Monday, September 14, 2026
Blackwood City, Aurelia
Evaluation Day 7 of 90
At 6:21 a.m., Luca Veyron woke to the alarm.
For once, he didn’t reach for his phone first.
He sat on the edge of the bed and rolled his left ankle slowly.
Once.
Twice.
The stiffness was almost gone.
His palm was healing as well.
The scrape from Thursday had reduced to a thin pink line beneath the dressing.
He stood.
No pain.
Good.
He dressed for training, packed his boots, and checked the academy schedule.
8:30 a.m.
— Technical Session
10:15 a.m.
— Tactical Session
12:00 p.m.
— Recovery
Nothing unusual.
Then he noticed a message from Adrian Vale.
«See me after the morning session.»
Luca read it twice.
There was no explanation.
That was enough to make him wonder.
At 7:04 a.m., Luca was halfway through breakfast when Elias Morrow dropped into the seat beside him.
“You look worried.”
“I’m not.”
“You’ve been staring at the same piece of toast for thirty seconds.”
Luca looked down.
The toast was indeed untouched.
He picked it up.
Elias smiled.
“See?”
Across the table, Marcus Renner was eating quietly.
“What happened?”
Luca showed him the message from Adrian.
Marcus read it.
“Maybe he wants to discuss yesterday.”
“Maybe.”
Elias leaned closer.
“Or he’s going to offer you a professional contract.”
Luca stared at him.
“It’s been one day.”
“Two.”
“It’s Monday.”
“Exactly.
Plenty of time.”
Marcus laughed.
“You have no idea how contracts work.”
“I know enough.”
“No, you don’t.”
Elias ignored him.
Luca put the phone away.
Adrian hadn’t promised anything yesterday.
Neither had the scout.
The only concrete change was that Eastborough Athletic had requested more footage.
That was enough.
More attention also meant more chances to fail publicly.
Luca finished breakfast.
At 7:26, he left the dining hall.
The technical session began at 8:30.
Victor Halden divided the players into groups.
Today focused on receiving under pressure, quick combinations, and finishing from different angles.
Luca started with the forwards.
That caught his attention.
So did the player standing beside him.
Marcus.
“Looks like we’re together,” Marcus said.
Luca nodded.
The first exercise involved receiving with a defender tight behind.
The attacker had three touches to turn and finish.
Marcus was excellent.
His first touch was strong.
His body protected the ball naturally.
He turned quickly and shot.
Goal.
Again.
Goal.
Again.
Saved.
The next player stepped forward.
Luca watched.
Marcus glanced at him.
“Your turn.”
Luca entered the box.
Adrian stood near the sideline.
The pass came.
Luca’s first touch moved the ball slightly too far away.
The defender stepped in.
Luca tried to recover.
He turned.
Shot.
Wide.
Victor blew the whistle.
“Too slow.”
Luca retrieved the ball.
Again.
This time, his first touch was cleaner.
He tried to spin away.
The defender blocked his path.
Luca had nowhere to go.
He laid the ball back instead.
The exercise ended.
Marcus walked over.
“You don’t like receiving with someone on your back.”
“I can do it.”
“I didn’t say you couldn’t.”
Marcus picked up a ball.
“You just don’t look natural.”
Luca looked at him.
Marcus shrugged.
“Neither do I when they put me wide.”
That was fair.
They returned to the line.
At 9:47 a.m., the technical session ended.
Luca drank water and wiped sweat from his forehead.
Adrian approached.
“Five minutes.”
Luca nodded.
The coach walked away.
Luca followed him toward the analysis room.
He expected a video review.
Instead, Adrian stopped outside the empty indoor pitch.
“Come inside.”
Luca followed.
The room had a small artificial surface, two portable goals, mannequins, cones, and a collection of training balls.
Adrian closed the door.
“How long have you wanted to be a striker?”
Luca blinked.
The question was so simple that it took him a moment to answer.
“Since I was young.”
“Why?”
Luca hesitated.
“Because I like scoring.”
Adrian nodded.
“Everyone likes scoring.”
“I like being the one who finishes.”
“Why?”
Luca frowned.
“What’s this about?”
“Answer the question.”
Luca looked at the goal.
He thought about it.
“Because strikers matter.”
Adrian’s expression didn’t change.
“So do defenders.”
“I know.”
“Midfielders?”
“I know.”
“Wingers?”
Luca didn’t answer.
Adrian waited.
Finally, Luca said,
“They can create chances.”
“Yes.”
“And strikers finish them.”
“Sometimes.”
