The human body has 206 bones. Rio Valdes felt like every single one of them was vibrating, ready to shatter.
[SYSTEM WARNING][Adrenaline Crash: CRITICAL][Muscular Integrity: 15%][Movement Speed: Reduced by 80%]
The "Berserker Mode" had ended. The bill had arrived, and the interest rate was lethal.
Rio stood in the center circle as the second half resumed. To the cameras and the terrified Argentine players, he looked like an apex predator waiting to strike. His posture was rigid, his chest puffed out, his gaze fixed on Martinez.
But inside, Rio was screaming. Don't fall, he commanded his legs. If you kneel, they will attack. If you stumble, they will eat you.
He couldn't run. He couldn't jump. He probably couldn't even kick the ball without collapsing. He was a statue made of glass, painted to look like steel.
But Argentina didn't know that.
Martinez received the ball. The "Butcher" had a heavy bandage wrapped around his head where he had hit the ground earlier. He looked at Rio, rubbing his aching chest.
Rio didn't move. He just stared. Come on, Rio projected the thought, putting on his best poker face. Try me again. See what happens.
Martinez flinched. The memory of being tossed like a ragdoll was too fresh. The humiliation burned, but the fear burned hotter. Instead of driving forward, the Argentine captain passed the ball sideways.
"Build up slowly!" Martinez shouted, his voice lacking its usual arrogance. "Don't engage him one-on-one! He's a monster!"
Rio exhaled slowly through his nose. It worked. The fear of the "Monster" was doing the defending for him.
Minute 65. The game had turned into a strange stalemate. Indonesia had retreated into a "Turtle Shell" formation (5-4-0). They cleared every ball that came near them. Argentina dominated possession (75%), but they were terrified of the counter-attack. Every time Rio even twitched his foot, three Argentine defenders sprinted back to cover their goal, abandoning their offensive duties.
"They are scared of a ghost," Ole Romeny whispered, standing next to Rio in the midfield.
"Keep the ghost alive," Rio gritted his teeth, sweat stinging his eyes. "Ole, you have to cover my zone. I can't move laterally. I can't move at all."
"Understood."
The Ghost became the workhorse. Ole Romeny wasn't sprinting; he was simply... appearing. An Argentine pass? Ole intercepted it. A dribble? Ole poked the ball away from the blind spot. He wasn't physically strong, but his positioning was S-Rank. He was cleaning up the mess while Rio stood guard like a terrifying scarecrow.
Minute 80. Fatigue was setting in for everyone. The Indonesian defenders were cramping. Dani, the teenager who replaced Bambang, was crying from exhaustion but kept running because he was more afraid of Rio than the fatigue.
"Ten minutes!" Coach Guntur screamed from the sideline, looking at his watch like a madman. "Just ten minutes! Hold the line!"
Argentina finally realized something was wrong. "He's not moving," an Argentine midfielder pointed at Rio. "He hasn't left the center circle for twenty minutes! He's just watching us!"
Martinez's eyes widened. "He's bluffing. He's gassed! ATTACK!"
The fear broke. The dam burst. Argentina threw everything forward. 9 players flooded the Indonesian half.
"Wall!" Rio shouted, his voice raspy.
Minute 88. A cross flew into the box. An Argentine header. SAVE! The Indonesian goalkeeper clawed it out of the top corner.
Minute 89. A rebound shot. BLOCK! Dani threw his face in front of the ball. The kid collapsed, nose bleeding, but the ball deflected wide.
Minute 90+4. Last minute of stoppage time. Martinez had the ball. He ignored Rio this time. He sprinted past the stationary captain. "You're finished!" Martinez roared.
Rio tried to turn, but his legs wouldn't obey. They were dead weight. He watched helplessly as Martinez reached the edge of the box. The Butcher wound up for a shot that would break Indonesian hearts.
BOOM.
But the ball didn't fly toward the goal. It hit a pale leg that appeared from nowhere.
