Since I'm home, I can finally experiment with this Core system. Let's see what it can do. "Hmm..."
Winston paced slowly around his room as he summoned the Core system with finger flick. A familiar interface materialized before him. Near the bottom of the display, a small message icon flickered. At first, it glowed a faint orange, and Winston paid it little attention. But as the icon continued to blink, his curiosity was piqued.
Ding!... Ding!... Ding!...
Click click click click
Just as Winston was about to open the message, his sister peeked through the doorway.
He lowered his hands.
She had never been fond of knocking before entering his room. No matter how many times he reminded her, she ignored him.
Winston let out a long sigh and shook his head.
"Mom says breakfast is ready," she said. "And please wear some pants. Don't come downstairs in your boxers."
"I'm coming," Winston replied. "And for the last time, learn to knock. What if I was naked?"
He stepped toward the door to close it, but his sister simply pulled down one eyelid, stuck out her tongue, and made an obnoxious noise. Winston rolled his eyes. She was younger than him and somehow managed to annoy him every chance she got, just like any younger sibling. Then, without warning, her playful expression softened. "I'm happy you're okay," she said quietly. "I was worried."
Winston paused halfway to the door. For a brief moment, neither of them spoke. Then she ruined the moment with a mischievous grin. "And leave you as an only child? Forget it. You'll never get my room."
His sister burst into laughter, turned on her heels, and sprinted downstairs. Winston watched her disappear down the staircase, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"How are you feeling?" Winston turned toward his father, who sat behind a newspaper, peering over the top as he flipped through its pages. It surprised Winston to see him awake despite working night shifts. The last time his father had been home during the day was for Winston's first official match. Back then, Winston had been nothing more than a reserve player. As he improved, he became a regular substitute, and a few months later, he had earned a place in the starting eleven.
"I'm okay, Dad. I feel much better," Winston replied. "I'm planning to head to the training ground to report to the coach and get some practice in. I'm sure they'll want to check on my condition since I missed a couple of matches."
"Are you sure?" his mother asked as she placed breakfast on the dining table. "I was hoping you'd stay home and focus on recovering." She reached over and gently felt his forehead just as Winston reached for a slice of toast and poured himself a glass of orange juice.
"I'm okay, Mom. If I don't train, I'll fall behind and end up back with the reserves. I'd go crazy sitting at home all day." He slung the sports bag he had packed earlier over his shoulder, already eager to get back to the training ground.
Ding!... Ding!... Ding!...
Three more notifications chimed in rapid succession. Winston flinched and instinctively looked around at his family. No one reacted. They continued eating breakfast as though they hadn't heard a thing. Winston shrugged, remembering that the Core system was connected directly to his mind and soul.
I wonder what that was. Weird... Whatever. "Okay, I'm heading out."
"Don't overdo it out there," his father called.
"And don't put on your earphones while you're walking," his mother added. "Watch for cars, Winston."
As Winston reached for the front door, he caught sight of his sister. The mischievous smile she had worn moments ago was gone, replaced by a worried expression. She hurried over and wrapped her arms around him. "Be careful... and come back safely, okay?"
Winston gently patted her on the back. "Don't worry. I won't make the same mistake again."
His sister stepped back and held out her little finger. "Promise?"
Smiling, Winston hooked his pinky around hers. "I promise."
Only after sealing the promise did he leave the house. He walked down the lane for a short distance before breaking into a light jog toward the training ground.
When Winston arrived at the training facility, he reported to the medical staff, who had been waiting to assess his condition. After a brief examination, they cleared him and instructed him to wait on the training pitch. Finding an empty spot, Winston summoned the Core system with a flick of his finger.
The familiar interface appeared before him. He tapped the inbox. Three unread messages were waiting. Curious, Winston opened the first one. The contents of the system message left him completely puzzled.
[User daily challenge]
[The user is required to run 10 kilometers message within one hour]
D
Daily Challenge: Run 10 kilometers...Wait... Is the system testing whether I'm worthy of accepting its challenges? "Whatever. I needed a warm-up anyway." Winston glanced around the training ground before doing a quick calculation. "Ten kilometers... that's twenty-five laps."
Without another thought, he started jogging. After the fifth lap, he checked the Core system. The timer was steadily counting down, confirming his progress.
By the fifteenth lap, he gradually increased his pace. One by one, his teammates began arriving at the training ground. Several coaches also stepped onto the pitch, chatting among themselves as they observed the players warming up. Winston noticed the medical staff speaking with the head coach, his assistant, and the striker coach. Every so often, they glanced in his direction, quietly monitoring his condition. Fortunately for Winston, by the time the head coach called him over, he had just completed the system's ten-kilometer challenge.
Ding!
What now?
Ignoring the new notification, Winston jogged over to the coaches. He couldn't help but feel nervous, especially after noticing the medical staff reviewing the results of his examination. "For someone who spent three weeks unconscious, your fitness hasn't declined as much as we expected," the head coach said. "Your short spell training with the senior team clearly benefited you."
He extended his hand. "You've earned another opportunity to train with the senior squad."
Still catching his breath, Winston shook the coach's hand. "Not bad," the head coach continued. "The medics have cleared you, but don't push yourself too hard. We'll continue monitoring your condition."
He pointed toward one of the training pitches. "For now, get changed and prepare. We'll call you over once training begins."
Winston nodded. "Thank you, Coach."
As he walked toward the changing room, the notification echoed in the back of his mind.
I hope I passed the daily challenge. A ten-kilometer warm-up was tougher than I expected... but it actually loosened my body. Right now, I need to focus on controlling my breathing.
[Congratulation Daily challenge completed]
Ding!
[The user is rewarded with 5 reward points.]
Ding!
[Shop is now available: user can now spend points]
Wait there's a shop…
Ding!
[Penalties: 00]
What? There are penalties to not finishing daily challenges.
Ding!
Winston Daley Stats
Name: Daley Winston
Weak Foot: 2
Foot: Right
Profession: Footballer
Team: Westminster F.C. (Senior team) [Demoted]
Player Rating: 76
Position: Center forward.
Potential: 88
[Drop down Category]
Pace
Shooting
Passing
Dribbling
Physical
Reward points: 05
Skills moves: None.
Skills shop
Wow it categorized my stats, it even added a skill shop. I want to see what the skill shop has.
[User skills shop]
Finesse Shot: 50 points
Chip Shot: 25 points
Outside Foot Shot: 60 points
Long Shot Taker: 50 points
Long Passer: 10 points
Dead Ball: 15 points
Gamecharger: 50 points
Incisive Pass: 25 points
Tiki Taka: 10 points
Technical: 45 points
First Touch: 45 points
Quick Step: 50 points
Low Driven shot: 50 points
All of these are legendary skills. Too bad I don't have enough points to unlock any of them. I wonder if the Core system rewards more points for completing challenges.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
A knock on the stall door startled Winston, who was sitting on the toilet while browsing the Core system. "Hey, man, you okay?" a teammate called from outside. "The coach asked me to get you. Training's about to start."
Winston dismissed the Core interface. "Okay, I'm coming," he replied. "Just give me a minute. I'm almost done."