Luca looked at him.
Adrian walked toward the penalty area.
“Why do you think finishing is more important than creating the situation that makes the finish possible?”
Luca had no immediate answer.
Adrian stopped beside a mannequin.
“Let’s go back.”
He pointed toward the right side of the pitch.
“Yesterday.
You received here.”
Luca nodded.
“You beat the defender.”
“Yes.”
“You carried the ball into the final third.”
“Yes.”
“You had Marcus in the box.”
Luca nodded.
“You also had Noah arriving behind you.”
“Yes.”
“And you chose the cutback.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Marcus was marked.”
“And Noah wasn’t.”
“No.”
“So why didn’t you shoot?”
Luca looked toward the goal.
“The angle wasn’t good.”
Adrian smiled faintly.
“Exactly.”
He walked toward him.
“You made a decision based on the position of the defenders, the angle, and the movement of your teammates.”
Luca said nothing.
“Then you spent years telling yourself your job was to wait in the box and finish.”
Luca’s eyebrows tightened.
“I wasn’t always waiting.”
“No.”
Adrian looked directly at him.
“That’s the strange part.”
Adrian brought up footage on a nearby monitor.
The first clip showed Luca playing striker.
Luca watched himself.
He moved between defenders.
Made runs.
Dropped deeper.
Sometimes received the ball outside the box.
Sometimes drifted toward the right.
Adrian paused the footage.
“Look.”
Luca looked.
“Where are you?”
“Right side.”
“Why?”
“I was trying to find space.”
“Why there?”
Luca shrugged.
“I don’t know.”
Adrian restarted the video.
Another sequence.
Luca dropped toward midfield.
Another.
He drifted wide.
Another.
He received the ball from the right and drove inside.
Adrian paused again.
“How often do you do this?”
Luca stared at the screen.
“Frequently.”
Adrian switched to footage from midfield.
The pattern appeared again.
Luca started centrally.
Then drifted right when the play developed.
He didn’t always produce something.
But the movement repeated.
Adrian switched to footage from Saturday.
Luca on the right.
The difference was obvious.
His movements were earlier.
His body opened naturally.
His first touches carried him toward useful space.
He didn’t seem to search for the next action.
He arrived at it.
Adrian stopped the footage.
“This is why I asked you the question.”
Luca folded his arms.
“Because you think I’m a winger.”
“I think you’re behaving like one.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“No.”
Adrian pointed toward the screen.
“That’s why we’re going to find out.”
At 10:03 a.m., Adrian walked Luca back onto the training pitch.
The other players were beginning the tactical session.
Victor noticed them.
“Where were you?”
“Video work.”
Victor looked at Adrian.
Adrian nodded toward the right.
“I want him there.”
Victor’s eyes moved to Luca.
“With Ryan?”
“Yes.”
Ryan heard his name.
He looked over.
“Coach?”
Victor raised a hand.
“Ryan, Luca.
Right side.”
Ryan jogged across.
Luca followed.
Marcus watched from the center.
Noah moved into midfield.
Elias took his place at left back.
The exercise began.
Ryan received first.
He drove toward the line and crossed.
Marcus attacked.
Shot.
Saved.
Next sequence.
Luca received.
He slowed.
The fullback approached.
Luca shifted the ball inside.
Ryan was making a run beyond him.
Luca played the pass.
Ryan reached it.
Cross.
Marcus missed.
Victor called for another.
This time Luca stayed wider.
Noah found him.
Luca took one touch forward.
The defender closed.
Luca accelerated.
The first step created separation.
The second made it larger.
He reached the corner of the box.
Marcus moved toward the near post.
Luca looked at him.
Then at Noah.
Then at the goalkeeper.
He crossed.
Marcus got there first.
Header.
Goal.
Marcus pointed toward Luca.
“Again.”
Ryan looked back at them.
He didn’t seem pleased.
But he didn’t complain.
The drill continued.
At 10:41 a.m., the first visible conflict came.
Ryan received the ball on the right and lost it.
Luca was supposed to rotate inside.
Instead, both players moved toward the same space.
They collided.
Shoulder against shoulder.
The ball rolled away.
Ryan stumbled and caught himself.
“Move.”
Luca looked at him.
“You moved into me.”
“You were supposed to rotate.”
“I didn’t hear the call.”
“That’s the problem.”
Victor blew the whistle.
“Both of you.”
They turned.
“Come here.”
Ryan and Luca approached.
Victor pointed at the space between them.
“You cannot occupy the same lane.”
Ryan started to speak.
