The Greatest Of All Time
Dive into a novel about the rise of a legendary sportsman.
Follow Zachary Bemba on his journey to become the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time) in the soccer world.
He travels back to a time in his past where opportunity abounds. Access to a system capable of propelling him to greater heights is just the icing on the cake.
From a nobody born in one of the poorest and most remote places on the planet, he relentlessly pursues his goal of becoming the greatest sportsman the world has ever seen.
Read The Greatest of all Time Chapter 1 - Rewind! online for free - AllNovelFull
"KOKOKORIKO"
Zachary Bemba was woken from a deep slumber by the crowing of a rooster. His eyes abruptly rolled open, glazed over with the remnants of a dream or rather a nightmare.
Zachary was first aware of the coolness of the air and its fresh fragrance. It was nothing similar to the foul polluted air he'd grown accustomed to in the suburbs of Kinshasha City.
He was lying on an abnormally small mattress that seemed to have been crafted by inserting spiky grass into rigid sacks. It was very uncomfortable and hurt his back when he stirred.
Zachary blinked as his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting in the room before propping himself up and orienting himself to the surroundings.
He was in a room with gray clay walls and a grass roof over his head. Small khaki curtains hid the shabby small window on one side of the cramped chamber—just leaving a shy peek of the banana plantation beyond. One wooden stool and a roughly made bench stood at the foot of his small bed.
[WTF!? Isn't this my small hut back in my ancestral village?]
[Why am I back here?]
He seemed to be hallucinating about his childhood residence back in Bukavu. He had stayed with his grandma until he was sixteen before he gained some small achievements in his soccer career and then went on to waste his life.
[I am not dreaming!] He exclaimed inwardly after pinching the dark brown skin on his forearm.
The last thing that he could recall was drowning and struggling for a single breath of air in the deep waters of the Congo River. The experience was deeply traumatizing for him.
Zachary had failed to pay back a debt he owed to a local drug lord in Kinshasha and was left to drown in the river by the thug's sycophants. He should have already died and on his way to hell, but here he was, alive and well.
[Could I have gone back in time? Could I have gotten a second chance?]
"Hahaha..." Zachary's laughter was a high cold cackle, piercing the silent atmosphere.
"I've got to stop following those soaps and web novels," Zachary mumbled while trying to suppress his laughter.
But suddenly, from the small open window came a form. Levitating a foot off the dirt-laden coarse floor was an ash-grey translucent silhouette that shimmered with a hazy glow. Slowly, it came into focus as an object looked at through a telescope, but this phantom was close, very close, just a few meters away.
Now Zachary could see the form of a man, with a silvery ragged line across his neck standing in his room. His skin was the color of charcoal and matched his bottomless soulless eyes. He wore a crown of leaves and grass, plus a tattered regal gown on his person.
Zachary's first impression of him was that he was just a hallucination and thus shook his head, trying to disperse his image from his mind. He was calm as this was not the first time he was getting delusions. His hallucinations had been getting progressively less amusing over the years due to his abuse of drugs.
Despite his efforts, the phantom was still there, before him, laughing and performing a sort of wild – prehistoric dance around his small room.
Zachary wanted to run fast for safety—out of the small wooden door, but instead remained where he was. Let's face it; there was only one thing he could do in such a situation: Pray the phantom wouldn't kill him.
But suddenly, the phantom stopped its manic laughter and started studying Zachary with the unwavering attention of a predator.
The phantom's soulless eyes creeped him out to the point of nearly peeing in his pants. But he clamped down on his fears and prayed that the almighty God (if there was one) could help him out of the situation.
"Young man!" Zachary heard the phantom's deep voice resounding like a thunderclap directly within his mind. It spoke to him without moving its chapped lips.
"I have felt your sadness and regret."
"I can sense your deep desire to do something for this forsaken land of ours. Your ancestors have sacrificed a lot to give you another chance. Remember; don't waste it! I will be watching you." The voice of the phantom was as chilling as ice at absolute zero, devoid of any emotion.
Before Zachary could register the meaning behind the words, the phantom began growing steadily less solid like it was being rubbed out of existence by some invisible eraser. One minute it was there, and the next, it was gone—vanished.
[What is happening!?] Zachary was shocked stiff by the development.
[I need to stop smoking Cannabis sativa.] He resolved.
"Hallucinating about my death, going back in time to my childhood, and meeting a ghost. If not marijuana, what could it be?" He mumbled while trying to calm his still bubbly emotions.
But at that instant, he heard a voice that should have been buried deep in his past.
"Zachary, wake up and go fetch some water," the high-pitched voice belonged to his grandmother. It was like he remembered: comforting as it wrapped around Zachary and whisked him off to a world where the sound was the power that could change everything wrong in the world.
Zachary's eyes moistened as he jumped out of his bed and limped towards the door of the small hut. He felt some pain in his left leg but ignored it as he was eager to see the old lady who had looked after him from childhood. His grandma was the rockstar of his world, his anchor, his safe place. But he had lost her prematurely.
