The next morning, a cool breeze swept through the air.
Most of São Paulo FC's first-team players were taking the day off to recharge.
But not everyone.
One man thought even a few days of rest was a waste of time and showed up at the training ground to maintain his form.
In one hand, he held a Bible, and in the other, a sports bag.
"Long time no see, Ricardo."
"Have you been well, Coach?"
It was Ricardo Kaká.
Though he was currently excluded from official matches and team training due to his upcoming transfer to AC Milan, Kaká still came to the training ground every day.
The main reason was to maintain his form and fitness, but today, he had another reason.
"You said you had something to talk about?"
"Something like that."
It was at the request of his mentor, Coach Carlos.
"How's the transfer preparation going?"
"You know how it is. The club's been helping out a lot. I'm practically on vacation."
At the moment, Kaká had no scheduled obligations.
While he was technically under contract with São Paulo FC until June, no one would stop him if he left for Italy now.
"I don't know... You don't seem like you're resting. I heard you trained again last night."
"I'm just maintaining basic ball control."
"Some things never change."
Carlos chuckled before getting to the point.
"Well, the reason I asked to see you is that the club would like to ask a favor. Before you leave, would you be willing to mentor one of our youth prospects?"
Tutoring.
One-on-one guidance and advice. Also known as mentoring.
In simple terms, a mentor.
Just like Messi had Aimar, and Ronaldo had Quaresma, a mentor can play a vital role in a young player's development.
Kaká gave a crisp reply to the request.
"Of course."
"You don't seem surprised."
"Haha. You always ask this time of year. Last year it was Douglas."
It would've been more surprising if someone as sharp as Kaká hadn't already figured it out.
"So, who is it this time?"
"There's a boy from Korea."
"What? An Asian?"
"Is that a problem?"
"Not a problem, just... it's a first. I'd like to meet him first."
"You'll probably like him."
Carlos stood up.
"I told him to come at 10. He should be here soon."
"Should I head to the training ground first then?"
"Go ahead."
When they arrived at the senior team's training ground, it was quiet as expected.
But then...
"Looks like he's already here."
"Too diligent for his own good."
A boy was in the corner, juggling the ball intently.
"Hey there."
"Huh... huh...?"
Kaká approached and greeted him with a friendly smile, and the boy froze on the spot.
It was no surprise. It was Kaká standing in front of him, and Ho-young had just been watching his matches recently.
[Kaká]
[Possessed Talents: Crown Prince of Football (T), Crown Prince's Playmaking (U), Lightning-Fast Dribbling (S), Faithful and Gentle Mindset (A+2), Stunning Top Speed (A+2), Sculpted Looks (A+), Powerful Mid-range Shot (A+), Smooth Individual Technique (A), Clinical Finishing (A), Active Work Rate (A-)]
(See More)
(You can obtain one talent by meeting the required condition.)
(If you select a Title-ranked (T) talent, you can absorb part of its instinct. However, it can only be acquired after turning 18.)
(Lightning-Fast Dribbling (S) requires hidden conditions to unlock.)
(Condition 1: Train together for over 1000 minutes)
(Condition 2: Receive Kaká's know-how)
(Condition 3: Reach the quarterfinals of the Super Championship)
(Condition 4: Be selected as Man of the Match in the Round of 16 of the Super Championship)
(Condition 5: Score 3 goals against Fluminense FC)
(Hidden Condition: Unlocks upon acquiring at least one of his talents)
Occasionally while using the senior training ground, Ho-young would bump into first-team players, but this was the first time something like this had happened.
'Kaká...'
He never imagined he'd meet the best player in the Brazilian league right now, someone rising to stardom in the senior team.
One thing was clear. This was a heaven-sent opportunity.
'Those talents are insane. And he's not even in his prime yet.'
Crown Prince of Football.
Could there be a title that fit Kaká better?
The looks, the character, the skills.
A man who had it all.
Especially his skills.
'His playmaking stands out.'
Kaká is often portrayed as a goal-scoring attacking midfielder, but that's far from the whole picture.
He has all the traits required of a forward-thinking playmaker, with excellent chance creation and passing distribution.
'He's not a dominant conductor like Pirlo, but his all-around play contributes heavily to ball circulation.'
In short, he served the role of a control tower on the pitch.
He had reached the highest level of playmaking, even winning Best Playmaker awards. And his dribbling speed was on a historic level.
But the conditions to acquire his talent were extremely difficult.
'Training together for over 1000 minutes isn't something I can do in a day.'
Kaká would be leaving for AC Milan next month.
It was impossible to reach 1000 minutes of joint training with just today.
'Unless Kaká becomes my tutor...'
It sounded ridiculous, but he couldn't help holding on to that faint hope.
Just then, Carlos answered his silent wish.
"For the next four weeks, your mentor will be Ricardo Kaká."
Carlos had promised to support Ho-young's growth with everything he had.
And he meant it.
An hour had already passed since tutoring began.
"...Huff..."
Ho-young, running through basic drills with Kaká, was already gasping for breath.
'We're going this hard even on a day off?'
Kaká was famous for his discipline and work ethic.
There was even a story about him reading the Bible on a park bench after a team dinner.
Even the paparazzi had given up on him.
More than anything, he was a relentless worker before he was a genius.
Now that he was training with him in person, Ho-young could see that for himself.
"Whew..."
He thought he trained hard himself, but this was on another level.
The volume was one thing. The intensity was something else entirely.
Even with his strong physique, Ho-young was still only 12 years old.
