Soccer System: All the Skills, One Player!

After the final whistle, the Brighton players greeted their opponents and went to the bench to get a drink of water and listen to what coach Jiménez had to say.

Lucas felt exhausted, but he was satisfied with his performance. He took a deep breath and watched the reporters approaching the pitch, ready to interview the highlights of the match.

It wasn't long before one journalist called his name.

"Lucas Tanaka! Please, can you give us a few minutes?"

He smiled politely and nodded, heading towards the interview area where the microphones and cameras were.

An ESTN reporter was holding a microphone with the channel's logo on it.

"Lucas, first, congratulations on the game! Brighton faced one of the biggest youth teams in world soccer and qualified. How do you rate the team's performance today?"

Lucas ran a hand through his sweaty hair and thought for a moment before answering.

"Thanks. It was a hard game. Real Madrid has top players, very well trained, so we knew it was going to be a battle from start to finish. We conceded an early goal, but we stayed calm and keep our heads and our game together. We created a lot of chances and I think the draw was a fair result."

"You were one highlight of the game, scoring Brighton's goal and creating several attacking opportunities. How would you rate your personal performance in this game?"

Lucas smiled modestly. "I think I played a good game, but soccer is a team sport. My goal only happened because the entire team worked well, pressed at the right time and created the opportunity for me to finish. I was pleased with my performance, of course, but there's always room for improvement. Our aim is to keep improving and maintain this unbeaten run."

Another reporter, this time from a Spanish newspaper, intervened: "Lucas, you've played against strong English teams before, but today you played against a traditional team from Spain. What was it like for you to go up against a team like Real Madrid?"

"There's not much to say. Real Madrid is a legendary club. For any inexperienced player, playing against them is an incredible experience. You can feel their quality in every pass, in every move. They're extremely well trained, so we had to give it our all. It's always a learning experience to play against teams of this level."

The Spanish journalist smiled and continued. "And now that you and your teammates are attracting attention in Europe, many experts say that several Brighton players could soon receive offers from big clubs. Have you been contacted? Are there any teams you'd like to play for in the future?"

Lucas laughed slightly, looking away for a moment before answering. "To be honest, I try not to think about it now. I'm concentrating on Brighton, our season and my development as a player. I know opportunities come naturally when the job is done well, so the most important thing now is to keep improving and helping the team."

The British reporter took the floor again. "Brighton has been unbeaten for thirteen games and is top of the Youth Premier League. Do you think this team has the potential to win the title this season?"

Lucas didn't hesitate. "Absolutely. We believe in our work and we know our potential. The league is long. We still have challenges ahead of us, but we're on the right track. The most important thing is to continue with this mentality, without losing focus."

One of Brighton's press officers approached and signaled that the interview had to end. The reporter, realizing this, asked one last question.

"Finally, Lucas, what can the fans expect from Brighton after the Christmas break?"

Lucas smiled. "They can expect an even stronger and more rested team, because the run of games over the last two months has been intense. A lot of traveling and opponents who knew us and gave their all against us... We're going to take advantage of this break to rest, recover our energy and come back with an even greater desire to win. Our aim is to keep growing and show that Brighton are here to stay."

The reporter thanked him and said goodbye, and Lucas left the interview area to the applause of some fans still in the stadium.

-:-

The morning after the game against Real Madrid, Lucas woke up feeling freezing.

The blanket made the idea of getting out of bed less appealing, but curiosity overcame him.

He got up, rubbing his sleepy eyes, and went to his bedroom window. When he pulled back the curtain, a white, silent spectacle immediately took his gaze.

Snow.

The campus of the Seyek Institute was covered in an immaculate white blanket. The roofs of the buildings and the green fields of low grass were covered in the snow that had fallen during the early morning.

When Lucas opened the window, the icy air sent a chill through his body.

"Snow, isn't it? It's been a while since I've seen it up close."

In Japan, winter memories were always special, but now, living in his new reality, seeing snow meant a little loneliness.

Not wanting to get too lost in these emotions, he closed the window and got ready for the day. She put on a thermal jacket under her sweater and put on thick socks before leaving her room.

The dormitory was quiet, as was the campus. Most of the institute's students had gone to visit their families for the two-week vacation, so it was normal for there to be far fewer people.

Fortunately, when he arrived at the cafeteria, he found Javier and Felix sitting by the lit fireplace, drinking hot coffee and watching the snow through the large glass window. Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire

"Tanaka, good morning. Did you sleep well after yesterday's game?"

"Good morning. I slept like a rock. But this cold..." Lucas walked over and picked up a steaming mug of coffee. "Snow is good, but I wasn't prepared for this weather."

Felix laughed, blowing the steam from his drink before taking a sip. "Welcome to the real European winter. It's not that cold in Japan, is it?"

Lucas shook his head. "It depends on the region, but where I used to live, the winters were milder. Here it's another level."

"So, what are your plans for the Christmas break?" asked Felix.

"I don't know yet. I thought about going back to Japan, but the time is short, and tickets are absurdly expensive. If the intention is to rest, I don't think such a long and tiring trip will help me much... I think I'll stick around. What about you?"

Felix shrugs his shoulders. "Tomorrow I'm going back to the countryside to see my family. I haven't seen them for a while, so this break is perfect for that."

"And I'm going to Spain. Christmas without tapas and jamón isn't a real Christmas. But I know the club always organizes a little party for those who stay. You won't be spending it alone."

"Yes..." Lucas sipped his coffee slowly and thought: 'Will Lucy be spending Christmas with her family?'