The first thing Joseph heard was the rain.
It had stopped falling sometime in the early morning, leaving behind that quiet hum that only Benin mornings knew — the sound of dripping roofs, distant motorbikes, and soft conversations echoing through the neighborhood.
He opened his eyes. For a moment, he thought it had all been a dream.
The blue light, the floating screen, the strange voice that called him player — it couldn't have been real. He sat up slowly, blinking against the pale dawn light spilling through the window.
The power was still out, but the air felt fresher after the storm. His room smelled of wet dust and soaked wood.
Joseph rubbed his eyes and looked around. The small room was the same: cracked wall paint, the peeling Messi poster, the pair of old boots at the corner. Everything normal.
Until—
Ding.
He froze.
The sound came again, clearer this time — from the air, not from any device.
And then, before his eyes, a faint blue light shimmered into existence once more.
Joseph's breath caught. "It's real…"
The glowing system interface unfolded, like glass screens materializing from thin air. His name appeared at the top, followed by stats and numbers.
---
> [FOOTBALL SYSTEM ONLINE]
Good morning, Player Joseph Oyas.
Daily Mission: Complete 30 minutes of morning training.
Reward: +2 XP | Unlock Dribbling Skill Lv.1
Penalty for Failure: None. (Motivation decreases.)
Current Energy Level: 95%
Would you like to begin your session now?
[YES] [NO]
---
Joseph stared, heart pounding. His fingers trembled as he reached toward the floating [YES] icon. The moment he touched it, the screen flashed.
> Training Session Initiated.
Objective: Physical Warm-Up & Ball Control Practice.
Countdown: 00:30:00
A small digital timer appeared in the air beside him, ticking down.
Joseph blinked hard. "This can't be real…"
But his heart said otherwise.
He jumped to his feet, grabbed his worn football from under the bed, and stepped outside.
---
The compound was quiet. Morning mist lingered above the red soil. A few early risers were already fetching water from the nearby tap, and an old radio somewhere played a muffled gospel song.
Joseph walked toward the open patch of land behind the house — the same one where he'd learned to juggle as a kid.
He dropped the ball to the ground. The system followed him — its faint blue overlay hovering just above his vision. The timer kept ticking.
00:29:32
He took a deep breath. "Alright then."
He began to juggle.
At first, it felt awkward. His legs were stiff from yesterday's match, and his mind was still clouded with doubt. The ball bounced off his knee and rolled away. He ran to retrieve it, frustration flashing through him.
Then —
Ping!
> Tutorial Tip: Maintain rhythm. Focus on control, not power.
Joseph exhaled slowly. He tried again.
Tap — tap — tap — tap.
The ball bounced off his feet, his thighs, his head. He moved in slow rhythm, each touch cleaner than the last.
For a moment, he forgot the world.
Ping!
> Combo Bonus!
Consecutive control streak: 20.
+1 XP.
Keep it up, Player.
Joseph blinked. "It's… giving me points?"
He smiled faintly, pushing harder. His touches became sharper, his focus absolute.
Minutes passed, and sweat beaded down his neck. When the timer hit 00:00:00, the system chimed softly.
---
> Session Complete.
+2 XP Earned.
Reward Unlocked: Dribbling Skill Lv.1
Attribute Updated:
Dribbling: 45 → 47
New Feature Unlocked: Skill Practice Menu.
---
Joseph fell to his knees, panting and laughing at the same time. "This is crazy," he muttered. "Completely crazy."
But the glow in his chest — that rush of belief — felt more real than anything.
For the first time, he could see progress.
---
When he returned home, his mother was awake, stirring a pot of pap on the stove.
"You started training this early?" she asked, surprised.
"Yes, Mama," Joseph replied, wiping sweat from his face.
She smiled slightly. "That's good. Maybe all this training will pay off one day."
He grinned. "It will."
She didn't notice the faint shimmer that flickered beside his eyes as he spoke — the soft blue reflection of the Football System hovering silently.
---
That afternoon, he walked to Ihama Field — one of the few open community pitches where boys gathered to train. It wasn't official, but it was real grass, uneven and patchy as it was.
A group of local players were already there, practicing passes and running laps. Joseph joined them quietly, keeping his head down.
Osas was there too.
When Osas saw him, he smirked. "You again? You no tire?"
Joseph ignored him and started jogging around the field.
He could feel the system pulsing faintly — like a silent observer in the back of his mind. When he touched the ball, faint data flickered across his vision:
"Pass Accuracy: 62%."
"Stamina: 89%."
"Ball Control: Improving…"
Every move, every kick, was being tracked.
During a break, one of the older boys called out, "Oyas, try that new dribbling of yours, make we see!"
Joseph hesitated, then stepped forward.
He placed the ball before him, took a breath — and then something clicked.
His feet began to move almost naturally, light and fast. He weaved left and right, spinning the ball between his legs. It wasn't perfect, but smoother than ever before.
The others whistled.
"Ehn! Oyas don dey hot o!" someone said.
Osas frowned, arms folded.
Joseph finished the move and stopped, chest heaving. He could hardly believe it himself.
The system chimed again.
> Skill Activated: Dribbling Lv.1
Performance bonus: +2% accuracy
Combo: Perfect Execution! +1 XP
He smiled — small but proud.
Osas walked over slowly. "You think that small trick means anything? Wait till the next match."
Joseph didn't reply. He didn't need to.
---
When evening came, Joseph walked home through the golden sunset. The wind was cool, the streets alive with music and laughter.
He stopped at a small kiosk, peering at a dusty TV showing a Premier League highlight. Kevin De Bruyne curved a long pass into the box; the crowd on-screen roared.
Joseph watched, mesmerized.
The system flashed faintly:
> New Skill Path Unlocked: Vision (Playmaking Mastery)
Track and analyze elite-level passes to progress.
His breath caught. "You mean I can learn from watching too?"
No answer came — but the glowing text faded like a knowing smile.
---
At home, he scribbled in his old notebook — the one he used to jot down drills and football tactics. He wrote down everything that had happened:
Training mission
XP system
Attribute increase
Dribbling skill
He drew a line at the bottom and wrote one word beneath it:
"BELIEVE."
He didn't know where this strange system had come from — maybe God, maybe fate, maybe something else entirely — but it didn't matter.
All he knew was that it had chosen him.
---
That night, Joseph lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
"System," he whispered. "Can you hear me?"
The air shimmered.
> Yes, Player.
He sat up. "What are you?"
> I am your path.
I exist to help you achieve your ultimate football potential.
However, effort determines growth. Without training, you will not improve.
Joseph nodded slowly. "So it's all up to me?"
> Always.
He smiled faintly. "Good."
---
> New Quest:
Join a local football academy or team within 14 days.
Reward: +10 XP | Unlock Team Chemistry feature.
Penalty for Failure: Confidence -10%. Motivation -15%.
Joseph's pulse quickened. Fourteen days? That was impossible. Most academies charged high registration fees or demanded connections.
But then he thought of his mother, of Osas, of that dusty field where everyone laughed at his dreams.
No. It wasn't impossible. Just hard.
He took a deep breath and whispered: "Challenge accepted."
---
The night breeze blew softly through the window, carrying with it the faint sound of street football — the laughter of other boys chasing their own dreams under the flicker of streetlights.
Joseph closed his eyes, his heart steady.
Tomorrow, he would find a way.
Tomorrow, GOAL would begin.