Just opening the door made Zachary's breathing rapid and shallow. He could feel his pulse pounding in his temples as he stepped out of the grass-thatched house.
"I am really back," he mumbled while looking at the banana plantations and pastures around him. Their homestead was on a hill allowing Zachary to see down the slope covered by the virulent greens. Cows mooed quietly in one corner of a paddock nearby, and the squeals and snorts of fat pigs came from a pen some distance away from the house. Hens pecked at the soil with clockwork rhythm while goats grazed eagerly in the meadows. Zachary's grandma's farm was massive, spreading across a good four acres.
"This is a utopia," Zachary grinned while focusing his attention on his grandma.
A tall woman, all lean and skinny and with greying hair, was washing clothes a few meters away from his doorstep. She was humming a hymn and took no notice of Zachary when he was observing her. She was his grandmother, alive and well.
For a moment, the emotions Zachary had buried deep inside his mind came flooding forward, threatening to drown him in an endless abyss of regret and confusion. But as he continued looking at his grandmother's form that was as real as anything tangible around him, his mood lifted.
[Let this be real.] He inwardly prayed as he resisted the urge to rash forward and lift the woman into a hug.
If this was just a dream, Zachary didn't wish to wake.
He was highly suspicious that he had gone back in time to when he was just fifteen years old.
His hopes soared on thinking about the possibility. There were many things Zachary regretted and a lot more he could change. If there were even a slim chance that he had traveled back in time, he would use all his wasted opportunities to soar into the skies. And just maybe, he would make better decisions and become one of the greatest footballers of his generation. That had been his previous life's wish.
Zachary turned back and headed into the house. He needed a few minutes away from his grandmother to clear his head. But then, he noticed the mind-numbing pain that tortured his ankle bones and muscles whenever he moved.
And then he remembered.
He'd gotten involved in a bike accident around the time he was fifteen during his previous life. The accident had been so bad that it'd basically tore most of the ligaments in his left foot. That'd been the beginning of the end of his soccer career. He had gone on to fail the trials of his school team due to the injury and then started wallowing in endless distress. He then took to drugs to suppress his sorrow and was later expelled from his high school.
What followed was a period of being out on the streets in Kinshasha for a few months. But luckily, he was picked up by a retired footballer on the DRC National Team. With his help, he managed to get back on his feet and join TP Mazembe—a local football team in Lubumbashi. With the team, he managed to gain a bit of success in his football career.
But his success was short-lived. He soon relapsed back to taking drugs and was banned from the National League. One wrong decision led to another until even God could no longer save him from himself.
However, the starting point of all his distress was the accident he suffered when he was fifteen.
[Why would I return to a point when I was already injured?] He was distressed. He felt his mood sink as he limped back to his room to examine his left ankle.
But at that moment, a Ding sounded in his head, and a translucent blue book flipped open before him. On its first page, a few words were being inscribed in beautiful calligraphy.
"DING"
'G.O.A.T SYSTEM INITIALIZING…'
For more, visit
Zachary blinked as his eyes adjusted. He gazed at the translucent blue book, wide-eyed, mouth agape, and face frozen in wonderment.
Zachary had read many system-tagged web novels before he'd returned to his past. He could instantly comprehend what was happening. He was sure that he might be acquiring a 'leveling-up system' like all those protagonists in the novels. That was the dream cheat for any passionate fan of web novels.
The system could help him level up his soccer skills and make him a star player within a few years if it was anything like in those novels.
Since he was injured, this was the first time Zachary felt optimistic about pursuing his dream of becoming an internationally recognized soccer player.
With a system, he could become one of the best players in Africa or even in the whole world.
He could then easily acquire mansions, posh cars, supermodels, and big money without ever resorting to robbery and selling drugs like in his past life.
Above all, he could secure a better future for his grandmother that was still suffering in poverty in a remote village in Bukavu.
The sky was the only limit.
[Am I really awake?] Zachary wondered before once again pinching his skin. This time, he chose one of the more sensitive areas on his body to dispel all the doubts in his mind.
"Damn, that hurt," he yelped.
The pain he felt was as real as it could be.
If he was asleep, then this dreamworld or fantasy had become his new reality. And that wasn't a bad thing.
He was glad to accept it.
Zachary calmed his mind and once again refocused on the contents of the virtual book before him.
SPACE-TIME TUNNELING SUCCESSFUL
--
G.O.A.T SYSTEM INITIALIZING
--
"DING"
NEW USER DETECTED...
MATCHING BRAINWAVES...
ANALYZING BODY DATA...
ORIENTING TO NEW USER...
--
ACTIVATION SUCCESSFUL
--
"DING"
--
Please select your desired profession to start your journey on the path to becoming a G.O.A.T
a) Musician
b) Actor
c) Soccer Player
d) Basketballer
e) Other Sports
'NB: The system will aid you on your journey to ascend to the G.O.A.T status in any of the above professions.'
