C5 Showing off

After a decade of battling illness, Luke felt pent up for far too long and craved an opportunity to let loose. In this moment, he didn't hold back, expending his energy to put on a one-man show on the field!

"You're too slow!"

Against the aggressive play of the third class team, Luke made them look like toddlers just starting kindergarten, effortlessly dodging past them with ease.

"Beautiful! He split the defense!"

"Holy cow! He just overtook them mid-play!"

"Incredible! He's passed another one! Who is this guy? Since when does Class 2 have such an ace player?"

"..."

Suddenly, the other high school students watching from the sidelines were whipped into a frenzy!

Luke's footwork was a blur, his control of the ball so swift that no one else could even get close.

Even Luke himself was taken aback by his prowess. If this was what master-level skills felt like, how otherworldly would god-level skills be? His only regret was not having enough skill points to unlock the full potential of those godly moves.

"Go Luke!"

"Class 2 for the win!"

Hildur, leading the cheer squad, rallied the girls to chant and cheer for Luke.

The field had become Luke's personal stage. As he breezed into the opposing team's territory, the boys from Class 3 desperately tried to intercept him.

One, two, three... and then eight surrounded him, but Luke showed no signs of passing the ball.

The scene on the field turned bizarre when the Class 3 goalkeeper, seeing his teammates fail to snatch the ball, left his post to join the fray.

Eleven players were all trying to take the ball from one!

"Damn, is this for real? Eleven guys can't take the ball from him?"

"What a bunch of useless players. Pull his shorts, grab his waist, trip him if you have to!"

"Isn't that the 'Glass Man' from Class 2? How did he get so good all of a sudden?"

The crowd at the sidelines was in total uproar, with many girls staring starry-eyed at Luke's impressive performance.

But amidst the cheers, one voice was full of fury - Carl's.

"Pass the ball already, you waste of space! What's going through your head?"

Watching Luke dominate the field and steal the spotlight, a disgruntled Carl had already dashed into the opposing team's penalty area, bellowing at the top of his lungs.

"Damn it! Pass the damn ball already!"

Carl, who had never had much respect for Luke, was seething with rage as he watched Luke nonchalantly show off his ball-handling skills. Then, as if finally registering Carl's tirade, Luke looked up, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. With a swift feint, he powered a kick into the ball!

"Bang!" The soccer ball rocketed from Luke's foot like a shell, zooming straight for Carl!

Caught mid-rant, Carl's world went black as the ball hurtled toward his face at breakneck speed.

"Thud!"

There was no time for Carl to dodge; the ball brutally slammed into his face, sending twin streams of blood cascading down as he collapsed backward onto the pitch.

"Goal! What a shot!"

The girls from Class Two erupted into cheers the moment Carl hit the ground. The ball, having ricocheted off Carl's face, had found its way into the net.

"How the hell do you kick a ball...?"

Carl, picking himself up and wiping away the nosebleed, was ready to lash out at Luke, only to see him approaching with a playful grin. Luke gave him a thumbs-up, saying,

"Carl, that header was epic! Straight into the top corner! You're a legend!"

"Uh..."

Luke's backhanded compliment instantly defused Carl's anger.

With the girls still watching, Carl chose to embrace the moment, pretending his 'header' was intentional.

"Nice pass!"

His fury quickly morphed into delight. Carl laughed, gave Luke a friendly slap on the shoulder, and then flashed a victorious peace sign to the girls on the sidelines.

Luke simply smiled, letting bygones be bygones regarding Carl's accidental face-goal.

On the sidelines, Hildur observed the exchange, a flicker of intrigue passing through her clear eyes.

The match pressed on, but with Luke's almost supernatural display, the outcome was now a foregone conclusion.

Luke reveled in the exhilarating rush of the run, unconcerned with the trivialities of winning or class honor. All he sought was a release.

In that moment, Luke was the undisputed star of the field. What had started as a casual game to kill time transformed into a dazzling spectacle, with Luke's mesmerizing dribbling leaving onlookers agape.

"Damn, five minutes straight and the ball's still at his feet. His dribbling skills are off the charts!"

"Isn't this pro-level play?"

"Who is this guy? He's so cool!"

Even girls from other classes were quietly inquiring about Luke after witnessing his stylish play.

The sports teacher, doubling as the referee, was so astounded by Luke's skills that he nearly dropped the whistle. He turned a blind eye to the fouls committed against Luke, his eyes bulging as wide as a cow's.

It was downright bullying!

Eventually, the players from Class Three gave up, too exhausted to continue. They collapsed on the ground, gasping for air, watching Luke's still-slick moves with a mix of awe and a tinge of bitterness.

Eight to zero!

That was the final score of the match!

Truth be told, the referee had seen enough and mercifully called the game early. Otherwise, the gap would have been even greater!

"Ding!"

As the whistle blew, a golden light sparked in Luke's mind, and a system notification popped up: "Congratulations on earning the 'Win a Campus Competition' achievement. You have been awarded 10 standard skill points."

"An achievement for this?" Luke was taken aback.

"The achievement system boasts 4,400 achievements, with rewards varying by difficulty. The tougher the challenge, the greater the reward. For instance, a first-time city-level competition win nets you 100 ability points, while a provincial win grants 1,000 skill points, and so on..."

"Got it," Luke nodded.

The Super Straight-A Student System was proving to be far more intricate than he had anticipated. Fully grasping its complexities would take considerable time, Luke mused silently.

"You play a mean game of soccer, young man. Interested in trying out for the school team?"

After the game, the gym teacher who had been refereeing approached Luke with a smile.

"Yeah, I'm up for it!"

Luke nodded in agreement. He wasn't opposed to joining the team; he genuinely enjoyed the thrill of the game.

"Come by my office after self-study tomorrow afternoon."

The teacher gave Luke an encouraging pat on the shoulder before turning to leave.

Carl, the sports committee member, watched the exchange with a touch of disappointment, his gaze towards Luke tinged with resentment. However, he remained silent and simply walked away.

"Luke, you were amazing out there!"

"Seriously, who knew you had that in you?"

As Luke reached the sidelines, a group of girls from his class quickly surrounded him, giggling and showering him with compliments, much to the envy of the other boys.

Surrounded by his youthful and vibrant classmates, Luke felt particularly upbeat, thinking to himself:

There's nothing like the feeling of being back at school.

"Luke, you performed exceptionally today and brought honor to our class. I hope you'll keep up the good work."

At that moment, Hildur, the class president, came over with a warm smile.

"Hey, Class President, we all played hard out there too. Why is Luke the only one getting praised?"

The other boys chimed in, their faces a mix of jest and jealousy.

"Luke stands out from the crowd," Hildur said with a chuckle, then added, "You guys are always great; you don't need extra praise. But this was Luke's time to shine, so of course, I'm going to encourage him."

Luke couldn't help but mentally give Hildur a thumbs-up. Despite her youth, she was as savvy as any seasoned adult, always knowing just what to say and how to navigate any situation.