[The lesser-ranked talent 'Chaminator's Run and Drive (U)' has been transferred into 'Lightning-Fast Dribbling (S).]
Ho-young's eyes stopped on that line.
'So Cha Du-ri's Run and Drive is considered inferior to Kaká's version.'
In short, even a U-grade talent could be lower in effectiveness than an A-grade.
And one more thing.
[It will take (30 days) → 15 days to fully transfer 'Chaminator's Run and Drive (U)'. During these 15 days, you cannot acquire other talents.]
Just like when acquiring talents, no other talents could be obtained during the transfer process.
In other words, even if he met the conditions for Oscar's talent right now, he wouldn't be able to acquire it immediately.
'This is getting more complicated.'
As his level increased, the functions of [Greed] were becoming more complex.
It was time to organize his understanding.
'Let's summarize what I know so far...'
There were eight main points.
1.
You cannot acquire a lower-grade version of a talent you already possess. However, upgraded versions (+ grade) are allowed.
For example, if you have Sculpted Looks (A+3), you can't acquire Sculpted Looks (A), but you can acquire A+ or higher.
2.
T/L/U grades are separate from the S/A/B/C system.
For instance, a U-grade isn't necessarily stronger than an S-grade.
3.
Talent grades:
T-grade can only be held by elite players aged 18 or older.
U-grade is unique to a specific player. It isn't reserved only for star players.
When a legendary player retires, their U-grade may become an L-grade.
Once a player retires, their deteriorated talents cannot be viewed or acquired—at least for now.
No other grades have been seen beyond these.
4.
The difficulty of meeting conditions to acquire talents varies.
Some are easy but take time.
Others are short-term but tough.
Some are difficult and long-term, or both.
5.
Talent grades don't reflect rarity.
Not all A-grade talents are equal. Some are nearly A+, others close to A-.
And depending on how they are used, the effectiveness of the same A-grade talent can vary greatly.
6.
An A+3 talent isn't three times stronger than a base A-grade.
It could be two times, or 1.3 times, or just 1.1 times.
The exact value is unknown.
7.
Assume you possess 7 talents and your talent slot capacity is 10. That leaves 3 open slots.
In this case, if you acquire 'Decent Shooting Power (C-)', it goes into the 8th slot.
If you acquire 'Outstanding Ball Control (S+)', it enters the 9th slot. But S-grade talents are large and take time to fully absorb.
During that time, you cannot fill the 10th slot (i.e., cannot acquire new talents).
However, clearing conditions and reserving talents is still possible.
8.
Little is known about fusion.
What is certain: when the talent types match, U-grade and S-grade can be fused.
Whether A/B/C grade talents can be reused or fused is unknown.
That was the summary Ho-young had compiled.
'Some of these aren't 100% confirmed, but they seem mostly accurate.'
The thing he was most curious about was the talent grading system.
How many more grades were out there? Or was this it?
'Kaká hasn't even reached his prime and already has an S-grade. Ballack only had one S-grade, but tons of powerful A-grades.'
He hadn't yet seen the talents of top-tier legends like Figo, Zidane, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, or Henry.
Some were at their peak, others in decline.
He couldn't begin to guess what kind of talents they had.
'What if they each have around 10 S-grade talents?'
Another thought crossed his mind.
If a U-grade merged into an S-grade, would it result in a higher grade?
As June passed and July arrived, the football world witnessed a historic upset.
It happened in Lisbon, Portugal, during the Euro 2004 final.
The champions were none other than Greece.
Deemed the weakest of the lot, Greece had beaten Europe's powerhouses to claim the title.
'It's unfolding exactly as I remember.'
6 p.m.
Watching the final live, Ho-young recalled the future he knew.
'They won with rock-solid defensive tactics. Exactly the same as before.'
The game itself was dull, but it offered plenty to think about.
"Hm?"
That moment, he felt someone's gaze.
It was Monica, sitting on the sofa watching the game with him.
"Why are you staring at me like that?"
"Hmm..."
"What? Do I have something on my face?"
"That's what's strange."
Ssshhk.
Monica tilted her head, clearly perplexed, and said nothing more.
Then she rushed to Choi Maria, who was setting the table.
