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World football system-Chapter 64: New Dreams, New Fears
Chapter 64: New Dreams, New Fears
Date: September 21–28, 2028
Location: London / Arsenal Training Ground / Emilia’s Flat
Event: Transition into Mid-Season Grind – Training Intensity, Personal Developments
---
The Weight of Success
Tobi Oliveira stood at the edge of the pitch after training, jersey soaked in sweat, watching the sky burn gold above the Emirates.
The days felt faster now. Every pass, every run, every conversation mattered more. Because now... he wasn’t just a rising star. He was expected to lead.
> System Status: Trait Stabilization in Progress
Buffs Active: Playmaker Presence, National Hero (Residual)
Fatigue: 13%
Recovery Required Before Matchday
---
Arteta’s Tactical Shift
Arteta gathered the squad that afternoon. With the Champions League group stages beginning and Premier League momentum critical, he introduced a more dynamic system: a flexible 4-2-3-1 shifting into a 3-2-5 in possession.
"You, Tobi," Arteta pointed, "are now the tactical fulcrum. Every transition, every vertical push—we move through you."
Tobi felt the eyes. Saka. Rice. Ødegaard. They trusted him.
> System Alert: Tactical Anchor Role Unlocked
Positional Awareness Increased
Pressure Multiplier: +15% Stress Management Required
---
Personal Growth and New Responsibilities
Back at Emilia’s flat, Tobi sat with Leonor, now fully settled into Valencia’s youth academy and visiting London for a few days.
She was taller. Sharper. Confident.
"You’re scoring goals?" Tobi teased.
"Two in my last match," she replied with a grin.
Their mother, still his agent, had flown in too—business meetings with Adidas, Puma, and two London publishers seeking Tobi’s image for a youth autobiography series.
"You’re not just a footballer anymore," she warned gently. "You’re a brand."
Tobi sighed. "I just want to play."
Emilia wrapped an arm around him. "And you will. But now the world’s watching."
> System Update: Brand Identity Module Active
New Metric Added: Public Sentiment Tracker
Buff: Family Anchor (Mental Resilience +1)
---
Matchday Prep – Arsenal vs Brentford
As training intensified, so did the media noise.
Sky Sports: "Is Tobi Oliveira the Premier League’s New Midfield General?"
The Guardian: "From Lisbon Streets to Emirates Powerhouse – Tobi’s Tactical Revolution."
Social media flooded with praise, criticism, comparisons. The pressure wasn’t silent anymore.
But Tobi stayed locked in.
> System Challenge: Maintain 8.0+ Match Rating Across 3 Consecutive Fixtures
Reward: Core Memory Unlock – Childhood Flashback / Skill Insight
---
Nightfall – Questions and Fears
That night, as the rain hit the windows, Tobi stared out.
"Do you ever worry," he asked Emilia, "that I’m peaking too early?"
She looked at him. "I think you’re only just becoming who you really are."
Date (Flashback): September 16
Location: Lisbon, Portugal – Local Street Pitch
Event: A Day That Almost Changed Everything
---
The Echo of a Past Life
before the system, before Valencia, before Arsenal, there was just Tobi. Sixteen years old. Calloused hands. Second-hand boots. A bag of mismatched dreams.
It was late. His mother had already worked two shifts. Leonor, only six, slept curled on a pile of laundry back home.
Tobi was alone on the cracked pitch under dim lamplight, kicking a balding ball against a graffitied wall.
Each thump echoed like a heartbeat.
Each rebound stung.
"I’m not good enough," he muttered, striking harder.
> Memory Archive Reconstructed
Trigger: Deep Emotional Doubt
Playback Mode: Full Sensory – System Overlay Disabled
---
The Scout Who Didn’t Stay
Earlier that day, a Sporting CP scout had visited their neighborhood match. Word had spread. Tobi had played like fire, like hunger incarnate.
But after the game, the scout approached another boy—André Marques. Taller. Sharper on the ball. Son of a known agent.
Tobi had waited. Hoped.
Nothing came.
