Utrecht was still shrouded in a thin fog when Richard woke up. His throat was dry, his body felt like it had been hit by a truck. His hamstrings were tense, his shoulders throbbed, and the soles of his feet were burning from yesterday's intense training.
But the pain was far outweighed by the anxiety that clung to his chest.
Today was the day of the announcement.
A day that could change his life… or force him to return to Indonesia empty-handed.
Aquila sat at a small table near the window, sipping hot chocolate. "You barely slept," she said softly.
"I… keep thinking about it, Quil," Richard replied. "If I fail, my mother at home will be sad. My little brothers too."
Aquila put down her glass and took Richard's hand. "You fought harder than anyone. Whatever the result, you won something yesterday."
Richard took a deep breath. "But I want more than just 'valuable experience.' I want to live as a professional football player."
Aquila smiled faintly. "Then go. And get that acceptance letter."
Richard stood up, grabbed his FC Utrecht jacket, and put it on with trembling hands.
---
1. Evaluation Room
The FC Utrecht training center felt much quieter than usual. The selection participants sat on long benches, some looking down, some glancing anxiously at each other. Some looked very confident—perhaps because they were graduates of top European academies.
Richard sat at the end of the bench.
Several players glanced at him.
Some sneered.
Some avoided his gaze.
Some clearly didn't want a foreigner from Southeast Asia to slip through and take their spot.
The door to the coaching room opened.
Coach De Vries emerged with a tablet.
Coach Bram followed him.
Everyone stood still.
"Okay," said Coach De Vries. "You've been through four days of selection. Today we announce who will join the official FC Utrecht U-18 program."
Thumb.
Thumb.
Thumb.
Richard wrung his hands together.
---
2. Announcements Underway
The coach began calling names.
One by one.
"Lars Van Dijk."
"Present."
"Accepted."
"Yuri Sanders."
"Accepted."
"Sven Nilssen."
"Accepted."
Richard heard "accepted" over and over again.
And the more names were called, the tighter his chest became.
Only a few slots remained.
Several other contestants began to accept their failure. Some lowered their heads, some cursed under their breaths, and some froze.
"Next…" The coach stared at his screen. "Mateo Alvarez."
"Accepted."
Richard closed his eyes for a moment.
Two slots remained.
He didn't dare look back.
Only the sound of his own breathing could be heard.
The next name… wasn't his.
Neither was the name after that.
There was only one slot left.
Richard's blood seemed to stop flowing.
---
3. Peak Tension
Coach De Vries scrolled his tablet slowly. Too slowly. As if on purpose.
"Hmm…"
Several participants held their breath.
"This last slot… is quite complicated," he said.
Richard swallowed.
"Two candidates both caught our attention. Different skills, different strengths."
The players whispered to each other.
"First, the local player: Jeroen Blumberg. Good tactical understanding, stable stamina, high discipline."
Jeroen—the blond player who often belittled Richard—lifted his chin. He was sure he was the chosen one.
"Second…"
The coach looked directly at Richard.
"…Richard Ardiansyah."
The room suddenly fell silent.
Jeroen turned his head, in disbelief.
The other participants snorted.
Some cursed in Dutch.
Aquila, outside the room, held her hand to her chest, tense.
Coach De Vries closed his tablet.
"We have to choose one. And after considering test performance, attitude, fighting spirit…"
Richard almost stood up because his heart felt like it was jumping out of his chest.
"…our choice is—"
Everyone waited.
The seconds felt eternity.
"—Richard Ardiansyah. Accepted. Welcome to FC Utrecht U-18."
---
4. Reaction
Richard lowered his head. He didn't immediately celebrate.
Instead, his body suddenly felt light… as if all the weight had fallen away at once.
He lifted his head slowly, making sure he hadn't heard correctly.
Coach De Vries glared at him. "You earned it."
Some of the players cursed.
Others gave him murderous looks.
Jeroen rose, clenching his fists, his face red.
"This is bullshit. He's not even European!"
Coach De Vries glared coldly. "You want to challenge my decision?"
Jeroen fell silent for a moment.
Richard remained frozen until someone tapped him on the shoulder. Aquila entered the room and immediately hugged him.
"You did it, Rich. You really did it…" her voice trembled.
Richard finally let out a long, held breath.
"I'm… in, Quil."
---
5. Special Briefing
After most of the participants had left the room, the coach called Richard.
"Richard, stay."
Richard stepped forward.
"Even though you passed," said Coach De Vries, "I have to be honest. You're not the best technically. You're still below average in some aspects. But… your mentality, your hard work—those are qualities that are hard to find."
Coach Bram added, "Starting tomorrow, you'll be participating in an intensive program. Ninety minutes before, thirty minutes after. Are you ready?"
Richard straightened up. "Ready, Coach."
The coach didn't smile—but there was appreciation in his eyes.
"Don't make us regret choosing you."
---
6. Awakening System
As Richard left the room—
---
DING!
[Main Quest Complete: Enter The Professional Path]
Reward:
— +5 Attribute Points
— Skill Ticket (Intermediate)
— Passive Unlocked: Professional Spirit Lv. 1
Effect: Mental strength +5%, increased focus under pressure.
DING!
[New Quest Available]
Name: First Week of Hell
Goals:
1. Not be late once.
2. Complete the entire training program without giving up.
3. Earn at least one commendation from the coach.
Reward: +2 Speed, +1 Technique, FC Utrecht Training Suit.
---
Richard was stunned.
A new quest… and it wasn't easy.
But he had come this far. Turning back wasn't an option.
Aquila took Richard's arm. "Let's celebrate. Just a little, okay?"
Richard smiled slightly. "Okay. But after that, I have to train again."
Aquila took a deep breath but smiled proudly. "That's my boyfriend."
---
7. Utrecht Sky
Exiting the training ground, the Dutch wind felt different today—warmer, or maybe it was Richard's heart that was warming it.
He stared at the field where he had nearly collapsed yesterday.
That place was now the beginning of his new life.
Richard clenched his fists.
"This is just the first step."
And that step, he knew, would take him to a bigger stage—much bigger than he had ever imagined in Lamongan.