Free Web NovelChapter 24: Evolved Bond
[Congratulations, you have leveled up to Level 3!]
[System Lv. 3: 5007/7500]
[You have received: Basic First Touch]
After months of grinding in the dirt and sweating through his first experience in a football team, Diego finally saw a new glow on his system screen.
He was just hitting Level 3. It felt like he’d been running for a lifetime to get here!
The growth was so slow and gruesome, he couldn’t believe there were no shortcuts!
But when he saw the accompanying reward, his expression changed. It wasn’t a Utility Point like last time, it was a 1-star skill.
[You have received: Basic First Touch]
[Basic First Touch: Improves the user’s ability to cushion incoming passes and bring the ball under control quickly. 12% Ball Control Increase. 10% Balance increase. 5% Interception increase.]
A skill that boosted Ball Control by 12%, and added an extra bit of balance was a subtle change anyone would agree on. Thinking about it, Diego was certain a skill like this could mean the difference between the ball sticking to his foot or bobbling away like a stray dog. In a fast game, that extra cushion is everything!
But as Diego adjusted his shins, he frowned.
He already had a [First Touch] attribute under his technical stats—was this just a redundant double?
Eventually, he realized the secret.
’The difference is I can actually upgrade one and not the other,’ he thought. ’One is just a simple football move, while the other is an actual skill that can evolve into something better!’
With his shinguards finally cushy and secure, Diego leapt into the air, flexing his knees as he prepared to sprint back onto the training field and rejoin the others. But before he could, something in the corner of his fading system interface caught his eye.
It was a trophy-shaped icon, glowing with a keen exclamation mark.
Diego had no other option but to step on his brakes.
His curiosity won over his eagerness to play as he called the system screen back to focus. With a mental tap, he selected the strange icon.
poof!
shimmmer!
[Congratulations! Your bond with Subject A, Miguel Topete, has evolved to the next rank!]
[E-RANK: 10% extra gains. 50% faster gain speed. (1) Basic Skill]
[You have received: 500 XP]
[System Lv. 3: 5507/7500]
[You have received: Basic Burst]
[Basic Burst: Improves the user’s first-step explosiveness, allowing faster take-offs when sprinting or changing direction. 5% Interception Increase. 75% Pace increase. 50% Agility increase. 10% Dribbling increase.]
Diego couldn’t believe his luck. Two skills in just a few seconds!
He pumped his fist in the air like a guy who had just won the lottery.
"Yes!" he whispered under his breath. ’I never expected the bond with Miguel to be this fruitful.’
Their synergy must be so strong for the system to be yielding results this fast. Diego had technically just stolen a skill directly from Miguel!
That could only mean one thing.
Their compatibility was extremely high.
Miguel Topete wasn’t just a host, he was a perfect growth catalyst. He was one of the GOATs in the division, or at least, one of the greatest in his field of play.
That’s why.
Diego’s <Physicality> had jumped from 33 to 39 in just a couple of weeks. Most of that growth was driven by Pace and Agility, the exact areas where Miguel flourished the most. It was pretty obvious that this new skill, <Basic Burst>, was sourced directly from that same specialisation.
Everything was finally paying off. All the sweat, the heavy breathing, and the moments of feeling like he couldn’t keep up were worth it.
Diego was getting better just by being a parasite, soaking up the performance and technical habits of one of the best players on the pitch. It felt a bit like cheating, but Diego didn’t care. In the competitive world of football, you took every advantage you could get!
Miguel ran.
Miguel trained.
Miguel improved.
And Diego quietly grew stronger alongside him.
’Not bad,’ Diego thought smugly.
If things kept going like this, he might actually become a real player sooner than anyone expected.
Looking over at Miguel, his mind wandered for a second to the future. Diego wondered just how much he could extract from the star winger.
The system had ranks for bonds, and at the very top sat the ultimate level: S-Rank Bond. Diego couldn’t wait to see the bond evolve to the highest level.
What kind of skills could he gain then?
What kind of growth would that unlock?
But as exciting as the thought was, he had to understand reality. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
Life was unpredictable, and sooner or later their paths would diverge. Different squads. Different levels. Different futures. Miguel was a star destined for the big leagues, and Diego was just a rookie trying to survive.