'Please make your choice after careful consideration. The choice is irreversible.'
A smile slowly spread across Zachary's face after reading through the lustrous golden words on the page. He wanted to run, to shout, to tell his grandma what was happening, but he knew he couldn't. He had no way of explaining his circumstances.
Zachary had gone back in time and acquired a freaking system that should've only existed in his fantasies. The system could elevate him to the G.O.A.T status in several professions.
He was deliriously happy, giddy even.
Zachary carefully extended his right forefinger and tapped on choice – C.
"DING"
--
USER HAS SELECTED SOCCER PROFESSION
'Confirm' 'Cancel'
(*NB: The choice is irreversible after confirmation.)
Zachary did not think twice and just confirmed his choice of the soccer profession. Soccer was his love, obsession, and the only thing he'd ever managed to achieve some positive results in his previous lifetime.
Zachary would never choose to become a singer or an actor. He would embarrass himself if he ever tried singing due to his deep hoarse voice.
On confirming the soccer option, the translucent book instantly dispersed into glittering blue particles before assembling back into a virtual screen with a spinning golden soccer ball at the center. The ball then disappeared into the background before new golden words started appearing on the virtual screen.
"DING"
SOCCER G.O.A.T UI SUCCESSFULLY INITIALIZED
--
STARTING BOOT PROCESS
IMPLANTING QUANTUM BIO-CODE IN DNA OF USER...
Zachary's head throbbed while his bones tingled with a ticklish feeling. The pain felt like someone had taken a knife to his skull.
He quickly lay down on his bed and rested his head against his pillow. Squeezing his eyes shut, he willed the pain to go away. The rest of the world became detached, and all he could concentrate on was the pain rooted deep in his head and bones.
But soon, he heard another ding sound before the pain receded like a tide. He opened his eyes and noticed that the words on the screen had once again changed.
SOCCER G.O.A.T SYSTEM SUCCESSFULLY BOUND TO NEW USER
--
POPULATING USER INTERFACE...
UPDATING USER STATS...
UPDATING MISSIONS...
--
SOCCER G.O.A.T UI SUCCESSFULLY UPDATED
--
USER CAN ACCESS INFO BY FOLLOWING THE TAB MENUS
The message ended there. The virtual screen once again became blank. But not for long. Shortly, glowing golden tab-menus started populating the screen.
SOCCER G.O.A.T SYSTEM
SYSTEM LEVEL: 1 (0/100 juju points to level-up)
USER: Zachary Bemba
AGE: 15 years
TALENT ASSESSMENT: Grade-D
JUJU-POINTS: 0
(Evaluation: A pitiful boy far from becoming a professional soccer player)
--
USER MENU
USER STATS
G.O.A.T MISSIONS
SYSTEM SHOP (locked)
SYSTEM LOTTERY (locked)
SNOOPING TOOL (locked)
--
NB: Please level up the system to unlock more functions.
Zachary could instantly understand the contents of the system User-Interface after taking a single glance.
It was like a User Interface of a simple android mobile game that the user could use to navigate the game menus.
But Zachary was perturbed by the system's assessment of his talent.
He had been playing soccer since he was eight years and felt like he was good at it. But the system was assessing his talent at only Grade-D.
The grading was different from Zachary's expectations. So, he tapped on the 'USER STATS' button to understand why.
Another list populated the virtual page as soon as his finger left the virtual button.
USER STATS
-Physical Fitness: D
-Soccer Technique: C
-Game Intelligence: C
-Mental Ability and Mindset: D-
-X-Factors: F
-G.O.A.T Skills: NONE
"Really!" Zachary exclaimed. "How can my mental ability be only at 'D-'? My grading should be higher than this."
Although Zachary was a failure in his previous lifetime, he had always thought of himself to have a strong mental fortitude that could endure any hardship. But the system's assessment of him was different from his expectations.
For a moment, he was distressed. But then, he remembered that he had a second chance at achieving his goals—an opportunity at ascending to become a 'great' in sports.
[With this G.O.A.T system, what is there to fear?]
[I will work harder and become a Grade-S talent as soon as possible.] He resolved while tapping on the physical fitness tab.
USER STATS
-Physical Fitness (Av. Rating: D)
Balance and Coordination: E
Agility: E
Strength: C-
Stamina: C
Endurance Points: 990/1000 (C)
NB: For detailed numerical data, follow the attribute tabs.
Zachary did not bother to continue assessing his stats. More info would confuse his head. He was never good with numbers.
But he could still understand his skills rating.
His highest attributes were his strength, stamina, and endurance at the moment. They seemed to be above average if the top rating was grade-S.
Zachary was still not satisfied with his data.
[I hope this system has a way to enhance my attributes and heal my injury in a short time.]
[I have to be part of that trial that should be taking place in about a month.] He thought while glancing at his Asahi digital watch beside his pillow.
He had moved fifteen years back to the past. The date today was June 12, the year 2010. He had started to recall some events that were about to happen in the local soccer scene.
