[System Initializing...]
[Supreme Soccer System Initialized]
[Activation Successful]
[Loading User Interface...]
[Loading User Stats...]
[Loading Missions...]
[...]
[Congratulations! Supreme Soccer System Successfully Integrated.]
Kai stared at the screen, overwhelmed.
Supreme Soccer System?
What was that? It sounded like something out of one of those weird novels he used to read, the ones where characters suddenly gain powers and start leveling up. But this was real, wasn't it?
And then there was the soccer part. He didn't even call it soccer. He called it football, like it was meant to be called.
His thoughts spun in circles, and he shook his head, trying to focus. He needed to figure this out.
The screen in front of him continued to glow, displaying more details.
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[Supreme Soccer System]
System Level: 1 (0/100 Supreme Points to level up)
Name: Kai Montclair
Age: 12
Talent: C
Potential: C+
Summary: A typical middle-school soccer player with below-average skills and low potential.
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Kai blinked, his head spinning.
'Wait... 12?'
His heart skipped a beat. This was... before everything had gone wrong, before he hit his limit, before his dreams slipped through his fingers.
'I'm back... in the past?'
He looked at the words again, trying to make sense of them.
Talent?
Potential?
The more he pondered, the more he could slowly piece it together.
'So C is my current skill level, and C+ is my limit... huh?'
'Is that why I could never advance in football? because I had reached my talent?'
If the System could show him his current skill level and also talent, wouldn't that mean, he could eventually surpass them too?
Otherwise, why would the system appear in the first place and bind with someone like him, if he was about to reach his limit anyway?
He wasn't sure if he was right, but he could tell the System was here to help him in some sort of way.
He continued to stare at the screen, trying to process everything.
Another part of the screen appeared, and Kai's eyes widened as he clicked on it.
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[System Menu]
[Stats]
[Quests]
[Shop]
[Lottery Wheel]
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Malachai's gaze snapped to the [Stats] section. He was both excited and curious to see what the system had to say about him.
With a hesitant hand, he tapped the option. The screen shifted, revealing a detailed breakdown of his abilities:
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[Physique: D-]
[Dribbling: C+]
[Agility: C+]
[Shooting: C]
[Passing: C]
[Defending: E+]
[Intelligence: D+]
[Mentality: B-]
[Skills: ---- ]
--------------------
Kai felt a knot tighten in his stomach as he read through the stats.
'D- for Physique?'
It was worse than he had imagined. He had known he wasn't the most talented player, but seeing those numbers on the screen hit harder than he expected.
But then again, he remembered that he was currently only twelve years old, which meant that his Physique being low was understandable, and also something he could change as he grew up.
Then, something else caught his eye.
'B- in Mentality, C+ in Passing and in Dribbling...'
It wasn't much, but it was something.
Being mostly an attacking midfielder, these were the things he was mostly confident in.
This again showed him that the System was indeed real and accurate in their calculations.
He also wondered if the System could help him advance in these stats faster and greater.
Then, as Kai exited the [Stats] Section and entered the [Quests] section, a message appeared, confirming some of his thoughts:
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[Quests]
Weekly Quest: Breakthrough
Duration: Daily
Task 1: Run 3km a day
Task 2: Complete 30 successful sit-ups a day
Task 3: Complete 25 successful push-ups a day
Task 4: Complete 100 successful Juggles a day
Task 5: Complete 25 successful Freekicks a day
Task 6: Complete 50 successful Penalties a day
Reward (At the end of the week):
- A-Grade Potential Enhancing Elixir
- Bronze-tier Lottery Ticket
- 10 Supreme Points
Punishment:
Temporary Paralysis of your legs
--------------------
Kai stared at the new mission, his mind trying to catch up.
'A-Grade Potential Enhancing Elixir? Does that mean I can actually become enhance my Potential?'
His eyes sparkled as he read the mission reward, his lips unconsciously revealing a greedy grin, experiencing joy he hadn't felt in years.
But then, his eyes darted towards the Penalty section, his eyes revealing a look of horror.
'N-No way right? that's way too crazy...' he thought, his mind swirling with an image he couldn't get out of his head.
