The German Cup quarter-finals were fast approaching. This time, the entire Hoffenheim squad journeyed north to face Paderborn, a 3. Liga club located in North Rhine-Westphalia. Their home ground, the Benteler-Arena, had limited seating, but the atmosphere was electric. The home fans viewed this as the most important match of the season, hoping to create a miracle.
However, for Hoffenheim, a team aiming for titles on three fronts, the strategic significance of this match was self-evident: they had to win, and they had to do so with as little energy expenditure as possible. Four days later, they would face a crucial Champions League Round of 16 second-leg match against Porto at home. Despite holding a 3-1 advantage from the first leg away, they could not afford to be complacent. Nagelsmann's tactical approach was as clear and pragmatic as ever.
In the defense, center-back Maguire was rested, and De Jong, who had played the full match against RB Leipzig with sustained high-intensity contributions, was also protectively placed on the bench.
In the attacking front, Gnabry, who had been in red-hot form recently and played continuously, received a valuable opportunity to rest. Therefore, the team's core responsibility once again fell on Oliver, who had just finished his rest period.
Oliver, carrying the trust of the coach and the expectations of the fans, once again took to the field. In this match, Paderborn's players, overall, were full of fighting spirit. From the start, they tried to compensate for their technical shortcomings with aggressive pressing and tireless running. Their central midfielders and defenders marked Oliver almost man-to-man, with the characteristic roughness and ferocity of the 3. Liga. The pace of the match gradually became clear under Hoffenheim's control. The gulf in strength could not be bridged by sheer passion alone. Hoffenheim's players, even with some key players rotated, still possessed overall quality and tactical execution far superior to their opponents.
They patiently passed the ball, seeking an opening, and the deadlock was broken midway through the first half. From a free-kick opportunity on the left side of the attacking third, Kramarić's curling ball precisely found Oliver lurking in the penalty area. He leapt high, and despite the close interference of a sturdy defender, he powerfully headed the ball towards the goal! The ball hit the net!
1-0!
However, after completing the header, Oliver stumbled slightly upon landing. He frowned and quickly rubbed his shoulder, which had been harshly bumped by the opposing defender. To be honest, the quality of his header was quite poor; it was a complete 'fluke' that it went in. If Paderborn's defender had closed him down even a little faster, he definitely wouldn't have connected with the ball. Although there were flaws, the match was still ongoing, and it was not the time to dwell on that.
Hoffenheim became more composed after taking the lead. Shortly after the start of the second half, Oliver received a pass from a teammate about twenty-five meters from the goal, with a gap in Paderborn's still unorganized defense in front of him. Without the slightest hesitation, Oliver adjusted with one step of his left foot, tilted his body, and tightened the outside of his right foot, like a taut bow instantly drawn, unleashing a powerful shot! A swift, slightly out-swinging curling shot, like a guided missile, flew straight into the top right corner of the goal! Paderborn's goalkeeper flew to save it, but it was beyond his reach!
2-0!
A beautiful long-range screamer!
Just a few minutes later, Oliver once again showcased his comprehensive attacking talent. He received the ball in a central-right position, attracted the attention of two defenders, and then keenly spotted left-winger Ochs making a high-speed run down the left flank. A penetrating, almost ground-level through ball, perfectly bypassed the last defender and precisely landed in Ochs's sprinting path! The latter only needed to comfortably meet the ball with a simple tap-in, scoring easily!
3-0!
There was no longer any suspense in the match. Paderborn's players were still running, but their spirit had dwindled. Before the final whistle, from a corner kick opportunity, center-back Hübner outjumped everyone to head in another goal, ultimately sealing the score at 4-0. Hoffenheim calmly advanced to the German Cup semi-finals.
The atmosphere in the changing room after the match was relaxed, with teammates celebrating the victory and smooth progression. Resting teammates Gnabry, Maguire, De Jong, and others also congratulated their teammates via video calls. However, for Oliver, the accumulation of data from the goals and assists in this match was far less important than the sound that resonated in his mind shortly after. On the way back to the town on the team bus, Oliver was leaning back in his comfortable seat, resting his eyes.
As the bus drove onto the highway, while he was still catching up on sleep, the system prompted:
[Detection: Host's club 'Hoffenheim' has advanced to the German Cup semi-finals. Simultaneously, the club is currently in contention for the top spot in the domestic League (Bundesliga) and has reached the Round of 16 in the Champions League with an advantage to qualify. The club has entered a 'deep championship contention situation' across multiple competitions.]
[Now officially activating the 'Championship Coefficient' function module!]
[Function Description: 'Championship Coefficient' applies to the club's championship achievement settlement at the end of the season.]
Coefficient Starting Point: 1.0
Coefficient Increase: For every official competition championship title won by the Host's club in the current season, within the same national League system (Germany) that the Host participated in after joining (including but not limited to: top domestic League, top domestic Cup, domestic Super Cup, top intercontinental club competitions, etc., specific competitions based on the Host's League system), the [Championship Achievement Reward Points] obtained at the end of the season for each championship won will be multiplied by an additional +0.2.
