God's Striker
Chapter 5 — Teeth in the Grass
March 18th, 2007 — One Week Later
Real Madrid Castilla vs. CF Fuenlabrada
It was the kind of match where bones got tested. Where studs met skin and eyes didn't blink. CF Fuenlabrada was notorious in the Segunda B for one thing: aggression. They didn't play football—they waged war. Their midfield trio had a combined age of 90 and 100 yellow cards last season. Veterans. Bruisers. The kind who treated each whistle like an insult.
And Nico Valen was starting against them.
Coach Emil's voice echoed in the locker room. "Fuenlabrada will try to rough you up. Especially you, Valen. You embarrassed Rayo last week. They've seen the tapes. They'll come for your ankles. You don't flinch. You don't back off. Make them regret ever pressing you."
Nico tightened the tape around his wrists. His blue eyes were calm, but his jaw clenched.
"Understood," he said simply.
The team shuffled out, boots clacking like marching soldiers.
Kickoff: 16:00
From the first minute, it was clear: this wasn't a match, it was a brawl with a football somewhere underneath.
Nico touched the ball once—bam. Elbow in the ribs. No foul.
Second touch—studs scraped down his shin. The referee waved play on.
Fuenlabrada's captain, a squat pitbull of a man named Cuenca, leaned in after a foul.
"You think you're special, blondie? We'll see how clever you are with a limp."
Nico didn't answer.
Instead, the next play, he let the ball run past him, dragged his marker wide, then spun and darted between two defenders. He flicked the ball behind his heel, slicing open their midfield.
Cheers erupted.
Nico didn't smile.
He wanted blood.
Minute 22
Ball at his feet again. Nico took a risk. He let the pressing midfielder approach, baited the challenge, then shifted right and exploded forward.
Too quick.
The defender miscalculated—and lunged. Studs up.
Nico jumped—but not enough.
Contact.
Pain.
He rolled twice, landed on his back, sucking in air through clenched teeth.
Whistles.
The ref jogged over—yellow card.
Coach Emil shouted from the touchline. "That's a red, damn it!"
Nico pushed himself up slowly. His sock was torn. A red welt already forming.
But he didn't limp.
He stood.
And he stared at the man who fouled him.
"You'll have to try harder."
System Notification:
[Match Quest Active]
Minimum Rating: 7.5
Objective: Dominate central control despite high aggression.
Bonus: Trigger 2 Key Plays under pressure.
Reward: Progress toward Template Unlock (1/4)
Minute 33
The tempo was suffocating. But Nico began to adapt. He stopped waiting for space—he created it.
He used his body smarter, turned his back to pressure, shielded with muscle and instinct. He absorbed hits, then released the ball like venom.
Through balls. Diagonal cuts. Crossfield switches.
Each touch earned bruises.
Each bruise earned chances.
In the 38th minute, he dummied a pass, spun left, chipped the ball over a lunging defender's leg, and found Castilla's striker running through.
Shot. Goal.
1–0.
System buzz:
Key Play Triggered
Nico jogged back, chest heaving.
His teammates tapped his shoulder.
"You're insane, Valen. They're gonna kill you."
He nodded. "Let them try."
Second Half
Fuenlabrada brought on fresher legs. Taller, meaner ones.
They kicked. Pulled. Clipped his heels.
But Nico kept dancing.
Minute 68: He slipped between a press trap, faked a pass to the wing, and sent a laser-guided ball behind the backline.
Another goal. 2–0.
Second Key Play Complete
Match Rating: 8.2
The referee finally called more fouls. Frustrated, Fuenlabrada's press loosened.
Nico began orchestrating with swagger. Not wild like a showboat, but with quiet dominance. He stared players down. He welcomed the next tackle.
He didn't break.
He built.
And the whispers started again.
"Who is this kid?"
"Valen, right? That pass…"
"He looks like a young Riquelme. But angry."
Final Whistle: Castilla 2 - 0 Fuenlabrada
Coach Emil embraced him on the touchline.
"You were fire. Controlled, burning fire. You scared grown men out there."
Nico nodded, jaw still tight.
"That's the idea."
Later That Night
Nico sat at his desk, calf wrapped in ice.
He opened the system.
Match Rating: 8.2
Aggression Overcome: 93%
Playmaker Under Pressure: +5% Tactical Growth
Quest Progress: 2/4
Bonus Achieved: 2 Key Plays
You are now feared. You have endured.
Path Unlock Approaching
New Quest Available:
[The Template Beckons]
Deliver two more high-level performances.
Optional: Break a press solo or draw 3+ fouls in one match.
Reward: PLAYER TEMPLATE UNLOCK
Templates available upon completion:
The Maestro (vision-based playmaker)
The Shadowmind (attacking illusionist)
The Viper (aggressive, direct creator)
Custom Build Option
Nico leaned back, eyes burning.
He wasn't just surviving Segunda B.
He was making it his stage.
And soon, he'd pick what kind of legend he'd become.
End of Chapter 5
Next: Whispers reach the papers. A journalist asks the wrong question. And Nico makes his first enemy.