Having your legs paralyzed, even if only temporarily is the greatest nightmare for anyone, let alone an aspiring Footballer.
It sounded way too cruel, but part of him knew that in order to gain something, you have to be ready to sacrifice a lot.
Just the idea of a chance to enhance his potential, which he could never overcome in his previous life, no matter how hard he trained, made his pulse quicken.
'Could this be real? Could I really get better?'
His thoughts raced. He had nothing to lose. He had already wasted so much time in regret. If it's true, then somehow, maybe... maybe he could change things.
He didn't have all the answers, but one thing was clear: if he wanted to get out of this, if he wanted to become a professional football player like he always wanted, he had to accept the mission, he couldn't shy away from this challenge.
Well, its not like he had any choice now anyway, the moment he said that he wanted another chance at becoming a pro, he accepted this.
[The day will reset at midnight. Tasks not completed by reset will result in punishment.]
Kai took a deep breath, steeling his mind for whats to come.
As he stared at the mirror, he contemplated once again if this was just a dream.
But as he pressed his fingers against the cold glass, feeling the sensation, he got convinced that maybe it wasn't a dream.
Then, a sudden knock at the door made him jump.
"Kai! Breakfast is ready! Come down already, it's going to get cold!"
That voice.
His mother's voice.
It hit him like a wave, making his chest tighten.
"Mom?" he whispered, his legs moving on their own as he hurried to the door.
The hallway outside was filled with sunlight. Pictures lined the walls—family photos of birthdays, vacations, and moments he hadn't thought about in years.
The faint scent of lavender filled the air. His mom loved candles, she used to collect all types of different scented candles.
He walked to the kitchen, his heart pounding harder with every step.
And there she was.
Kai's mom, Mira, stood by the stove, flipping pancakes.
The smell of warm batter filled the small kitchen, and the sight of her brought a sense of comfort.
She had the same gentle look that always made Kai feel at home—her warm green eyes full of care, her kind smile, and her brown hair tied back in a simple ponytail.
Mira was Japanese by heritage.
Her parents had moved to America from Kyoto years before she was born, hoping to give their children a better future.
Although she grew up in the U.S., she kept many of her family's traditions alive—small things like bowing her head in thanks, teaching Kai and his sister a few Japanese words, or cooking traditional dishes every now and then.
When Mira married Kai's father, who was American, she wanted to pass down that connection to her heritage while still giving her kids names that fit in their American lives.
That's why Kai's, and his little sister Hana's name were Japanese-inspired but easy to say in English.
It was her way of keeping their family's history alive while helping them fit in.
Life had been harder since their dad passed away.
He had worked at a construction site, putting in long hours to provide for the family, but an accident on the job had taken him from them when Kai was just a boy and Hana was barely a toddler.
Now, Mira carried the weight of raising two kids on her own.
She worked two jobs—a waitress at a local diner during the day and a janitor at night—to make sure they had food on the table and a roof over their heads.
Despite how tired she always seemed, she never let it show around them.
Kai knew she worked too hard, and a part of him hated that she had to.
But he also admired her strength.
No matter how busy or exhausted she was, she always made time for them—whether it was cooking their favorite meals, helping with homework, or just listening when they needed to talk.
And even now, with everything she was juggling, she still made sure to greet him with a warm smile when he came home.
It made Kai want to work even harder, not just for himself, but for her and Hana too.
She turned to him, smiling. "Good morning, sleepyhead! I thought I'd have to come wake you up myself."
Kai couldn't speak. His throat felt tight, guilt gnawed at him, making his chest ached as he stared at her, trying to take in every detail.
It had been years since he last saw her.
Years since he left his family, with the excuse of not being enough.
"Are you okay, sweetheart?" she asked, noticing the strange look on his face.
Kai blinked quickly, forcing himself to nod. "Yeah, I'm okay, Mom." he said, his voice a little shaky.
She smiled, placing a plate of pancakes on the table. "Good. Eat up, you've got practice later, remember?"
'Practice?'
The word hit him like a jolt.
He looked at the clock on the wall, then at the calendar nearby.
The date confirmed his suspicions.
August 20, 2012.
Two weeks before he got kicked out of the starting eleven.