Ryo and Ren walked side by side along the road, chatting happily on their way to the game. Just behind them, their parents followed, both deciding to attend Ryo and Ren's first game together. The game was early enough in the day that they didn't need to worry about their restaurant schedule.
The match was being held on Ryusei's pitch, the home team for today's game. Both Ryo and Ren were already in uniform, their white kits gleaming in the morning sun. Ryusei's jerseys, impressive even compared to some local youth academies, stood out with their clean white base, cerulean trim, and golden numbers that shimmered as they moved.
Ren wore number 10, the mark of the team's main goal-scorer; Ryo, however, had gone out of his way to ask the coach if he could choose his own number.
"Ryo," the coach had sighed when he asked, "everyone wants their favorite number. The fairest way is to assign them by position."
"Yes, coach, I agree. I do not want any of the popular numbers," Ryo answered calmly, "I just like the number 18."
Well, that's not the complete truth, but I do like the number.
So when he was handed his kit, and Ryo saw the large 18 printed on the back, he silently thanked Coach Matsumoto for granting his request.
"Wow, there are so many people here," Ryo said as the pitch came into view. I didn't think an elementary school game would draw this kind of crowd.
"Yeah, there are," Ren agreed, still walking forward. "Come on—let's get some practice in before it starts."
"Have fun, boys. We'll find a place in the stands," their dad said, waving them goodbye.
"Okay, we will!" Ren answered, turning back with a wave. He nudged Ryo, "Let's go."
Ryo nodded and followed his brother through the crowd, weaving toward the sidelines. He glanced around as they went, taking in the rows of families, classmates, and neighbors who had gathered to watch.
This is really happening. This is my first game, but there are so many people.
He had expected just parents and relatives, but clearly many other students had come to watch, some even bringing their families. Sitting down on the grass, Ryo swapped his shoes for cleats, his fingers tightening the laces, excited for the game to come.
And now Ryo was about to play in front of all of these people. So, he sat down on the ground and changed into his cleats, excited for the game to come.
But even more than the game itself, he couldn't help but think of his improved stats. After two weeks of training, the stats he had earned and allocated were finally starting to look decent.
{Overall: 30}
(Player Rank: D)
{Agility: 32}
[Acceleration: 35]
[Jumping Power: 30]
[Top Speed: 32]
{Ball Control: 31}
[Dribbling: 34]
[Feinting: 30]
[Trapping: 31]
{Defense: 30}
[Defensive Pressure: 31]
[Goaltending: 30]
[Tackling: 30]
{Intelligence: 30}
[Positioning: 30]
[Reaction Speed: 30]
[Tactics: 30]
{Passing: 33}
[Corner Kicks: 36]
[Long Passing: 31]
[Short Passing: 32]
{Physicality: 26}
[Lung Capacity: 27]
[Stamina: 26]
[Strength: 25]
{Shooting: 34}
[Long Distance Shooting: 37]
[Shooting Technique: 34]
[Short Distance Shooting: 33]
{Vision: 30}
[Awareness Of Ally Positions: 30]
[Awareness Of Enemy Positions: 30]
[Field Of Vision: 30]
[Unused Stat Points: 0]
Thanks to his daily quest, Ryo's Corner Kick stat had jumped significantly, and several of his other attributes had risen as well. With his most recent allocation, he ensured that all of his stats—except for the Physicality ones—were brought up to at least 30. That pushed his Overall rating to 30 and advanced his Player Rank to D.
Ryo frowned. I thought The System would reward me for hitting rank D… Guess it doesn't care much for a D rank player.
"Ryo, what are you waiting for?" Ren called, impatience clear in his voice. "Come on, let's warm up before it's too late!"
"Yes, I'm coming!" Ryo answered quickly. He jumped to his feet and jogged onto the field.
The brothers ran through some light exercises, loosening their legs and shaking off any stiffness. As the last few players trickled in, Coach Matsumoto called the players over. Today, most of the club's coaches were present, even Assistant Coach Takigawa, who had rarely joined first-team practices, came to the game to observe.
After reviewing the formation and strategy one final time, Matsumoto left them with a last remark.
"This is the first game of the season, so don't feel pressured. Of course, we want to win, but don't forget the real reason we play football—it's because we love the game. So it's alright to make mistakes, just do your best and try to learn from them."
Fweeet
"Alright," the head referee called, "the match between Ryusei Elementary and Takayama Elementary is about to begin. Captains, step forward."
"Go out there and win," Matsumoto said encouragingly.
Tomoya, the sixth-year midfielder and team captain, jogged out for the coin toss. Ryo respected him; ever since their first scrimmage, when Tomoya had introduced himself, he had proven reliable and welcoming, even though he was five years older.
Once the toss was decided, both teams moved to their sides of the field. Ryo's heart thumped faster as he looked across the pitch.
It's strange… I'm hardly nervous. I thought I'd be shaking for my first game.
Tomoya motioned for the other team to start with possession of the ball, and once the teams settled into place, the referee blew his whistle to start the clock.
{New Quest!}
(Situational Quest – Football Debut)
[This Is The Player's First Ever Official Football Match. Make This Game Worth Remembering.]
[Contribute A Total Of 3 Goals Or Assists To The Team: 0/3]
[Rewards: New Skill – Misdirection (B)]
[Penalty: Passing -10]
Are you kidding me? You couldn't give me this quest a little earlier? It's not like you didn't know I had a game today…
Ryo couldn't focus on The System hovering at the edge of his vision. However, he had caught a glimpse of the requirements for the quest.
Three goals or assists total… That won't be easy.
His lips curved into a slight grin. I guess I'll be going all out today.