**Chapter 12 — The Break That Breaks You (And Builds You)**
September 4th, 2007 — Dortmund Training Grounds
The ball zipped between cones in a blur of yellow and black. Nico Valen moved like a shadow through the drill—sharp cuts, quick feints, perfect touches. His form had been electric since the Bayern match. Every pass crackled, every movement had purpose.
Coach Thomas Doll barked from the sidelines. "Move it, boys! Game speed!"
Kringe slid a ball into Nico's path.
He took a touch, flicked it past a defender, then exploded forward. Mats Hummels moved to intercept.
Nico stretched to reach the next touch—a second too late.
His ankle rolled.
A sickening pop followed.
The pitch froze.
Nico collapsed.
"Shit!" Kuba yelled, sprinting over. Doll rushed behind him.
Nico gritted his teeth, breath coming in short gasps. "I'm fine," he said, trying to sit up.
But when he put weight on his foot—agony shot up his leg.
"No, no, no," he muttered, shaking his head. "Not now."
---
**Dortmund Medical Center – Later That Day**
"Grade 2 ligament strain," the doctor said. "Two weeks, at least. No contact, no sprinting. We'll start light rehab in four days."
Nico stared at the wall.
Two weeks?
In a world that moved at the speed of a transfer rumor, two weeks felt like an eternity.
He clenched his jaw. "I'm not soft."
"No one's saying you are," Doll said gently, seated beside him. "But if you don't rest, you'll turn two weeks into two months."
Nico nodded once, eyes distant. The fire hadn't gone out. It just shifted.
---
**Later That Evening — Club Guest Lounge**
A sharp knock came at the lounge door. Nico looked up from his crutches.
"Mr. Mendes to see you," the receptionist said.
Jorge Mendes entered like a man who owned every room he walked into. Perfect suit. Calm, piercing eyes.
He smiled as he approached. "Heard you're taking up acrobatics in training."
Nico smirked faintly. "You didn't come here to make jokes."
Mendes sat beside him. "No. I came to tell you the world doesn't pause because your foot does. That Bayern game? People are talking."
"Who?"
"Liverpool. Valencia. Lyon. Juventus."
Nico's eyes flickered.
"But it doesn't matter," Mendes continued. "You're not ready to leave yet. Not because you're not good enough—because you haven't finished *becoming* yet."
He rose, adjusted his watch. "Your future won't wait. But it will reward those who chase it."
And just like that, he was gone.
---
**That Night — Nico's Apartment**
The television was on, but he wasn't watching it. His ankle was wrapped tight, elevated on the couch.
His phone buzzed with texts—from teammates, from Dortmund staff, even from rivals who respected his fire.
But he didn't reply to any.
He was staring at the ceiling.
The room dimmed. A hum built in his ears.
> **System Notification:**
> *Status: Injury Detected – Temporary Stat Reduction (-8 Agility, -5 Acceleration, -10 Stamina)*
> *Progress Report: Zidane Template – 92% Mastery Achieved*
> *Template Opportunity Available: Thierry Henry – Legendary Class*
> *Would you like to initiate template download?*
Nico's breath caught.
**Thierry Henry.**
The king of elegance and ruthlessness. Blinding pace, poetry in motion, devastating finishing. The shadow that danced behind defenders and struck like a cobra.
He selected: **Yes**.
> *Initializing Thierry Henry Template.*
> *Attributes Unlocked (Partial): +6 Sprint Speed, +4 Finishing, +5 Dribbling (In Transition), +5 Off-the-Ball Movement.*
> *Note: Full Integration Locked – Requires Live Match Usage.*
Nico's pulse quickened.
Even off the field, he was evolving.
---
**Next Day — Family Home Visit**
His mother opened the door and immediately pulled him into a hug, careful not to touch the bandaged ankle.
"You're pushing too hard," she whispered. "Always pushing."
"I have to," he replied. "There's no other way."
His little brother Leo, eyes wide, poked the crutch.
"Did you win the game at least?"
Nico ruffled his hair. "Not this time."
His father stayed mostly silent, seated in the kitchen, nursing a cup of cheap coffee. But when Nico limped in, he stood.
"You looked like a ghost against Bayern," he said. "Not scared. Smart. You're not just playing—you're playing with your head."
It was the closest thing to a compliment he'd ever given.
They ate together for the first time in weeks. Talked. Laughed, even. For a moment, Nico forgot the weight of being a prodigy.
---
**Back in Dortmund — Late Night System Interaction**
The system pulsed with faint golden light.
> *User Status: Recovery Ongoing*
> *Henry Template Locked in (Phase 1 Initiated)*
> *Progress Challenge:*
> *In Your Next 5 Matches: Score or Assist in 4 to Unlock Phase 2.*
> *Injury Rehabilitation Boost Available: +10% Recovery Efficiency with Focused Mental Training*
> *Engage Mental Training Now?*
Nico accepted.
Images flooded his mind: clips of Henry in motion—gliding past defenders, bending shots beyond desperate keepers, sprinting into space like light incarnate.
His muscles tensed just watching it.
"I will run like that," he muttered. "I will *destroy* like that."
---
**Two Days Later — Dortmund Gym**
Crutches gone. Bandage light. Nico cycled gently, sweat pouring, headphones in.
A documentary on Thierry Henry played on the tablet screen in front of him. For every sprint Henry made, Nico visualized it—replicated the body posture, the timing, the instinct.
Coach Doll passed by, paused at the door, watching quietly.
"No days off, huh?" he asked.
Nico didn't even look up. "Days off are for the finished."
Doll chuckled and walked on.
---
**Chapter End Summary — System Stats Update:**
**Player: Nico Valen**
**Age:** 16
**Club:** Borussia Dortmund
**Position:** Playmaker / False Nine / Attacking Forward
**Templates Active:**
* *Zinedine Zidane* (92% Integrated)
* *Thierry Henry* (Phase 1 Active)
**Current Attributes (Boosted):**
* Vision: 89 (+5)
* Passing: 86 (+5)
* Ball Control: 90 (+4)
* Dribbling: 85 (+5)
* Finishing: 79 (+4)
* Acceleration: 78 (-5 due to injury)
* Sprint Speed: 81 (+6 from Henry)
**Next Chapter Preview: Nico Returns — And He's Faster Than Ever.**
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*To be continued in Chapter 13 — A New Beast Emerges.*