Chapter 79

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Translator: Silver Dragon

Chapter: 79

Chapter Title: vs SL Benfica (1)

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After the match against Villarreal wrapped up, Jesus Joo headed straight home.

As he opened the front gate and stepped inside, he spotted Joo Yoon playing in the yard with a custom-made soccer ball and Partreus.

"Paa—! Chase! Chase!"

"Joo Yoon-ah, Dad played a full ninety and I'm beat... Can we play later?"

"Waaahhh!!!"

"...Yeah, no way that's happening! If my son's begging to play, I'll just drop my stuff and join right in, Joo Yoon-ah!"

"Paa good!"

Heading out to the yard, Jesus kicked the ball back to Joo Yoon but immediately regretted it.

'Ah... I should've just bagged a quick hat-trick and played with him then. I'd be resting right now instead. What was I thinking, slacking off like that?'

Joo Yoon boasted stamina on another level from kids his age, and that day, Jesus had to play until he was utterly drained.

"Joo Yoon-ah, shall we head inside now?"

"Waaahhh!!!"

"...Okay then, just a little more, just a bit longer?"

"Paa good!"

And that evening.

He realized the long day still wasn't over.

"Jesus, you up?"

"Yeah? What's up?"

"I was thinking Joo Yoon might want a little sibling."

"..."

The day of Jesus Joo—devoted husband and doting dad—was endlessly long.

As game day approached for Real Madrid's Champions League group stage fourth match against SL Benfica, a message came in from Kim Dong-jun, who had transferred to Benfica this season.

-Kim Dong-jun: Jesus hyungnim. How have you been faring splendidly as of late?

-The Football: Oh, it's Dong-junnie! What's got you messaging me? I'm doing great as always, though childcare's got me a bit frazzled lately lol

-Kim Dong-jun: Playing matches and still handling dad duties—truly the family man god of soccer! Anyway, I reached out to ask if you're starting in the Benfica match next. You played a full ninety yesterday, and Real Madrid's basically through to the round of sixteen already, right?

-The Football: lololol Ma! Whatever the manager says!

-Kim Dong-jun: Aigoo... Hyungnim, I'm starting that day, so have pity on your poor little bro and just let me know. If you're playing, I need to mentally prepare starting now.

Dong-jun sounded so desperate that I told him the truth.

-The Football: My whole body's sore from that full ninety last game.

-Kim Dong-jun: Aigoo... Please take care of your health, hyungnim. See you in Madrid on match day.

-The Football: ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Sure, let's grab a meal when you get to Madrid.

-Kim Dong-jun: Yes, see you then!

The next day.

I headed straight to the manager's office after arriving at the club and declared to Manager Valverde that I'd play in the Champions League group stage match against Benfica.

"Boss, I want to start the next game."

"...Didn't you just say yesterday after that full ninety that you were beat and needed rest?"

"Aw, come on... I only ran 5.8 km last game. I'm no weakling—I can definitely play."

"What if you push too hard and get injured... Wait a sec, come to think of it, you've never been injured once, have you?"

"Avoiding injuries is skill, and preventing them is skill too. Plus, it's helped a ton by my life's motto, something our ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠orphanage director drilled into us: 'Before someone hurts you, go hurt them first.' That saying shaped the lives of us orphanage kids big time. Maybe the director was prepping our young hearts for the harsh modern world, teaching us early to adapt to society..."

The longer I went on, the stonier the manager's face got.

Maybe it hit too close to home for a manager who'd retired due to injury. He cleared his throat and slowly nodded.

"Ugh... Fine, just stop talking and get out, please."

Guess he just didn't like my long-windedness.

Anyway, I really hadn't planned to play until yesterday. It only changed after today's meeting.

I didn't lie.

And I never said I wasn't playing—Dong-jun just assumed on his own, right?

Jeju-su, symbol of faith and trust, never lies!

And on the big match day.

The Champions League anthem echoed through the Santiago Bernabéu.

In the tunnel entering the pitch, I waved both hands cheerfully at Kim Dong-jun, who glared back with dead-fish eyes before flipping me off.

"Fuck! Jesus hyung! You said you weren't playing!"

"Me? When? I just said my body was sore."

(Korean players abroad roster.jpg)

The community users, killing time with all sorts of threads, then 1 hour 30 minutes before kickoff—

Once the starting lineups for Real Madrid and Benfica dropped,

Korean Derby posts flooded in rapid-fire.

(Real Madrid starting XI.jpg)

(SL ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Benfica starting XI.jpg)

Yesexsu!

If you ask which is the most famous selling club, most people think SL Benfica, Ajax, Porto, and the like.

Among them, SL Benfica was called the greatest talent merchant of the 21st century.

Whether it was scouting promising youngsters like João Félix or Darwin Núñez, unlocking their potential, or packaging them in nitrogen to sell high.

They had a knack for developing and flipping prospects, so big-league scouts always watched Benfica games closely.

Kim Dong-jun, solidifying his spot and competing for a starting role since joining, was one of the prospects drawing attention in the soccer world.

"Hmm... Should I trust Jeju-su and go for it? What's his transfer fee?"

"Jeju-su premium—they won't sell below 30 million euros (about 400 billion KRW)."

"Crazy bastards, who the hell came up with that Jeju-su premium crap?"

Of course, plenty had fallen for Jeju-su's smooth talk.

And it wasn't just scouts hooked by that slick tongue.

Real Madrid's players eyed Kim Dong-jun carefully too.

"That's him? The one Boss (Jesus) said was decent?"

"Yeah, he mentioned in an interview the kid's great at creating space. Already linked to big leagues with the Jeju-su seal of approval."

"Then he's screwed. Poor guy's getting marked by Boss this game..."

With eyes full of mixed emotions.

As André Zuler and Vladimir Radović looked at Kim Dong-jun with pity,

The ref's whistle blew, Benfica kicked off, and the match began.

Benfica seemed to control early possession, but soon Real Madrid took over the flow. Benfica found themselves pinned back, getting hammered by Real Madrid's attack.

"Fabianski, hold him off!!!"

After taking a beating for a while, Benfica clawed back some momentum when Kim Dong-jun anticipated Luis García's pass, intercepted it, overlapped at speed, and whipped in a cross for their first shot on target.

Returning to position after that solid overlapping run and cross, Kim Dong-jun locked eyes with Jesus Joo.

'Huh? Why am I suddenly getting chills? Ghost or something?'

Despite the bad vibe, not wanting to lose momentum, Kim Dong-jun held Jesus's gaze.

When ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Jesus grinned with satisfaction,

He knew something was wrong.

Then Kim Dong-jun's ordeal began.

Jesus Joo—striker by title, free-roamer in practice—shifted from up top to the right flank.

Naturally, Roberto Fabianski slid into the striker spot.

And now Jesus Joo and Kim Dong-jun were face-to-face.

That's when Kim Dong-jun realized the source of the chill.

"Jesus hyung! Why are you coming at me?!"

"Aigoo. This lord shall be your trial and tribulation."

With Jesus on the right wing, Real Madrid's attacks centered there.

"Jeju-su!"

Luis García called out and passed to Jesus.

Kim Dong-jun read the pass and charged to cut it off,

But with a weird yell of "Na! Manguncho!", Jesus shielded with his back.

Couldn't even touch the ball.

'What the hell is Jesus hyung's physicality?! Why isn't he budging!'

Followed by a body check.

"Cheolsango!"

He had to roll on the ground.

'Haa... Soccer fucking sucks sometimes. No wonder Young-beom hyung went beast mode on him.'