Chapter 3: Grind Before Glory
The morning sun crept over the favela, casting jagged shadows across Lucas Rocha Silva's tiny backyard. Dust swirled under his worn sneakers as he jogged in tight circles, his small chest heaving. Sweat beaded on his forehead, the air thick with the scent of roasting coffee from a neighbor's window and the distant buzz of motorbikes. It was day one of the Spark of a Legend quest, and the Football Prodigy System loomed in his mind, its stakes sharper than a striker's shot. Jog 30 miles in a week. Sixty squats daily. Seventy ball juggles. One shooting drill. Fail, and the system would vanish, his Talent Grade dropping from D+ to F, a death sentence for his dreams. Lucas, once Nelen Maharjan in 2024, couldn't let that happen this time.
He'd woken at dawn, his thin mattress creaking, the Brazil 2002 World Cup poster on his wall glowing in the early light, Ronaldo's gap-toothed smile a silent challenge. Nelen's memories of Kathmandu's 2002 ANFA pitches, his 16-year-old speed and skill crushed by corruption, his 2024 cubicle life ending in a heart attack clashed with Lucas's vibrant world. Anju's tearful scream haunted him, but so did her childhood laughter, urging him to fight. His parents' voices, stern yet loving, echoed: "Football won't feed you." They'd pushed him toward a good career, but by 2024, regret had consumed him. Now here, in 2005 Brazil, in this 10-year-old body, he had a chance to rewrite it all. Disbelief still lingered like how was he here, 19 years in the past, in a kid's frame? But the system was real, a lifeline Nelen never had.
Lucas paused his jog, breath ragged, and summoned the system. A loud DING! echoed in his mind, like a stadium bell. A glowing holographic panel flared, sleek as a digital scoreboard, bold green text scrolling across a translucent interface:
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[DING! Football Prodigy System]
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System Level: 1 (0/1000 Legacy Points to level up)
Player: Lucas Rocha Silva
Age: 10 years
Talent Grade: D+
Legacy Points: 20
Assessment: A faint pulse of potential with a mountain to climb
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PLAYER HUB
* Player Stats
* Legacy Quests
* System Shop (locked)
* Lucky Draw (locked)
* Instinct Pulse (locked)
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PLAYER STATS
* Stamina: D (Endurance and fitness, F to S)
* Technique: C (Ball control and skill, F to S)
* Vision: C+ (Playmaking and awareness, F to S)
* Resolve: D (Mental toughness, F to S)
* Drive: F (Unique flair and creativity, F to S)
* Prodigy Talents: Neymar's Flair (A-tier Passive, 2% Mastered)
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LEGACY QUESTS
#Spark of a Legend
* Task 1: Jog 30 miles within a week (Current: 2 miles, Day 1/7)
* Task 2: Complete 60 squats daily for a week (0/60, Day 1)
* Task 3: Perform 70 ball juggles daily for a week (0/70, Day 1)
* Task 4: Practice one shooting drill daily for a week (0/1, Day 1)
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Rewards:
* C-grade Vigor Tonic Potion (Boosts stamina, aids minor injury recovery, small chance to raise talent grade)
* Random Prodigy Talent
* 60 Legacy Points
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Penalty for Failure:
* Deactivation of Football Prodigy System
* Permanent Talent Grade reduction (D+ to F, no exceptions)
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Notes: Legends rise from humble beginnings. Act now or fade into obscurity.
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The panel shimmered, its chime fading like a distant whistle. Lucas's heart leaped, joy surging. This system, with its quests and talents, was his path to the pitches he'd dreamed of. But regret crept in, heavy and sharp. If he'd had this in 2002 Nepal, could he have beaten the corruption? Become a star instead of a failure? Anju's face flashed her tears as he collapsed in 2024, her laughter during their childhood games. His parents, urging him to study, their love buried under pressure. His few friends, loyal through his hard years, now lost in 2024. This new chance, gifted by some cosmic force, was a miracle, but the ache for them lingered. He shook his head, resolve hardening. He'd fight for them, for himself, for a legacy that burned brighter than Nelen's regrets.
