The System Makes Me a Player

As soon as they left the stadium, Rafael turned to the group, still laughing and walking with tired steps.

"Guys, there's a dorm where we can get some sleep. It's right over there", he pointed to the left, cupping his hand over his eyes to shield them from the golden afternoon light.

The group paused for a moment, looking at the small building about two hundred meters away. A simple two-story building, painted beige, with narrow windows and a few trees around it.

"It's no luxury hotel, but it'll do the job", Rafael commented with a tired smile.

"Does it have a bed, a shower, and a socket?", asked Rodrigo, already walking ahead.

"And Wi-Fi?", Felipe added.

"If there's Wi-Fi, I won't even complain about the mattress", said Dante, laughing loudly.

They crossed the small cobblestone street, dragging their backpacks and sports bags. The sky now bathed in orange tones, and a cool breeze blew, relieving the heat that clung to their skin since the match.

At the dorm entrance, a lady in a blue uniform waited with a registration notebook in hand.

"Good afternoon, boys. Male dorm, shared room, all clean. Rafael already scheduled everything", she said kindly, starting to write down the names as the players passed.

The group entered in line, laughing and joking. The inside was simple but cozy: a large room with aligned bunk beds, ceiling fans spinning slowly, and numbered metal lockers. A side hallway led to the bathrooms and showers.

Kelvin picked a bed near the window. He tossed his backpack on the mattress and sat down for a moment, looking out at the scenery. From there, part of the stadium was still visible.

"Guys, you can shower and rest a bit. If anyone wants, feel free to go back to the stadium to watch the next match or head to that snack bar from earlier", Rafael said, leaning on the door frame with his arms crossed.

"I'm heading to the shower before the hot water runs out", said João Vitor, grabbing a towel from his bag and walking quickly down the hallway.

"I'm going to eat. I've been hungry since halftime", commented Rodrigo, taking off his sweaty shirt and pulling his wallet from his pocket.

"Let's go then", said Ian, patting Kelvin on the shoulder. "We'll meet there?"

Kelvin nodded.

"Go ahead. I'm gonna breathe a bit here"

While some boys rushed to the showers and others organized to go to the snack bar or the stadium, the shared room filled with familiar sounds: backpack zippers, flip-flops hitting the smooth concrete floor, playful voices, and laughter echoing from the bunks.

Kazana, still wearing socks and cleats, sat on the top bunk near the center. He watched the group for a few seconds before speaking, his voice firm but warm:

"Hey, guys. No one won that match alone. Every pass, every marking, every shout from the bench... it all mattered. If we keep this up, the championship is ours"

The group paused for a moment, absorbing his words. Felipe was the first to respond, raising a fist:

"We're gonna win this, Kazana!"

Others followed with claps, whistles, and jokes. The energy was pure camaraderie, as if something had solidified there — in the sweat and dust of the game.

Kelvin smiled to himself, still sitting on the edge of the bed, watching the scene. It was unlike anything he had experienced at any other school.

He then grabbed his towel and headed for the shower.

He walked through the narrow hallway, his footsteps echoing softly on the concrete floor. He passed creaking locker doors and muffled voices from the shared room until he saw the sign pointing to the bathroom.

He pushed the door open with his shoulder and stepped inside.

The room was clean, with white tiles, three sinks with mirrors fogged from steam, and a row of showers behind a tiled divider. The smell of soap and cheap shampoo mixed with fresh disinfectant.

Kelvin looked at himself in the mirror. His forehead still glistened with sweat, his hair messy from the match, and there was a small cut on his arm — probably from a tackle.

He lifted his shirt and let the faucet water run through his hands, refreshing his face.

That's when everything stopped.

[Mission Complete]

The bathroom light flickered briefly, and the interface appeared in the mirror — like a reflection only he could see.

Kelvin blinked at the screen glowing in front of him.

[Mission Complete]

[Reward: +1 in Finishing]

[+3 in Game Reading]

[250 XP received]

[Player Leveled Up!]

[Current Level: 3]

[Level Reward: +10 in all physical attributes]

He felt his body tingle for a brief moment — a subtle, internal warmth — and then, instantly, his muscles relaxed.

"This is getting more and more real...", he murmured to himself, staring into his own eyes in the mirror.

He finished washing his face, ran his hand through his hair, and headed to the shower. The warm water fell on him like relief. He remained in silence for a few minutes, simply feeling each drop slide down, along with the match's exhaustion.

After the shower, he put on a simple T-shirt, sweatpants, and flip-flops. He returned to the room to store his stuff, but most had already left. Only Dante, sleeping deeply, and Márcio, organizing his earphones and charger in the locker, remained.

Kelvin grabbed his phone, checked his messages — nothing urgent — and decided he'd also drop by the stadium before nightfall.

He left the dorm with calm steps, following the same path from earlier. The breeze was now cooler, and the stadium lights were already on, casting golden reflections on the ground.

At the side entrance, the sound of the stands hit him gently — excited voices, fans commenting on plays, and the whistle echoing in the distance.

He climbed the steps of the bleachers, looking for a quieter spot.

Then he saw her.

Júlia.

She was in the same row as before, sitting alone, her face lit by the field's lights. Her loose bun still in place, the juice bottle now resting on the bench. She watched the game attentively, but upon noticing him, she turned her face and gave a discreet smile.

Kelvin slowly approached and sat beside her, saying nothing at first.

"Hey, Kelvin", she said, without taking her eyes off the field.

"What are you doing here in Sobral?", he replied, also looking forward.

"My grandparents live here, and my brother's playing today too. So, I came to watch him"

Kelvin smiled.

"Who's your brother?", he asked, curious.

"He plays for the Fortaleza team. His name is Erick. But I don't think he's going to play"

Kelvin frowned.

"Huh? Why not?"

"Well… he gets bored. That's all", She made a face of disappointment.

Kelvin looked genuinely confused, thinking: "Bored?"

Just as he was about to say something, she interrupted, pointing at the field:

"Look! It's starting"