Training Camp Ace (3)
Training Camp Ace (3)
004
I am not a player with good stamina.
It's not that my work rate is exceptionally low like Messi's... just a bit below average by high school league standards?
Since stamina training is the foundation of exercise, I've been doing it consistently ever since I started playing soccer in earnest.
However, university stamina training was much tougher than back in middle and high school.
For one thing, middle and high school soccer teams had at most one Coach and one or two assistant coaches, but the Hojin University Soccer Team had two more coaches in addition to the Coach and the Head Coach.
If you were to ask if it's so hard that I can't keep up with the training, I could answer that it's not.
It's a bit tough, but I can manage to keep up.
But what made it hardest for me wasn't the training or the senior-junior relationships.
It was the points.
The status window that wouldn't budge no matter how hard I tried or trained was what made it difficult for me.
'Damn it. Why aren't the points accumulating?'
Two weeks have already passed out of the 3-week Training Camp period.
At first, they only did stamina training, and from last week, they started tactical training, so I thought I could breathe a sigh of relief, but it turns out our Coach is the 'Mourinho' type.
"Hong Min-jun! Hurry up and back up!! The space is open right now!!"
"Hey! Hey, you bastard! Defenders!! How many times do I have to tell you to manage the line well!"
"Press, press, press!! I told you to stick to them in the Final Third!!"
"Transition! Can't you transition quickly! If you drag the ball like that during a counterattack, the opponent's formation will be all set!!"
Ki, kill me.
Since I wasn't good at tactical movement to begin with, I had to hear every curse in the book from the Coach, who emphasizes detailed tactics, especially defensive tactics.
Damn it.
In what kind of situation am I supposed to block space, and in what kind of situation am I supposed to mark a person!
And fuck, they said they'd entrust me with ball carrying during counterattacks, but what's with all that talk about transition.
If I had such good passing ability and quick judgment, I would have gone straight to the K-League, why would I be here doing this.
My strength is the technique to easily get past two or three people!
A Crack who cracks the solid opponent's formation is the role that suits me... but to call myself a Crack, it's a bit tough even against the 3rd and 4th-year senior starters.
After spending a long time devoted to training while my mentality was completely shattered.
Even though I got cursed at way more than the other players, the Coach insisted on including me in the starting team for every practice match.
Maybe the Wonder Goal on the first day left a deep impression.
Perhaps the Coach is mistaken. That I'm struggling now is just because I lack the stamina to keep up properly, and that once the League starts in earnest, I'll show the performance from the first day.
...That was a total fluke.
'Fuck. If only the status window worked properly....'
As I was grinding my teeth and preparing for the practice match.
"Gather around. Today, it's not an internal scrimmage, but we're inviting another school for a Friendly Match."
The Coach appeared with people from another school.
That's good.
It's the standard rule to boost your sense through Friendly Matches at the end of the Pre-season, so from now on, with a week left, we'll be running Friendly Matches like crazy.
But why are there women...?
"Now, they say a Cheerleading Squad has specially come along from Jijang University, so everyone, don't show any embarrassing behavior."
Cheerleading Squad?
There's such a thing?
I quickly searched for 'Jijang University' on my smartphone... well, look at that. Isn't it just a shitty local university on the same level as our Hojin University?
Hojin University and a shitty local university.
Truly a match that makes my heart swell.
Still, even if this school has low entrance requirements, they seem strong in arts and sports, as news about a national tournament pops up when I search for their soccer team.
"Wow, I'm jealous. They even have girls cheering for them over there."
I approached the senior who was muttering and asked quietly.
"Sunbae. Does our school not have a Cheerleading Squad?"
"We do. We have one, they just don't cheer for us."
"Ah...."
How can it be this sad.
Why on earth? Soccer is so much fun! Soccer players are so cool!
Plus, soccer players have insane stamina!
There are so many advantages like this... why on earth!?
"Why, you ask? Well... because there's no one good-looking on the soccer team."
"Ah...."
At this damn lookism, a sixty-year cycle of rage surges from the depths of my gut.
Fucking world! Is the face everything!!
Just as tears were clouding my vision at the very sad story,
"But I think we'll get a lot of cheering once school starts."
"Why?"
The seniors all look at me at once.
What, why?
"I get so fucking pissed off every time this guy does this."
"For real. When a handsome bastard pretends he doesn't know he's handsome, I really feel a murderous impulse."
"Fucking bastard... a fucking bastard who even has a black guy's dick...."
That was it.
I... was super handsome.
I was smiling contentedly when I felt a stinging gaze from somewhere, and when I looked, the noonas who came to cheer for Jijang University were whispering while looking at me.
When our eyes met, they even squealed and waved at me.
Ha... is this the life of a super handsome guy? Truly... it's the best.
Today, I'm in the highest of spirits! My condition is rock hard!
'...Huh? Wait a minute.'
Women...??
Come to think of it, I hadn't seen any women since the status window appeared because of the training camp, so I hadn't thought about it... in the first place, how did my status window come to be?
Because I was told to make a wish in a dream... the God of Soccer or whatever it was... what was my answer?
