Chapter 46 46 Training

wanting to start off slow and get a rhythm going I hit the ball against the wall with my right foot to start with. The ball travelled at a moderate speed, not too fast and not too slow, as it returned to me. However, that's when I realised, I had messed up. I was so focused on starting off right that by the time the ball was here I had yet to adjust my body to receive it properly. This happened to me another two or three times until I realise that I was doing something wrong.

I decided to restart the drill and this time I focused less on how the ball travelled and more on being prepared for it. This turned out to be the wrong choice too as the ball came back to me at a weird angle due to how I had hit it. sometimes the ball would come back directly to my right foot and other times it would end up on the other side of the cone. Taking a step back from the drill and looking around at the other kids I started to analyse where I had gone wrong.

However, looking at some of the kids who would just power through the drill even if they made a mistake dumbfounded me. Just as I was thinking that I was wasting my time watching them mess about I watched as they seemed to gradually get the hang of it. Looking at how some of the better ones moved made me realise that they all had a distinct rhythm they followed. It was almost like a slow drum beat that slowly but surely ingrained muscle memory of the drill into them. That's when it hit me like a semi-truck, the puzzle I had been missing had appeared like a flash of inspiration illuminating the fog in front of me. Slowly all the gears in my head started to spring to life as a feeling of anticipation arose.

"(sigh) I'm overthinking too much I should just try and get into a rhythm just like when I'm dribbling," I mumbled to myself as I restarted the drill for a third time. This time I decided to focus on my breathing and the ball making sure it was doing what I wanted it to do. Following what my instinct told me to do I hit the ball against the wall already positioned where I expected the ball to come back too.

It worked as the ball came towards my left foot making it easy for me to stop with a few adjustments. Not wasting any time, I rolled the ball past the cone with my right foot setting it up for my left foot to hit. seeing that it was working I started to feel a little bit of the sensation I got when I was training with kaka. It wasn't as intense as it was in the dream space, but it still had an addictive quality to it. It's like when you are solving a moth problem and suddenly like a jigsaw puzzle, you discover the right sequence to solve it.

I didn't notice it, but I gradually started to speed up creating a rhythmic [bap bap pause bap bap] sound whenever I hit the wall and receive it with my other foot. The only slight pause was when I would roll the ball across to the other side of the cone and even that was gradually getting smaller. At one point I got so fast that I wasn't even seeing the ball anymore and my body was just moving on instinct as my eyes couldn't seem to keep up.