So before that happened, Diego knew he had to drain every bit of talent he could while they were still on the same grass.
"Status," he whispered. He was ready to see the general changes in his system and how much better he had become.
[Name: Diego Montoya]
[Rank: 1★—Copper Tier]
[System Lv. 3: 5507/7500]
[Age: 12]
[Height: 153cm]
[Position: LWB]
[Foot: L]
[Career: EDM San Blas (Local Club)]
[OVR: 29>>31]
[Physicality: 33>>39]
[Technicality: 30>>32]
[Mentality: 26>>27]
[Defense: 24>>25]
[Skills: Basic Long-Range, Basic First Touch, Basic Burst]
Screening the blue light of the system, Diego felt a surge of pride.
His numbers were rising. Slowly, but steadily. His OVR had climbed from 29 to 31, and the difference was already noticeable. Lighter legs during sprints. Improved accuracy when passing.
It wasn’t just the bond with Miguel doing the heavy lifting. Diego had also been putting in the work. The late evenings kicking a ball against the wall behind his house. The extra stretches he forced himself to do before bed. The small fitness drills he copied from training sessions.
A lot of the improvement came from Diego himself. So, kudos to him.
The system had never been designed to make him completely dependent. It wasn’t some magic button that turned him into a superstar overnight. It rewarded effort and connection.
"When is the rank actually going to jump?" Diego wondered as he studied his OVR. It had finally broken through to 30+. "I’m getting better, but I guess 2-star Copper Tier is even a whole different level."
Even so, he could feel the difference. With his Physicality leaping to 39 and his Technicality hitting 32, he was gradually becoming the standard player in the Spanish U14 football division.
Logically now, he wasn’t a tag-along reserve anymore. He could run with them. Chase them. Pressure them.
And certainly... even surprise them.
Lifting his gaze, Diego’s eyes scanned the training field littered with San Blas boys. Some were doing shuttle runs, others were collapsed after the laps, and some were just messing around.
Diego folded his arms thoughtfully, wondering if he could grow quicker.
Right now, most of his improvement came from Miguel. That bond had been incredibly productive.
But after upgrading his innate skill, the system had given Diego an extra privilege.
He could maintain more than one host.
If he formed a second bond, he could draw growth from two fields at the same time. That meant faster development and faster numbers to his stats.
But Diego hadn’t chosen anyone since because he was careful and diligent. Bonding with Miguel had been an absolute decision. He didn’t want to ruin that by bonding with someone mediocre. If he picked another host, it had to be someone worth it.
After several seconds of observation, Diego’s gaze landed on Justin near the pull-up bars. Justin was easy to spot. He was a 14-year-old, standing at 5"10’!
The vice-captain was currently doing wide pull-ups while Derque pinned his feet to keep him steady. Diego watched them as Justin pushed through four reps. At the fifth, Diego couldn’t help but be impressed, forcing a smile.
Perfecto.
Justin wasn’t Miguel’s equal in speed or creativity. But what about in Defense? Physical battles? Positioning? That kind of strength was exactly what Diego needed to round out his game.
’If I want to be a world-class Left Wing Back, I can’t only be fast,’ Diego mused. ’I need to actually know how to defend.’
A small spark of excitement lit up inside him.
Decision made!
A minute later, Derque could see Diego jogging towards them.
"Hey, big man! Do you actually plan on lifting yourself today or are you just hanging there to stretch to 200 cm?" Diego chirped as he arrived.
"HAHA!" Justin boomed with laughter as he recognised Diego’s voice.
It was obvious he liked Diego a lot.
"Watch it, rookie! I’ve got more muscle in my thumb than you have in your whole body. You’d probably snap in half trying one of these!"
Derque stayed silent as usual, just holding Justin’s feet with a focused expression.
"Bet I can do it," Diego challenged. "But your form is all wrong. Let me fix it."
"Oh, a coach now? Alright, bet. Fix me up."
Stepping in, Diego reached out to adjust Justin’s mid-back and shoulders.
The moment his hands made contact—
A sudden rush exploded through his mind.
Data. Muscle memory. And raw, biological feedback!
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A/N: Thanks for reading!
