Chapter 16
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Nothing is Impossible for Park Si-hyun
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"Why are you more nervous than me, hyung?"
A black van was carrying me through the streets of Essen today as well.
But today's destination was a little special.
I was on my way to the training ground for my first session with Rot-Weiss Essen.
"How could I not be shaking? Our client dropped a bombshell at the signing ceremony, and now anyone in Germany who doesn't know Park Si-hyun is under suspicion of being a spy."
I couldn't help but chuckle at Do-yoon hyung's joke.
Honestly...
I hadn't expected things to blow up like this.
Who would've thought a single comment from a third-division signing could cause such a stir?
'Zlatan's reaction was honestly unexpected.'
Zlatan Ibrahimović.
The man who proclaimed himself the greatest, but who always put himself down just to praise Ronaldo.
He never hid his fandom for Ronaldo, even right up until retirement.
The problem was probably that, even though Ronaldo was among the players the reporter mentioned, he still called himself the 'world's best player.'
'Honestly, it worked out great.'
Soccer players are ultimately entertainers.
It's not enough to just have skill, and popularity alone won't cut it. You need both to get real respect.
Messi and Ronaldo are perfect examples.
Even up to 2023, before my regression, debates raged over who was better, but from a player's perspective, Messi was a cut above.
Yet Ronaldo had the most Instagram followers. And his weekly wage was higher too.
What does that mean?
Showmanship equals bank balance.
'Ronaldo's smart. How did he come up with the Siuuu celebration? I need to create one of my own...'
Thanks to Zlatan, my notoriety was leaning toward the 'bad boy' side right now.
But it wasn't all bad.
After Zlatan mentioned my name, players and coaches across Europe started name-dropping me.
Good or bad, having my name on everyone's lips was a positive sign.
"Don't worry. Soon the whole world will realize that bomb wasn't a toy—it was a nuke."
Do-yoon hyung chuckled from the driver's seat.
"Yeah, yeah. If Park Si-hyun says so, I believe it. But hey, Si-hyun."
"Yeah?"
"I'm not worried about you. Taking care of you has shown me... you're not the type of being that needs worrying over. It's a waste of time."
"...Yeah. That's the Park Si-hyun style."
Not worrying means he trusts me... so why does it feel a bit disappointing?
'Get used to it. It's weird for the world to worry about the greatest player. I need to become someone everyone looks up to.'
"We're here."
At Do-yoon hyung's words, I glanced out the window. Essen's home stadium, Potsipalais Stadium, came into view.
"Hyung, wrong place. This is the home stadium..."
"It's the right spot. See that tiny building next to Potsipalais Stadium? That's Essen's training ground."
Where Do-yoon hyung pointed, a small field nestled in the shadow of the grand stadium.
Werner Klein and Michael Waltz had been waiting for this day.
No—better to say they'd been grinding their teeth in anticipation.
'What? Already the world's best? That arrogant little...'
'Just show up. I'll make you feel the skill gap in your bones.'
Both of them had frozen in fury when they heard Park Si-hyun's signing ceremony remarks.
A newbie dipping his toes into the third division, talking about being the 'world's best'?
And that tone—like they didn't even register in his eyes.
As if he'd already claimed the starting spot, his cockiness was revolting.
What made it even worse was something else.
The coach accepting the provocation outright.
Dismissing them with a single article, while rolling out a lavish signing event for Park Si-hyun. The owner too.
Nothing about it sat right.
And then... finally, the 'guy' they'd been waiting for walked in.
Park Si-hyun, now the most famous name in Germany's third division.
But the two dropped their plans to chew him out the moment they saw him.
He was much bigger in person than in the photos they'd seen.
'Hmph... with a body like that, no wonder he's arrogant.'
Werner muttered inwardly.
193cm. Thick shoulders, solid legs.
Just standing there exuded pressure. Living with a physique like that would make anyone confident.
Michael reined in his initial hostility too.
'Yeah... he's young, so a slip-up is forgivable.'
"Everyone knows who he is, right? Haha. Who wouldn't? Our new signing for Essen, Park Si-hyun. Hope you're all doing well, Si-hyun!"
At the coach's introduction, Park Si-hyun stepped forward.
"I'm Park Si-hyun."