No card. No look. No second glance.
He’d gone home, numb. His mother hadn’t asked. Maybe she knew.
---
Breaking Point
On the pitch, he struck the ball again. And again.
"Why not me?"
He screamed it into the Lisbon night. A feral sound. Frustrated. Forgotten.
He dropped to his knees, hands in his hair. Hot tears stung his eyes.
He was sixteen. With too many dreams and nowhere to put them.
Until a whisper came—not from a person, but a feeling.
"Get up."
So he did.
And he kept training. Alone. Until the lamps shut off.
> **System Log (Retrospective): Core Memory Recovered
Trait Acquired: Persistence – Stats will no longer drop below 80% during consecutive matches
---
Return to Present – 2028
In bed beside Emilia, Tobi woke up with wet cheeks.
Emilia stirred. "You okay?"
He nodded. "Just remembered the night I almost gave up."
She pulled him close. "But you didn’t."
He kissed her forehead.
"No," he whispered. "I didn’t."
> System Insight Unlocked: Resilience Multiplier Enhanced
Training Efficiency: +5%
Mental Break Threshold Delayed by 10%
---
Closing Note
But it was the reason he now played every match like it might be his last.
Date: September 30, 2028
Location: Emirates Stadium, London
Event: Premier League – Arsenal vs Brentford
---
Matchday Jitters
The morning of the match, the mood in Arsenal’s locker room was sharp.
Despite the international break high, Arsenal had dropped two points against West Ham in a frustrating draw the previous weekend. Arteta had been firm in training.
"No complacency," he said, pacing. "This league punishes passengers."
Tobi listened, heart steady, but the fire was already in his chest.
> System Update: Confidence Carryover – Boost Active from Previous Match
Objective: Maintain Match Rating 8.0+ for 3rd Consecutive Game
Reward: Skill Memory Unlock
---
The Starting XI – Arsenal (4-2-3-1)
GK: Ramsdale
DEF: Tomiyasu – Saliba – Gabriel – Zinchenko
MID: Rice – Tobi
ATT MID: Saka – Ødegaard – Martinelli
ST: Gabriel Jesus
Brentford, despite being mid-table, were unpredictable. Ivan Toney was back. Their low-block and counter style was exactly what Arteta feared.
---
The Game Begins
Minute 4: freēwēbnovel.com
Brentford started aggressively. Toney tested Ramsdale with a header. Arsenal had to settle quickly.
Tobi, playing deep alongside Rice, took control.
Minute 8:
He intercepted a pass, danced through two midfielders, and switched the ball wide to Saka.
Saka whipped in a cross.
Ødegaard met it—
GOAL!
Arsenal 1 – 0 Brentford
> System Update: Pre-Assist Logged
Match Rating: 7.8
Minute 20:
Brentford equalized. A long ball over the top caught the defense off-guard. Toney chested it down and scored.
Arsenal 1 – 1 Brentford
> System Alert: Goal Conceded – Pressure Multiplier Increased
Mental Resilience Test Active
Tobi didn’t flinch. Instead, he barked orders. Pulled Rice and Ødegaard closer. Demanded more possession.
Minute 31:
He received the ball in a tight pocket, spun past his marker, and surged forward.
Laid it off to Martinelli.
Martinelli cut inside and curled it—
GOAL!
Arsenal 2 – 1 Brentford
> System Boost: Momentum Flow Engaged
Match Rating: 8.3
---
Second Half – Masterclass
Minute 49:
Brentford pressed higher. Mistake by Zinchenko.
Tobi tracked back, slid cleanly to dispossess Toney, and instantly started a counter.
Three touches later, he sent a through ball to Jesus.
Shot—Blocked.
Ødegaard recovered and finished.
Arsenal 3 – 1 Brentford
> System Update: Assist Logged
Trait Development: Transitional Catalyst +3%
Minute 64:
Tobi began dictating tempo. One-touch passes. Cross-field switches. Dummy runs to create space.
The crowd felt it. Chanted his name.
