Beep—
[And that's the final whistle! Real Madrid takes all 3 points with a hat-trick from Ho-young!]
[What an electrifying match. Both teams gave it their all without regrets. This might have been the best El Clásico we've seen in recent years.]
[Especially when Ho-young scored the winner at the end, it sent chills down my spine. Watching him roar after the goal gave me goosebumps. Absolutely incredible. Scoring a hat-trick in his El Clásico debut...]
As the clock neared midnight, Camp Nou was engulfed in shock and disbelief.
Even five minutes after the final whistle, many fans remained frozen in their seats.
Those who had been shouting "Puta Madrid" had finally gone silent.
"Unbelievable…"
"Damn it. I can't believe it. Did Barça really lose? To those Madrid bastards?"
"Hah…"
Normally quick to hurl insults, even they were now too dumbfounded to say much, their voices hollow with despair.
Some had bet half their monthly wage on Barcelona. Others had placed illegal bets worth enough to buy a car.
Tears flowed from more than a few faces.
The same was true for Barcelona's players.
They had been considered the strongest team in recent memory.
Accepting a home loss to Madrid was not easy.
"Hoo…"
Sitting crouched on the ground, Messi swept back his long hair.
It was painful.
He still couldn't fully comprehend why they had lost.
Up until the end, it hadn't felt like a match they were supposed to lose.
Barcelona had dominated for most of the 90 minutes.
But the win had gone to Real Madrid.
'Why did we lose…?'
A bitter emptiness.
Messi had scored two goals himself, which only deepened the disappointment.
He used to turn to Ronaldinho for comfort at times like this, but the Brazilian no longer played at Camp Nou.
Instead...
"Leo, let's look to the next one. You're too young to be crushed by just one game. Get up. Leave your regrets on the pitch."
The hand reaching out to him belonged to Xavi Hernández.
"We played well."
"I think so too. That's why I'm even more frustrated."
"Yeah, but the opponent played even better. We just need to improve and do better next time. We're still in second place, and there are 23 rounds left."
"Alright."
Messi stood up, hiding the bitter look on his face.
And just as he was about to leave the pitch, a player in white approached and stood in front of him.
"Leo."
Ho-young reached out for a handshake.
There was a moment of silence between the two before Messi finally accepted it.
It was a gesture of both congratulation and a silent vow to win next time.
They didn't exchange shirts.
They simply walked off in opposite directions.
That scene appeared on the big screen.
The two growing distant as they walked away felt symbolic of how far apart they were destined to remain.
It looked like a still from a movie.
One of those moments that tugs at the heart.
[A beautiful moment between victor and vanquished. The winner shows respect, and the loser acknowledges the winner. This is the true essence of El Clásico. After all, whether Madrid or Barcelona, they're both part of Spain.]
[Exactly. The players probably feel the same.]
They had fought like enemies during the match, throwing in rough tackles, stepping on fingers, cursing...
Yet now that it was over, they were like friends.
Though they didn't swap shirts, players from both teams gave high-fives and patted each other on the head, sharing a rare moment of unity.
It was only possible because both sides had performed admirably with no regrets.
At that very moment, good news arrived for Ho-young.
[Your talent vessel is now full. Pending absorption: Fully Balanced Ambidexterity (9 days), Explosive Kicking Power (6 days).]
[In 15 days, you must choose a preemptive talent to absorb.]
Artistic Ball Control (SS+3)
Perfect Focus (SS+2)
Unrivaled Football Sense (SS+2)
Unfortunately, God-Given Agility (SSS) required the hidden condition 2 (W and SSS-grade or higher) to be met before it could be absorbed.
Ho-young chose the first option.
If combined with his current Artistic Ball Control (SS+), it could give birth to the first-ever triple S-grade talent.
'I'll find out in 15 days.'
That wasn't all.
He had already absorbed 'Exceptional Off-the-Ball Movement (S+3)' from Eto'o, thanks to their previous encounter during the Olympics.
'I really cleaned up today.'
After wrapping up all his post-match duties, Ho-young joined his teammates to celebrate.
"That was insane. A hat-trick in your El Clásico debut, just like that."
"Heh. Last year, when Messi put a hat-trick past us, I was ready to punch a wall. Our youngest really did it."
Pepe and Ramos, who had been torn apart by Messi last year, couldn't hide their satisfaction.
The mood got livelier by the minute.
They looked ready to toss Ho-young into the air in celebration.
But Zidane, Raúl, and Carlos stepped in to rein it in.
"That's enough. Save the rest for the locker room."
"Yeah, you punks. You wanna make it back to Madrid in one piece tonight?"