Ole Romeny. The Ghost had tracked back all the way to the defensive line.
The deflection sent the ball high into the air. Time seemed to freeze. The ball dropped... spun... and landed safely in the arms of the Indonesian goalkeeper.
The keeper fell to the ground, hugging the ball like it was his own child.
FWEEEEET! FWEEEEEET! FWEEEEEEEEET!
The whistle blew.
FULL TIME.INDONESIA 1 - 0 ARGENTINA
The stadium erupted. It wasn't just a cheer; it was a sonic boom of disbelief. Indonesia, the lowest-ranked team in the group, had beaten the giants. They had 4 points. They were technically safe from elimination.
The Indonesian players collapsed instantly. They didn't celebrate; they just fell where they stood, too tired to cheer.
Rio Valdes stood alone in the center circle. He looked at the scoreboard. 1-0.
Then, the strings cut. His vision went black. His knees hit the grass first, followed by his face.
[SYSTEM ALERT][MATCH RESULT: VICTORY][Objective Complete: Defeat a Top 10 Nation][Reward Calculation...][Base Reward: +60 Days Lifespan][Bonus Reward (Solo Goal): +10 Days][Achievement: "The Butcher's Nightmare" Unlocked][TOTAL LIFESPAN ADDED: 70 DAYS][Current Lifespan: 114 Days]
Rio didn't see the notification. He didn't feel the medics rushing onto the field. He didn't hear the crowd chanting his name. He was finally asleep.
Two Days Later.
"Wakey wakey, Sleeping Beauty."
Rio groaned. He opened his eyes. He wasn't in a hospital this time. He was in the team hotel room. Bambang was sitting on the edge of the bed. The Mad Dog looked terrible—his nose was in a plastic splint, his eyes were black and blue, and his arm was in a sling.
But he was grinning.
"You've been out for 36 hours," Bambang said, tossing a newspaper onto Rio's chest.
Rio looked at the headline. It was a picture of him standing over Martinez. Headline: THE TYRANT OF JAKARTA: Indonesia Shocks the World.
"We won?" Rio asked, his memory hazy.
"We won," Bambang confirmed. "You scared them to death, and Ole cleaned up the trash. We have 4 points, Rio."
Rio sat up. His body felt heavy, but the crushing pain in his chest was gone. The System had processed the rewards. 114 Days. He checked his HUD. For the first time since his reincarnation, the number felt... substantial. He wasn't dying next week.
"What about the other match?" Rio asked. "France vs Japan?"
Bambang's grin faded. "France destroyed Japan 4-0. Jean-Luc scored a hattrick."
Bambang pulled up the table on his phone.
GROUP A STANDINGS:
1. France (4 Pts) - GD +4
2. Indonesia (4 Pts) - GD +1
3. Argentina (3 Pts) - GD +2
4. Japan (0 Pts) - GD -7
"It comes down to the last game," Bambang said seriously. "We play Japan. Argentina plays France."
"If we draw against Japan, we qualify," Rio calculated. "5 points guarantees a spot."
"It's not that simple," Bambang warned. "Japan has zero points. They are eliminated from the title race, but..."
"But?"
"They are desperate," Bambang said. "They will play for pride. They will play to take us down with them. A wounded Samurai doesn't surrender; he commits seppuku and tries to take the enemy's head with him."
Rio swung his legs off the bed. He felt stronger. The +70 Days reward seemed to have repaired his micro-injuries as well.
"Let them try," Rio stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the glittering skyline of Doha.
He touched the glass. "We survived the Titans. We survived the Butchers. I'm not afraid of the Samurai."
Rio turned back to Bambang. "Call Adrian. Tell him to prepare the briefing. I want to know everything about Japan."
[SYSTEM QUEST UPDATED][Objective: Qualify for Round of 16][Reward: Class Upgrade (Available)]
Rio smiled. "We're not just qualifying, Bambang. We're going to win the World Cup."