I only ended up stopping when I tripped from one of the small holes, I had created with all my back-and-forth movement. Laying on the ground I felt a sense of calmness wash over me as my heart rhythmically drummed in my chest. Looking at the drifting clouds is quite a refreshing feeling.

~~~

'Hey, Eva what was that feeling I felt? Was it because of the system?' I asked her in my head trying to figure out what was going on. After all, that feeling made me feel invincible as if I could do anything. It was like a switch had flipped and my body just started reacting on its own as soon as I got comfortable in the drill.

[To answer your first question, it is partly because of the system but also because of you, and that feeling could be called a pseudo zone, I guess," she answered me in a serious tone which surprised me since she's been having mood swings lately. Maybe that time of the month has finally passed, and she is back to being professional.

'So, you're saying I entered this zone thing and that's why it felt like my body was just simply reacting to the ball and doing what I wanted to do before I could properly think about it?' I asked her feeling slightly doubtful about the validity of this answer. I know I'm talented and I'll be the first one to brag about it but entering something like the zone isn't a part of my skill set yet.

[don't sound so doubtful, yes you entered a version of the zone but it's actually quite common for kids your age,] She answer me sounding displeased that I doubted her answer. Listening to her answer it felt like she was telling me that it's common to see kids unlocking ultra instinct.

'let's just say that you are right but how does it explain how I was so easily able to enter that state?' I asked her entertaining the thought of me accessing this mystical energy that makes you a superhuman.

[(sigh) Sometimes I forget that you are stupid, anyways ever wondered how kids or teenagers are able to perform skills or shots that only someone on top of the game of football could, Well the answer is simple they subconsciously entered a state called the zone] she told me sounding like a profession in Cambridge teaching me the theory of relativity.

[It's not the same zone that athletes like Messi enter on crucial but it still allows young players to perform at their bodily limits, this phenomenon happens when these young players fully concentrate, and their body cooperates with what they want to do. The reason you are able to enter it seemingly easily is that you had a taste of a strong version when you consumed the B-grade enlightenment potion.] She continued explaining after giving me time to digest the first part of her speech. Her words do make sense because I've seen some clips of kids around thirteen performing wonders with the ball when they are normally just average.

'Alright so it's not some magical energy but just me fully concentrating and my body being in sync with me, but why would a potion I took more than three months ago still have an effect on me?' I asked as it seems weird that it is still helping me now. If I knew that it had lasting effects, I might have trained more with the ball over the three months instead of focusing on my body coordination.

[It's not that the potion has a lasting effect it's just that it opened the door that allowed you to enter the pseud zone when you trained with Kaka, although the potion wore off the door cannot be fully shut anymore thus allowing you to tap into the zone easier, It also helped that you have been training your body allowing it to keep up with your ideas, And since you are at an age of rapid development it's already easier for you to access that pseud zone.]

'Sigh that was a long explanation but thanks it helped a lot' I thanked her as I got up from the ground not wanting to continue laying on the ground. If I stayed down there any longer I might have gone straight to sleep. There is something calming about laying on the grass in the summer.

~~~

[Mike Pov]

What did I just witness? This kid is a monster that is the only thing that can explain his growth. He is like a sponge that takes in all the things that he is taught ingraining them into his body. At the start of the control drill, he looked like he was struggling to get the hang of it. He reminded me of one of those musicians with perfect pitch who wouldn't continue the piece he was playing as soon as he made the tiniest mistake.

I'm glad I decided to come early today it would have been a shame to miss this. The kid keeps surprising me on new levels. He went from being clumsy at best when it came to playing in a team to managing to help create two-goal opportunities. His Positional play is still nothing to brag about as he seems glued to his wing when he doesn't have the ball. However, once the ball gets within twenty yards of him, he seems to come to life giving his all to get a touch on the ball.

From what I have witnessed from him so far, I can't think of which player template his talent follows. He seems to have a bit of everything in him when it comes to a winger's ability, he could be shaped into the Ideal winger a team wanted. However, if he's anything like the great players of today's game and the past he will not be able to fit the mould of a single team. Ultimately, all the great players make the team change for them and not the other way around.

"Hi, Mike didn't know you would stick around" the familiar voice of Kai rang from behind me. Turning around I saw him standing there holding a cup of coffee seemingly having just woken up not long ago.

"Yeah, I got no other place to be," I answered him before turning back to watch the happenings on the pitch. He seemed to realise that I was done with the conversation as he took the seat next to me.

"How is the kid you were interested in yesterday doing?" he asked me in an attempt to get a conversation going. I hate it when people feel the need to start a conversation once they meet someone, even when the other party clearly has no interest.

"He's doing so so I guess but the PSG scout over there was talking to Mckennie's Dad earlier so you might want to check on that," I lazily answered him wanting him to focus on his job and stop bothering me. He is just too hyperactive sometimes, If I did not know his father, I wouldn't even entertain him. (sigh) I cannot wait to end this life of constant travel, having to go to different countries just to chase the rumours of a talented kid is no fun. Especially when nine out of ten times those so-called talents are mediocre at best.

"Thanks for letting me know I'll have to check on that real quick," he said hurriedly as he jumped out of his seat rushing out of the stadium. Oh well, I will finally have some peace and quiet and it is not as if I lied to him though. The world of scouts is cut-throat with each one of us trying our best to deliver results to our respective club. So, unless the player has officially signed a contract no player was safe.

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To Be Continued...