A month later, a few scouts from France would be in attendance at the regional football trials in Lubumbashi City. They were officials of a humanitarian organization aiming at promoting soccer in war-torn areas like DR. Congo.
In his previous life, a few Congolese young players were lucky to be selected by the scouts. Shortly after, they joined illustrious high-performance soccer academies in France and ascended to the skies in a single leap.
The other young soccer players (including Zachary) that were not part of the trial wallowed in endless regret about the missed opportunity for years.
Zachary rubbed his palms together—in anticipation as he was determined to participate and succeed that time around. Thus, without any dilly-dallying, he clicked the 'G.O.A.T Missions' tab on the system interface. If the system had a method to increase his powers and heal him, it had to be through a mission. That was a no-brainer for anyone who had ever read a system-tagged novel.
The tab was already blinking with a red light showing that there was already a mission awaiting Zachary to complete.
G.O.A.T MISSIONS
#NEW MISSION: Preparations to become a soccer G.O.A.T
Task 1: Run 70 miles within a week.
Task 2: Complete 100 seat-ups daily for a week.
Task 3: Complete 50 press-ups daily for a week.
Task 4: Complete four rounds of half a dozen Hatha-Yoga poses daily for a week.
--
Rewards:
-B-grade vitality enhancing elixir (Heals all injuries and strengthens the body. Has a chance of increasing talent.)
-A random G.O.A.T Skill.
-5 juju-points
--
Punishment in case the mission is still incomplete after the stipulated time.
-Loss of G.O.A.T system.
-The left leg of the user will be permanently crippled (No compromise).
--
Remarks: A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. And that step must be taken now.
"Now!" Zachary exclaimed, his eyes widening. Since he'd been through a lot in the past few hours, he was tired and spent out.
So, he was just about to go out and relax by taking a walk around his old neighborhood. But the system swatted his plans.
He hurriedly put on his oversized tracksuit, ate a quick breakfast, and rushed out of the house after saluting his grandmother.
He could only relax after finishing the daily tasks imposed on him by the system. He would never allow himself to lose his leg if he had an opportunity to do something about it.
For more, visit
Zachary was jogging at a steady pace.
He was mindful of neither the ever-present potholes in the dirt-roads of eastern Bukavu nor the mud heaps brought about by the rain of the previous day.
He hummed the Chris Brown song (Don't Wake Me Up) that was supposed to be released two years later.
Zachary smiled softly. He was in a good mood.
Above him loomed the blue sky with just a few stratus clouds making their unhurried way toward Lake Kivu in the north. The sun was already a golden ball of yellow above, promising more heat as the day progressed. All in all, he could not have asked for better weather to complete the system mission.
It had been six days since Zachary returned to the past, and he was very close to completing the tasks in his first system mission.
He had been exercising like there was not a tomorrow in his vocabulary.
With the G.O.A.T system, he had the motivation to work hard and thus never once thought about giving up when the going got tough.
Every morning, he would start with a routine of one hundred seat-ups, then do fifty press-ups before jogging ten or more miles around the dirt roads of Bukavu. He would then complete his day's training in the evening by going through six rounds of Hatha-yoga routines. His daily yoga practice always included the serpent, bow, peacock, tortoise, eagle, and Matsyendra poses.
In his previous lifetime, he had come across an article explaining how yoga was essential to improving the flexibility and body coordination of any sportsman. Zachary was determined to stick to this practice as it would reduce the risk of him getting injured later in his career.
He feared getting injured again the most. Injuries would diminish the player's form and destroy careers if not meticulously handled.
An injury had been the start of Zachary's downfall in his previous lifetime. But he was determined not to let it affect him in his new one.
Throughout the past six days, his injured ankle had hurt like hell after continuing to support his strenuous exercise without much rest. It had swollen and taken on a reddish hue like that of a perfectly boiled shrimp. But Zachary had chosen to ignore the pain and continue the tedious tasks imposed on him by the system.
A few times when he felt he could not hold on, he just had to think about the great heights achieved by some of the top athletes from poor backgrounds in his previous lifetime. Soccer stars like Sadio Mane, Frank Ribery, and Cristiano Ronaldo had made it to the top by capitalizing on their talent. Through sheer hard work and their unrelenting attitude towards soccer, they had almost achieved the G.O.A.T status supported by the common consensus of the pro-sports community.
Zachary believed that the pain and fatigue he was feeling at that moment was his weakness leaving the body.
He could see the bigger picture.
The climb might be tough and challenging, but if he ever made it to the top of the soccer world, the view would be worth it. So, he decided to work harder than any athlete alive and see if he could also become one of the greats. He would try becoming the best or die trying. With a cheat system aiding in his rise, he would not settle for less.
Zachary was in the zone and felt like running was a form of whole-body meditation. He continued his steady motion at a steady pace pushing away the pain and fatigue from his mind while humming song after song to psyche himself up.
