NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: Chapter 6: I Want to Improve So Much
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Under everyone's watchful eyes, the Soccer Ball took off again, speeding towards the Goal.
Hopkins had intended to wash away his humiliation this time, but when Maël kicked the ball, he realized he couldn't judge the ball's trajectory or react in time.
"Swish!" The sound of the ball brushing the net rang in his ears as he lost his balance and fell to the ground.
"Waterfa did it again?"
"What's up with this kid today? Does he have a Power Shot?"
"Shit. The quality is really high."
Another wave of exclamations arose, but this time, there were no doubts.
Most people looked at Maël with surprise, as if they were seeing him for the first time.
A Power Shot indeed had a very impressive display effect.
It was a direct and forceful way of shooting, straightforwardly showcasing one's shooting skills.
Ian and his group stood there with ashen faces, wanting to say something but unable to.
With two consecutive high-quality, powerful shots in front of them, any words they said would be hollow and make them look like clowns.
"Good shot, good shot!"
Head Coach Hans casually praised, but his heart was also trembling. If such quality shots could be used in a match...
His eyes lit up, and he suddenly felt a glimmer of hope for Maël.
In his memory, this player's fundamentals weren't bad, just lacking in standout features.
If he could develop a Long Shot, his competitiveness would greatly increase.
However, what was hard to understand was that he had never shown such Long Shot skills before.
When did he start practicing? Recently?
Hans was well aware of Maël's dedication to extra practice, but he hadn't expected much from it.
Now, it seemed he had misjudged.
At the center of everyone's attention, Maël turned around, smiling and waving at those who were surprised.
He looked calm and comfortable.
But in reality, a cold sweat had already formed on his temples. He hadn't been very confident about the second shot. With everyone's expectations raised, missing would have been very awkward.
Fortunately, the odds were on his side this time.
He needed to quickly upgrade his Long Shot to level 3; otherwise, how could he show off?
"Today is June 17th. My recent life has been regular and fulfilling. I plan to write a diary, preparing to write about the parts related to skill proficiency in the future, and put the hard work parts into my autobiography, titled 'How a Soccer King is Made.'
"Forced myself to wake up at 6:30 AM, practicing shooting for an hour and a half before morning training.
"After upgrading Long Shot to level 2, the speed of proficiency improvement seems to have slowed down. Previously, a few hours of training could increase it by 30 points, but now it only increases by 20. Still, the goal is to upgrade to level 3 in 17 days, so no rush.
"In the evening, extra strength training at the gym. Exhausted, this life is not for the faint-hearted."
"June 18th, can't keep training like this. Multiple parts of my body are already strained, and I have to warm up for a long time before training.
"But the speed of shooting improvement has slowed down. How can I achieve my goal without piling up the hours?
"In the evening, my French teammate Karl suggested I change my diet to high-protein, high-carb, and high-energy foods.
"Agreed."
"June 19th, weekend. No pain, no gain. Wake up and train, train before meals, rest a bit after meals, and train again. In short, just train. Not training for a day makes me feel uncomfortable, and not training for three days feels like I'm losing years of my life.
"Shooting proficiency is now 159/300, and strength is 193/300, faster than expected.
"Improving my diet doesn't seem to have much immediate effect, but I really want to improve. I want to leave the youth team and play in the Premier League!"
"June 20th, a new week begins. The air feels fresher. There are 10 days left until the final match, so I must work even harder.
"Today's training felt good, not as tiring as before. My body seems to have hardened. Could it be because of the diet change?
"In the evening, after showering and cleaning my shoes, it was already 11 PM. I went to Karl's dorm and knocked on the door. Karl was still awake, and we chatted for a while before resting."
"June 21st, this week's morning training is all tactical drills, probably because the trial elimination match is coming up.
"Everything as usual, just train!"
"June 22nd, London, oh London, this city is just a short distance away. It's a true international metropolis and a city of soccer.
"If I could play in London one day, living in a big villa, driving a sports car, wearing new soccer shoes, and having热情奔放的伦敦兔女郎陪我晚上该多好?"
"June 23rd, today I chatted with the team captain Gilbert and asked about the Arsenal Youth Team's salary situation.
"I don't know the specifics, but they can earn between 350 to 800 pounds per week, about 1500 to 3500 pounds a month. It's enviable, already matching the average salary in London.
"As for the first team? The English football scene at this time can't compare to the future. Arsenal is also in a relatively tight financial situation. But those weekly salaries of tens of thousands of pounds are still beyond my reach for now. The strength of the top players is truly terrifying."
"June 24th, training. Improving my diet has indeed helped my body, and it has adapted to the training intensity."
"June 25th, daily training feels like a mental torture, but the improvement in proficiency is like drinking fine wine, incredibly refreshing.
"Finally understand why people say playing under Guardiola is even more enjoyable.
"Because of the progress! I want to improve so much!"
"June 26th, progress!"
"June 27th, continue to progress!"
June 28th, night, the stars twinkled in the sky.
Wenger walked around the Colney Training Ground with a melancholic expression, looking at the base he had personally supervised the construction of, feeling a mix of emotions.
It was 1999, back then Arsenal had no financial crisis, competing for the title every year, and he was locked in a fierce battle with Sir Alex Ferguson.
He still remembered his ambitions back then.
He was determined to turn Arsenal into a team like Manchester United, to make himself an immortal figure in the club.
But... fate always seemed to mock him, as if he was born to add some tragic stories to the world.
"Click."
Wenger lit a cigarette. Sometimes, even he didn't understand why he still stayed here, when he had the chance to go elsewhere.
Perhaps there was only one answer.
It was a cheesy phrase that no man would want to say out loud—because of love.
Just as he was thinking, a strange noise suddenly came from the side, seemingly from the gym.
Wenger's eyebrows furrowed, and he walked over. At twenty meters away, he could hear it was laughter.
"Hahaha... Wow!" The person inside seemed to be celebrating something, occasionally emitting strange, indescribable sounds.
Is it that kid?
He had a guess. At this time, only one person would be here.
Calculating the days, he had been persisting for almost twenty days, right?
"Leon-Maël."
Wenger said a name, feeling the joy inside, his sadness seemed to be somewhat alleviated. "What are you so happy about?"