Victor stopped him.
“I don’t care who was right.”
He looked at Luca.
“Communication.”
Then Ryan.
“Communication.”
Both nodded.
“Again.”
The exercise restarted.
This time, Ryan called early.
“Luca, inside.”
Luca responded.
“Got it.”
Ryan went wide.
Luca moved inside.
The ball reached Noah.
He found Luca between the lines.
Luca turned.
Marcus made a run.
Luca slipped him through.
Marcus shot.
Wide.
Marcus cursed under his breath.
Luca jogged back.
Noah looked at him.
“That was the right idea.”
“Just missed.”
“Yes.”
Football rarely offered more complicated answers than that.
At 11:26 a.m., the tactical session ended.
Luca walked toward the changing room.
His shirt was soaked.
His legs felt heavy.
The right side of his body had done more work than usual.
Not because the session was longer.
Because the movements were sharper.
More accelerations.
More changes of direction.
More repeated decisions.
Sofia caught him near the entrance.
“How’s the ankle?”
“Good.”
She watched him walk.
“Actually?”
“Actually.”
She nodded.
“Then keep recovering.”
Luca smiled.
“You’re never going to stop saying that.”
“No.”
She walked away.
Luca entered the changing room.
At 12:14 p.m., Luca sat beside Marcus during the recovery meal.
Marcus was rubbing his right thigh.
“Cramp?”
“Almost.”
Luca looked at him.
“You’re supposed to tell Sofia.”
“I will.”
“You won’t.”
Marcus smiled.
“You sound like her.”
“She’s right.”
“That’s why I don’t like either of you.”
Luca laughed.
Marcus stretched his leg.
After a moment, he asked,
“Did Adrian talk to you?”
“Yes.”
“What about?”
Luca hesitated.
“He asked why I want to be a striker.”
Marcus stopped stretching.
“That’s a strange question.”
“Exactly.”
“What’s your answer?”
Luca looked at his plate.
“I don’t know anymore.”
Marcus considered that.
“That’s dangerous.”
“Why?”
“Because if you don’t know what you’re trying to become, someone else decides for you.”
Luca looked at him.
Marcus shrugged.
“That’s what happened to me.”
“You wanted to be a striker.”
“Still do.”
“Then what’s the difference?”
Marcus looked toward the pitch outside.
“I know why.”
Luca waited.
Marcus smiled.
“I like goals.”
“That’s it?”
“No.”
He leaned back.
“I like being the person everyone looks at when the ball goes in.”
Luca laughed.
“That’s honest.”
“Very.”
Marcus stood carefully.
“And you?”
Luca thought about Adrian’s question.
He didn’t have an answer yet.
At 1:08 p.m., Luca left the academy.
His training bag felt heavier than usual.
Not physically.
Mentally.
He walked toward the city center.
His phone vibrated.
Aurora.
«Lunch?»
Luca replied:
«I can meet you.»
«Good.
I have 45 minutes.»
He found her at a small outdoor restaurant near AURELIA’s office.
Aurora was already working when he arrived.
“How was training?”
“Different.”
“Good different or bad different?”
“I don’t know.”
She studied him.
“What’s wrong?”
“Adrian asked me why I want to be a striker.”
Aurora waited.
“And?”
“I couldn’t give him a good answer.”
She smiled slightly.
“Maybe that’s useful.”
Luca frowned.
“You too?”
“Too?”
“Marcus said almost the same thing.”
“Then maybe both of them are smarter than you.”
Luca laughed.
“Thanks.”
Aurora reached for her water.
“What did you tell Adrian?”
“That I like scoring.”
“And?”
“I said strikers matter.”
“And?”
Luca looked at her.
“I didn’t have anything else.”
Aurora nodded.
“Then think about it.”
“That’s what I’m doing.”
“No.”
She pointed at him.
“You’re worrying about it.”
He paused.
She was right.
Aurora continued.
“There’s a difference.”
Luca leaned back.
“I’ve spent years thinking I had to become a striker.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s where goals are.”
“That’s not an answer.”
Luca stared at her.
She smiled.
“Adrian got you.”
“Apparently.”
“Good.”
She opened her tablet again.
“I have to leave in ten minutes.”
“You’ve got another meeting?”
“Two.”
“Busy.”
“Very.”
Luca watched her work.
“You still came.”
“I said I would.”
He smiled.
Aurora glanced at him.
“And you came too.”
“Because I promised.”
“Good.”
She closed the tablet.
“Keep doing that.”
“Doing what?”