On the nearly empty Bukavu dirt-roads, he had no worries. Zachary didn't need to fret about high-interest loans like in his previous life, no problematic girlfriend, no therapist. It was just him cutting across the warm breeze caressing his skin.
Stick sweat soaked his oversized tracksuit while his old second-hand Nike snickers were all covered in mud. He panted as he wiped his mouth on his sleeve. He could only imagine how badly he stunk.
As he rounded a bend heading back towards his grandma's farm, a Ding sounded in his head.
The sound elevated his mood as it was the now-familiar system notification indicating that he had completed one of the mission tasks.
But Zachary resisted the urge to open the system User-Interface and continued jogging across the plains, up the hill, until he was back to his grandma's house.
Once he stopped running, the perspiration lay cool on his skin, cooled further by the noon breeze, and he began to shiver.
He hurriedly washed up before stretching to cool down his muscles. He was then just about to start his yoga routine when he was interrupted by the high-pitched voice of his grandma.
"Zachary," she yelled. "You're running on that foot again. Didn't Dr. Kazadi tell you to desist from straining it for three months? Child, I don't have any more money to take you to the main hospital." She was speaking in Swahili - one of the local languages in Bukavu.
"Grandma, I'm now fine," he lied, voice humble. "I will be okay by the time school starts once again. I want to be ready for the school team trials."
[Sorry, grandma. I can't tell you everything now. But I'll surprise you in the future.] Zachary vowed inwardly.
"Are you sure?" She asked. "I will come and take a look at that foot myself. I won't trust your words." She added.
"No, Grandma," Zachary hurriedly yelled back while bolting the wooden door to his room from the inside. "I am currently dressing. Maybe later."
"I can tell that you are lying," the voice of his grandma had risen a crescendo.
"That does it. Tomorrow, I will ask Dr. Kazadi to look at your ankle again. If he says that it's okay, then you can do whatever you want. But I don't want to see you out running before that." His grandmother warned, voice somber.
"Yes, grandma," Zachary replied humbly.
[I will have completed my mission by tomorrow. If the elixir reward can right away heal all my torn ligaments and dislocated bones, then there'll be no need to worry.] He thought.
He once again focused on his training and went through his Yoga routine. Today, he had woken up very early and worked extra hard to finish the mission before lunchtime. He was eager to receive the first rewards from the system. He would then be able to gauge if the G.O.A.T system was as badass as the ones in most of the web novels he had read.
In a few minutes, he completed the yoga routine, and the Ding sound once again resounded in his mind.
Without even taking a minute to relax, he summoned the system's user interface to check the changes in his stats.
SOCCER G.O.A.T SYSTEM
SYSTEM LEVEL: 1 (15/100 juju-points to level-up)
USER: Zachary Bemba
AGE: 15 years
TALENT ASSESSMENT: Grade-D
JUJU-POINTS: 15 (1 msg)
(Evaluation: A pitiful boy far from becoming a professional soccer player)
--
USER MENU
USER STATS
G.O.A.T MISSIONS (4 msg)
SYSTEM SHOP (temporarily-unlocked)
SYSTEM LOTTERY (temporarily-unlocked)
SNOOPING TOOL (locked)
--
NB: Pls level-up system to unlock more functions.
Zachary instantly noticed the juju-points, G.O.AT-missions, system-shop, and system-lottery tabs blinking red on the user interface. With his expertise gained through reading web novels, he could tell that he had received new messages or status changes in those tabs.
So, he tapped on the tab towards the top of the virtual blue screen.
JUJU-POINTS: 15 (1 msg)
- You have completed mission – Preparations to Become a Soccer G.O.AT. You have earned 15 juju-points.
--
NB: Please complete more system tasks, win matches, and gain fame to gain more juju-points.
Zachary understood the message at first glance. He closed the tab in a way similar to that of navigating the android tabs of a smartphone and then fixed his attention on the G.O.A.T mission tabs.
[What rewards will I get from the system?] He wondered.
[Will the vitality enhancing elixir cure me?]
[What if this is a dream? Am I just about to wake?] A lot of doubts ran through his mind making his brain tingle with anxiety.
But he suppressed them and tapped on the G.O.A.T missions tab.
"DING"
#4 new messages
CONGRATULATIONS
- You have completed mission (Preparations to Become a Soccer G.O.A.T).
--
-Mission-Rewards
1) B-grade vitality enhancing elixir (Available in system-shop; temporarily unlocked. NB: The user must consume the elixir within 5 seconds after being removed from system shop.)
2) A random G.O.A.T skill (Available in system-lottery; temporarily unlocked)
3) 5 juju points
--
-Mission Summary
Task 1: Run 70 miles within a week. (74/70 miles completed; rating A)
Task 2: Complete 100 seat-ups daily for a week. (Av. 200/100 seat-ups completed daily; Rating S)
Task 3: Complete 50 press-ups daily for a week. (Av. 64/50 press-ups completed daily; Rating A)
Task 4: Complete four rounds of half a dozen Hatha-Yoga routine daily for a week. (Av. 6/4 rounds of Hatha-yoga poses completed; Rating A)
--
Overall Mission Rating: A
--
-Bonus rewards
You have earned 10 bonus juju-points
--
For more, visit
Even in his previous lifetime, Zachary, as a general rule, hid his emotions. He figured they were intel he should not hand over, and so at all times, his face was blank. But today was different. Zachary had just received the first mission rewards from the system, and excitement poured out of him like sunshine through fine white linen; he glowed from the inside out.
