Silence.
An almost unbelievable silence settled over Brookhaven High’s football field.
Even the wind seemed to stop.
Everyone stared at Coach Williams.
“…McCall Johnson versus Ethan Hartman.”
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then the crowd erupted.
“What?!”
“Coach is serious?”
“That’s not even fair!”
“McCall’s getting destroyed!”
Jake looked at McCall with wide eyes.
“Dude…”
“You don’t have to prove anything.”
McCall didn’t answer.
His gaze was fixed on Ethan.
Across the field, Ethan casually rolled his shoulders before walking toward the center circle.
His expression remained calm.
Almost bored.
He stopped a few feet away from McCall.
“So…”
His voice was quiet but confident.
“You’re the guy everyone suddenly thinks is improving.”
McCall nodded.
“I guess.”
Ethan studied him for a few seconds.
“I don’t remember you.”
The words weren’t meant to insult.
They were simply true.
McCall smiled faintly.
“I know.”
“I’ve spent most of my time on the bench.”
Ethan shrugged.
“Then don’t expect me to go easy.”
“I wouldn’t want you to.”
For the first time…
A tiny smile appeared on Ethan’s face.
“Good.”
Coach Williams stepped between them.
“The rules are simple.”
“One attacker.”
“One defender.”
“If the attacker gets past the defender and crosses the line…”
He pointed toward a white line twenty meters away.
“…they score one point.”
“Winner stays.”
Both boys nodded.
Coach looked at Ethan.
“You attack first.”
Ethan placed the ball at his feet.
The spectators leaned forward.
Coach raised the whistle.
“Begin!”
PHEEEEEET!
Ethan exploded forward.
His acceleration shocked everyone.
Within two steps he was already in front of McCall.
McCall’s heart pounded.
“Too fast!”
The System appeared.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Opponent Analysis
Name: Ethan Hartman
Overall Rank: Elite Youth
Current Threat Level:
HIGH
Recommendation:
Stay calm.
Watch the hips.
Not the ball.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
McCall immediately shifted his focus.
Instead of staring at Ethan’s feet…
He watched his waist.
Just like the System suggested.
Ethan performed a quick stepover. New chapters come out on g.com first.
Left.
Right.
Then another.
The crowd gasped.
“He got him!”
But McCall didn’t move.
He waited.
“Not yet…”
Suddenly…
Ethan pushed the ball to his right.
Exactly as the System predicted.
McCall reacted instantly.
His foot reached in.
Tap.
The ball rolled away from Ethan.
For one second…
Nobody understood what had happened.
Then—
“He stole it!”
“No way!”
Even Coach Williams blinked.
McCall quickly dribbled toward the finish line.
The spectators jumped to their feet.
Jake shouted louder than anyone.
“GO!”
Ethan recovered almost immediately.
His speed was unbelievable.
Within seconds he was beside McCall again.
“He’s catching me!”
McCall pushed the ball ahead.
Too far.
Ethan smiled.
“Got you.”
He stretched out one foot.
Tap.
The ball changed direction.
McCall lost control.
Coach blew the whistle.
“Out.”
Both players stopped.
No point.
The crowd burst into applause.
Coach Williams folded his arms.
“Excellent.”
His assistant looked surprised.
“Coach…”
“The boy actually read Ethan’s feint.”
Coach nodded slowly.
“I saw.”
“But he panicked after winning possession.”
“He still lacks match experience.”
McCall lowered his head.
He knew Coach was right.
He had stolen the ball…
Only to lose it seconds later.
Ethan walked over.
“You surprised me.”
McCall looked up.
“I still lost.”
Ethan shook his head.
“No.”
“You stopped my first attack.”
“Nobody here has done that in months.”
McCall blinked.
“…Really?”
Ethan nodded.
“But don’t celebrate.”
“Next time…”
“I won’t underestimate you.”
For the first time since arriving…
There was genuine respect in Ethan’s eyes.
Not friendship.
Respect.
“Interesting…”
“Very interesting.”
The trials continued.
Passing.
Shooting.
Small-sided matches.
McCall improved with every drill.
Not because he dominated.
Because he learned.
Every mistake became a lesson.
Every successful play increased his confidence.
By the final exercise…
The players were exhausted.
Coach Williams gathered everyone at midfield.
“You all worked hard today.”
He glanced down at his clipboard.
“Some of you exceeded expectations.”
His eyes briefly met McCall’s.
Others noticed.
Whispers spread through the crowd.
“I think Coach likes him.”
“No way.”
“He was terrible last semester.”
Coach continued.
“The final roster…”
“…will be announced tomorrow morning.”
Groans filled the field.
“We have to wait?”
Coach laughed.
“Football rewards patience.”
“You’re dismissed.”
Immediately the players scattered.
Some celebrated.
Others looked disappointed.
Jake threw an arm around McCall’s shoulder.
“I don’t care what happens tomorrow.”
“You were amazing.”
McCall smiled.
“I still have a lot to improve.”
Jake laughed.
“Listen to yourself.”
“Yesterday you were scared to touch a football.”
“Today you stole the ball from Ethan Hartman.”
McCall looked toward the empty field.
Somewhere deep inside…
He knew this was only the beginning.
Far from Brookhaven…
Inside the hidden underground chamber…
The Dragon Mask placed several photographs onto the stone table.
Each one showed McCall during today’s trial.
The Crown Mask examined them silently.
“So…”
“He has begun attracting attention.”
The Wolf Mask growled.
“Should we eliminate him now?”
“No.”
The Crown Mask pointed to one photograph.
It showed McCall stealing the ball from Ethan.
“The Legacy is still asleep.”
“When it fully awakens…”
A chilling smile spread beneath the cracked crown mask.
“…he will lead us to the First King’s greatest secret.”
He stood.
“Prepare the Ravens.”
“They will infiltrate Brookhaven High.”
The blue flames around the chamber suddenly burned brighter.
Back in Brookhaven…
Unaware that powerful organizations had already begun moving against him…
McCall walked home with a football tucked under his arm and hope burning brighter than it ever had before.
For the first time…
The boy who had always watched from the bench…
Believed he truly belonged on the field.