He resumed jogging, legs burning, pushing to three miles. The system flashed:
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[Task Update: Spark of a Legend]
Task 1: Jog 30 miles (Current: 3 miles, Day 1/7)
+3 Legacy Points. Total: 23
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Lucas dropped to the dirt, starting his squats. His knees wobbled by the 50th, but he pictured Anju's nod, pushing to 60. The system chimed:
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[Task Update: Spark of a Legend]
Task 2: 60 squats complete, Day 1
+5 Legacy Points. Total: 28
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He grabbed the scuffed football, its leather worn but alive under his foot. Nelen's ANFA instincts twitched, urging him to juggle. He started, the ball bouncing into foot, knee, foot. One, two, five… eight. It hit the dirt, rolling toward a fence. He cursed, chasing it, and tried again. His Technique: C faltered at 10, but he kept going, sweat stinging his eyes. On his sixth try, he hit 15, a spark of Neymar's Flair in his rhythm. The system updated:
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[Task Update: Spark of a Legend]
Task 3: 70 ball juggles complete, Day 1
+10 Legacy Points. Total: 38
Neymar's Flair practiced. Skill Mastered: 3%
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Lucas grinned, chest heaving. Neymar's Flair, his A-tier talent, was growing. At 3% mastery, he could feel its potential of Neymar's slick agility but his moves were clumsy. He tried a step-over, picturing a defender. The ball stuck, then slipped, thudding into a fence. The system flashed:
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[Neymar's Flair attempted]
Skill Mastered: 4%. Practice to improve success rate
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He tried again, chaining two step-overs, his small body swaying. It wasn't close to Neymar yet, but it felt closer. The system noted:
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[Neymar's Flair practiced]
Skill Mastered: 5%. Practice to improve success rate
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For the shooting drill, Lucas stacked crates against the fence, mimicking a goalpost. He paced back, his Vision: C+ spotting an angle. His first shot sailed wide, hitting a neighbor's laundry line. "Oi, garoto, careful!" a woman yelled. Lucas winced, apologizing. He adjusted, Nelen's skill guiding his stance. The second shot clipped a crate, toppling it. On the third, it struck dead center, crates scattering. The system chimed:
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[Task Update: Spark of a Legend]
Task 4: Shooting drill complete, Day 1
+5 Legacy Points. Total: 43
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Exhausted, Lucas sank to the dirt, the favela waking and kids shouting, radios blaring samba, dogs barking. His C-tier Healing Potion stayed dormant, waiting for injuries. He summoned the system to check his stats:
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[Player Stats]
Stamina: D
Technique: C
Vision: C+
Resolve: D
Drive: F
Prodigy Talents: Neymar's Flair (A-tier Passive, 5% Mastered)
Legacy Points: 43
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His Resolve: D felt stronger, fueled by the grind. System Shop, Lucky Draw, and Instinct Pulse a locked feature for split-second match decisions teased future power, but he needed more Legacy Points and master more skills. The Talent Grade: D+ penalty loomed, a threat to his potential. He couldn't fail Anju, himself, or the legacy he'd build.
"Lucas, breakfast!" His mother's voice rang, warm but firm. He dusted off, grabbing the ball, and stepped into the kitchen. Fresh bread and coffee wrapped him like a hug. His mother, hair tied back, set pão de queijo, her eyes tired but kind. Carla, braid swinging, smirked. "You're all sweaty, bro. Fall in a ditch?" Lucas rolled his eyes, sitting. "Just training," he said, weaving Nelen's caution into Lucas's spark.
His mother frowned, noticing his flush. "Don't overdo it, Lucas. You're just a kid not Ronaldo." She nodded at the 2002 World Cup poster, Ronaldo's smile gleaming. Lucas laughed, but Nelen's regrets stirred. In 2024, he'd watched Brazil's matches alone, Anju busy, with friends fading. Here, in 2005, he had family, a pitch, a system. Anju's face lingered, her voice urging him to shine. He'd fight for her.
Carla flicked a crumb. "Spacing out again, weirdo. Dreaming of girls?" Lucas swatted her hand, grinning. "Just football, sis." She snorted, eyes narrowing, sensing something off. He ate quickly, the pão de queijo warm, his mind on the quests. Twenty-seven miles left to jog. More juggles, squats, shots. Each task was a step past Nelen's failures.
After breakfast, Lucas returned to the yard, determined to push Neymar's Flair. He dribbled, trying a heel flick. The ball wobbled, nearly tripping him, but held for a moment. The system flashed:
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[Neymar's Flair practiced]
Skill Mastered: 6%. Practice to improve success rate
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A shout broke his focus. "Lucas, you dancing out there?" João, a gap-toothed kid, leaned over the fence, grinning. "Play with us later, bro! We need your moves!" Lucas hesitated, Nelen's caution flaring. A street match could test Neymar's Flair, but quests came first. "Tomorrow," he called. João shrugged, sprinting off. The favela pulsed, kids kicking balls, Brazil's heart alive.
Lucas jogged another mile, legs like lead. The system updated:
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[Task Update: Spark of a Legend]
Task 1: Jog 30 miles (Current: 4 miles, Day 1/7)
+3 Legacy Points. Total: 46
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He collapsed by the fence, staring at the sky, the favela's lights flickering on as dusk fell. His mother's samba tune drifted out, Carla's teasing waiting. Lucas clutched the ball, his Resolve: D hardening. Nelen had fallen in 2024, dreams crushed but Lucas Rocha Silva wouldn't. The Football Prodigy System was his cheat code, Neymar's Flair his spark, Anju's memory his fire. This was his chance to forge a legacy that would burn forever.