Zaboru smiled gently and looked at Jorge Messi with calm confidence. "Don't worry, Jorge. I heard about Leo's condition from the ZAGE Foundation. Honestly, a talented kid like Leo deserves the best possible treatment."
Jorge's eyes widened slightly.
Zaboru was not looking at him with pity. That was the first thing Jorge noticed. His eyes were not mocking, not pretending, and not filled with the kind of shallow politeness Jorge had already grown tired of hearing from scouts and club representatives. Zaboru looked at him with real respect, as if Lionel was not merely a risky child with a medical problem, but a treasure that needed to be protected properly.
For a moment, Jorge did not know how to respond. Then he forced himself to speak.
"But… why?" Jorge asked quietly. "Leo is talented, yes. I know that better than anyone. But just like the other professionals said, in professional football his talent might dim because of his condition. If his body cannot grow properly, if he cannot handle the physical side later, then…" He swallowed. "Do you agree with them?"
Zaboru looked at Jorge for several seconds, then shook his head.
"Jorge, let me ask you something. Why does success happen? And why do some people fail while others succeed?"
Jorge did not answer immediately.
Zaboru continued, "It's simple, but also not simple. Success is usually a combination of three things: talent, hard work, and passion. Talent alone is not enough. Hard work alone is not always enough either. Passion alone can burn out if there's no skill to support it. But when someone has all three at the same time…" Zaboru smiled and glanced toward Lionel, who was still standing nearby with a ball at his feet. "That kind of person is dangerous."
Jorge listened silently.
Zaboru's voice became firmer. "Your son has talent. Anyone who watches him for five minutes can see that. But more importantly, he has love for football. Real love. Not the kind children show for one month before moving on to another hobby. The kind where his entire body changes the moment the ball reaches him. He also works hard. I can see it in the way he moves. Those touches, those turns, that balance—those things don't happen only because God gave him talent. He trained. He repeated. He failed. He tried again. And he probably did it while smiling."
Jorge's expression trembled slightly.
Zaboru continued, "So yes, his condition is a challenge. A serious one. I'm not going to pretend it doesn't matter. Football is physical. Professional football is brutal. A player can be talented and still fail if his body cannot support him. But that is exactly why treatment matters. If the problem can be treated, then we treat it. We don't throw away a child's future just because helping him costs money."
Jorge's hands clenched.
Those words pierced something deep inside him.
Unlike the scouts who changed their tone after hearing about Lionel's condition, Zaboru did not step back. He became more certain. He did not speak like a man searching for an excuse to avoid responsibility. He spoke like someone who had already decided that Lionel was worth helping.
Zaboru grinned and added, "And honestly, Jorge, I believe Leo can overcome whatever challenge life throws at him. A kid with talent, hard work, and insane passion like that? I would bet on him."
Of course, Zaboru knew he was mixing honest belief with several layers of bullshit.
He could not exactly say, I know your son becomes one of the greatest footballers in history because I remember him from my previous life.
That would make the conversation very awkward.
So instead, he framed it as instinct, analysis, and faith in talent. It was not completely false. Even without memories from his old world, Zaboru would still have seen something terrifying in Lionel's play. But his previous-life knowledge made his confidence absolute.
In his previous life Messi is really resilience despite what defenders do to him, he almost never injured.
Jorge's eyes became wet.
He tried to hold it back, but the emotion was too strong. For months, he had carried the fear that his son's dream might be crushed by something as cruel and ordinary as money. Now someone powerful enough to change that future was standing in front of him, speaking with complete certainty.
"Leo will definitely become a star one day," Jorge said, his voice shaking slightly. "I'm sure of that."
Zaboru nodded. "Yeah. I think so too."
Then Zaboru looked at him more seriously. "Jorge, I kind of own Inter Milan, you know."
Jorge blinked.
Even Carlos, who had been standing nearby, looked at Zaboru with a tired expression. Only Zaboru could say I kind of own Inter Milan as casually as someone saying they owned a bicycle.
Zaboru continued, "So if you want, there is also another possibility. Leo can study in Europe while continuing his football development in a better environment. If everything goes smoothly, I can arrange support through Inter. But regardless of whether you agree to that or not, ZAGE Foundation will still help Leo with his condition. His treatment will be covered. That part does not depend on whether he joins Inter or not."
Jorge stared at him.
That distinction mattered.
It meant Zaboru was not using the treatment as a chain. He was not saying, Give me your son and I will save him. He was saying, I will help him either way, but if you want, I can also open another path.
That made Jorge respect him even more.
Jorge lowered his head slightly, trying to organize his emotions. "I… I need to think about this. I need to talk with Leo, and with my family. But honestly…" He looked back up. "I agree. If there is a chance for him to receive treatment and grow in a place where his talent is valued, then I want to consider it seriously."
Zaboru grinned and nodded. "Good. Don't rush too much. Leo is still a child. His feelings matter too."
Jorge nodded quickly. "Of course."
Zaboru looked toward the field again, and his grin slowly became more excited.
If things went smoothly, Lionel Messi might become an Inter Milan player in the future.