“Keeping promises.”
Luca smiled.
Aurora stood.
“And don’t spend the entire evening trying to solve Adrian’s question.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re allowed not to know yet.”
She picked up her bag.
“Just don’t use not knowing as an excuse to stop looking.”
Luca nodded.
That was Aurora.
She never gave him the answer when she thought he needed to find it himself.
At 4:19 p.m., Luca returned to the academy.
Not to train.
He went to the analysis room.
Adrian was there.
“You came back.”
“I wanted to see something.”
Adrian turned toward him.
“What?”
“Show me the footage from today.”
Adrian studied him for a moment.
Then nodded.
They watched.
Luca saw things he hadn’t noticed during training.
His positioning.
The moments he drifted inside.
The way he reacted when Ryan went forward.
The way he opened his body before receiving.
Then Adrian showed him three clips.
One from striker.
One from midfield.
One from the right wing.
“Tell me what you see.”
Luca watched all three.
The striker clip felt crowded.
The midfield clip felt complicated.
The right-wing clip felt open.
He didn’t mean physically.
The pitch seemed easier to understand.
Adrian paused the image.
“Why?”
Luca shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
“Try.”
Luca looked at the frozen frame.
“I can see the fullback.”
Adrian waited.
“The center-back.”
“Yes.”
“Marcus.”
“Yes.”
“Noah.”
Adrian nodded.
“And?”
Luca stared.
“The space.”
Adrian smiled.
“That’s what I see.”
At 5:02 p.m., Luca stood alone on the right side of the empty training pitch.
The afternoon sun was beginning to lower.
He placed a ball beside the touchline.
Then another ten meters ahead.
He wasn’t trying to complete a full workout.
He simply wanted to understand.
He started wide.
First touch.
Carry.
Acceleration.
Stop.
Turn.
Inside.
Repeat.
Then he reversed it.
First touch inside.
Wait.
Outside.
Accelerate.
He did it again.
And again.
The movements felt familiar.
Not easy.
Familiar.
There was a difference.
After fifteen minutes, Adrian appeared at the edge of the pitch.
“You said you weren’t going to train all evening.”
Luca stopped.
“I’m not.”
“How long?”
“Fifteen minutes.”
Adrian checked his watch.
“Seventeen.”
Luca smiled.
Adrian walked onto the pitch.
“You don’t have to answer my question today.”
Luca looked at him.
“Why ask it, then?”
“Because sometimes the question is more useful than the answer.”
He picked up a ball.
“You’ve spent years believing the goal determines the position.”
Adrian passed to him.
Luca controlled it.
“Maybe the position should determine the kind of opportunities you create.”
Luca looked toward the goal.
Adrian continued.
“You’re not being asked to give up scoring.”
He pointed toward the right flank.
“You’re being asked to discover how you get there.”
Luca looked at the ball beneath his foot.
For the first time, becoming a winger didn’t feel like losing something.
It felt like discovering another way to attack.
At 9:41 p.m., Luca sat on his bed.
His notebook was open.
He wrote:
Adrian’s question: Why do I want to be a striker?
He stared at it.
Then wrote:
I like scoring.
He crossed nothing out.
Underneath, he added:
But that may not be the same as wanting to play striker.
He stopped.
That sentence felt uncomfortable.
It also felt honest.
His phone vibrated.
Aurora.
«Did you solve the strange question?»
Luca smiled.
«No.»
Her reply:
«Good.»
He laughed.
«Why is that good?»
«Because now you’re asking the right question.»
Luca put the phone down.
At 10:06 p.m., he turned off the light.
The System appeared briefly.
[PLAYER DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM]
Evaluation Day: 7/90
Days Remaining: 83
Positional Analysis Updated
Primary Compatibility: Right Wing
Secondary Compatibility: Attacking Midfielder
Current Striker Development: Functional
Observation: Positional preference may be influenced by goal-oriented identity rather than optimal natural fit.
Luca read the message.
Then closed it.
For years, he had assumed wanting to score meant he had to become the player standing closest to the goal.
Tonight, that assumption had finally been questioned.
Not destroyed.
Questioned.
Tomorrow, the academy would still demand results.
Ryan would still be competing for the right wing.
Marcus would still be scoring goals.
Victor would still judge performances.
And Luca would still have eighty-three days left.
Nothing had become easier.
But the question Adrian had given him was staying.
Why do you believe you should become a striker?
Luca didn’t have the answer yet.
For the first time, he was willing to admit that.
Evaluation Day 7 of 90.
83 days remained.