Back home, Tesuka was still bitter. Even though the evening air had cooled, his thoughts were burning. He knew he'd made too many mistakes during training. Too many missed passes. Too much hesitation. Sure, he had followed a few instructions, pulled off a couple of good plays—but it wasn't enough.
Lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling, he whispered:
— Ball… Tell me something. How did I complete the quest if the coach wasn't even impressed?
The familiar voice echoed in his mind, calm and matter-of-fact:
— The quest required you to fulfill at least 40% of the coach's expectations. You hit 60%. So yes, you passed.
Tesuka frowned.
— Show me the screen.
A soft chime sounded. *Shoot!!!.*
The holographic display flickered to life before his eyes, glowing faintly in the dark room.
!!!
#Ball
Fate: Footballer
Age: 6y(307days)
Position: Attacking midfielder
Overall attributes'stats: C-
Stats:
Stamina (Rank F) : 7/20 + 12 ⇒Rank F+ : 19/20
Speed (Rank F): 8/20 + 10⇒ Rank F+ : 18/20
Control (Rank D+): 16/20 +3 ⇒ Rank D+ : 19/20
Dribble (Rank D-)
Vision (Rank B+): 14/20
Shoot (Rank D): 9/20
Reflex (Rank C-): 4/20 +6 ⇒Rank C : 10/20
Mental (Rank A-): 1/20
Focus (Rank C+): 18/20
Pass long (Rank C): 2/20
Pass short (Rank B+): 3/20
Skills:
Flick over (Rank E+)
Fake shoot (Rank D)
Step over (Rank E-)
Cut (Rank D+)
Spin move (Rank C-) ⇒ Rank C
Ultimate skill: Time regress
Quest : Complete
Reward : in progress
— Tesuka, all those improvements—you earned them through your own effort, said Ball.
Tell me, Ball… My stamina and my speed… The points I got—they're huge compared to others, right?
— That's because most others are of a higher rank, Ball replied calmly.
Alright then. Show me my current stats—the ones influenced by the quest completion.
— No problem. Here they are. And all I can say, Tesuka… is that you've just experienced a remarkable breakthrough.
!!!
#Ball
Fate: Footballer
Age: 6y(307days)
Position: Attacking midfielder
Overall attributes'stats: B-
Stats:
Stamina (Rank F) : 7/20 + 12×6 ⇒Rank C+ : 19/20
Speed (Rank F): 8/20 + 10×6 ⇒ Rank C: 8/20
Control (Rank D+): 16/20 +3×6 ⇒ Rank C+ : 20/20
Dribble (Rank D-) ⇒ Rank C-
Vision (Rank B+): 14/20
Shoot (Rank D): 9/20
Reflex (Rank C-): 4/20 +6×6⇒Rank A+: 20/20
Mental (Rank A-): 1/20
Focus (Rank C+): 18/20
Pass long (Rank C-): 2/20
Pass short (Rank B-): 3/20
Skills:
Flick over (Rank E+) ⇒ Rank D+
Fake shoot (Rank D) ⇒ Rank C
Step over (Rank E-)⇒ Rank D-
Cut (Rank D+)⇒ Rank C+
Spin move (Rank C) ⇒ Rank B
Ultimate skill: Time regress Rank SSS+
Quest : none
— Urghh… What's happening to me, Ball? Why does my whole body feel like it's burning!?
— Your body is rapidly integrating the raw talent you just unlocked, Ball answered calmly.
In that exact moment, a piercing pain shot through Tesuka's legs. He collapsed, gasping for air, muscles clenched tight in agony.
— Aaarggh… This pain… it's going to kill me, he thought, his face twisted in anguish.
Then, as suddenly as it came, the pain vanished—leaving only silence.
— Whew… finally… I thought it would never stop, Tesuka exhaled, still trembling. Alright… let's see the rewards.
He slowly looked up at the screen.
— What!? he gasped, eyes wide. I'm… Rank B!?
"— Don't get too excited," Ball warned. "Your Rank B- is impressive, yes—but also deceptive. A higher rank doesn't always mean you're stronger. Someone with a lower rank could still beat you if they have high stats in the most critical Stats areas of football. You're Rank B-, but if someone has optimized the key attributes better, they'll be stronger."
"— Aaah… I get it now," Tesuka nodded.
"If I'm really Rank B-, then I can hold my own with my teammates—maybe even Dominate them. I don't need to stress over Coach Ndikumana's expectations anymore."
He smirked. "At this rate, I'd say I've got a 95% chance."
"— Ball… If you compare me to my past self, how big is the gap?"
"— In overall rating, you're still a bit behind your past version—he averaged a solid B+," Ball explained.
"But when it comes to the key stats that matter most, you're still far from your prime. And remember, football isn't about having the highest rank—it's about having the highest right ones(stats), and knowing how to use them. Football isn't an exact science."
"— What if you compare me to Sabiti? Who's stronger?"
"— I can show you his stats if you want," Ball replied casually.
— What?! And you're only telling me this now?!" Tesuka snapped. "I don't even know why I'm surprised anymore. I should be used to your crazy surprises by now."
"— It's free this time," Ball said slyly. "But next time, it'll cost you."
"— What kind of cost?"
"— One stat point. You choose where it gets deducted."
"— What?! That's daylight robbery!"
"— Sigh… Fine. Show me his stats screen."
!!!
#Ball
Name: Sabiti
Age: 8y
Position: Attacking midfielder, Left winger, Right winger,Striker
Overall attributes'stats: C+
Stats:
Stamina Rank F
Speed Rank D-
Control Rank S-
Dribbling Rank S-
Vision Rank B-
Reflex Rank S-
Focus Rank B+
Shoot Rank C-
Mental Rank F-
Long pass Rank B-
Short pass Rank B-
"What!? He's only Rank C+ but has Dribbling S-, Reflexes S-, Control S-, Vision B-, and both Long and Short Passing at B-?"
Tesuka's eyes widened as he scanned the screen again, trying to process the information.
"I get it now... Even though my overall rank is higher, he completely outclasses me in the most critical football stats. Except for my vision and speed, he crushes me in every key area."*
He clenched his fists, frustration rising—but beneath it, a spark of resolve lit up.
"So this is the gap I have to close First,"he muttered."Alright then. Challenge accepted."
"Ball, you said that seeing someone's stats costs one of my own stat points, right? But what if that stat is from a higher rank?"*
— Correct. You should know this: 1 point in Rank E equals 2 points in Rank F, 1 point in Rank D equals 3 points in Rank F, and 1 point in Rank C equals 4 points in Rank F… and so on.
— The points deducted is that of rank F.
"Mmh... Got it. Interesting. I'll go test my new abilities a bit outside."*
Tesuka grabbed the worn-out ball he kept at home and stepped out. He began juggling.
"Wow... What a feeling."
Tesuka stretched, the ball still at his feet. He could feel his body responding with a new kind of fluidity. His reflexes were sharper, his movements more precise. It felt like he was reconnecting with a former version of himself.
His touch was lighter, smoother. His reflexes snapped faster than ever.
He began to dribble, chaining technical moves with ease. Each touch of the ball boosted his confidence.
Night was falling, but his enthusiasm remained unshaken. He was ready to face the challenges ahead, determined to prove his value.
"My body used to block what my mind wanted to do… but now, I can pull off nearly 70% of the moves I could only imagine before. They're becoming real."*
A grin stretched across his face.
"This feels amazing… I can't wait for tomorrow's training."
"Wishing a joyful and peaceful Eid to all celebrating, and a beautiful day to everyone. Eid Mubarak! To all Muslim."
---