"...Sex."
"What did you say, you bastard?"
"Look at this guy's eyes. He's completely losing his mind seeing women."
"Shall I take care of him, Master?"
"Kill him."
Ugh, ack, ek, kek.
I kept getting beaten up by the seniors and missed all the Coach's instructions.
Well... it doesn't matter, right?
Anyway, I've learned team movement while getting cursed at until now... and the Coach wouldn't even expect detailed movement from me. I'll just move as I feel like it at the time.
Above all, what's important to me right now isn't the Friendly Match, but the sexy noonas over there squealing at me.
'Sex... yes, it was sex! The only way for me to get points is sex!!'
Indeed, my deep-laid plan! I invested in Charm for this moment! Well done, past me...!!
If I had uselessly invested points in soccer ability, how would I dare to have sex.
It's not that the past me was ugly... but if I'm still a Virgin until becoming a college student, there's a reason for it.
Of course, going to an all-boys middle and high school was the biggest reason.
"Hojin University No. 15, fighting!!"
"Milky-skinned No. 15!!"
"Kyaa~ He looked here! Oh my god!"
The Cheerleading Squad noonas were cheering hard, so I grinned and waved at them, and they were dying of happiness.
Like a typical university Friendly Match, the noonas were huddled together cheering at a close enough distance to see their faces.
Everyone's figure is... oh my.
'As expected of an insider group!'
I should show a good performance here and build up favorability.
The moment I made a firm resolution.
<First Friendly Match Event!!>
<For this match only, you can select 3 attributes to grant additional stats>
Something good popped up.
Oh, sweet!
【Technical】 【Mental】 【Physical】
【Individual Skill】 072▲ | 【Vision】 046 | 【Speed】 059
【Dribbling】 065▲ | 【Anticipation】 044 | 【Acceleration】 073▲
【Trapping】 057 | 【Judgment】 042 | 【Balance】 056
【Short Pass】 048 | 【Concentration】 056 | 【Agility】 059
【Long Pass】 041 | 【Off the Ball】 047 | 【Reaction Speed】 079
【Shooting】 045 | 【Marking】 038 | 【Power】 054
【Free Kick】 042 | 【Composure】 052 | 【Jump】 046
【Header】 038 | 【Leadership】 040 | 【Stamina】 047
【Tackle】 032 | 【Teamwork】 039 | 【Recovery】 065
【Hidden】
【Genius】 046 | 【Charm】 095 | 【Intelligence】 028
【Height 175cm | 63kg】
【Points Held】 0P
Kyaa~ Even if it's temporary, look at these beautiful stats.
After all, the most flashy thing in soccer is Dribbling breakthroughs.
Since I can only select 3 attributes anyway, there's no point in half-heartedly raising passing or mental attributes. It's better to maximize my strengths.
I wish it would start soon.
I stand in my position with a pounding heart.
Our team's formation is 4-3-3.
One center-forward with left and right wingers on either side. And the midfield configuration is a typical structure with two central midfielders and one defensive midfielder in an inverted triangle.
My position is left winger.
It's a defense-oriented tactic that requires an overall low defensive line and active defensive participation from the right winger, but I'm satisfied.
Because I am the vanguard of the counterattack.
Just like right now.
The match started with the opposing team's kickoff.
The opponent, who was slowly passing the ball in the defensive zone, started moving the ball to the midfield and then to the attacking zone since our team wasn't pressing.
The moment the opposing striker took the first touch, the defensive midfielder and one central midfielder rushed in like crazy. A tactical action following the Coach's instruction to apply ruthless pressure on opponents who have entered the Final Third.
The opposing striker returned the ball as if they had expected it, but since the match had just started, and it was the first match, our team's players were on edge.
The players, moving organically in line with the promised pressure, instantly blocked the passing path, intercepted the returning ball, and cleared it long towards the left.
'It's here!'
Since this was also part of the promised play, I ran like crazy as soon as my teammate intercepted the ball.
It was a ball that stretched longer than the promised spot, but thanks to designating one of the attributes obtained from the event as Acceleration, my feet kicking off the ground felt exceptionally light.
"Stop him!!"
"He's fast!"
The opposing team's formation is 4-2-3-1.
It was a formation that utilized a double pivot, with two defensive midfielders, so the backup speed was fast.
The opposing defensive midfielder approaching quickly.
Running while staring at the ball floating in the air, I glanced over and it was certain that they were bigger than me.
'Physical contact is a no-go.'
It's early in the game, but depending on their disposition, they might risk a foul and push with their body. With my physical ability, which is below average, I might not be able to hold up.
In times like this—
As I passed the falling ball, I could feel the opponent I glimpsed sneering.
However,
Thung!
The moment the ball hit my heel and bounced up again, passing over the opponent's head, their expression was filled with shock.
Seeing that expression, a thrill rises up.
This is the taste!!
Isn't this the reason I play striker, the reason I'm crazy about being a Crack!
A Crack who cracks the solid opponent's formation is the role that suits me... but to call myself a Crack, it's a bit tough even against the 3rd and 4th-year senior starters.
Towards the opponent's final defensive line.