It felt like every fiber of his being was vibrating with anticipation when he looked at the virtual screen before him. He first rubbed his palms together and sat down on his bed before tapping on the system-shop tab that was still blinking red.
SYSTEM SHOP
-Gift Packs (temporarily-unlocked) (1 msg)
-Purchase Skills (locked)
-Purchase Elixirs (locked)
-Lottery Coupons (locked)
-Inventory (temporarily-unlocked) (1 msg)
The Gift-Pack tab was blinking red, and Zachary right away extended his right forefinger and tapped on it. For the first time, he noticed that the screen felt tangible against his touch but did not give much attention to it.
"DING"
#1 new messages
--
CONGRATULATIONS
You have received a System Gift: B-grade vitality enhancing elixir.
Please select the gift card in the inventory to retrieve the elixir.
--
NB: The user must consume the elixir within five seconds after removal from the system shop.
Remarks: Hold tight; you are in for a rough ride.
--
The message was brief, but it was what Zachary was expecting. He clicked on the inventory tab and then selected the only card with the image of an apple in it. And voila, the fruit, the size of a lollipop, popped out of the translucent blue screen.
Although Zachary had read several system-tagged web novels, he was still amazed by the spectacle before him. It was simply magic.
But he was not the kind to concern himself with the inner workings and processes of the system, and thus, he just picked up the small apple and swallowed it right away.
He had less than 5 seconds to act.
As soon as the small apple entered his mouth, it dissolved like ice cream and melted on his tongue.
[Quite sweet. Different from what I imagined!] He thought. He swallowed the melted liquid from the elixir in one gulp.
But shortly, a tingling sensation similar to low voltage electric shocks passed through every part of his body. Before Zachary could adapt, a sharp pain lanced through his head and then spread out to the rest of his body. His muscles and bones ached when he made any slight movements.
Slowly he tried to ignore the pain by thinking about something else but quickly realized how futile it was when he had to bite his lip to keep from crying out. But like a real man, he suppressed his agony and persisted through the ordeal. He would never allow himself to alarm his grandma because of some pains in his body.
Minutes later, the mind-numbing soreness receded like a tide. His body tensed up and relaxed before tensing up once again as it filled up with vitality and energy.
His limbs, especially his left foot, were the most sensitive at that juncture. A mysterious force seemed to wrap around his foot and gradually started mending the torn ligaments and dislocated bones like a tailor stitching up a torn cloth.
Zachary then felt searing fiery bursts pulsating around the injured foot, intensifying with each passing second, jarring and brutal.
But his mind was not in agony but brimming with joy and expectation.
He understood that his injured foot was being healed and could thus choose to ignore the pain. As long as he could become fully fit again, all the suffering would be worth it. So, he endured.
Shortly, the pain disappeared and left his foot numb.
[Was it healed?] Zachary wondered.
He stood up from the bed and sensed that his limbs were stiff and seemingly paralyzed at that moment. He awkwardly ambled around his room while stretching, and soon, the feeling in his legs and arms returned.
Zachary then felt his body permeating with unbounded strength and stamina, the likes he had never experienced even at his peak in his previous lifetime. At that very moment, he felt like a carp leaping over the legendary dragon's gate. So, he opened the system User-Interface and then tapped on the user-stats tab to check out the changes in his body.
USER STATS
-Physical Fitness: B -
-Soccer Technique: B -
-Game Intelligence: C
-Mental Ability and Mindset: D
-X-Factors: F
-G.O.A.T Skills: None
Zachary could hardly contain his happiness. His physical-fitness, soccer-technique, and mental-ability stats had all improved and pushed his talent-assessment grade from D to C.
He was surprised that his physical-fitness had leaped over two gradings from D to B -. So, he clicked on its tab to understand its changes.
-Physical Fitness (Av. Rating: B -)
Balance and Coordination: C
Agility: D
Strength: B -
Stamina: A -
Endurance Points: 3500/ 5500 (A -)
"I have got to find a way to improve my agility before the trials," Zachary mumbled as if to himself. He was happy with the improvements in his stats except for his 'agility' that was still below average.
In Zachary's short professional soccer career in his previous lifetime, he had suffered on the pitch due to his slow speed and less agile movements. He was always quickly closed down by opponents and often lost the ball more times than he passed it. In due time, he had lost the trust of the coaching staff at TP - Mazembe before they terminated his professional contract.
Zachary understood that a player had to have perfected his body-control before trying to improve his agility. Long strides, correct running form, and a low center of gravity were indications of a high level of body control possessed by professional soccer players. It was under the category of technique rather than physical fitness. Thus, Zachary could perfect it by improving the correctness of form through training.
