The Bazz Spirit
'To enter a youth academy, I need to be recognised by scouts first and foremost. Arghh! Where will I find scouts in this backwater place?' Thinking about his future, Harry hit a bottleneck instantly.
'I should convince Grandfather to take me for try-outs in the elite academies of E continent.'
"Good idea... However, I believe it's best that you improve your skills over the summer. Otherwise, with your current lousy skills, you will have a hard time convincing your Grandfather to take you to E continent." Maria chipped in.
'Yeah. I totally agree.' Harry nodded. He thought about the future for a while and discussed his plans going forward with Maria. Finally, after dinner which he ate in his bed, Harry and Maria agreed on a perfect training plan.
Harry had a couple of things which he would need to do if he wanted to set his plan in motion. For the first task, he brought up his cellphone and texted all his classmates and playmates from the city and village.
In the message, he simply asked them if there was anybody interested in spending their summer vacations at his village. Harry offered free lodgings, food and Wi-Fi. He didn't mention anything related to football. He had those plans for only friends who would love to spend more time with him.
Done with his first task, Harry had only one more task left. Although he knew that it was the toughest task to complete. Harry gathered his courage, stepped out of his room and walked towards his grandfather's room. He had heard him come back from the Capital an hour ago. Harry stepped up his courage and knocked the door of his grandfather's room.
"Come in." His grandfather's aged but powerful voice responded.
Harry took a deep breath and walked in. He felt even more nervous once he was inside the room. An elderly man in typical village clothes was now in his sight.
'White kurta and dhoti looks great on grandfather,' Harry thought.
Harry's grandfather looked handsome with neat and short white hair. His small white beard added a graceful touch to his looks. His black pair of eyes oozed with wisdom. He had a powerful presence that was almost on the boundary of being regal. The air seemed to crack under pressure from his aura.
"Grandpa, you look younger every time I see you. What's your secret?" Harry had subconsciously flattered the old man in his nervousness.
His grandfather's lips curved in a small arc as a smile broke out on his face. "Little fellow, since when did you get so proficient in your English? You sound like a foreign envoy hoping to get in my good books. These two years since I last saw you have changed you a lot, my little top scorer."
Harry immediately realized his mistake and replied in the local language. "Grandpa, I want to go to E continent. Hence, I have been studying English."
'Why would a foreign envoy need to talk to grandpa? Isn't he a simple village chief with a better business sense than most?' Harry wondered whilst talking.
"E continent, hmm.. Little fellow, is there any specific reason as to why you have to go there?"
"Grandpa, I love football. I wish to attend tryouts of a few elite youth academies to see if I have any talent to become a professional footballer." Harry was surprisingly able to talk with ease, despite his earlier nervousness.
"What about your studies?" Are you going to abandon them?"
'Ahh, it really came, this cliché question. Thankfully, I was prepared.'
"Grandpa, I... I... I want to take a gap year like those people of the NA and SA continents. I will... I will train my football skills here in the village for the larger part of the year. Afterwards, in the last quarter of the year, I would like to visit the elite youth academies on the E continent. I want to attend their trials. If I fail to enter any academy, I will go back to studying." Harry stuttered but still ended up saying what was in his mind in a small voice.
"You intelligent brat, so you have planned out everything? Are you not going to study if you enter an academy?" Harry's grandfather seemed amused by his antics.
"No!" Harry refused a bit louder in his anxiousness. He took a deep breath to calm down and continued more confidently, "If I am selected by one of the elite academies, I will train there for two years. I will wait until I am 18 to be noticed by professional club scouts. If no club notices me by then, then I will leave football. I'll do a one-year diploma for inter level education. Later on, I can properly continue my studies from there. Furthermore, I will leave football and study the same way, in case the club which wants to sign me doesn't offer me a good deal."
"Ahaan? You mean to say that you will only be behind by three years in your education. Nevertheless, you would have given your best shot at becoming what you dream about. Good... Good... Kid, you have thought well enough. You have courage! A young bird should dream of flying higher." Harry's grandfather surprisingly praised and encouraged him.
"Son, do you know? Our family name, 'Bazz,' is in reality the name of the king of birds. My baby boy, you have finally inherited our family's spirit. I approve of your pursuit of your dreams. However, you must prove you are a true 'Bazz'. Go and become the king of football." The old man seemed a bit nostalgic whilst talking, as if reminiscing about his ancestors. Nevertheless, he managed to perfectly pass on the family spirit to Harry and lit a fire in his heart.
"Grandpa, don't worry! This country will treat your precious grandson as the country's football king in the upcoming years." Harry was too excited and bragged like a confident teenager should. However, he forgot he had a system.
*Ding*
"Harry, you have activated a new passive mission. Would you like to see the details?" Maria suddenly spoke in his head.
'Later, wait till I am alone.' Harry replied in his head and turned his attention back to his grandfather.
"Hahaha, that's my boy! Come tell grandpa if you need anything."
"Actually, you must have already noticed it, grandpa. I really need some help from you for my training." Harry then told all the things he needed help with.
The plan Harry had in his mind was not something a common man could ever implement. He was going to turn part of the fields around the K Village into a professional football pitch.
It was tough work, with lots of details involved. Hence, he needed professionals for that job. He also needed to buy items like goal posts, goal nets, corner flags, a bunch of footballs, stopwatches, cones, boards, and some other items for training drills.
He needed a professional nutritionist, some ball boys, and a professional physiotherapist. Moreover, he also needed some fitness coaches and football coaches for his friends who might agree to become his training partners. Finally, he needed to add some professional equipment for football players in the gym of his house.
All these tasks, items and personal required money. Hence, he had no choice but to ask for his grandfather's help.
With his grandfather's agreement to help him, Harry was finally mentally relaxed. He noticed that he had time for a run. Hence, he put on his studs, took out his football and decided to attempt his first run with the ball.
*Ouch* Harry fell over for the umpteenth time on the fields. It's been an hour since he started his run, and Harry couldn't remember how many times he fell down. He had only completed a meager couple of miles according to the system.
'This is not going to work. The fields are uneven, and I am too unskilled to be attempting a run with the ball.' Harry felt a bit dejected.
Maria decided to help him out, "You can just take the recovery potion. It's Rated C- you hopeless fellow. Consuming it now will help you know in advance how it feels to have the physical and mental abilities of a D Rated player for the next three hours."
Harry didn't hesitate to drink the mango juice. Immediately, he felt rejuvenated. He felt that he had unlimited strength in his body. His mood became much calmer. Confidence oozed out of him. With his lousy dribbling skills, he attempted another run.
Three hours later, Harry felt the time had flown away. How could time pass so quickly? He loved that feeling of possessing immense strength, gaining faster speed, utilizing an agile body, having the ability to react quicker, experiencing amazing control over his body parts, being blessed with a clearer mind and, most of all, he enjoyed the increase in his acceleration.
In the end, he managed to run 11 miles in those 3 hours. Harry felt that it was the best decision ever to become a Football Player.
'Maria, do I have any new notifications?'
"Yes, you have four notifications pending. Do you want me to list them?"
'Go ahead.'
"You have a new passive mission. You have completed a hidden mission. You have completed a daily active mission. You have received a bonus reward for consuming a C- grade recovery potion for the first time."
'What? A hidden mission? Please quickly tell me what it is.
"Alright, hold your horses."
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**Hidden mission: "Learning the Mentality of a Superstar, 'Always Aim High,' has been completed."
Note: To become a superstar, you must think like a superstar. Always setting their goals higher is just one of the many similarities which superstars share.
Reward: Overall Rating +35, System Points 100 and 1 Random Elite Player Skill.
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