The sun beat mercilessly down on the dusty training pitch.
Mateo stood on the edge of the field, stretching quietly, observing the rest of the squad.
It didn't take a genius to realize something:he was the outsider here.
Small groups of players whispered among themselves, throwing occasional glances in his direction.Some laughed.Others simply ignored him completely.
When Coach Cárdenas blew the whistle to gather everyone, Mateo jogged over, ready to prove himself.
"Today," the coach announced, "we'll start with basic possession drills, then move into small-sided games."
He didn't even glance at Mateo.
He simply waved vaguely toward one of the groups."Slot in over there."
Mateo nodded, swallowing down the tight feeling in his chest.
He jogged over — and immediately felt the tension.
No one said a word to him.No introductions.No small talk.
Just cold stares and a few rolled eyes.
The first possession drill began.
Mateo moved into space instinctively, offering passing options.
But the ball never came to him.
Time and time again, he raised his hand, made the right run —only for his teammates to deliberately ignore him, forcing risky passes elsewhere.
When he did finally receive a pass, it was an awkward hospital ball at knee-height,almost impossible to control without getting tackled immediately.
Still, Mateo fought.
He juggled a difficult pass cleanly, shifted his body, and flicked it to a teammate — only for the ball to be deliberately mishandled and turned over.
The next drill was worse: a 5v5 scrimmage.
Again, Mateo found himself isolated.
No support.
Minimal communication.
And when he dared to dribble past two defenders and head toward goal, a third player slid in recklessly, clipping his ankle hard.
Mateo tumbled to the ground, wincing.
No whistle from the coach.
No apology from the defender.
Only a few snickers from nearby players.
He pushed himself up, dusted off his knees, and jogged back into position.
If they wanted him to break,they would have to try a lot harder.
After an hour, they moved into tactical drills.
Coach Cárdenas occasionally barked corrections at players —but not once did he acknowledge Mateo.
No advice.No feedback.
As if he wasn't even there.
When training finally ended, the players filed off the pitch in groups.
Mateo walked alone, silent, exhausted — not just from the physical work, but from the invisible weight pressing down on him.
He felt the cameras again from a distance.He knew the headlines would spin whatever they wanted.
"Mateo isolated in training.""Problems fitting in?""Is the European star overrated?"
He could already imagine them.
That night, lying in the unfamiliar bed at the training center dormitory,Mateo called out silently:
"System."
The familiar golden panels appeared.
A new quest flashed brightly:
Quest: Overcome HostilitySurvive the initial hostility and complete the training camp.
Prove your worth on the field.
Rewards: Increased Mental Fortitude + Hidden Skill Unlock.
Mateo stared at the screen for a long moment.
Then he smiled grimly.
They didn't know it yet... but they had just made him stronger.
Tomorrow, he would fight back.
Not with fists.Not with anger.
But with the only weapon he trusted:
his football.