that I had gained 4 more points.

“Oh~ sweet.”

It’s four times the efficiency of Ji-kyung noona!

I feel like I’m becoming more and more of a human trash heap, but who cares? We’re both enjoying it, so what’s the problem?

Still, the thought of possibly getting caught and facing a #MeToo situation does cross my mind, and a woman's face flashes in my head.

“I need to be careful. I might run into some crazy woman.”

After changing into my uniform in the locker room and doing a light stretch, I gathered some training equipment and set it up on one corner of the field.

Strength training is necessary for soccer players too.

Back in the 80s, many soccer players didn’t do any weight training at all, but with the rougher physicality of modern soccer, weight training has become essential.

Sure, there was once a retired player known for saying, "I don’t do weight training, haha," yet had a muscular body. But that’s because he was born with it—those genes were a gift.

Of course, the type of muscles needed for a soccer player is different from muscles meant for aesthetics, so the “buff” look that most people imagine isn’t quite right. For example, chest muscles.

In aesthetic bodybuilding, chest muscles are one of the most prominent features. However, chest muscles have little to do with performance in soccer, which is an aerobic sport. Unless you’re into sports that require upper body strength like weightlifting or judo, you don’t really need them.

In the end, the most effective body type for a soccer player surprisingly isn’t one with bulging chest muscles.

But hey, that’s not how people think.

If you’re going to weight train anyway, might as well make it look good.

“Especially for the ladies.”

That said, I’m not obsessed with lifting weights.

There’s no point in mindlessly bulking up—it only increases the risk of injury and drains stamina faster.

If you're an athlete like me who relies on technique and speed, focusing on core training rather than just building muscles is crucial.

Lately, I've been paying special attention to core strength and improving agility—abilities like body balance, shifting weight, and changing direction.

Since I train alone, I have to be careful not to overdo it. Without someone to watch over me, if I push too hard, my posture naturally collapses when I get tired, and improper posture during training can lead to various problems.

In times like this, the best exercises are those that are simple, basic, and ingrained in my body to the point of muscle memory.

That's where ladder training, also known as speed ladders, comes in.

Just placing a ladder-shaped tool on the ground is all you need to get ready.

It's such a basic and well-known coordination exercise that there are said to be over 100 different drills, but I decided to repeat a few familiar ones.

Single-leg jumps, side steps, quick two-foot steps, front dashes followed by backtracking, running through each space as quickly as possible on one foot, jumping through each space, and alternating left and right movements along the ladder.

“Huff, huff, huff.”

These are all basic exercises that anyone can follow, even non-athletes, and every soccer player does them. But that doesn't mean they're easy.

Just as you must constantly practice your fundamentals, you also need to repeatedly perform these basic exercises to fine-tune your body.

Drenched in sweat, I noticed it was about time for the senior players to start arriving.

Out of habit, I opened my stat window, but as expected, nothing had changed.

A bit of disappointment is only natural for anyone, right?

I’m not sure if this kind of training will affect my stats, but even if it doesn’t, I don’t want to stop. This has been my routine for life, and if I don’t even do basic training, it feels like I’ll lose my identity as a soccer player.

“Hey, Hong Min-jun! Here early again today, huh?”

“Good morning, Coach!”

“Alright. We had a game yesterday, so don’t overdo it.”

“I’m fine, Coach!”

“Good, good.”

As I was packing up the training gear, people started gathering.

“Hey, Min-jun, hi!”

“Hello, senior!”

“Ugh, I’m so tired.”

It’s 8 a.m.

After confirming that all the players had gathered, the coaching staff divided us into groups based on whether we had played in the previous day’s game. Those who had played went through light recovery training, while others had their own sessions.

Since I had played the full 90 minutes yesterday, I joined the group doing recovery training and had to endure the coach’s... mental attack—no, tactical briefing.

Standing before the tactics board, the coach placed magnetic markers representing players on the board, illustrating the formation.

“Alright, look here. This is our basic 4-3-3 formation.”

Starting with the goalkeeper, there were four defenders in front of him. Ahead of them, three midfielders formed an inverted triangle, and at the very front, three forwards were marked like arrows.

“What’s our key focus? It’s 'Pressão Alta'—high-intensity pressing! We apply strong pressure starting from the forwards! Just like a full-court press in basketball, we need to block the opponent’s advance and trap them in their own half!”

The coach pointed to the four magnets representing the defenders lined up.

“The back four will form an offside line about 30 meters from the goal, narrowing the gap with the midfield to dominate space. During this time, even if we give up the flanks, we must protect the center! Got it? In the end, soccer is about scoring goals to determine the outcome, and goals come from the center! The center is key! Fortify the center to eliminate space!”

After explaining the movements of the defenders and midfielders in various situations, the coach’s hand moved to the magnets representing the wingers.

“Wingers! You guys need to be active too! Especially on the right! When defending, the right winger needs to track back to eliminate space. Ji Eon-hak, got it?”

“Yes, sir!”

Nodding at the sharp response of Ji Eon-hak, the winger on the opposite side from me, the coach's hand then moved to the magnet representing the left winger—my position.

“Left side! Even when defending, you don’t drop back past the halfway line. You’re the spearhead of the counterattack. When we regain possession, the ball should be sent to the left winger as quickly as possible, and once you receive the ball, you must carry it into the opponent's final third no matter what. Hong Min-jun!”

“Yes, Coach!”

“The success of our counterattack depends entirely on your feet, got it? If you can’t handle it, speak up now. We’ll change the tactics.”

This tactic reminds me of the first Chelsea era under the legendary coach, José Mourinho, but with one major difference—the attack is heavily reliant on one side, all because of the coach’s decision based on my individual abilities.

A typical star-centered tactic that relies on the ace player. It’s a tactic that was popular in the 90s and early 2000s, back when attacking midfielders were in the spotlight.

If it were someone else in the ace role, they might not like it, but... when the coach publicly declares me as the ace, there’s no way I’m backing down. That’s not my style.

“No, Coach, I’m confident!”

“Are you really confident? You’d better answer carefully, kid. If you burn out midway or your performance goes down the drain, the entire season will be on your shoulders. Think it through and answer. Are you really confident?”

The coach’s words, piling on even more pressure on the already heavy burden of being the ace, drew the eyes of all the players toward me.

The seniors in their third and fourth years, with little time left in their careers, gazed at me with heavy expectations. But I like it. This kind of pressure is exactly what I wanted.

“I’m confident, Coach. Trust me.”

“Good!”

Bang!

The coach slammed his hand on the tactics board with a resounding shout.

“Alright, now we move on to the attacking tactics. This is only if Hong Min-jun successfully carries the ball forward.”

There it is.

Now, I don’t have to worry about losing my starting spot.

For the rest of the season, the ace position is practically mine.

But as one worry fades, another takes its place.

Now, I have the responsibility to consistently perform at the level expected of the team's ace in every game.

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