The next morning, the sun over Santiago burned hot and merciless.
But inside the German training grounds,there was a different kind of heat:
Focus.Preparation.The hunger for glory.
Only four teams remained.And for Mateo González Schwarz,this wasn't just another match approaching.
It was another step toward destiny.
Final Preparations
Coach Schuster had organized a short, sharp session.
Tactical drills.
Quick passing under pressure.
Defensive organization.
Set-piece rehearsals.
The German players moved like machines,precision humming through the air.
But Mateo—Mateo moved differently now.
There was a new sharpness to him.
A new stillness inside the storm.
Inside the System:
[New Passive Active: Flow State]Effect:
Increases decision-making speed.
Enhances dribbling and vision during high-stress moments.
He could feel it even during training:
The ball seemed to cling tighter to his boots.His turns were sharper, faster.His peripheral vision expanded,catching the smallest shifts in defenders' positions.
Mateo was no longer just reacting to the game.
He was reading it.
Shaping it.
Tactical Briefing: Facing France
In the team meeting after practice,Coach Schuster stood before a massive digital screen,analyzing France's every strength and weakness.
"They are compact.They are brutal on the counterattack.They have power and speed."
He clicked through player profiles.
"Beware of their left winger, Hugo Marchand.A demon on breaks."
"And," the coach added, glancing toward Mateo,"they will be watching you closely."
The room chuckled.
Mateo smiled faintly.
"Let them watch."
A Private Moment
After dinner, as players relaxed,Mateo sat quietly on his bed, scrolling through messages from fans.
Hundreds.Thousands.
All across Germany.Across Europe.Even scattered voices from Argentina now regretting losing him.
But one message froze him completely.
It was a short video from Klara.
In the video, Klara stood in front of the famous Marienplatz square in Munich,holding a handmade sign that said:
"No matter what happens —You're already our champion.I believe in you, Mateo."
She smiled that soft, heart-melting smile,then blew him a kiss.
Mateo lowered the tablet slowly,his chest tight with emotion.
"Not just for me," he thought."Not just for a trophy."
"For everyone who believed in me when I was alone."
"For my father.""For my mother.""For Klara."
And, most of all—
For the boy he once was,chasing a ball barefoot in Buenos Aires,dreaming under impossible stars.
Inside the System:
[Quest Updated: Win the World Cup (Current Stage: Semifinals)]Bonus Reward for Semifinal Victory:
Special Legendary Skill Evolution.
Mateo clenched his fists.
Tomorrow, they would face France.
Tomorrow, the world would watch again.