Chapter 5: The First OP Moves
Date: 13th March 2014
Time: 9:05 AM
Location: Cortez Mansion Football Ground, Madrid, Spain
The morning sun spilled over the private football ground of the Cortez mansion, a full-sized pitch hidden behind tall hedges and fountains. Tiny Aiden, still just two years old, sat on a small custom-made stool in the corner of the field, the rare Sphynx-Khao Manee hybrid cat perched on his lap. His father, Alejandro, adjusted the tiny football boots on his son's feet.
"Ready for today, little genius?" Alejandro asked, smiling.
Aiden's blue eyes sparkled. Outwardly, he wiggled like any toddler, bouncing the ball lightly with his tiny feet. Inside, however, his mind was already running calculations on potential talent acquisitions.
[SYSTEM]: "Host status check: Age 2. Stats: Speed 25, Strength 20, Agility 27, Intelligence 28, Stamina 23, Reflexes 26. Talents: Master Dribbler – W, Predator's Instinct – W, Momentum Sense – S. Daily talent acquisition limit per individual: 3. Next available acquisition window: 00:00 hours tomorrow. Nearby potential targets detected: Gerard Piqué, Iker Casillas, Barcelona youth players, animals with athletic abilities in the vicinity."
Aiden's tiny fingers brushed the invisible interface. He giggled outwardly but internally began planning. Today would be his first practice of combining and testing copied talents, and he would start thinking about multi-source talent integration.
---
Selecting New Targets
The system suggested nearby players:
Gerard Piqué – Age 27, FC Barcelona, Spain
Iker Casillas – Age 32, Real Madrid, Spain
Barcelona Youth Players – Ages 15–18
Nearby, pigeons fluttered across the courtyard, and a few stray cats moved along the hedges. The system highlighted their athletic potential, including:
Pigeons: flight reflexes, speed, maneuverability
Cats: balance, agility, precision leaps
Aiden grinned. Today wasn't just about football — he could start analyzing animals for hidden athletic abilities.
Aiden (thinking): "Three per individual per day… I'll start with Piqué and Casillas, then maybe a cat's agility tomorrow."
---
First Talent Copy: Gerard Piqué
Piqué was dribbling lightly near the half-pitch, showing casual touches of control. Aiden activated the system.
[SYSTEM]:
Gerard Piqué
Age: 27
Club: FC Barcelona
National Team: Spain
Stats:
Speed: 88
Strength: 92
Agility: 85
Intelligence: 90
Stamina: 89
Reflexes: 87
Football Talents:
Defensive Mastery – W
Interception Sense – S
Tactical Awareness – S
Hidden Talents:
Aerial Dominance – W
Precision Passing – S
Game Reading – S
Aiden: "System… copy Defensive Mastery, Aerial Dominance, Game Reading."
[SYSTEM]: "Copying… Maximum 3 talents per individual per day. Integration requires isolation. Begin integration when host alone."
Aiden waited until the field was clear, then crouched near the sidelines. The system integrated the three talents instantly. His brain and body adjusted, giving him a newfound ability to anticipate movements, dominate aerial duels, and maintain perfect defensive positioning.
---
Second Talent Copy: Iker Casillas
Next, Aiden focused on Iker Casillas, moving between goalposts, practicing light saves.
[SYSTEM]:
Iker Casillas
Age: 32
Club: Real Madrid
National Team: Spain
Stats:
Speed: 82
Strength: 78
Agility: 90
Intelligence: 95
Stamina: 88
Reflexes: 99
Football Talents:
Reflexive Saves – W
Penalty Prediction – W
Game Command – S
Hidden Talents:
Aura Control – S
Spatial Awareness – W
Opponent Analysis – S
Aiden: "System… copy Reflexive Saves, Penalty Prediction, Spatial Awareness."
Once the field cleared, Aiden crouched behind the goalposts. Integration completed instantly, his reflexes sharpened, spatial awareness heightened, and penalty reading abilities now part of him.
He giggled outwardly, bouncing the ball slowly. To anyone else, he was a playful toddler. To himself, he now carried the abilities of Messi, Piqué, and Casillas, merged seamlessly.
---
Testing Integrated Talents
Aiden placed the ball on the small practice cone setup Alejandro had prepared. He dribbled — the Master Dribbler talent flowed naturally, Predator's Instinct helped him sense the cones' positions before reaching them, and Momentum Sense allowed him to adjust mid-drift.
Suddenly, Alejandro noticed the precision of his son's dribble. "Aiden… wait… how is he doing this?" Alejandro whispered to Isabella, his wife, both amazed.
System Stats After Integration:
Speed: 30
Strength: 22
Agility: 34
Intelligence: 32
Stamina: 28
Reflexes: 35
Talents Acquired:
Master Dribbler – W
Predator's Instinct – W
Momentum Sense – S
Defensive Mastery – W
Aerial Dominance – W
Game Reading – S
Reflexive Saves – W
Penalty Prediction – W
Spatial Awareness – S
Potential: Limitless
Aiden's tiny body moved like a professional, though outwardly he smiled, laughed, and toddled around with his rare cat nearby.
---
Animal Integration Plan
The system scanned nearby animals:
Pigeons – Flight reflexes, maneuverability
Cats – Agility, balance, reflexes
Aiden (thinking): "Tomorrow, I'll copy from a cat and a pigeon… perfect combination of agility and reflexes. This will enhance my already copied football talents."
He didn't integrate today, respecting the rule: max 3 per individual per day, but already planned his future advantage.
---
Family and Guest Observations
At 11:30 AM, Alejandro called Aiden over. "Time to show everyone your ball skills, little genius," he said. Aiden toddled over, holding his rare cat. The grandparents, both Cortez and Rodriguez, watched in awe.
Victoria Cortez whispered, "Even prodigies can't move like that at two…"
Luciana Rodriguez nodded. "It's… unnatural. But controlled. So precise."
Messi, Piqué, and Casillas observed quietly. Messi muttered, "I've never seen this… the child is insane."
Alejandro gave Aiden more gifts — a small signed Barcelona jersey, tiny golden trophies, and a mini football set. Aiden laughed, bouncing the ball between his feet, clearly enjoying the party.
---
System Guidance Post-Integration
Later, in a quiet corner, Aiden activated the system.
[SYSTEM]:
"Host, today you have copied 3 talents from Messi, 3 from Piqué, 3 from Casillas. Integration complete. Maximum daily limit per individual reached. Monitor neural adaptation. Football talent integration prioritized. Daily schedule optimized for training and rest."
Aiden stroked his rare cat, internalizing the new abilities. Outwardly, he was just a playful toddler, but inwardly, he analyzed strategies, calculated future talent acquisitions, and visualized overpowered football plays.
Aiden (thinking): "Each day, more talents… one day, I'll surpass everyone… the world won't know what hit them."
The cat purred as if agreeing, and the sun cast a golden glow over the Cortez mansion, highlighting the start of Aiden's first true OP football journey.