The ball rested lightly against Mateo's foot.
He stood in the small living room, the furniture pushed aside to create just enough space for him to move.His mother had retreated to her bedroom, giving him the time and space she somehow knew he needed.
Mateo stared down at the ball, his heart heavy but determined.The words of the strange voice echoed inside his mind.
[Perform 100 perfect juggles. Do not drop the ball.]
He took a deep breath, lifted the ball with a gentle flick of his foot... and began.
Tap.Tap.Tap.
The first few touches were clean, almost effortless, muscle memory guiding him.But by the twenty-seventh touch, a dark thought intruded — the image of his father lying still in the hospital bed.His foot slipped.
The ball hit the ground with a dull thud.
Mateo cursed under his breath, snatching it up again.
He tried again.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
This time he made it to forty-two before the tightness in his chest overwhelmed him.Tears blurred his vision.The ball slipped away again.
He kicked it across the room in frustration, slumping against the wall, his fists clenched, teeth gritted.
"This is stupid," he muttered bitterly. "This is impossible."
For a long moment he just sat there, head bowed, breathing hard.
But then — he remembered.
His father's words in the hospital."Live your life... your life, Mateo. Chase your dreams... with everything you've got."
The memory hit him harder than any pain.
Slowly, Mateo stood back up.
He wiped his face roughly with his sleeve, retrieved the ball, and set it in front of him again.No anger now.No fear.
Only a stubborn, burning resolve.
"One more time," he whispered.
The ball lifted into the air.
Tap.Tap.Tap.Tap.
He focused only on the ball.Only on the rhythm.Only on the dream.
The world faded away — no sadness, no fear, no loneliness.Only the game.
Tap.Tap.Tap.
Eighty-five.Ninety.Ninety-five.
His legs were burning, his breath shallow, but he didn't stop.
Ninety-six.Ninety-seven.Ninety-eight.Ninety-nine.
One final perfect touch.
One hundred.
The ball balanced lightly on the tip of his foot.
And then, with a final gentle flick, Mateo caught it in his hands.
Silence.
Then, a soft chime inside his mind:
[Mission Complete!][Congratulations, Mateo González Schwarz.][System Activation Bonus Unlocked — Starter Skill Selection!]
A bright panel, visible only to him, appeared before his eyes.Three glowing options floated within it, each accompanied by a small description:
Starter Skill Options:
1. Ball Control Mastery (Level 1):Improve your touch and ball handling significantly. The ball feels lighter and more obedient under your feet.
2. Stamina Boost (Level 1):Enhance your endurance by 10%. Play longer, train harder, recover faster.
3. Vision of the Field (Level 1):Sharpen your situational awareness. Read player movements and space openings more intuitively.
Mateo's eyes widened in awe.
This wasn't just a hallucination.This was real.Somehow, someway — it was real.
He gazed at the three skills, his mind racing.
Ball control... stamina... vision...
Each one pulled at him in different ways, each offering a path forward.
Mateo's heart pounded, not from sadness this time, but from the incredible possibilities that had just opened before him.