The thought alone made Zaboru's heart beat faster.
In his previous life, Messi had become the symbol of Barcelona, one of the greatest players ever, and one half of the legendary Messi-Ronaldo rivalry. But in this world, the timeline was different. Football was five years behind, Zaboru owned Inter, and the door to history was still open.
Would Messi grow into the same kind of player?
Would Inter become his new home?
Could Zaboru create a football era that never existed before?
The possibilities were absurd.
And Zaboru loved absurd possibilities.
Not long after that, Lionel finally approached them. The boy had finished speaking with his teammates and now walked toward his father while holding his ball. When he saw the man beside Jorge more clearly, his eyes widened.
"Y-You…" Lionel stared at him. "Zaboru!?"
Zaboru chuckled and crouched slightly so he would not tower over the boy too much.
"Hello, Leo."
Lionel looked completely stunned. He had seen Zaboru on television, inside magazines, and through ZAGE-related programs. To him, Zaboru was not just a businessman. He was connected to ZEPS, ZAGE games, Winning Eleven, and even the school he attended. Seeing him in person felt almost unreal.
Zaboru gently ruffled Lionel's hair.
"Good work, boy."
Then he gave him a bright thumbs-up and said with a grin, "You are very cool."
For a brief moment, something strange and warm seemed to pass through the air.
Lionel blinked.
He did not understand why, but those words made his chest feel lighter. It was not just praise. It felt heavier than ordinary praise, warmer than ordinary encouragement, as if the words themselves had settled somewhere inside him.
Zaboru noticed the faint reaction and smiled.
His Blessing Words had activated, even if only lightly.
Lionel looked down at his ball, then back at Zaboru. His small face became serious.
"Do you really think I'm good?"
Zaboru did not hesitate. "Yes."
Lionel's grip on the ball tightened.
"Even though I'm small?"
Zaboru smiled more gently. "Football is not only about size. Size matters, yes. Strength matters too. But control, timing, intelligence, balance, courage, and love for the game matter just as much. You have something special, Leo."
Lionel stared at him silently.
Then he nodded.
"I'll become stronger," Lionel said.
Zaboru grinned. "Good. But don't forget to enjoy football too. If you only chase strength and forget why you love the game, you'll lose something important."
Lionel seemed to think about that seriously, then nodded again.
Jorge watched the exchange with a complicated smile. In that moment, Zaboru did not look like the owner of one of the biggest companies in the world. He looked like an older brother encouraging a child. That made Jorge feel even more certain that speaking with him had been the right choice.
Afterward, Zaboru spent more time in Argentina discussing Lionel Messi's condition with ZAGE Foundation doctors, local medical contacts, and specialists recommended through B.E.A.K.'s network. He also contacted several of the best doctors in Brazil, especially those connected to sports medicine and pediatric hormone treatment.
The reports became clear quickly.
Lionel needed proper treatment, consistent monitoring, and access to specialists that were difficult to arrange locally. The process would not be simple. It would require travel, medical planning, family support, and time. But it was possible.
And Zaboru did not hesitate.
ZAGE Foundation would cover every expense.
Treatment costs.
Travel.
Housing.
Food.
School arrangements.
Family support.
Everything.
Jorge Messi could barely believe it when the details were explained to him. He had expected help, maybe partial assistance, maybe a recommendation or a connection to doctors. He had not expected ZAGE Foundation to cover the entire burden so completely that his family would not need to choose between Lionel's treatment and basic survival.
When Jorge finally understood the full scale of the support, he became silent for a long time.
Then he lowered his head and cried.
Zaboru did not tease him.
He simply waited.
Some gratitude was too heavy for jokes.
After several discussions with Jorge and Lionel's family, the plan became more concrete. Lionel would receive treatment under ZAGE Foundation support, and the possibility of eventually moving to Europe would be prepared carefully. Inter Milan would become one of the options, not as a forced decision, but as a serious path if Jorge, his family, and Lionel agreed.
By the end of the week, Jorge had already become much more positive about the idea.
Lionel himself was nervous about the thought of Europe, but when Zaboru mentioned that Inter had strong football facilities, good doctors, and plenty of Winning Eleven, the boy's expression became much more interested.
Jorge gave Zaboru a look.
Zaboru pretended not to notice.
In the end, the decision was not finalized in one conversation, but the direction was clear.
Lionel Messi's future had changed.
And Zaboru planned to personally accompany the process when the time came, especially because he would soon travel to Italy to check on Inter Milan anyway.
For Jorge, it felt like a miracle.
For Lionel, it felt like the beginning of something he did not yet fully understand.
And for Zaboru, it was the start of an impossible football dream that made him grin every time he imagined it.
Messi at Inter.
Maybe Ronaldo someday too.
Maybe a club era that would make even his previous-life memories look ordinary.
Zaboru looked at Lionel one more time before leaving Argentina and smiled. He will leave to Italy before Messi and His dad will follow sooner this week
History had already begun to bend.
Time Passed, meanwhile in video game industry right now…
To be continued.
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