FOOTBALL! LEGENDARY PLAYER

The next day, as the first light of dawn broke over Mombasa, Amani clambered onto a boda boda for 100 KES and set off for Mbakari Sports Club Stadium — the proud home of Bamburi FC. The early morning glow painted the sky in gentle pastels as he made his way along the bustling streets, anticipation mingling with the salty tang of the coastal air.

By the time he arrived at the stadium, more than a hundred aspiring footballers had already gathered, their eager faces lit with hope and determination. Some were seated on the pavilion, while others warmed up on the running tracks, all clad in freshly donned kits. Among the group, Amani's eyes caught sight of several young talents destined for greatness. In the front row of the pavilion sat the promising George Vyner, a future star who would go on to represent AL Masry, Standard Liège, and Bristol City. Along the tracks, emerging names like Joseph Ochieng, Tobias Knost, and Vincent Wanjala buzzed with potential.

Yet, despite the illustrious company, Amani's focus was drawn to one figure who had once thrived in the AFTA trials of his previous life. Leaning casually against the pavilion wall was a slight, determined young boy named Steven Nondi.

In Amani's memory, Nondi had burst onto the scene at fourteen, joining a high-performance academy and eventually shocking the football world. By 2022, Nondi's goal-scoring exploits had earned him the nickname "the next Samuel Eto," even as controversy followed him — after rejecting the national team call-up and changing his citizenship to play for the USA.

To Amani, Nondi embodied both the success he once yearned for and the bittersweet loss of opportunity.

Inwardly, Amani vowed, "I will also succeed this time. With the system, I will soon fly into the skies."

Finding a quiet corner, he quickly donned his jersey and laced up his boots. But his moment of calm was abruptly shattered by the sound of familiar voices. Turning, he recognized two former schoolmates from Malindi — Patrick Bakari and Tony Majembe — once close friends who had drifted away after his injury and began to mock him relentlessly.

"Yo, isn't this our famous captain — Amani Hamadi?" Tony, tall and lanky like a young Peter Crouch, jeered.

"Sure it is," Patrick added, his tone equally derisive.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be back in Malindi, peeling potatoes and milking cows?" Tony sneered, prompting a smirk from Patrick.

Amani's eyes narrowed, his mind echoing the old saying, "Empty vessels make the most noise."

He stepped forward, his towering presence casting a long shadow. "Patrick, Tony," he said, his voice low and controlled yet laced with quiet menace, "what do you want? Do you need another beating?"

Startled, the two boys recoiled, stealing glances toward Chrisy Nwema, a notorious bully in their circles, whom Amani suspected had egged them on. Before Amani could press further, the atmosphere shifted as coaches emerged from the dressing room, striding purposefully toward the center of the pitch.

A hush fell over the gathered players as Coach Samson Amir Juma — a plump, formidable man with a long goatee and a reputation forged in the crucible of Bamburi's youth development — stepped forward. His booming voice carried across the field:

"Good morning to you all! I trust everyone here has registered for the 2010 Mombasa Trials. If not, I suggest you leave now before I call security."

There was no dissent. After a brief pause, the coach patted his small belly and continued, "But we won't need your names just yet, because most of you won't be here tomorrow." His words, delivered with dramatic flair, sent ripples of nervous chatter through the crowd.

Amani listened silently, his mind already aware that this year's trials would be more cutthroat than ever. In the past, every registered player had a shot at the final rounds, but now, with French and English scouts in attendance, only a select few would advance.

"Quiet!" Coach Juma bellowed, instantly silencing the murmurs. "I won't waste time explaining our decision. Know this: we will only select twenty-six players from your group for the final rounds. The rest will go home and wait for next year's trials."

A mischievous grin spread across the coach's face as he added, "Our test is simple - your physical fitness. You will run thirty-two laps around this field. Only those with the fastest times will remain for the main trials."

A tense silence fell over the players as the gravity of the challenge set in. For Amani, every drop of sweat and every racing heartbeat was another step toward his dream — a dream not merely to join a local club but to secure a place in a high-performance academy overseas. With his mother's promise echoing in his mind and his own determination surging like a tidal wave, he prepared himself to face the grueling test head-on.

The field seemed to shimmer with possibility as Amani squared his shoulders. In that charged moment, as the youthful competitors readied themselves for the impending trial, Amani knew that this was more than just a test of endurance. It was a chance to rewrite his story, to rise above the mockery of old friends and the weight of past failures, and to finally soar toward the future he had envisioned.

