"Rusty Stripe, teach that Asian kid who doesn't know the heights of heaven and earth a good lesson!"
"Rusty Stripe, I'm betting on you to win with a week's food expenses, don't let me down!"
"Rusty Stripe, now is your chance for revenge!"
The school team members beside him cheered for Rusty Stripe enthusiastically.
Rusty Stripe said triumphantly, "Don't worry, I will never lose this round! As long as I win against this Asian kid today, I will definitely succeed when I confess my love to Sophie's best friend, Susanna, after school! Hahaha!"
Julian couldn't help but laugh secretly to himself: What kind of elementary school logic is this? Whether you can win one-on-one has something to do with confessing to Susanna? What about my metaphysics?
Rusty Stripe roared gruffly, "Hey, that Asian kid, are you ready? Just say when you're ready, and don't say I didn't give you time to prepare!"
Julian stretched his ankles and took a deep breath of the fresh turf. "I have already prepared and can't prepare any more," he replied calmly.
"Okay! I'm starting! Feel the crushing feeling of a human tank!"
Rusty Stripe let out a growl and took off running with the ball from the center circle. To be honest, he started very slowly and his speed was not fast, but his 1-meter-tall and 88-kilogram frame made him quite intimidating when he charged ahead.
Julian, with his field experience, could easily predict Rusty Stripe's advancing route. The Rusty Stripe team did not intend to cover up or change their line; they planned to push straight from the middle. This was not about skill but relying purely on physical collisions.
This rough style of play is also one of the characteristics of British football. In the beginning, British football and rugby were closely related, sharing a set of game rules. It wasn't until the 1863 Masonic Tavern Conference that football and rugby were officially separated. However, the British amateur football team's style still maintains a rugby-like toughness in its very core.
Facing Rusty's straight-line collision, Julian didn't hesitate at all. He rushed to meet him head-on—exactly the kind of confrontation Coach Carter was eager to see. If you want to play football in the UK, you must integrate into this tough culture; otherwise, it will be challenging to gain favor.
Seeing Julian approaching like this, Rusty Stripe was overjoyed. He immediately half-turned to protect the ball and bumped into Julian with his strong shoulder. This move seems simple but is quite effective. If Julian chose to dodge, Rusty Stripe would shake him off and drive in the opposite direction immediately.
And if Julian didn't choose to dodge, then...hahaha!—Rusty Stripe thought to himself, convinced that Julian's small, thin body wouldn't dare to collide with him.
This was not just Rusty Stripe's opinion. All the other players, even Coach Carter, who sat with pursed lips, thought the same. They all believed that Julian would not dare to challenge Rusty's brute force.
However, an unexpected event shocked everyone—Julian didn't hesitate for a second. He didn't plan to slow down or change lanes; instead, he sped up and crashed into the Rusty Stripe!
"Court death?!"
Rusty Stripe screamed as his thick arm transformed into an elbow.
In an official arena, this would be a clear foul.
But, in this type of test, no one paid it any mind.
The instant Rusty Stripe extended his elbow, Julian swiftly positioned his foot and slightly lowered his center of gravity to dodge it. He then slammed his shoulder into Rusty Stripe's exposed ribs.
Bang!
The two players collided heavily and bounced away from each other.
Rusty Stripe was completely caught off guard and was sent flying five steps back by Julian.
Julian was also pushed back three steps by the impact.
Wow, this guy is really strong!
Julian couldn't help but feel amazed internally.
His recent collision had not only the +1 bonus from his reasonable collision skill but also a 60-point strength bonus, high-speed starting inertia, and his prior life's soccer experience to back it up.
Furthermore, the parts of their bodies that made contact put Rusty Stripe at a significant disadvantage.
Rusty Stripe had hit Julian underestimating his opponent's strength, using no more than 40% to 60% of his actual force.
Yet Julian had held nothing back in that moment!
The intensity of British youth football training was truly not to be understated.
This thrilling clash between the sharp needle and the robust wheat awn was exhilarating!
Julian felt his entire body ablaze with excitement.
While Rusty Stripe remained stunned, Julian swiftly regained his balance. He chased after the football, which was rolling towards the penalty area, and kicked it back to the midfield with a powerful strike.
Victory!
Julian exhaled a mouthful of foul breath.
The long-lost sensation of dopamine rushing through his body had returned.
All the school team players at the scene exclaimed in disbelief. Who could have anticipated that this one-on-one confrontation would yield such an outcome?
Everyone had assumed that the Asian kid would stick to Rusty Stripe with tight defensive tactics, compelling him to decelerate and then steal or tackle the ball by exploiting gaps in his dribbling. Instead, he chose to engage in a direct physical confrontation without employing typical kicking maneuvers to steal the ball. This was a bold move, indeed!
The tension was palpable as Rusty Stripe, known as a human tank at 1 meter tall and weighing 88 kilograms, faced the much smaller Asian kid. The disparity was stark, with the latter visually appearing to be around 1 meter tall and weighing no more than 8 kilograms. Yet, the Asian kid's unconventional approach was holding its own in this intense, face-to-face battle.
The school team's players were flabbergasted and couldn't hold back their disbelief, hurling insults at Rusty Stripe:
"Damn it, Rusty Stripe! What are you doing?"
"You can't even handle this? You're just useless rusty gear!"
"Rust Strip, are you playing just to scam your dad and me for a week's worth of food?"
"Rusty Stripe, you might as well forget about confessing to Suzanne! It's never going to happen!"
"Why don't you just quit playing and go act in some lovey-dovey action flick?"
Rusty Stripe, fuming, rubbed his sore ribs and shot back, "What just happened doesn't count! I still have a chance to win her over!"
Julian, noticing the white bubbles of negative emotion forming around Rusty Stripe's feet, seized the opportunity. He approached Rusty Stripe and gently poked the bubbles with his toes. "Thank you," Julian said with a straight face, "this is what real football looks like."
The bubbles burst magnificently, emitting a brilliant light that then merged into Julian's body.
"You've earned 10 hours of physical training from the ordinary bubbles," the system announced, "and your daily pick-up progress is now 4/10."
Julian felt a sudden surge of relief, and his lost physical energy was partially restored. It was a clear demonstration of the effort Rusty Stripe had put into their scuffle.
"Don't be too smug, Asian kid!" Rusty Stripe said furiously, "That one didn't count! I'll admit, I underestimated you. But I'll ask the coach for another chance. If I lose again, I'll do three hundred leapfrogs, not two!"
Julian smiled internally, enjoying Rusty Stripe's desperate bid to redeem himself.