Soccer System: All the Skills, One Player!

The team led by Lewis Dunk was preparing to face Bruno Saltor's team. The previous match had warmed spirits, and the mission granted by the Champion System was on Lucas's mind.

'Get a professional player to play seriously and copy his skill,' he thought.

Determined, he knew he had to provoke Bruno into raising his level of play.

When the match started, the ball was at Felix's feet, who quickly passed to Raphael on the left. Raphael advanced at speed, but was intercepted by Daniel Riber, who tackled with precision and passed to Lucas.

With the ball in his hands, Lucas raised his head and analyzed his opponent's positioning. Bruno Saltor was in front of him, observing him. Determined to test the veteran, Lucas advanced towards him, dribbling quickly to the right. Experienced Bruno expected the move and blocked the pass, forcing Lucas to retreat and look for another option.

'Not bad,' thought Lucas, recognizing Bruno's defensive ability. But he knew he needed to do more to challenge the professional.

Regaining possession after a pass from Anton, Lucas changed tack. Instead of confronting Bruno directly, he moved around the pitch, looking for spaces and creating opportunities for his teammates.

Little by little, the dynamic of the game changed. Lucas, with his intelligent passing and movement, broke down the opposition's defense through distraction.

Bruno noticed the change and, although he was initially playing in a relaxed manner, he intensified his marking to Lucas.

In a quick move, Lucas received the ball in midfield and, with a subtle touch, got past Felix. Advancing towards the opposing penalty area, he saw Bruno approaching quickly. With an unexpected dribble to his left, Lucas threw the veteran off balance and, before the defense could get its act together, laid the ball off to Lewis Dunk, who finished with precision to score.

Bruno, now visibly more serious, approached him: "Kid, let's see if you can keep up."

From that moment on, the pace of the game intensified. Bruno Saltor began to show why he was a professional player, and Lucas immediately felt the difference. It wasn't just about skill or technique; it was about reaction time, understanding the game, and the ability to make quick and precise choices.

As soon as play resumed, Bruno intercepted a pass from Lucas to Dunk with impeccable anticipation.

The veteran slid the ball with his chest to Raphael and turned in one fluid movement, quickly repositioning himself to receive it again. Lucas tried to close the space and mark him, but Bruno, with a simple feint, ran past him as if he were dealing with a child.

'Damn.' thought Lucas, noticing the difference in his speed of thought. It was as if Bruno was always one step ahead.

So Bruno began easily dominating the game. He played alternating short and long passes and, in one particular move, Lucas tried to disarm him once again. He approached carefully, trying to expect his next move, but Bruno used his body to protect the ball, pivoted and passed to Felix on the right wing. All in a fraction of a second.

The difference in physical strength was also clear. In a melee, Lucas tried to use his weight to unsettle Bruno, but the veteran kept his balance like a rock. With a simple touch, he pushed Lucas away and released Aidan, who crossed for Raphael to finish - although the shot went wide.

'He makes everything look so easy.' thought Lucas, frustrated. Every attempt to overcome Bruno was a reminder of the gulf that existed between them.

The most humiliating moment came when Lucas tried a daring dribble, inspired by what he had achieved against Felix earlier. He advanced with the ball, pretending to go left before pulling right, but Bruno didn't bite on the bluff. In one clean move, Bruno put out his foot and stole the ball, sprinting forward. Lucas stood still for a moment, feeling useless.

The game seemed to revolve around Bruno now. He moved around the pitch with an energy that Lucas couldn't match. Even when Lucas read his intentions, he wasn't fast or strong enough to stop him. He tried to use his skills, but it was useless.

On another play, Lucas tried to expect a pass, but Bruno had disguised his target and found Aidan free on the wing.

"You're trying too hard, kid." Bruno said in an almost friendly tone, as he ran alongside Lucas in a move. "But in professional soccer, the mind is just as important as the body. You have talent, but you need to learn to think faster."

The words, although encouraging, only reinforced Lucas' frustration. He felt like he was chasing something unattainable. Each defeat against Bruno was a reminder of the difference between the amateur and professional levels. Even so, Lucas didn't give up.

He knew he needed to take something away from this experience, even if it was painful. In a moment's pause, he watched Bruno carefully, trying to understand what made him so superior. Was it the way he read the game? The way he saved energy while making maximum impact? Or the unwavering confidence in his every move?

As Lucas watched Bruno master the game, he activated the skill <Copying Genius> and a holographic panel invisible to others appeared in his peripheral vision.

[The player Bruno Saltor has just shown the Skill <Immortal Technique>. Would you like to check the copy conditions for this skill?]

[Skill Copy Conditions <Immoral Technique>: Have Bruno recognize your potential and have him show his skill for you at a key moment in the game.]

Lucas returned to the game determined, but aware that it wasn't enough to run around or try to disarm Bruno by any means. Instead, he concentrated on the veteran's every move. How did Bruno choose where to go? What did he do before receiving the ball? And how did he expect the other players' movements?

At first, it all seemed like a blur. Bruno remained dominant, but Lucas noticed patterns. He noticed Bruno looked around before each touch of the ball, analyzing the positions. His body always pointed in one direction, but the ball usually went somewhere else, confusing his opponents.

After a series of observations, Lucas acted. In a move where Bruno received the ball on the wing, Lucas pretended to mark him directly, but kept his distance, waiting for the second move. Bruno tried to throw the ball to Raphael, but Lucas had already expected it. He positioned himself and intercepted the pass, throwing it quickly to Javier, who almost scored.

Bruno turned to Lucas with a smile. "That's better, kid."

With the game drawing to a close, Bruno taught one last lesson. He received the ball in midfield and shouted to Lucas: "Pay attention!"

Lucas felt the pressure of all eyes on him. Bruno executed a simple but masterful technical move. He used his body to block Lucas, took two short touches of the ball to deceive Javier, who was covering, and finished with a precise throw to Aidan, who crossed low into the area. This time, Raphael scored.

After minutes of frustration, Lucas put a theory into practice. He activated <Short Dribble>, <Mirage Feint> and <More Than Fast Reflexes>, combining the skills in a daring move.

Receiving the ball, Lucas began a sequence of short dribbles, advancing against his opponent alone. The movement of his feet confused his opponents, and the effect of <Mirage Feint> made it look like there was more than one Lucas on the pitch.

Aiden moved forward to tackle him, but Lucas passed the ball between his legs, combining speed and unpredictability. The ball seemed to stick to his feet as he passed through the opposing team, one by one, until he faced Bruno for the last time.

The veteran tried to block him with his body, but Lucas pretended to shoot and this allowed him to just pull the ball left by his foot and continue, leaving Bruno behind. He finished with a shot into the middle of the empty net, drawing applause from everyone watching.

"Fuck! You're fantastic, Tanaka."

At that moment, the Champion System notified Lucas:

[Congratulations! Bruno Saltor has recognized your potential].

[You copied the skill <Immortal Technique>].

So, at the end of the match, the score no longer mattered to Lucas - not least because it was 4-2 to Bruno's team.

Lucas had lost every direct contest against Bruno, but he felt he had somehow grown into a player. He had gained more humility.

When the final whistle blew, Bruno, and the others would be the ones left on the pitch.

Bruno patted Lucas on the shoulder and said: "Maybe we'll play together in a few months, kid."

Lucas, panting, just nodded. There was a lot to do, a lot to improve in order to play with the professionals. And if there was one thing he had understood during this game, it was that he needed to get back to using his system to the full if he wanted to match up with the pros.

[Congratulations, you've completed the "Ambitious & Troublesome" mission.]

[Rewards: +5 Mystery Cards].