With those words, every eye in the training ground locked onto him.
Yet his voice didn't waver a bit.
"Plenty of you hate my guts here. Makes sense. Flashy signing ceremony, cocky words that rub people wrong... You're all thinking the same."
Park Si-hyun's gaze slowly, heavily swept over each player.
Not one avoided his eyes.
"But that mindset won't last. You'll acknowledge it soon enough. That I'm the world's best."
A split-second silence fell, then Werner and Michael's faces flushed with rising anger.
Right from the first meeting, this blatant trash-talk aimed at the whole team.
"And let me say this upfront. I don't plan to stick around here long."
His tone carried the certainty of someone who'd already decided his fate.
"I'll be heading to bigger stages soon. In the order I've set."
"You mean... you're just passing through?!"
Werner couldn't hold back and shouted.
"Werner, right?"
"You know me?"
Werner's expression twisted slightly.
This arrogant punk even knew his name? Unexpected.
"Of course. You're our team's striker."
"Y-yeah."
Werner almost felt flattered for a second, but the next words made him grit his teeth again.
"And thanks to that response just now, I get why Essen finished 13th last season."
"What... did you say?"
"The 'bigger stage' I mentioned means going up with Essen. But you couldn't even imagine it. Why? Because your head's stuck on 'Essen can't reach the second division.'"
"Obviously! We finished 13th last season! Not even top three—we barely avoided relegation!"
Werner's voice grew heated.
"It's realistically impossible!"
"Yeah. Impossible for you."
Park Si-hyun shook his head with a smirk.
"But for me, staying in the third division for two seasons is what doesn't make sense. Park Si-hyun in the third division for two years? That's something that shouldn't happen in soccer history."
His words made the training ground air grow heavier.
Werner bit his lip hard, veins bulging on the back of Michael's hands.
"Fine..."
Werner muttered through clenched teeth.
"Today's training, I'll flatten that nose of yours."
"Oh? Looking forward to it."
Park Si-hyun's lips curled up slightly.
"But heads-up: no excuses after losing to me. None of that 'he had the size advantage' or 'he's a rookie so he didn't know better.' It'd just make you look ugly."
"That's exactly what I wanted to say to you."
"Coach, is it okay to just let him run wild like that?"
Assistant coach Stefan Harbermann whispered worriedly.
But Frank Kurt was smiling instead.
"More than okay. I like it."
Arms crossed, Frank's eyes followed Park Si-hyun.
"Stefan, you heard what he said, right?"
"But the team atmosphere—"
"Team atmosphere?"
Frank scoffed.
"Has our atmosphere been good so far? Finishing 13th in the third division and still laughing it off?"
Stefan fell silent.
Honestly, even he thought it was weird that the mood stayed upbeat after 13th place.
Frank nodded toward the field.
"In five minutes of him being here, the players' eyes have changed. Look at Werner and Michael. When's the last time they burned like that?"
"But if discord breaks out..."
"Then the ones who can't cut it leave."
"Werner's still the team's—"
"Ace. Was."
Frank cut him off with short, firm words.
Stefan sensed it instantly.
In the coach's mind, Werner had long been overshadowed by Park Si-hyun.
"And you just unconsciously picked Werner when I said 'the ones who can't cut it leave.'"
"Th-that's..."
"That's the power of confidence. Even if it seems arrogant at first, keep hearing it and you start believing it."
"You don't mean the coach actually wanted..."
"Yeah, I wanted our players to have that confidence too. To be honest."
Frank paused, then continued.
"Si-hyun won't ace everything from the start. He needs time to adjust. But if we can instill that mindset in the team, even if he's off early, we can promote."
But that mindset lasted exactly 30 minutes.
"I'm not seeing this wrong, am I, Stefan?"
"Coach... I see it too."
Stefan's voice trembled.
Sprint test: first place. Stamina test: first. Repeated sprints, agility, ball control. Park Si-hyun dominated every basic drill.
'Okay, he can shine in training. But in real play—'
That thought shattered the moment scrimmage started.
'Damn... I was wrong. This isn't a guy who needs an adjustment period.'
'Si-hyun... he'd dominate even in the first division already.'
At that moment, Frank and Stefan shared the same realization.
They hadn't brought a person.
They'd brought a monster.