Chapter 4 Rewrite – Fully Corre
Chapter 4: Talent Acquisition Begins
Date: 12th March 2014
Time: 10:17 AM
Location: Cortez Mansion, Madrid, Spain
Morning sunlight spilled over the expansive Cortez mansion. Marble steps gleamed, gardens stretched with perfect symmetry, and balloons floated lazily above the party area. The smell of fresh pastries, roasted coffee, and blooming roses drifted through the air.
In Alejandro Cortez's arms, two-year-old Aiden squirmed happily. His white hair shimmered in the sunlight, and his crystal-blue eyes darted around the scene, from fountains to flowers, guests to balloons. Alejandro chuckled softly. "Ready to meet everyone, little miracle?"
Aiden gave a small gurgle and waved his tiny hands. Though outwardly a playful toddler, inside his mind, every detail registered: family wealth, famous footballers, the system humming in his mind, the possibilities ahead.
---
Arrival at the Garden
Alejandro set Aiden down near the entrance. Tiny feet touched marble gently. Around him, the party was alive: music drifted from live instruments and speakers, waiters arranged pastries, and guests chatted excitedly.
Guests included:
Paternal Grandparents: Fernando Cortez (75) and Victoria Cortez (72) – founders of Cortez Sports Enterprises, deeply involved in football sponsorships and sportswear collaborations.
Maternal Grandparents: Isabella Rodriguez Sr. (70) and Luciana Rodriguez (68) – founders of youth football academies and sponsors of elite Spanish football programs.
Alejandro handed Aiden a small, beautifully wrapped gift: a miniature football boot, gold-stitched, crafted for a toddler. Aiden's tiny fingers grasped it with glee. Alejandro whispered, "Just a small taste of what's to come, my son."
Next, he handed Aiden a small crate wrapped in soft blankets. A white, sapphire-eyed rare Sphynx-Khao Manee hybrid cat peeked out. Aiden squealed, "Cat!" and stroked the creature gently.
"She's yours," Alejandro said. "Treat her well."
---
Messi's Arrival and System Activation
At 10:45 AM, a hush fell over the garden as Lionel Messi approached, casually rolling a ball under his foot. Piqué, Casillas, and club officials followed.
A soft hum filled Aiden's mind. The system had activated.
[SYSTEM]: "Host detected. Core functions online. Observation radius active. Potential targets detected: Lionel Messi, Gerard Piqué, Iker Casillas. Other attendees classified as secondary."
Aiden's toddler fingers brushed the invisible interface in his mind.
Aiden: "System… show Messi status."
---
Messi Status (2014)
Lionel Messi
Age: 26
Current Club: FC Barcelona
National Team: Argentina
Football Stats:
Speed: 95
Strength: 75
Agility: 98
Intelligence: 96
Stamina: 94
Reflexes: 97
Football Talents:
Master Dribbler – W
Precision Finisher – W
Tactical Vision – S
Free Kick Specialist – S
Hidden Football Talents:
Predator's Instinct – W
Balance Mastery – W
Momentum Sense – S
Aiden's heart raced, but he giggled softly, maintaining the toddler persona. Inside, his mind screamed with excitement.
Aiden (thinking): "He is the ultimate GOAT… unbelievable… alien level…"
---
Copying Talents
Unlike normal humans, Aiden did not need to observe for hours. He could copy up to three talents per individual per day, and integration would happen when he was alone.
Aiden: "System… copy three talents from Messi: Master Dribbler, Predator's Instinct, Momentum Sense."
[SYSTEM]: "Copying selected talents… Maximum daily limit: 3 per individual. Integration requires isolation. Begin process when host is alone."
Aiden toddled to a quiet corner of the garden, the rare cat following closely. He ducked behind a decorative hedge, away from prying eyes.
[SYSTEM]: "Integration process initiated. Master Dribbler integrated: 100%. Predator's Instinct integrated: 100%. Momentum Sense integrated: 100%. Neural and physical parameters adjusted accordingly."
Immediately, Aiden felt extraordinary balance, precision, and foresight flowing through his small body. The football in his hand felt like an extension of himself.
---
Checking Status
Aiden crouched near the fountain, stroking the cat. He activated the system interface.
Host Status:
Age: 2 years
Stats:
Speed: 25
Strength: 20
Agility: 27
Intelligence: 28
Stamina: 23
Reflexes: 26
Talents Acquired:
Master Dribbler – W
Predator's Instinct – W
Momentum Sense – S
Potential: Limitless
No other talents appeared — only those he had actually copied.
[SYSTEM]: "Host potential assessment: extremely high. Daily talent acquisition limit per individual: 3. Remaining global acquisition capacity: unlimited."
Aiden smiled, the cat curling beside him. Publicly a playful toddler, privately a genius strategist planning the future.
---
Joining the Party
By 11:15 AM, Alejandro returned to pick him up. "Time to join the others, little genius," he whispered. Aiden grinned, still holding the rare cat. Alejandro carried him into the main party.
Music and laughter filled the garden. Alejandro presented more gifts: miniature signed footballs, tiny golden trophies, and custom boots. Guests clapped. Aiden clapped too, giggling and waving.
Messi, Piqué, and Casillas observed quietly, impressed. "That boy… he's something else," Messi murmured.
Aiden remained a toddler outwardly, exploring the gifts, laughing at the cat, and playing with the ball. Inside, he was already calculating tomorrow's talent acquisitions, which players to copy, and imagining advanced plays he would execute in the future.
---
Guests' Reactions
Grandparents on both sides marveled. Victoria Cortez whispered to Alejandro, "Even among prodigies, I've never seen this."
Luciana Rodriguez added, "He's only two… his coordination, foresight… it's beyond human comprehension."
Messi glanced at the child again, noting the subtle precision in his dribbling — unseen by others. Aiden moved like any toddler in the crowd but internally, the system guided every movement.
---
Integration Thoughts
Later, when the crowd thinned, Aiden sat in the corner with the cat.
[SYSTEM]: "Host, today you have copied 3 talents from Messi. Integration complete. Tomorrow you may copy 3 more from any individual. Monitor neural adaptation and fatigue. Football talent integration is priority."
Aiden stroked the cat, contemplating the future. Though outwardly a toddler enjoying a party, internally he was analyzing every player, every possibility, and planning each step to maximize talent acquisition.
Aiden (thinking): "Today Messi… tomorrow others. Each day, I'll become stronger… faster… smarter. One day… the world won't know what hit them."
The cat purred in agreement, seemingly aware its owner was no ordinary child.