"Look at Ho-young's face closely! Doesn't it look different?"
"Huh?"
Hearing that, Maria narrowed her eyes and looked over Ho-young's face.
"Hmm... maybe. Something about your vibe feels different... but I'm not sure."
Something had definitely changed.
But seeing someone every day made it hard to notice gradual changes.
Even so, Monica sensed something.
'It's strange. Something's different.'
She couldn't explain it, but she was certain.
"Ah! You lost weight! Your face used to be round like a full moon, but it's a bit slimmer now."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Just a little!"
Ho-young was unknowingly turning into a chiseled handsome boy.
A few days later.
The long-awaited day finally arrived.
[Chaminator's Run and Drive (U) and Lightning-Fast Dribbling (S) have been successfully fused.]
[Lightning-Fast Dribbling (S) → Storm Dribbling (SU)]
[You have acquired Storm Dribbling (SU).]
[It will take 150 days → 75 days to fully acquire this talent. You cannot acquire other talents for 75 days.]
"Whoa..."
Early Saturday morning.
While taking a stroll before heading to training, Ho-young stopped in his tracks.
His body froze with excitement.
[Storm Dribbling (SU)]
Fast, aggressive, and explosive.
Not Cha Du-ri's, not Kaká's, but a unique talent forged through [Greed].
A brand-new grade he had never seen before.
'Special Unique?'
It would take 75 days to fully absorb, but that didn't matter.
He could wait as long as needed.
September 23.
He wished that day would come soon.
Wake up, train.
Fall asleep, ride the team bus.
As the national league was held on a country-wide scale, travel time increased.
July was that kind of month.
The size of Brazil meant exhausting travel distances.
He once thought he could handle 40 or 50 matches, but the reality was different.
Every away game drained him.
Thankfully, reserve teams handled the state leagues.
August was even tougher, with the FA Cup also underway.
But the U15 South American Champions League only started from the Round of 16 due to budget reasons, so there were no flights scheduled until December.
Same with September.
Mentally and physically, it was becoming increasingly demanding.
The weather grew hotter and rainy days increased.
Summer had begun.
But there were no vacations.
Just training and matches.
Trapped in that cycle.
And as a result, someone else got busier too.
Click-clack.
In his room, Real Madrid scout Antonio was hammering away at his laptop.
[...That's why Coach Carlos heavily rotated his players.
What stands out is that Ho-young, despite being the youngest on the team, has held up better than anyone and has led the team to a top-tier standing.
Thanks to him, São Paulo FC continues to post strong results and currently holds 2nd place in the national league.]
Writing up a report to send to Madrid, Antonio flipped through his notebook.
Inside were detailed records of matches from the last five months.
He neatly transcribed them into the report.
---
[Ho-young]
As of September 14, 2004
National League: 15 matches, 12 wins, 3 draws, 14 goals, 8 assists
State League: 2 matches, 1 win, 1 loss, 2 goals
FA Cup: 3 matches, 2 wins, 1 draw, 2 goals, 2 assists
Super Championship: 3 matches, 2 wins, 1 loss, 6 goals, 1 assist
Total: 23 matches, 17 wins, 4 draws, 2 losses, 24 goals, 11 assists
Man of the Match: 9 times
Hat-tricks: 3 times
National League Goals: 14 in 15 matches, 2nd in scoring (1st: Alexandre Pato, 16 goals in 19 matches)
Notes: Dribbling speed, already impressive, has increased noticeably over the past few months. Still raw and unpolished, like a wild stallion, but with refinement, it could become a devastating weapon.
---
'This kid is the real deal.'
Antonio was convinced.
Ho-young wasn't just a promising talent.
It was why he had recently relocated his accommodation near Ho-young's home.
It wasn't unusual for scouts to move locations to observe players more closely, but his dedication was unquestionable.
His place was also near Neymar's residence.
In fact, Real Madrid had tried to sign Neymar recently.
But when Neymar's father demanded a weekly wage of €10,000, the deal fell through.
Even so, Madrid instructed Antonio to continue scouting Neymar.
As for Ho-young, they were cautious.
They had never signed a 12-year-old Asian player before, and his young age made them hesitant.