Minute 70:
A Brentford corner. Tobi won the clearance header. Immediately sprinted forward.
Martinelli found him on the left. He faked right, crossed low to the near post.
Jesus flicked it in.
GOAL!
Arsenal 4 – 1 Brentford
> System Log: 2 Assists, 1 Pre-Assist, 92% Pass Accuracy
Match Rating: 9.2
---
Full-Time – Standing Ovation
Tobi walked off to a standing ovation. Fans lifted scarves. Chanted his name.
In the tunnel, Arteta grabbed his shoulder. "That’s how legends are made."
> System Milestone: Match Rating 8.0+ in 3 Consecutive Matches – Challenge Complete
Reward Unlocked: Skill Memory Flashback – Lisbon Cage Match, 2017
Trait Gained: Street Vision – Boost to spatial awareness in tight areas
---
Later That Night
He lay in bed with Emilia’s head on his chest. On the coffee table, Leonor’s text glowed: "I saw the match. They love you."
Tobi smiled. "I’m just getting started."
> System Status: Volume 3 Momentum Fully Engaged
Buffs Applied: Confidence Surge, Fan Favorite
Location: Bairro Alto, Lisbon – Urban Cage Football Court
Event: Tobi’s First Display of Tactical Genius Under Pressure
The Streets That Forged Him
The sun dipped low over Lisbon’s rooftops, casting orange shadows on the high walls surrounding the steel-fenced court. This wasn’t just a game. It was the final of the local youth cage tournament.
Tobi Oliveira—14 years old, wearing a faded Benfica jersey and shoes too tight—was the captain of a makeshift team from the poorer quarters.
His opponents? A full academy-sponsored squad with real kits, cleats, and polished arrogance.
Memory Status: Full Sensory Playback Mode Enabled
Stat Enhancement Memory Preview: Unlocked Skill – Spatial Collapse Read
Tactical Breakdown Begins
The cage court was brutal. Five-a-side. Fast walls. No out-of-play.
From the first whistle, the opposition pressed like wolves.
Minute 2:
Tobi misread a pass. His team conceded.
His captain’s armband suddenly felt heavy.
But he didn’t panic.
He watched.
Minute 5–10:
They wanted chaos? Tobi gave them control.
One-touch triangles. Wall passes. Luring the press only to slip through it.
Minute 12:
He took the ball near the sideline, nutmegged the opponent, and chipped a perfect ball off the wall to his striker who volleyed in the equalizer.
Skill Formation: Street Geometry – Environmental Awareness +20%
Flash Skill: Bounce Path Calculation
Halftime – The Team Talks
The sponsor team laughed. "This is charity."
Tobi said nothing. Just looked at each teammate. "We win with brains. Not boots."
They nodded. Believed.
Trait Detected: Leadership – Youth Level
Buff: Composure in Adversity
Second Half Masterclass
Minute 17:
Tobi feigned a move, let the ball roll off the wall, spun, and played a no-look through-pass between defenders.
Goal. 2–1.
Minute 21:
Under heavy marking, he flicked the ball up, bounced it off the top fence, caught it mid-air, and volleyed another assist.
The crowd roared.
His mother, watching from the fence line, teared up. Leonor clapped with paint on her hands.
Final Score: 4–2.
Return to 2028 – Insight Gained
Back in London, after the Brentford match, Tobi lay in recovery. The flashback struck like lightning.
He bolted upright.
"It’s not just vision," he whispered. "It’s space perception. I see patterns before they exist."
System Insight Registered:
New Skill Activated – Spatial Collapse Read
Effect: +10% Effectiveness in congested midfield areas
Trait Upgraded: Street Geometry II – Wall Play, Bounce Angles, Micro-Axis Passing
Bonus Feature – Training Boost
Next day at Arsenal training, Tobi tried the wall pass he mastered in Lisbon.
Zinchenko blinked. "Where did that come from?"
"Lisbon," Tobi smiled.
Arteta nodded from afar. "Let him play."
System Buff: Flashback Application Successful
Matchday Advantage +5% for Next Fixture
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