Rio woke up to the smell of rain and the digital hum of a screen floating above his face.
[LIFESPAN: 89 Days, 14 Hours, 20 Minutes]
It wasn't a dream. The nightmare was real.
"Stop staring at it like a lover," a raspy voice drifted from the window.
Specter was leaning against the windowsill, looking out at the hospital parking lot. Even in the daylight, he was translucent, like a smudge on a camera lens.
"You slept for ten hours," the ghost said, turning to face Rio. "That's ten hours wasted. You're dying, remember? You don't have the luxury of sleeping in."
Rio sat up, wincing. His chest felt heavy, as if a stone were lodged inside his ribcage. "Good morning to you too, Coach. So, what's the plan? Do I just walk out of here?"
"You run," Specter corrected. "But first, you need weapons. You can't go to war with a broken sword."
Specter pointed a glowing finger at the system panel.
"Open the Shop. It's time to spend some of that precious time you have left."
Rio swallowed hard. He tapped the [SHOP] icon on the holographic screen. The interface shifted, revealing a large, colorful roulette wheel reminiscent of a casino game. But instead of money, the cost was displayed in blood-red text.
[GACHA BANNER: BEGINNER'S LUCK]
Cost: 10 Days of Lifespan.
Grand Prize: [A-Rank Skill: Cannon Shot]
Common Prize: [E-Rank Passive: Minor Stamina Boost]
"Ten days..." Rio whispered. "That's a tenth of what I have left."
"Scared?" Specter sneered. "Greatness isn't cheap, kid. You want to play in the U-19 tryouts this afternoon? You think your heart can handle ninety minutes without help?"
Rio clenched his fists on the bedsheet. The ghost was right. Without a system skill to compensate for his failing heart, he would collapse in five minutes. He needed a miracle.
"Fine," Rio gritted his teeth. "Let's do it."
He reached out and pressed the [SPIN - 10 DAYS] button.
Zzzzt!
A sharp pain shot through his chest, stealing his breath. Rio gasped, clutching his heart. He felt physically lighter, weaker, as if a part of his soul had been ripped away.
On the screen, the timer plummeted. 89 Days... -> 79 Days.
The roulette wheel spun wildly. Lights flashed. Blue, Green, Gold...
Tick. Tick. Tick.
The wheel slowed down. It passed a Gold item (Legendary Pass) and settled on a shimmering Bronze icon.
[CONGRATULATIONS!][YOU OBTAINED: FLASH STEP (Rank D)]
Skill Description: Instantly accelerates the user's movement speed by 200% for 2 seconds. Cooldown: 5 Minutes. Side Effect: Moderate strain on leg muscles.
"Flash Step?" Rio frowned. "Rank D? I spent ten days for a D-Rank skill?"
"Don't be ungrateful," Specter scoffed, floating closer to inspect the reward. "For a cripple like you, that skill is a lifeline. Two seconds of explosive speed is enough to leave any defender in the dust. It's a burst skill. Perfect for someone with no stamina."
Specter checked his imaginary watch.
"Now, get dressed. The U-19 final selection starts in an hour. You're going to crash the party."
The National Training Center was buzzing with energy. Dozens of young players in bright bibs were warming up, watched by hawk-eyed coaches and scouts.
Rio stood by the chain-link fence, wearing his old, worn-out cleats. He had signed a waiver to leave the hospital against medical advice. He had nothing left to lose.
"Hey, look who's back from the dead!"
A mocking voice cut through the air. Rio turned to see a tall, muscular player with bleached hair approaching him. It was Kevin, the striker who had taken Rio's spot on the starting lineup after his collapse.
Kevin smirked, kicking a ball casually. "I heard you had a heart attack, Rio. Shouldn't you be in a wheelchair? This is a football field, not a hospice."
A few other players laughed.
"I'm here to play, Kevin," Rio said calmly. His eyes were fixed on the goal post.
"Play?" Kevin laughed louder. "Coach already cut you from the list. You're finished. Broken goods."
"Let him try," Specter's voice whispered in Rio's ear. "Humiliate him. Show me what you bought with your life."
Rio walked onto the field, ignoring Kevin. He grabbed a loose ball and placed it on the penalty spot.
The Head Coach blew his whistle, storming over. "Valdes! What are you doing here? Get off the field before you kill yourself!"
"One chance, Coach," Rio said, staring the coach in the eye. "Give me one agonizing minute against Kevin. If I can't score, I'll leave and never come back."
The Coach hesitated. He knew Rio's talent. He also knew his condition. But the desperation in Rio's eyes...
"Fine," the Coach grunted. "One minute. Kevin, defend."
Kevin grinned, stepping in front of Rio. "This will be easy. Don't cry when I break your ankles."
The whistle blew.
Tweet!
Rio dribbled forward slowly. Kevin lunged instantly, aggressive and fast, aiming to tackle the ball.
Now.
Rio mentally triggered the skill. [ACTIVATE: FLASH STEP]
WHOOSH!
The world seemed to blur. For exactly two seconds, Rio felt weightless. He tapped the ball to the right and—before Kevin could even blink—Rio was gone.
He exploded past Kevin with a speed that looked unnatural, leaving a gust of wind in his wake.
Kevin tackled nothing but empty air, losing his balance and falling face-first into the dirt.
Rio was already past him. He swung his leg and smashed the ball into the top corner of the net.
BAM!
The net rippled.
Silence fell over the training ground. The scouts in the stands stood up, pulling out their phones and frantically scribbling notes. The Coach dropped his clipboard.
Rio stood panting, his hand over his chest. His heart was hammering dangerously fast, but he was still standing.
[SYSTEM ALERT][GOAL SCORED (Practice)][REWARD: +2 Hours Lifespan]
Specter floated beside him, blowing smoke into Kevin's shocked face. "Not bad, kid. Not bad at all. But you used 10 days to earn back 2 hours. The math is against us."
Rio wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked down at Kevin, who was staring up at him in disbelief.
"Who's the broken goods now?" Rio whispered.