But this was not something that he could achieve with just a few weeks of training.
He only had about a month to the trials in Lubumbashi. He had to have improved all his abilities by then to stand a chance of gaining the attention of scouts by performing splendidly in the soccer-trials.
[What can I do?] He mused as he sat down on his bed.
But then he remembered that he still had the random 'G.O.A.T-skill reward' from the system. He hurriedly closed the physical-fitness tab and selected the system-lottery.
Right away, three smaller virtual pages filled up the screen from the left to the right side. A big-spin-lottery wheel filled up the page at the center. The contents of the other two virtual pages remained blurry with the word 'locked' inscribed below them.
So, Zachary pivoted his attention to the stationery lottery-wheel that was just too huge and disappeared off into the edges of the screen at the center page. It consisted of small square sections arranged from top to bottom with small images of famous soccer players. In the middle, two purple arms were pointing to a picture of N'Golo Kanté in a tackling posture. Beside the wheel was a red button with the phrases 'spin and win', '*3 chances', and 'confirm lottery' inscribed below it.
Zachary did not waste time on pointless deliberation. He just tapped on the red button, and voila, the wheel spun at a fast speed before stopping with the pointers locked on to the image of Iker Casillas - a Spanish goalkeeper saving the ball.
"Why is the system offering me goalkeeping skills?" Zachary mumbled inaudibly, voice tense. He was growing anxious after the first spin since he didn't acquire his desired result from the lottery.
Although he was a defending midfielder in the short soccer career of his previous lifetime, he inwardly preferred the attacking positions. He would always opt to score goals like the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovich and Christiano Ronaldo rather than defending like Rio Ferdinand. Attackers had a certain flair to them that could gain them a status much higher than defenders in the eyes of the public. Thus, Zachary neither wanted to be a goalkeeper nor a defender.
He tapped on the red button again, and the wheel spun for a few seconds before stopping at a square with Leonardo Bonucci - the Italian defender shielding the ball. He didn't even bother to take a second glance and used up his last chance to spin the wheel.
This time the wheel spun for a little longer. And after what seemed like years to Zachary, it stopped with its pointers locked on an image of Zinedine Zidane - the famous French Footballer. He was standing with the ball at his feet but looking out into the distance.
"Thank God," Zachary mumbled while letting out a long relaxed breath of pent-up air. He was of the view that no skill from the famous Zizou could be anything but magical. Zizou could score goals and dribble like any of the world-famous number nines despite not being a forward. Thus, Zachary was looking forward to which skill he would receive from the system. It could be his ticket to becoming a pro-soccer player.
So, he tapped on the confirm-lottery button to approve the result.
"DING"
The familiar system notification sounded as the square with the glittering image of Zinedine popped out of the wheel a few seconds later. In a burst of visual colors, it turned into a card that hovered in the front of everything else on the virtual screen.
Zachary strained his eyes to read the words below Zinedine's image.
#1 new message
--
CONGRATULATIONS
-You have won the lottery and gained one G.O.A.T-skill:
'ZINEDINE VISUAL JUJU'
Tap on the skill-card to learn the G.O.A.T technique.
--
NB: The user must use the skill-card within a minute. System lottery to be locked after a minute.
For more, visit
Hope bloomed inside Zachary after reading the words below the G.O.A.T-skill card.
Without a moment of hesitation, he clicked on the image of the skill card filling up the screen and learned the Zinedine-Visual-Juju. He was looking forward to how it could improve his budding football career.
Instantly, he felt a pang of headache assaulting his brain as the system implanted new information into his mind. But a while later, his head cleared, and he noticed that there seemed to be no perceivable transformation within his body or mind.
He thus opened the user-stats tab that was already blinking red on the system User-Interface to understand the changes in his stats.
USER STATS
-Physical Fitness: B -
-Soccer Technique: B
-Game Intelligence: A
-Mental Ability and Mindset: C -
-X-Factors: F
-G.O.A.T Skills: 1 (1 msg)
Zachary's soccer-technique had once again leveled-up from the grading of B- to B in a single evening. His game intelligence had jumped from the C grade and was now an A after learning the Zinedine-Visual-Juju. His mindset had also experienced a minor improvement from grade D to C-.
He was as happy as a kitty in a cream pie.
After suppressing his bubbly emotions, he clicked on the G.O.A.T-skill tab to understand his new skill.
#1 new message
--
CONGRATULATIONS
-You have learned the G.O.A.T-Skill:
'ZINEDINE VISUAL JUJU'
(1st-level: Progress - 10%)
--
(check user stats for more info.)
--
NB: Watch and play more matches to level-up the skill.
Remarks: Practice makes perfect.
Zachary hurriedly closed the G.O.A.T-skills tab and opened the game-intelligence stat.