"Let's head in. One round of stone-throwing was more than enough."
"Hahaha."
Soon, interview requests poured in like a storm.
One of them came from a reporter with Marca.
His first question was unexpected.
"I just came up from the press conference and heard something astonishing. Is it true what Coach Schuster said?"
"What did the coach say?"
Just five minutes earlier, at the post-match press conference, Coach Schuster had been asked this:
– Coach, you displayed fantastic tactics and in-game adjustments today. As a result, you successfully countered Barcelona's tiki-taka. Especially impressive was the transition from a 5-3-2 to a 3-5-2 for counterattacks, using your wing-backs effectively. While initially it seemed defensively risky, the team's disciplined covering made it work. Did you specifically prepare these tactics against Guardiola's tiki-taka? And if so, what was the process behind that tactical plan?
To that question, Schuster answered without holding anything back.
"Coach Schuster mentioned your name. He said today's tactics were possible thanks to your input."
It was true.
At the press conference, Schuster had repeatedly mentioned Ho-young's name, showering him with praise.
It was a shocking revelation for everyone present.
Some refused to believe it.
That's why the Marca reporter had come straight to confirm it with Ho-young.
The formal interview began immediately.
"So let me ask. Real Madrid played a very tough match today. A rare seesaw battle. From a tactical standpoint, it felt like a Champions League final. I imagine the players felt the same. What do you think was the driving force behind today's win? Was it the tactic you personally helped design?"
Ho-young answered with a soft smile.
"No way."
"Pardon?"
"Tactics are just one tool to win a match. Sure, good tactics can make a big difference. But without teammates supporting it, even the most brilliant tactic becomes useless."
"So you're crediting your teammates entirely?"
"Credit has nothing to do with it. We all worked hard and ran a little more for each other. If even one of us hadn't done that, the tactic would have failed. I'm sincerely grateful to my teammates for that."
"...I see."
The reporter's pupils trembled.
Beyond his role as a journalist, he was moved as a Real Madrid fan.
Having someone like Ho-young on the team made him proud.
"Thank you for your words. Then could we ask about your future goals?"
"My goals?"
The warm smile disappeared.
With a firm gaze, Ho-young spoke resolutely.
"I want to make Real Madrid's third consecutive La Liga title a reality. This is my first season with the senior squad, so it's especially meaningful to me."
League title.
Ho-young desperately wanted it.
And now, Real Madrid had drawn level with Barcelona on points.
Though the season was only at its midpoint, this win was a huge step toward the title.
The reporter asked another question.
"What about the Champions League? The Round of 16 draw is coming up soon. Are you confident?"
"Our top priority is winning the Champions League. No matter who we face, we'll give it our all, just like today, to prove we're the best team."
The road ahead was long and arduous.
But if they kept marching forward, they'd eventually reach their destination.
The joy of victory didn't end there.
Late that night, aboard the private jet back to Madrid, Schuster gave the players permission to drink.
They had earned it.
There was a home match against Mallorca next week, but for tomorrow, he planned to give the players a full day of rest.
The plane quickly turned into a party.
Club music blared from one corner, where Diarra and Marcelo danced ridiculously under the influence.
"Hehe. I'm filming this. Gonna post it on Facebook later."
"Facebook? What's that?"
"Just record it. It'll help you get more followers."
But not everyone was in the mood to celebrate.
Captain Raúl lay quietly with his eyes closed, face serious.
'Did Ho-young really come up with that custom tactic himself…? I still can't believe it.'
He had thought it was purely Schuster's doing.
But after hearing the coach's interview, he finally understood the truth.
The shock hadn't worn off.
Ho-young.
Just what kind of player was he?
At the very least, to Raúl, there was no doubt.
'He's someone Madrid must never lose.'
If for any reason Ho-young ever had to leave the club, Raúl was determined to stop it.
[Ho-young selected as Official Man of the Match for the Barcelona game!]
That dawn, Ho-young clenched his fists as he read the article at home.
He couldn't stop smiling.
[Potential (SS-)]
The third reward.
It was the hidden reward for completing the special condition
There were countless talents he had wanted to absorb from this match.
Not only from Xavi, but also from Iniesta, Henry, Alves, Puyol…
Even Pep Guardiola.
The thought of Guardiola's talents still made his whole body tingle.
He possessed abilities rarely found in any player.
'I'll definitely get them someday.'
The condition required playing under Guardiola, but Ho-young vowed he would make it happen.
And the next day, as the interviews of the manager and players spread widely, the football world stirred once more.
The one who reacted the most was President Pérez.
(To be continued.)
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◇ 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.)