The air inside the high-performance center was crisp and filled with the soft sounds of sneakers squeaking against polished floors, the rhythmic pounding of feet on treadmills, and the occasional sharp whistle of a coach.
Mateo adjusted his training clothes nervously, feeling small among so many focused, strong athletes.
Today was his first official day.Today, he would start building the body that would one day carry him to the top of the football world.
His group instructor — a tall, athletic man named Coach Weber — gathered the new trainees around him.He spoke with authority, barking instructions in quick, fluent German.
Mateo froze.
He caught a few words — "laufen" (run), "schnell" (fast) — but the rest blurred together into an ocean of incomprehensible sound.
He watched helplessly as the others nodded and moved into action, while he remained standing there, feeling the unfamiliar sting of being left behind.
For the first time since arriving in Munich, panic clawed at him.
[System Notification:][New Critical Quest Unlocked: "Language of Champions."]
Quest: Language of ChampionsObjective:
Achieve conversational fluency in German within 3 months.(Able to understand instructions, hold simple conversations.)
Time Limit:
90 days
Rewards:
Medium Mystery Box
Increased Communication Attribute (+1)
Failure Penalty:
Slower progression in training, decreased future opportunities.
Mateo stared at the panel, his heart pounding.
[Advice:][To become an international footballer, mastering different languages is essential. Adaptability begins now.]
He gritted his teeth and pressed his fist against his chest.
"Accept Quest," he whispered under his breath.
The panel vanished, replaced by a soft chime of confirmation.
No time to waste.
Swallowing his nerves, Mateo watched Coach Weber and mimicked the others as best he could.
Today's training was brutal — not because of complexity, but because of pure, relentless physical demand.
First came dynamic stretching, to loosen the muscles:Arm swings, hip circles, lunges with twists.Simple, but essential.
Then, core strengthening:
Planks (hold for 1 minute, 3 sets)
Russian twists (30 per side)
Leg raises (20 reps)
Sweat poured down his face as he struggled to keep up.
After that came endurance drills:
Treadmill runs, intervals of sprinting and jogging for 20 minutes.
Burpees, a hated exercise, 4 sets of 20.
Mateo's lungs burned, his legs shook, and his vision blurred slightly from exhaustion.But he didn't stop.
Every second, he reminded himself: This is the foundation. This is the beginning.
By the time training ended, his shirt was drenched, and every muscle in his body screamed in protest.Coach Weber clapped him lightly on the back — a wordless acknowledgment that even though Mateo didn't fully understand the language, he had shown the right spirit.
Staggering out of the center and into the car, Mateo collapsed into the seat with a grunt.
His mother glanced back at him through the rearview mirror, smiling softly.
"First day?" she asked.
He nodded. "Hard," he said simply, then after a moment, added, "Mom... I need to learn German."
Helena's smile widened knowingly.
"I thought you might say that," she said. "I already planned for it. Starting tonight, every evening after dinner, we'll study together. One hour a night. No excuses."
Mateo's heart lifted with gratitude.
He nodded firmly. "I'll do it."
His mother reached over and squeezed his hand.
"One step at a time, Mateo," she said. "One day at a time."
As the city of Munich blurred past the car windows, Mateo leaned his head back, exhaustion pulling at him — but under it all, a new fire burned.
He would train his body.He would master the language.He would prepare.