The morning air felt different.
Still. Dense. Like the world itself was holding its breath.
Vihaan woke early. Too early. His alarm hadn't even buzzed yet, but he was wide awake, staring at the ceiling with a dry mouth and a racing heart. Today wasn't just another game. It was the game.
His Schalke jersey hung neatly on the chair. Number 8. Freshly washed. He took a long look at it, then picked up the worn-out blue jersey beside it — his father's old college football kit. A relic of a dream that once lived and burned. He held it for a second, then folded it with reverence.
Time to create a legacy of his own.
---
8:00 AM. At the breakfast table.
At breakfast, no one spoke much. Anya sat beside him, quietly munching toast while scribbling something in her sketchbook. His father, eyes on the paper, occasionally glanced at Vihaan over the rim of his glasses.
Arjun broke the silence first.
"You win this," he said, "and I'll stop calling you 'small fry.'"
Vihaan smirked. "I thought you already did."
Anya slid her drawing over.
It was a messy crayon portrait — Vihaan in blue, arms raised, a golden trophy in one hand. Leon stood behind him, grinning, and beside them was a small girl with a sign that read: "MY BHAIYA IS THE BEST."
He folded it and tucked it into his kit bag.
-----
11:30 AM. Schalke Academy Grounds.
The buzz was electric.
A surprising crowd had gathered. Scouts. Coaches. Parents. Even a few journalists from Kicker hung around the sidelines. This wasn't just U-15 — it felt like a final.
The C-Junioren Regionalliga West decider: Schalke U-15 vs Borussia Dortmund U-15.
Winner takes the league.
Vihaan stepped onto the pitch, boots crunching against the turf. The wind whipped gently, and clouds loomed above, just grey enough to feel cinematic.
He activated the System.
A flicker of light blinked into his vision — a transparent HUD floated above each player for a brief moment.
[Schalke U-15 – Key Players]
Leon Köhler – Overall: 55
Pace: 66 | Dribbling: 58 | Shooting: 63 | Strength: 60 | Stamina: 55
Jonas Lindt (Right-back) – Overall: 49
Tackling: 52 | Stamina: 54 | Pace: 57
Then he turned to Dortmund.
[Borussia Dortmund U-15 – Key Players]
Florian Becker – Overall: 52
Pace: 61 | Dribbling: 56 | Passing: 59 | Vision: 61 | Stamina: 54 | Composure: 60
Trait: Tempo Dictator (Controls midfield rhythm)
Felix Brandt (LW) – Overall: 50
Pace: 68 | Dribbling: 60 | Crossing: 53
Tom Reiker (CB) – Overall: 51
Strength: 60 | Tackling: 58 | Positioning: 55
Trait Detected: Tempo Dictator – Controls midfield rhythm and increases short pass success under pressure.
Vihaan blinked. Wait. A trait?
A sudden pulse hit the back of his eyes — the System shimmered, and a message appeared.
[Trait Assimilation Protocol Activated]
You have encountered a player with a unique Trait.
Your system is now capable of assimilating Traits from others through competitive dominance.
Quest Issued: "Break the Rhythm"
Objective: Win more 1v1 duels against Florian Becker than he wins against you.
Bonus: Contribute significantly to Schalke's win.
Reward: Trait Assimilation – [Tempo Dictator]
Vihaan's heartbeat picked up.
I can steal traits?
He looked again at Leon.
Top scorer. Strongest stats. No trait.
Then at Becker.
Lower stats. But he had this… thing. This rhythm. This control.
That's what gives him his edge.
"Becker's not bad," Vihaan muttered to Leon.
Leon, stretching nearby, smirked. "Still not as good as me."
"Never said he was."
Leon clapped him on the back. "Let's ruin their party."
---
Kickoff.
The whistle blew.
Dortmund started sharp. Crisp passes. Becker floated around the midfield with calm command, directing traffic with subtle glances and small touches. He wasn't flashy. He was effective.
But Vihaan had studied him.
He stayed glued, letting his Field Scanner light up space like radar. When Becker drifted deep, Vihaan blocked the return. When he passed and moved, Vihaan was already there.
Still, Dortmund struck first.
12th minute. Brandt got a step on Jonas, whipped in a low cross, and their striker stabbed it in. 1–0.
Vihaan didn't panic.
He jogged to the halfway line, fists clenched. A few scattered claps came from the Dortmund end, but the Schalke section began chanting soon after.
Leon jogged beside him, teeth clenched. "Jonas got cooked."
"I saw. Get ready next time. I'll find you."
---
20th minute.
Schalke began to breathe.
The passes got tighter. The pressing more coordinated. Vihaan found his rhythm — one-twos with the fullbacks, quick layoffs, switches of play.
Then came his moment.
Vihaan looked up — saw space behind Dortmund's backline. He let the ball roll across his body and lofted a perfectly weighted pass.
Leon surged forward like a bullet. One bounce. Two. Then — boom. Left-footed half-volley.
GOAL. 1–1.
The Schalke crowd erupted.
Leon turned and pointed at Vihaan, grinning. "Magic feet, brother!"
Vihaan smiled. He didn't shout. He didn't celebrate wildly.
He just nodded.
The game had begun.
---
31st minute.
It turned into a battle.
Every ball was a war. The tackles got harder. The ref let them play. Vihaan got clipped from behind, bounced up. Leon took an elbow to the ribs — shrugged it off.
But Becker wasn't gone.
In the 34th minute, he shook Vihaan with a sharp feint and released a slicing through-ball. Their striker was in — one-on-one.
But Schalke's keeper came up huge, diving low to make the save.
Vihaan cursed under his breath. Too close.
Then the final play of the half came.
43rd minute. A foul. Free kick to Schalke, 25 yards out. Everyone expected Leon to shoot.
Instead, he tapped it square.
Vihaan took one touch and struck it low — hard.
It curved toward the bottom corner.
The keeper dived.
The post denied him.
So close.
---
Halftime. Schalke 1 – 1 Dortmund.
Vihaan sat on the bench, drenched in sweat. Leon beside him, towel draped over his neck.
Coach Müller stood in front of them, eyes blazing.
"You boys want this? Then dig. One half. That's all you've got. We don't play another league match after this. No second chances. No regrets."
Then, he looked at Vihaan.
"You've got Becker locked. Now hurt him."
Vihaan nodded.
The system pinged again.
[Performance Summary – First Half]
Rating: 7.9
Stamina: 72%
Key Passes: 3
Duels with Becker: 4 (Won: 2, Lost: 2)
Pass Accuracy: 89%
Distance Covered: 4.6 km
[Ongoing Quest: Break the Rhythm]
Current Duels:
Vihaan 2 – 2 Becker
Outcome: Tied
Trait Assimilation Status: PENDING]
And at the bottom of the screen:
>[Mid-Game Update: Scout Eyes Active – Performance this half will impact future promotion decisions.]
> Potential Outcome:
> • U-17 Promotion – 70%
> • U-19 Fast-track Candidate: LEON KÖHLER – 85%
Vihaan's eyes flicked to Leon, who was adjusting his socks and staring down at the grass with laser focus.
One half to decide their future.
And maybe, just maybe, a chapter in history.