Even so...
'This is golden.'
He refused to give up.
Opportunities like this were meant to be seized.
Ho-young remembered what Cha Bum-kun had said.
Train fiercely, and play with passion!
'I can do it.'
He endured through grit and focus.
Just then...
"Don't overdo it. It's only your first day."
While setting up training cones, Kaká gave him a light smile.
Catching his breath, Ho-young responded.
"Thanks for the advice. But..."
"Hmm?"
"I want to be a great player too. Like you, Kaká."
"Haha."
Instead of worry, Kaká looked at Ho-young with pride in his eyes.
It was the same look he once saw in Ballack's eyes.
"Now I understand what Coach Carlos meant."
"Sorry?"
"Haha, never mind. Your name is Ho-young, right?"
"Yes."
"Before we get into the serious training, let me ask. What kind of football do you want to play?"
"I want to play football that controls the game."
"So, you've got a playmaker's mindset."
Playmaker.
A player who orchestrates attacks, adjusts the tempo, and reads the flow of the match to shape the play.
Examples include Maradona, Zico, Zidane, Kaká, Iniesta, Messi, Ronaldinho, Ribéry, Xavi, Toni Kroos, Pirlo, and Alonso.
There are wide playmakers, and others who operate deep in midfield.
Ho-young aimed to be a versatile playmaker like Ronaldinho, someone who could function as a winger, attacking midfielder, or shadow striker.
"Then let's see if you've got the qualities."
"Qualities?"
"When it comes to playmakers, the key traits are intuition, decisiveness, judgment, and anticipation. Sometimes you drop deep to receive the ball, and sometimes you move off the ball to create passing lanes."
"So the foundation of playmaking is ball possession?"
"Oh?"
Kaká's eyes sharpened slightly.
"That's right. Possession is the first step of playmaking. So, aside from your ball retention skills, you need to receive passes properly. Let's start by checking your decision-making and anticipation. You stand over there. When I send the pass, run to that spot and receive it."
"Yes, sir."
Ho-young nodded.
It was a drill he had done plenty of times with Oscar, so he understood it well.
Kaká smiled warmly.
'Sounds simple, but it's not.'
This wasn't a basic drill. Training cones were scattered to serve as obstacles, so being fast alone wouldn't help.
Positioning, agility, anticipation, judgment, and spatial awareness were all crucial.
And receiving a pass from someone like Kaká, without even syncing up beforehand, wasn't something just anyone could do.
'Especially not a youth player. If he catches even one out of four, that's impressive.'
It was the perfect drill to evaluate Ho-young's potential.
'Let's see how he handles a tough one.'
Kaká looked toward Ho-young.
"Don't watch the ball, watch the man! If your eyes follow the ball, you're already too late!"
"Yes!"
Just then, the ball zipped forward from Kaká's foot.
Boom!
A low-driven pass slipped perfectly between the cones.
'That's going to be hard to catch.'
A senior player could receive it, but a youth player wouldn't even be able to get a foot on it.
But...
Thwack!
"...!"
The sharp sound echoed through the field, and Kaká's brows twitched slightly.
Ho-young had received the high-level pass cleanly in one motion.
'His reflexes aren't that great, but his speed is incredible.'
Now, Kaká understood a little better why Carlos had entrusted him with this kid.
But one successful reception wasn't enough to be sure.
Kaká continued to test Ho-young's attributes in various ways.
The drills lasted about an hour.
Just as Ho-young was about to collapse onto the field, exhausted...
"Haha! Not bad. That's enough for now, go sit and rest."
"Huff... I'm fine!"
"Yeah, right. We'll continue in ten minutes, so rest up."
At those words, Ho-young dropped to the ground.
Kaká turned away and smiled faintly.
'He's doing way better than I expected. More than anything, he reads the flow of a pass really well. Where did he learn that? And his mentality and drive are strong too.'
Without realizing it, Kaká was getting fired up.
It reminded him of his own childhood.
A football prodigy from a country with a short footballing history, that made it all the more interesting.
As Ho-young caught his breath, he glanced at the time and asked,
"Aren't you in a recovery phase? Is it okay for you to be here training?"
"Haha. Are you worried about me now?"
Kaká sat down beside him and said,
"You should always be disciplined. A disciplined person handles big things with discipline too."
It felt like a passage from the Bible.
A piece of advice that only Kaká could give.
He was sincere.
His personality shone through his expressions and tone of voice.
Just being next to him felt... calming.
And that was when Ho-young once again realized the superstar Kaká was right in front of him.
His whole body flushed with excitement.
Unable to hold it in, he wiped his sweaty face and sprang to his feet.
"Let's go again!"
"Sure. Discipline makes a man rich, whether in skill or anything else."
Words that truly hit home.
Ho-young thought, maybe this man really is a saint.
Then Kaká spoke.
"Let's try a different drill next. I heard your next match is important."
"Yes. There's a monstrous Brazilian defender on the opposing team named Marcelo. Coach Carlos said he's one of the top defenders in the U-15 league."
"Marcelo, huh... If the coach said that, then we might end up playing together on the national team someday."
Playmakers are known for their foresight, right?
'Incredible.'
As it turns out, Kaká would go on to play on the same team as Marcelo in the future.
Assuming the future doesn't change.
"Anyway, let's try breaking him down. Being able to predict your opponent and respond accordingly is one of the most important skills for a playmaker."
And so, a priceless private lesson began, the kind money couldn't buy, while the decisive match rapidly approached.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)