The afternoon sun beat down on the empty stadium like a merciless judge. Heat rippled off the grass, rising in shimmering waves—but Ares Locke barely noticed. His focus was razor-sharp, locked on the row of cones lined across the training pitch.
Thirty days.
Thirty days to transform himself into someone worthy of the Rising Star Trials.
Rowan Vale stood a few meters away with his arms crossed, expression unreadable as always. His posture gave nothing away—no approval, no disappointment. Just observation.
Ares wiped the sweat from his jaw, adjusted his stance, and took a slow breath.
He wasn't here to impress Rowan.
He was here to prove something to himself.
But the system had its own opinion.
DING.
A faint panel flickered into view.
⸻
Quest in Progress: Impress Rowan Vale
Requirement: Complete one full dribble sequence with zero errors.
⸻
Ares stretched his fingers around the ball.
No errors.
No slip-ups.
No excuses.
He tapped the ball with his right foot and began.
Light touches.
Controlled steps.
Breath steady.
He circled the first cone, keeping the ball glued to his instep. The second cone came smoothly—almost too smoothly. His rhythm built, confidence flowing like warm electricity through his limbs.
Then—
Ares's foot slid just a fraction too far.
The ball rolled off its path.
His heart clenched.
Not again—
But he reacted instantly.
Ares curved his ankle inward, recovering the ball with a barely noticeable tap before it drifted too far. His shoulders relaxed. His tempo adjusted.
He'd saved it.
Rowan's eyebrow twitched—just slightly.
Ares continued, weaving tighter around the cones, each movement sharper than the last. Sweat dripped from his chin, but his steps never faltered again.
When he reached the final cone and sent the ball rolling into a controlled stop, he let out a long breath.
"…Done."
Rowan stepped forward, analyzing the grass, the ball's stopping point, Ares's foot positioning. Then he nodded once.
"Acceptable."
Ares blinked. "Just acceptable?"
Rowan smirked faintly. "You want me to lie and say it was brilliant?"
Ares opened his mouth—
DING!
The system interrupted.
⸻
Quest Completed: Impress Rowan Vale
Reward Unlocked:
• Minor Physical Boost (+2 Agility, +1 Balance)
• Passive Skill (Randomized): Momentary Focus (Lv. 1)
——
Momentary Focus:
For 0.5 seconds, your mind enters a hyper-clear state, improving micro-adjustments during technical actions.
——
⸻
Ares inhaled sharply as a wave of sharp clarity washed over him—brief yet powerful. Colors brightened. The wind felt sharper. The grass beneath his feet more distinct.
"Whoa…"
Rowan narrowed his eyes. "You felt something."
Ares froze. "What do you mean?"
"No amateur sharpens mid-drill like that," Rowan replied. "And you didn't look tired at the end. Your body adjusted beyond normal learning speed."
Ares forced himself to laugh lightly. "Maybe I'm just motivated."
"Motivation doesn't enhance reflex pathways in thirty minutes," Rowan shot back. "Something is changing in you."
Ares's pulse hammered.
He can't know.
He can't know.
He can't know.
But Rowan didn't press further. Instead, he pointed to the center circle.
"Next phase."
Ares swallowed.
"There's more?"
Rowan snorted. "You think the Rising Star Trials will stop after one drill? Move."
Ares jogged to the center of the pitch. His heart thumped against his ribs—not from fear, but from adrenaline.
"What now?" he asked.
Rowan kicked a ball toward him—harder than expected.
Ares barely reacted in time, trapping it under his foot.
"Good," Rowan said. "From now on, every touch must be clean. Every movement intentional. I'm going to pressure you, and you aren't allowed to lose control."
Ares steadied himself.
Rowan stepped closer.
"Prepare for controlled chaos."
Before Ares could respond, Rowan darted toward him—
Fast.
Aggressive.
Unexpected.
Ares gasped and swiveled, pushing the ball to his left to avoid Rowan's reach. But Rowan anticipated it, cutting the angle.
Pressure closed in.
Ares panicked for a split second—
DING.
Momentary Focus (Lv. 1) Activated
The world slowed.
Rowan's foot tilt direction.
His center of gravity shift.
The tiny delay between his inhalation and next lunge—
Everything became clear.
Ares tapped the ball backward with perfect precision, rolled around Rowan's side, and burst forward.
Rowan pivoted sharply, eyes widening a fraction.
"Better," he murmured.
Ares didn't hear him. He was in motion—alive, aware, every nerve firing.
Rowan attacked again.
Ares dodged.
Again.
Ares spun.
Again.
Ares flicked the ball through Rowan's legs in a clean, humiliating nutmeg.
Rowan stopped dead.
Ares froze too.
"…Did I—?"
Rowan exhaled, expression unreadable.
"You're improving too quickly. Faster than any untrained player I've ever seen."
Ares swallowed hard.
This was dangerous.
Rowan was noticing too much.
Too early.
But then Rowan stepped forward and placed a hand on Ares's shoulder.
"Good work."
Ares blinked. "You… mean it?"
Rowan's voice softened—barely.
"You might actually have a chance."
Ares's chest tightened—not from fear, but from overwhelming relief.
A chance.
Something he'd never been given before.
But the system wasn't done.
DING.
⸻
New Quest Available
[Quest: Survive Rowan's Chaos Drills]
Objective: Last 15 minutes under full defensive pressure.
Reward: +3 Reaction, +1 Acceleration
Penalty: Temporary reduction in reader engagement.
⸻
Ares stared at the notification.
Fifteen minutes?
Rowan's drills were brutal already.
But Ares wasn't the type to back down.
He lifted his chin.
"Rowan?"
Rowan turned slightly. "What now?"
Ares grinned, breath steadying.
"Come at me again."
Rowan's lips twitched upward.
"Very well."
As Rowan charged toward him with renewed intensity, Ares braced himself, heart pounding, system glowing faintly behind his eyes—
Ready to evolve again.
Ready to fight again.
Ready to prove he deserved the belief of those unseen readers.
The chaos began.
And Ares stepped into it without hesitation.