After examining the status of his talents for ten minutes, Ho-young grasped a few general truths.
All aspects contributing to his ball sense — ball control, ball trapping, ball keeping, and first touch — had reached the SSS- grade.
He also learned that if he could further elevate his Triple S-level abilities, he could eventually surpass human limits.
'So in the end, if I keep absorbing talents related to ball sense, I'll eventually go beyond the boundaries of human ability in that area.'
The explanation was complicated, but that was essentially the core of it.
All he had to do was continue coveting the talents visible to him and keep growing.
There was no need to overthink it.
As long as he stayed on the path he'd been following — or even moved faster — growth was inevitable.
'As long as the ball sense talent is rated A+ or higher, I can absorb anything.'
That was the best part of the integration system.
So it didn't seem like it would take long to surpass the Triple S tier.
And this applied not just to ball sense.
Whether it was shooting, passing, or mentality, the same phenomenon would occur across all areas.
He didn't know how far talent integration would eventually go, but one thing was certain: something incredible was happening.
So then, what came after Triple S?
Would it be possible to transcend human limits at that stage?
And if so, what lay beyond that?
The questions kept piling up, but no answers were immediately available.
He'd need to start absorbing more ball sense-related talents as soon as possible to find out.
In a sense, it truly felt like he had become a talent collector.
Step.
"Phew!"
Upon arriving at Valdebebas, Ho-young let out a deep breath as he stared at the massive complex.
It felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest.
A good sign.
He had found a new goal ahead of the season.
There were a few issues to address immediately, but he believed he could work through them wisely, just as he always had.
"I've got this."
Friday, July 6.
With a renewed sense of determination, Ho-young took his first step into the new season.
Today, as the first official day back, was more about team assembly than training.
For those returning from international duty, a medical check-up was conducted before any physical work began.
At the medical center, as always, Ho-young was seen by his primary physician, Ariana.
The examination proceeded smoothly and was completed by 10 a.m.
Just before the results were out, Ho-young was sitting in Ariana's office chatting with her.
She folded her hands and smiled.
"Honestly, I don't even need to look at the results. From what I saw earlier, you're in even better shape than last year. Your body's maturing and getting stronger. You get what I mean?"
"Hmm, yes. Just like you, Doctor."
"Huh?"
"It's just, you don't look any different from when I first met you four years ago."
"What? Hahaha!"
A warm laugh filled the office at Ho-young's casual remark.
Compliments about youth were always welcome, and Ariana was no exception.
Scooting her chair closer, she grinned.
"What is this? Are you buttering me up to get a better body fat percentage?"
"You know me. I don't lie."
"Pfft."
Ariana chuckled softly.
Ho-young smiled as well.
It had already been four years since they met.
At first, visiting the medical center had been nerve-wracking, even intimidating, but now, approaching his fifth year, he felt completely at ease.
He also felt a deep appreciation for the medical staff.
Thanks to their consistent care, including Ariana's, he'd come this far without major issues.
Then the test results came in.
Ariana adjusted her glasses and spoke.
"Well, I'm not even surprised anymore. Your thighs are getting more and more perfect by the day. I explained the golden ratio last time, remember?"
"Am I getting closer to that ratio?"
"Almost there. You're close to having the best possible lower body a human can have."
He felt like he was turning into a literal biological weapon.
Strange, but in a good way.
"And with improved muscle ratios, the frequency of minor injuries has decreased significantly. Even when you're tackled, your agility helps you recover quickly. Your thighs are good as they are. Now, if you focus on body balance, you'll be in ideal shape."
Until now, he'd been getting his thigh muscles checked every six weeks, but now that could be spaced out more.
"Thanks for always looking after me."
"Oh, come on. It's my job. Also… your overall condition is great. Did you not take any days off during your break?"
"My physical coach said I could rest for a few days, but I got itchy. So I did light workouts whenever I had time."
Training had become second nature for Ho-young — like breathing.
"But seriously, it's amazing. How can someone your age have such strong thighs?"
"Must be because I eat well."
"I'm not kidding. Sometimes I really want to study your body. And what's even more impressive is how much your stamina has improved compared to last season. You're more than ready to be a full-time starter. If your slow-twitch muscles develop properly, you'll have incredible endurance as an adult."
"Thank you. I'll work even harder."
His physical body, not just his football skills, was reaching its limits.
Ho-young felt a sense of awe toward his own development, but there was no fear.
As long as he kept growing, surpassing human limitations would be just another goal to reach.
