Lisbon's skyline was waking up, bathed in the golden hue of dawn. The hum of cars, the distant cry of seagulls from the Tagus River—it was a city that didn't sleep on potential. And Tobi Oliveira was now part of its heartbeat.
Wearing the Sporting academy crest over his chest for the first time, he stood at the edge of Pitch 3, the designated field for the Elite Development Group.
This wasn't just training.
This was survival in a jungle of lions.
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Welcome to the Cage
Coach Mendes gathered the players—twenty of the best teenage footballers in Portugal. Most were older than Tobi. Bigger. Already seasoned from European youth tournaments.
Mateus Cerqueira stood at the back, nodding at Tobi with a slight smirk.
"Didn't think you'd make it in. Let's see if you last."
To Tobi's left was Eduardo 'Rayo' Costa, the Angolan winger known for clocking 36 km/h in a sprint test.
Beside him was Tiago Fonseca, a 6'3" striker built like he'd walked off a rugby pitch.
And then there was Leo Marques—the flamboyant playmaker from Brazil who'd already signed a pre-agreement with Ajax.
No weak links here, Tobi realized.
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> System Notification: Elite Group Parameters Activated
Training Difficulty: High
Mistake Tolerance: Low
Reputation Risk: Active (Poor performance may reduce standing)
Weekly Objectives: 3
First Week's Goals:
1. Complete 90% pass rate in scrimmage
2. Maintain possession under pressure for 5+ seconds (5 times)
3. Earn Coach Approval Score of 4.5+/5
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Training Day 1: Baptism by Fire
The first drill wasn't a warm-up.
It was 3v3 possession in a confined box, 5 minutes straight, no breaks. Coach Mendes barked, "If you lose the ball, your whole team runs."
Tobi's team was paired against Rayo, Mateus, and Leo.
From the first touch, he knew—they were different.
Mateus pressed like a machine. Rayo used explosive acceleration to cut angles. Leo danced through space with maddening unpredictability.
Tobi misjudged his first turn. Lost the ball.
They ran.
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> System Warning:
Fatigue: Medium
Confidence: Stable
Passive Boost: "Snap Vision" activated. Turning under pressure now optimized.
---
Second round.
Tobi adjusted. Used fewer touches. Drew Rayo in, then used his momentum against him—drag back, roll out, quick touch pass.
Rayo slipped.
"Oi!" Leo yelled, laughing. "You got cooked, Rayo!"
Tobi grinned.
One small win.
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Coach Mendes Watches
By midday, the players were paired for full-pitch rotations.
Tobi was placed as the central midfielder for the green bibs. His job: anchor possession, switch play, don't lose the ball.
Mateus marked him. Physically. Intellectually.
It wasn't just a match. It was mind games.
But Tobi was prepared. He didn't challenge brute force with brute force. He used misdirection, tempo control, reverse angles.
Minute 23: Switch to right winger—perfectly timed.
Minute 26: Shielded from Mateus, turned, released striker into space—key pass.
Minute 30: Feinted left, slipped inside, short give-and-go to avoid pressure.
By the end of the scrimmage, his pass accuracy was 91%.
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> System Update:
Weekly Goal 1 – ✅
Weekly Goal 2 – ✅ (Possession maintained 5x)
Weekly Goal 3 – Pending (Coach Approval: 4.2/5)
---
Mendes whistled. "Oliveira. You're calm. That's rare. Keep it."
That was all he said.
But in a field of elite egos, even a whisper of praise carried weight.
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Off the Pitch: Isolation
Back at the dorms, Tobi found himself alone more often than not.
Most of the elite group had grown up in the system together. They shared jokes, followed each other's stories. Tobi? He was the outsider. A late arrival. A nobody from Madeira.
He called his mother that night.
"I'm good," he said softly. "It's tough. But I'm not breaking."
She said she was proud.
She didn't know he hadn't smiled in days.
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> System Note:
Hidden Trait Progress – "Mental Fortitude"
Status: 61% unlocked
Next milestone unlocks after first official youth match with Sporting
---
The Announcement
The next day, Coach Mendes entered the classroom with a projector.
"This weekend," he said, "we face SL Benfica in the U19 Derby."
Gasps. Groans.
Even among these elites, the rivalry sparked real tension.
"Only sixteen of you will make the matchday squad. Eleven will start. The rest sit."
Eyes turned toward Tobi.
He didn't react.
But inside, a storm brewed.
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> New Quest: Prove Yourself in the Derby
Goal: Earn a place in the starting eleven
Bonus Goal: Win the match and contribute to at least one goal
Reward: Unlock Trait – "Derby Mindset"
Additional Bonus: Reputation increase at National Youth Level
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The Final Scrimmage
Three days before the match, the squad was split for a full 90-minute game to decide who'd start.
Tobi's team wore white.
Mateus, Rayo, and Leo were on the green side.
This was his final test.
First half: Tobi controlled tempo. Made clean passes. Organized play.
Second half: Mateus targeted him directly—rough tackles, body checks, harsh words.
"Thought you were smart, bakery boy."
Minute 67: Tobi received the ball under pressure. Three players converged.
Snap Vision activated.
He did a half turn, flicked it behind with his heel into space—no-look pass.
João Dias, the striker, collected and buried it in the net.
Coach Mendes stood. Crossed his arms.
Said nothing.
But he didn't need to.
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> System Update:
Match Influence: 89
Mentality Growth: +3
Coach Approval: 4.8/5
Status: Starting Eleven – Confirmed
---
Night Before the Derby
Lisbon was quiet that night. The city braced for the biggest academy clash in Portugal.
Tobi sat at the window of his dorm room.
His phone buzzed—an anonymous number. A video clip.
Tomas Leal.
Scoring a screamer for FC Porto U17.
Text followed:
"We're watching. Don't fall behind."
Tomas again…
Tobi smiled.
"I won't," he whispered.
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