So now.
'The next match is crucial.'
A big match was approaching.
At that very moment, at the training grounds of Barrafunda.
The U15 team was as busy as ever.
Tweet!
As the call for assembly sounded, the players gathered.
Coach Carlos addressed them with a serious tone.
"Our next opponent is Santos FC."
Gulp.
Hearing that, Ho-young's mouth went dry.
He already knew the schedule, but now that the day was approaching, nerves were setting in.
Carlos continued.
"You all know who plays for that team."
That "someone" was one of the biggest reasons Ho-young had come to Brazil.
'He must be insanely talented.'
It had finally arrived.
The face-off against Brazil's undisputed top prospect, Neymar.
October 7.
That morning, a short article appeared in a corner of Estadão São Paulo's sports section.
[São Paulo vs Santos, first showdown of the season. The key battle will be in attack.]
The San-São derby between Santos and São Paulo was the biggest local rivalry.
The article stoked the fire of competition, and it was enough to set both teams alight.
Santos coach Pamela was already on edge.
Losing today would mean surrendering 1st place to São Paulo. For Santos, it was a must-win match.
Pamela informed the players.
"We have to win."
To that, three sharp-looking boys responded confidently.
"No problem."
"Of course!"
"Piece of cake. We'll win."
The trio was Brazil's rising stars, known as Gabigol, Ganso, and Neymar.
Even so, Pamela was concerned.
"I've told you countless times. Watch out for Ho-young."
"Oh, the Asian kid? The one ranked 2nd in scoring?"
They had already watched his match footage.
"We know he's good."
But.
"He's not better than me."
Neymar scoffed lightly.
It was the confidence that came from undeniable talent.
'Still, this could be fun.'
He chuckled as he warmed up.
Arena Paulo Stadium.
The match began as soon as both teams entered the pitch.
Ho-young's eyes locked onto Neymar.
'I'm definitely taking his talent.'
Neymar's talent, likely ranked higher than Football Genius (A+), lit a fire in Ho-young's determination.
He also felt a rush of excitement.
Sharing the pitch with Neymar was something the football-obsessed Ho-young had never imagined.
If he had been an ordinary person before his regression, he would've asked for an autograph immediately.
But now things were different.
'We're on equal footing.'
Two players on the same pitch, both aiming to show their best and fight for victory.
Ho-young straightened his posture and focused on the game.
15th minute of the first half.
"...Woah!"
Neymar weaved past Breno with dazzling footwork.
Smirk.
A slight grin spread across his face.
It was the thrill you only feel when beating a defender one-on-one.
But that smug smile didn't last long.
Instead.
'That's enough.'
He focused intensely on the ball.
The goal was about 13 meters away.
It wasn't the best angle, but it was still a decent shot opportunity.
Gabigol was already in position on the far post, ready to pounce on any second ball.
Neymar unleashed a powerful strike with his right foot.
Boom!
The ball soared off his foot and crashed into the crossbar with a loud clang.
"Damn."
It had gone slightly high and struck the top bar.
Still, it was a good attempt.
No goal this time, but there would be another chance.
Once you've cracked the wall, it's easier to go through again.
He glanced at Breno, who was clearly blaming himself.
But that moment didn't last.
The rebounding ball dropped right at Oscar's feet.
A stroke of bad luck for Santos.
'If they don't intercept that, it could turn into a counterattack.'
He already knew Oscar's passing range, thanks to coach briefings.
It was definitely a dangerous situation.
And then.
"...!"
Neymar's instincts were spot on.
Oscar's pass flew forward.
Neymar's eyes widened.
A boy wearing jersey number 14 was already sprinting ahead.
Reading the play and positioning himself upfield, it was Ho-young.
The counterattack had begun.
And in that moment.
"Oooh..."
The crowd let out a collective gasp of awe.
It was reminiscent of Kaká's brilliance from 8 years ago.
Santos defenders tried to close him down, but it was no use.
Ho-young tore through them like a storm.
A solo run.
Covering 30 meters in the blink of an eye, he calmly slotted home the opening goal.
'This can't be happening...'
Neymar's face flushed red.
(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.)