C4 Master Level Ball Skills

"You?" Carl snorted with a look of contempt.

A chorus of laughter erupted from the other boys in attendance.

"Don't overdo it, Luke!" Hildur chimed in, her brow furrowed with concern. "You're too frail. Sure, the class's honor matters, but your health is paramount. You might not withstand the rigors of a strenuous sports competition."

Her words were surprisingly soothing.

Luke felt a warmth spread through him at her words.

But then, something clicked in his mind, and he swiftly activated the Super Straight-A Student System. Hildur's character card materialized in his thoughts:

Name: Hildur

Age: 17

Future Achievement: Fourth place in the 2009 university talent contest, followed by roles in seven indie films.

Favorability towards host: Cold

Upon viewing Hildur's profile, Luke tapped the 'elementary thought reading' skill. Words floated across his mental screen:

"Luke's in such poor shape. If he gets hurt on the field, I'll get the blame from our teacher, and there goes my 'Outstanding Class Committee' scholarship for the semester..."

A wry smile crossed Luke's face as he read the caption. He had indeed been too optimistic; Hildur's concern was not for him, but for her scholarship.

Yet, Hildur was notably more astute and mature than her peers, possessing all the makings of a 'green tea bitch'.

"Are you going to sub in or not? If there's no substitute, I'm calling the game," the impatient referee-teacher announced, clearly eager to wrap things up.

"Wait..." Carl was visibly worried, harboring his own ulterior motives.

With only mediocre academic performance, his hopes for university hinged on a 'sports talent' scholarship, making every school athletic contest vitally important to him.

"I've already said I can play," Luke declared, his hands outstretched.

Seeing Luke disregard her warning, Hildur's expression tightened.

"Just let the kid play," Carl finally conceded, unwilling to concede defeat. He turned to Hildur and added, "Let him be a warm body on the field, just a fixture in the backline."

"Be careful not to hurt him," Hildur cautioned, before reluctantly exiting the court.

"Let's continue the game! Get ready!" At the coach's command, the boys from both classes took their positions on the field once more.

Luke, who used to be quite the athlete, often played soccer, though he was never more than average at it.

This time, he was stepping onto the pitch to test the limits of his newly enhanced physique.

"Host, would you like to upgrade your soccer skills?" the system inquired.

"Absolutely!" Luke responded instantly.

"Ding!"

A skill bar materialized before him, and within the 'physical' category, an option for 'soccer skills' appeared.

"Basic soccer skills match a school team's level, intermediate are on par with professional players, advanced equate to a star player's abilities, master-level aligns with the prowess of football legends, and god-level soccer skills transcend human comprehension of the sport... Upgrading from basic to intermediate requires 10 standard skill points, intermediate to advanced needs 100 points, advancing to master level takes 1,000 points, and reaching god-level demands 10,000 points. The progression for other categories is similar."

"That's incredible," Luke marveled, then asked the system, "So, the 10 skill points I just earned are only enough to boost my soccer skills to the intermediate level?"

"The system includes an initial specialization feature. Within the five categories—morality, intelligence, physique, aesthetics, and labor—you may select one skill to specialize in, elevating it directly to god-level. For instance, in the 'physical' category, there are nearly a thousand athletic skills worldwide, including basketball, volleyball, table tennis, and so on. But you can only choose one sport to specialize in, raising it straight to master-level, while the rest must be improved using standard skill points."

"Got it," Luke said, finally grasping the concept. "Then I'll pick soccer as my sports specialty."

No sooner had Luke spoken than a red light flashed, and the 'soccer skills' on his skill bar turned red, indicating a 'Master' level.

"Shh!"

With the referee's whistle, the soccer game resumed.

"Hey, trash, just stand in the back and try not to get hit by the ball, or you might end up crapping yourself!"

Before Carl kicked off, he threw a taunt over his shoulder at Luke, prompting a wave of laughter from the onlookers.

But in the blink of an eye, Luke charged forward with the swiftness of a shadow.

"Whoosh!" Before Carl could even register what was happening, Luke had already swiped the ball from his feet.

Next, Luke drew his right arm back, planted his left foot firmly for balance, and struck a shooting stance straight out of a textbook!

"Boom!" Accompanied by a dull thud, the soccer ball Luke kicked tore through the air like a cannonball, soaring over half the field and drilling into the net through a tight angle!

A hush fell over the entire field.

A World Wave! That was undoubtedly a textbook example of a World Wave!

The referee's whistle slipped from his mouth, which had formed a perfect "O" in shock. Everyone's gaze was fixed, their mouths agape like goldfish in a leaky aquarium, their expressions vacant and awestruck...

Even Hildur, who was usually detached and composed on the sidelines, couldn't hide her amazement at the spectacle. She might not have been a soccer aficionado, but she understood that Luke's powerful and precise shot from fifty meters out was not something your average high schooler could pull off.

Not even your typical pro could manage that!

"One-nil!"

The referee, being an adult, was the first to snap out of it. His whistle blew, putting Sophomore Class 2 ahead for the moment.

Exhilarating!

As Luke executed the shot, he felt an effortless grace and agility in his body. The posture, the kick, it all came together naturally. Watching the ball hit the back of the net, it was as if a decade's worth of frustration and sorrow had been released in that single moment.

Truly, the skill of a master—effortless and fluid!

"Not bad, young man, that was a solid kick," the referee said, approaching Luke with a smile.

Yet, in his eyes, it was clear he thought Luke's miraculous kick was just a fluke.

"Way to go, Luke!"

"Sophomore Class 2 is on fire!"

"Keep it up, Luke!"

"..."

The cheers erupted from Hildur and the cheerleaders at that moment.

"You got lucky, kid," Carl said, coming over and giving Luke a pat on the shoulder, his voice dripping with condescension. "But remember, soccer's an eleven-player sport. You can't win games on luck alone."

Clearly, Carl was irked to see Luke steal the spotlight from him.

"Get in the back."

Carl issued a pointed command to Luke before the game resumed. He clearly didn't want Luke to have another lucky break and outshine him again.

With the sound of a whistle, the match was back in action.

In truth, Luke's Sophomore Class 2 was evenly matched with the opposing Class 3. They were all straight-A students more accustomed to hitting the books than the field, so their skill level was modest at best. For most, it was simply an organized way to get some exercise outdoors.

But after Luke scored a remarkable goal with a powerful strike, the spirit of Class 3 was ignited.

In the face of adversity, the brave prevail. Once the game restarted, Class 3 charged through Class 2's defense with unstoppable force.

"Come on, take the ball back... Damn! Goalie, what the hell are you charging at?... Ah, we're screwed now..."

Carl's expression soured as he watched the opposition relentlessly attack their goal.

Then, in a twist of fate, the ball, after ricocheting off the goalposts, rolled right to Luke's feet.

But this time, Luke didn't go for the straightforward shot.

'Shooting directly is just too dull.'

Luke murmured, eyeing the ball at his feet.

With his masterful ball skills, Luke could have easily taken a shot from his own half, but he was looking for a different kind of play.

Feeling light on his feet, the ball seemed to stick to them, and even as he dashed forward, he maintained perfect control over its direction and spin, as if he were channeling the greats—Messi, Ronaldo, Maradona, and so many other luminous football legends. In that moment, Luke dominated the field, the undisputed master of the game.