"Well, let's just do one more test to rule out any hidden conditions."
"Got it."
"Oh, and another thing…"
Ariana crossed her legs and let her hair down.
Then she said,
"Take care of yourself. The new manager is really strict. He absolutely hates any issues related to dating or women."
"You mean Manager Scolari?"
"Yeah. By his directive, the end-of-month medical test will include questions about sexual activity. It's for the sake of managing player condition. And he said body fat percentage will be checked every three days, so be careful."
"Wow."
Even Ho-young hadn't expected it to be that extreme. It seemed Scolari was far more conservative and strict than he'd thought.
"So that's why you mentioned body fat earlier."
"Exactly. A lot of players come back from vacation with too much weight."
"Guess rest isn't really rest then."
"Well, at least it's not Guardiola."
"That's true. At least Scolari lets us eat dinner at home."
Some people claimed that Scolari and Guardiola had similar coaching styles, but in truth, they were completely different.
Scolari was strict and rough around the edges, while Guardiola was a perfectionist to the core.
A few days ago, right after taking charge, Scolari gave an interview where he laid out his philosophy.
When asked about his future plans, he replied:
We will go beyond being the best in the world. We will become the strongest. For that to happen, the players must follow me. They must give everything they have in every match and training session as if they were fighting a battle. Talented players are valuable. But no matter how skilled or expensive they are, if they don't listen to the coaching staff, I don't need them. What players must do is trust their manager — me — and follow my lead. No one will be able to change my style.
Outwardly, he came across as friendly and approachable, but to the players, he was strict and intense.
If someone didn't meet his standards, no amount of talent or reputation could guarantee a spot in the squad.
He had even left out Romário, the biggest star of the era, from Brazil's World Cup squad in 2002.
Now that he held the reins at Real Madrid, no one could rest easy.
The transfer window still had nearly two months left.
That day, after the medical tests, all first-team players were called to the training ground at 11:05 a.m.
There were still seven weeks until the season kicked off at the end of August, but Scolari had already begun shaping the team.
He warned that any unapproved absence from training would result in heavy punishment, so no one dared miss it.
The players were already exhausted.
Pre-season usually began two weeks before the season or, at the earliest, four weeks prior. But this time, it started seven weeks in advance.
The reason?
In three weeks, Real Madrid would be participating in the Peace Cup tournament.
"Ahem, ahem."
Once everyone was assembled, Scolari began outlining the schedule.
"For the next two weeks, we'll be in Northern Ireland for pre-season training. After that, we'll return to Madrid for four days of rest, then head into the Peace Cup. Any questions?"
"No, sir."
"None whatsoever."
Everyone answered, but some were already showing signs of fatigue.
Yet among them, a few had fire burning in their eyes.
Most notably, Ho-young and Cristiano Ronaldo.
"...!"
"!"
They were nearly identical in height and weight, and when they glanced at each other, their eyes met.
An odd tension filled the air.
A silent battle of nerves.
The intensity of their gaze was so strong, it felt like sparks could fly.
Still, Ho-young didn't look away.
It was his first time facing Ronaldo since the Champions League final, nearly 40 days ago.
And now, he didn't want to lose to him ever again.
Staring directly into his eyes, Ho-young clenched his fists.
Ronaldo's talent was still extraordinary, but now that they were teammates, the conditions for absorbing his talents had changed completely.
[Cristiano Ronaldo]
[Possessed Talents: Transcendent Crack (T), No-Spin Shot of the Transcendent Crack (SU), Astonishing Dribbling (SS+3), Artistic Ball Control (SS+2), Indomitable Fighting Spirit (SS), Peerless Individual Skills (SS-), Phenomenal Finishing Ability (S+3), Jaw-Dropping Pace (S+2), (More...)]
(A talent can be absorbed once all conditions are met.)
(When coveting a T-grade (Title) talent, a portion of the player's sense can be acquired. Must be over 18 to absorb.)
(S-grade and higher talents require fulfilling hidden conditions.)
(Condition 1: Play in a match as teammates.)
(Condition 2: Play together for 120 minutes.)
(Hidden Condition: Train together for 2,400 minutes.)
(Special Condition
(If Special Condition
Even with just the pre-season, two conditions could be satisfied.
Cristiano was practically a treasure trove.
'If we play a full season together, I might be able to absorb everything.'
That day, the team headed to a renowned hotel in Ireland for their two-week pre-season training camp.
And the pair's awkward first training session began the following morning.
(To be continued.)