Coefficient Cap: 2.0
Applicable Rewards: This function only applies to the [Corresponding Championship Achievement Reward Points] provided by the system after the Host wins a championship title through his club.
It does not apply to points obtained through matches, training, or other means.
[Current competitions within the same League system where the Host's club still has a chance to win a championship and their corresponding reward points (excluding the concluded German Super Cup):]
1. German Cup Champion Reward: 2000 points
2. Bundesliga Champion Reward: 5000 points
3. Champions League Champion Reward: 20000 points
[Please note: Single competition championship rewards are calculated only once, regardless of how many rounds or knockout stages they contain.]
[Current Championship Coefficient Calculation Status:]
Total Base Championship Reward at Season End (excluding coefficient): 2000 (German Cup) + 5000 (Bundesliga) + 20000 (Champions League) = 27000 points
The club is currently confirmed to be able to participate in the final stages of three competitions.
None of the three competitions have been won yet (Coefficient growth point is 0).
Therefore, the Championship Reward points obtainable at the end of the current season will be multiplied by a coefficient of: 1.0 (i.e., ultimately receiving 27000 points).
['Championship Coefficient' Growth Scenario Simulation:]
If the club wins 1 championship:
Total Championship Reward Points multiplied by 1.2 (27000 * 1.2 = 32400 points).
If the club wins 2 championships:
Total Championship Reward Points multiplied by 1.4 (27000 * 1.4 = 37800 points).
If the club achieves the Treble:
Total Championship Reward Points multiplied by 1.6 (27000 * 1.6 = 43200 points).
[Host, please continue to work hard and strive to maximize the 'Championship Coefficient' to obtain generous rewards!]
The system's prompt ended, but the waves it stirred in Oliver's heart were far from subsiding. Oliver suddenly opened his eyes. The light in the bus compartment was dim, and his teammate in the next seat was already softly snoring. His brain, however, was operating at an unprecedented high speed. 27000... base reward. Treble... multiplied by 1.6... 43200 points! A clear number was etched in his mind like a brand. This was not just cold points; this was a step forward towards his long-cherished ultimate goal, the [Steel Body] skill (price: 100000 points)!
He subconsciously summoned the system panel, visible only to himself, in his mind.
[Current Available Points: 21368]
These points were the savings Oliver had accumulated bit by bit, like 'building blocks,' through daily training, match victories, focus rewards, MOTM rewards, and so on, since he unexpectedly awakened the system last summer. Except for the previous [Aikido Grandmaster] skill and occasional use of [Physical Recovery Training].
He had never dared to lavishly exchange for those expensive player skills. All the skills he currently possessed were either self-realized or copied from other star players. Oliver was usually a generous person, never stingy when it came to spending money. Whether it was spending money on his family or treating teammates to meals and outings, he never hesitated when it came to money. But when it came to system points, Oliver immediately became shrewder than even the most miserly figures like Hetty Green.
His goal remained consistent, fixed on that lofty, 100,000-point skill icon, [Steel Body], which shimmered with tempting allure. There was no other way; this thing was too enticing. For this skill, Oliver was willing to persist in boring training day after day. Even if there were days he truly wanted to be lazy, he still had to ensure at least six hours of focus, and those six hours were still solely related to football.
He was also willing to endure temporary physical pain and to accumulate every hard-earned system point like storing golden beans. From playing his first match for Hoffenheim in August of last year to February of this year. Excluding the nearly month-long winter break, in the past five months or so, Oliver had accumulated 21368 points, still a long way from 100,000, like a long marathon where he had only run one-fifth of the way.
While conventional methods of accumulating points were stable, breaking the 100,000 mark would certainly require several years or even longer of accumulation. But now, the appearance of the [Championship Coefficient] function was like opening a shortcut!
As long as they won the German Cup, the Bundesliga title, and the Champions League... Adding the base 27000 points, multiplied by 1.6, that would be a whopping 43200 points! This was equivalent to obtaining nearly double the points accumulated in the past five months in one go. This would allow him to leap directly from the 'long run' of accumulating 100,000 to the 'mid-section,' with the finish line within reach! Even if they won two championships multiplied by 1.4 (37800 points), coupled with his existing base, it would still yield a massive return far exceeding expectations.
"That's the Treble..." Oliver savored the word in his heart.
This term once belonged only to top-tier giant clubs, to names that sparkled with starlight. But now, this term had become inextricably linked to him and to the small club, Hoffenheim, he played for. This goal was no longer out of reach; it had become an incredibly concrete and tempting objective. For Hoffenheim's glory, and for his own ultimate skill desire. The system's "Championship Coefficient" acted like a powerful stimulant, pushing Oliver's desire for championships to an unprecedented height.
The 4-0 triumph over Paderborn, for him, was not just another victory and set of statistics, but the first step towards a grand blueprint. His gaze was now firmly fixed on every upcoming battle: fighting for every inch against every opponent in the League, delivering a fatal blow to Porto in the Champions League second leg, and the challenges of the German Cup and the League. Every victory was adding bricks and tiles to that enticing 1.6 coefficient, bringing him closer to [Steel Body].
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