With every muscle tensed in anticipation, Amani took his place among the runners. The world around him fell away, leaving only the rhythmic pounding of his heart and the promise of a new beginning. Today, in the crucible of competition, he would prove that his determination, honed by adversity and fueled by dreams, was the key to unlocking his destiny.

~~~

"DING"

No sooner had Coach Juma announced the first test in the trial than the familiar system notification resounded in Amani's mind. The translucent blue screen shimmered and then popped up in front of him without being summoned. The incident was a first as he usually had to wait for the screen to appear when he needed to check the user interface of the system.

Amani ignored the chaos around him and checked the contents of the notification.

****

LEGENDARY MISSIONS

#NEW MISSION: Mombasa AFTA football trials (serial missions)

*Task 1: Become the first in the physical fitness testing at the football trials.

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*Rewards:

-> B-grade agility-enhancing elixir

(Will make you faster and more in control of your body.)

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*Punishment in case of failure:

->The LEGENDARY FOOTBALL SYSTEM will go offline for three months.

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*Remarks: A LEGENDARY is a player who should dominate his profession from the start or at the very least try to. Cheers to the beginning of your rise as a potential LEGENDARY. 

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NB: Mission tasks to be updated as the trials continue.

****

"What the fuck?" Amani burst out, his voice echoing across the pitch as he momentarily forgot his place in the trial.

"How am I supposed to compete with all these monsters?" he muttered under his breath.

Before he could dwell on his outburst, a booming voice cut through the tension. "Do you have anything against my instructions, young man?" Coach Juma bellowed, his tone laced with both fury and authority. The players around him froze — eyes wide with shock, some stifling laughter at Amani's apparent lapse in decorum. A sudden surge of panic shot through him; his heart pounded as he realized his mistake.

Glancing up, Amani met the steely gaze of Coach Juma — a dark-skinned, imposing figure with arms crossed and a stern scowl that silenced the murmuring crowd. "Young man, do you have anything against my instructions?" Juma repeated, his fists clenching and unclenching in measured frustration.

Swallowing hard, Amani mustered his composure and replied, "I'm sorry, sir. I lost my temper for a moment — I meant no offense." He offered a respectful bow, hoping that sincerity might soften the coach's ire. Coach Juma's eyes softened slightly as he regarded him, a silent acknowledgment that honesty was better than defiance.

"Tell us what you were thinking," the coach demanded, his voice now carrying a note of curiosity amidst the lingering sternness. "We need to understand how a young man forgets himself at one of the most important trials in the country right now."

Amani took a deep breath, his voice trembling as he confessed, "I was thinking about how I need to outperform everyone here to catch a scout's eye. I'm very nervous, sir." His admission hung in the air, and for a moment, the group of participants was filled with a ripple of uneasy laughter. Some players, including his former schoolmates Tony and Patrick, snickered behind cupped hands.

"Quiet!" Coach Juma roared, instantly quelling the laughter. "I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt today. But let this be the last time such an incident occurs." His gaze swept across the assembly, ensuring every young player understood the gravity of his warning.

"Now, what is your name?" Juma pressed, his eyes locking onto Amani once more.

"Amani Hamadi, sir," he replied, his voice steadier now.

"Amani Hamadi," the coach mused aloud as if the name stirred a memory. A murmur passed between him and a nearby colleague, and a grin slowly broke across Juma's face. "I'll be watching you closely during these trials. Do your best, and no more disruptions." With that, he resumed his announcements.

Amani tried to focus on the coach's instructions, but his mind kept drifting back to his system mission. The reward for his success, a coveted agility-enhancing elixir, was within his grasp and it could finally shatter the bottleneck in his development. He knew he had to outrun not only the competition but also the prodigy, Steven Nondi — a player whose talent had earned him renown even in Amani's previous life. A surge of resolve washed over him as he silenced the lingering doubts. 'But what's there to fear?' he thought, as he refocused on the task at hand.

Coach Juma continued, "We have 120 players here today, and you'll be divided into four groups of about 30 each. When Coach Mande calls your name, you'll join the first group. Head to the tracks and wait for the whistle. Good luck!"

Coach Mande, a thin, brisk man, quickly read out the names for the first group. Amani's name was absent; he watched silently as names like Tobias Knost and Vincent Wanjala were called. The whistle blew, and the first group erupted into a flurry of activity. Knost led the pack, finishing the 32 laps in a blistering 41 minutes — leaving a trail of awe and envy in his wake.

Then came the second group. Amani noticed, with a mix of bitterness and amusement, that his former friends Tony and Patrick were among the top five finishers — though they trailed behind the formidable Chrisy Nwema, whose performance seemed almost extraordinary.

By noon, the third group had completed their laps, and finally, it was Amani's turn to take to the track. Fate, it seemed, was not done testing him; the brilliant prodigy Steven Nondi was slated to run in the fourth group. Stepping onto the running track, Amani's heart pounded with the weight of the challenge. He knew the odds were stacked against him —Nondi was a force to be reckoned with. Yet, the thought of winning the agility-enhancing elixir spurred him on. That upgrade could redefine his game, granting him the speed and finesse he needed to break free of his limits.

"I'll win this race," he vowed silently, as he lined up among his competitors.