The alarm didn't ring.
Instead, the artificial ceiling light snapped on brutally at exactly six o'clock, accompanied by a sharp sound—almost military.
Aïna opened her eyes with a start.
For a few seconds, she didn't know where she was. Then everything came rushing back at once: Nairobi, the campus, Project Athena, the promise she had made to her parents.
— Seriously… Sora muttered, sitting up. They want us dead.
Mila, already seated on her bed, was calmly tying her hair.
— They want to see who loses control first thing in the morning.
Aïna got up without a word. Her body felt heavy, her legs still sore from the day before. She forced herself to breathe deeply.
Show nothing.
They went downstairs to join the others.
On Field 2, all the candidates were lined up in tight rows. Aïna scanned the crowd. There were still many of them. Too many.
The main field was full.
She had never seen so many players gathered in one place. Entire rows of girls in identical kits, standing under the early Nairobi sun. Some tried to hide their stress. Others displayed an almost provocative confidence.
Aïna observed.
She counted without meaning to.
There are way too many of us.
Ethan Kovač arrived with the entire staff. This time, he wasn't smiling at all.
— Before we begin, he declared, we're going to talk about numbers.
A giant screen lit up behind him.
> CANDIDATES PRESENT TODAY: 312
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
312.
— You are 312 who made it past the administrative and video screening, Kovač continued. — That number alone is already a selection.
He let the silence settle.
— At the end of Project Athena…
The screen changed.
> FINAL OBJECTIVE: 20 PLAYERS
This time, the shock was visible.
Some girls' eyes widened.
Others turned pale.
Aïna felt her heart tighten.
— That means one very simple thing, Kovač went on calmly. — 292 of you will never reach the goal.
A cold breath seemed to pass across the field.
— And contrary to what you may think, eliminations will not be based on talent alone.
He stepped forward.
— Discipline. Mental strength. Adaptability. Game intelligence. — Football does not reward dreamers. It rewards survivors.
---
Phase 1 Announcement
— Phase 1: Disorientation and Observation, he announced. — At the end of this phase, 50 candidates will be removed from the football program.
A muffled cry echoed somewhere in the crowd.
— Some will be redirected toward the traditional academic track. — Others will be sent home immediately.
His gaze swept across the ranks.
— By the end of this week, you will no longer be 312.
---
Position Assignments
The coaches began calling names.
When Aïna heard hers, she took a deep breath.
— Aïna M. — Right fullback.
A punch to the chest.
That's not my position.
But she clenched her jaw.
Around her, confusion erupted.
— Goalkeeper → Attacking midfielder
— Striker → Center back
— Defensive midfielder → Left winger
One girl burst out:
— This is absurd!
Kovač lifted his head.
— Football is only absurd to those who refuse to understand it.
---
Matches — and Cracks
The matches began.
Short. Brutal. Watched.
Aïna struggled with her positioning. She made mistakes—but she corrected them quickly. She talked. She listened. She covered for others.
But not everyone reacted the same way.
On the neighboring field:
1. One girl refused to defend.
— "It's not my position."
She walked instead of running.
2. Another collapsed physically.
She sat on the ground after five minutes, crying.
3. A third insulted a teammate.
Wounded ego. No control.
4. A fourth completely ignored tactical instructions.
She played alone. To shine.
5. A fifth left the field without permission.
Tablets filled with notes.
Aïna understood something essential then:
> They weren't looking for perfect players.
They were looking for the ones who didn't break.
---
The First Official Elimination
That same evening, they were all gathered again.
312 faces.
312 held breaths.
Kovač spoke once more.
— Phase 1 is not over. — But some decisions are already irreversible.
The screen lit up.
> IMMEDIATE ELIMINATIONS — PHASE 1
— Candidate #47
> Refusal to follow instructions — lack of discipline
— Candidate #103
> Physical abandonment without injury
— Candidate #189
> Aggressive behavior toward teammates
— Candidate #221
> Extreme individualism — inability to play as part of a team
— Candidate #276
> Leaving the field without authorization
Five names.
Five dreams shattered.
One girl screamed.
Another stood frozen.
A third collapsed in silence.
— These five, Kovač concluded, will never play football here again.
Aïna felt her stomach twist.
This wasn't a punishment.
It was a sentence.
---
The final message appeared.
> REMAINING CANDIDATES: 307
ELIMINATIONS COMING THIS WEEK: 45
Aïna closed her eyes for a moment.
307 today.
20 in the end.
Back in the room, Mila whispered:
— Now we know.
Sora clenched her fists.
— This isn't a game anymore.
Aïna thought of the promise she had made to her parents.
If I fail… I quit.
So she made a promise to herself.
I will not fall here.