-Game Intelligence (Av. Rating: A)
Spatial Awareness (A)
Tactical Knowledge (A-)
Risk Assessment (A)
"Fuck!" Zachary exclaimed out loud. "This is not scientific." He could not help but swear after glancing at his game-intelligence stat. It had experienced the most substantial change and was his highest-rated skill according to the system. From a C, it had leaped to the A grade. Zachary suspected that that was a grading close to the highest ratings by the system.
[One G.O.A.T-skill could improve one of my skills by this much...] He mused.
He could not help but daydream.
[What if I managed to learn 5 or 10, or maybe 20?]
[What if I obtained the dribbling skills of Ronaldinho?] He grinned.
[I'd turn into a soccer divine beast? Maybe even another Mighty Steel Leg.]
The changes in his game-intelligence were beyond his expectations.
Zachary understood that highly-rated game-intelligence indicated his ability to make smart decisions on the pitch and make them quickly.
An intelligent player always had good spatial awareness and was able to see spaces clearly across the entire soccer-pitch and utilize them to his advantage.
That was why coaches referred to spatial-awareness as the sixth sense of a soccer player. A player with a sixth sense would remain aware of where his teammates were and anticipate where they would be just by looking at the positioning of the other team.
The skill was not inborn but developed through experience. This was the same for the tactical-knowledge and risk-assessment skills also under the game-intelligence category.
However, the G.O.A.T-system could improve the whole three skills just by implanting obscure soccer knowledge and experiences in his head. Zachary was both mystified and filled with joy.
[With the system, I could become one of the best.] He thought.
He now had to work extra hard towards leveling-up the Zinedine-Visual-Juju. It was a skill that might soon raise his talent above the B grade. Although his talent-assessment had not yet improved from the C grading, he was sure that he might level it up once again before the trials.
A month later, as the day dawned crisp and clear, Zachary rode a mini-bus over the earth, his eyes on the trees that grew in their infinite patience. He felt the movement of the wheels over the bumpy road, following the curves and greeting each slope in its smooth way.
Zachary had woken up long before dawn to catch the first public transport from Bukavu to Uvira that day. He had said his goodbyes to his grandma last night and departed from the farm before she woke. He was on his way to Lubumbashi City, not to partake in the new school term (like he had told his grandma) but to join the ADTA's soccer trials for this year.
The trials happened once every year in July and August.
At these trials, there were always scouts from the local clubs like TP Mazembe, RC Kinshasha, Lubumbashi Sport, and others in the Linafoot - the top-tier soccer league in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Zachary could have chosen to undergo some other soccer trials at his home town's local team - Olympic Club Muungano back in Bukavu and might have been successful. But he would then miss out on an opportunity to perform in front of the scouts from the French academies.
His goal was not to join the local soccer-clubs, but the high-performance sports academies in Europe.
He understood the importance of joining a good youth training program at an early age if one wanted to make it to the top of the soccer industry as a pro-player. The academies in France were famous for nurturing professional players using cutting-edge technology and methodologies. Students at these academies would train all year round with coaches who were highly experienced in training and developing amateurs into professional players.
Zachary needed to join such academies if he wanted to have a chance at becoming a renowned player. There, he could earn world-class education, develop his ball technique, and gain access and connections to professional coaches all around the world.
In such an academy, Zachary would not have to worry about a shortage of sports equipment like balls and soccer-boots like in his previous life. He would not miss a wink of sleep or training due to an empty stomach. Above all, he would not have to worry about his security while developing his career. There were no rebels and militia groups in Europe to disturb and interrupt his progress.
Zachary was very determined and highly motivated to win a scholarship to one of the academies. The only way he knew how in the short term was through joining the trial in Lubumbashi.
So, he had even decided to miss the first month of school (without his grandma's knowledge) and instead opted to attend the soccer-trials. If he could earn £ 150,000 a week, like the professional players in the EPL, he would study at the best Universities in the world later in life instead of wasting away in Congo.
The mini-bus to Uvira was anything but luxury, the seats dulled by the grime of over a decade. The metallic seats and windows shook with every small bump in the bumpy road, jostling the passengers back and forth.
As the world slid by the window, there were occasional small movements from amongst the passengers. Zachary could see some of them shifting in their seats and also hear a little cough accompanied by a mild 'excuse me'. Whenever the mini-bus passed by some of the smaller towns, the brakes would at times squeak before everyone lurched forward as the vehicle came to a stop. Amid the gasps of the passengers, a few locally-dressed men and women would stream into the mini-bus after briefly bargaining with the conductor, and others would exit after paying the fare.
Zachary soon got tired of the scenery and dozed off. He awoke six hours later as the mini-bus pulled into the station in Uvira. He followed the other passengers and alighted from the mini-bus with his metallic suitcase in tow.
He headed to the ticket booking office of the ferry and learned that it was leaving the next day.
Zachary slept the night in a small motel in Uvira (thanks to his ample savings) and departed with the ferry to Kalemie the next morning. He then hired a motorbike from Kalemie to Mulungo and spent two days on the road, traveling close to 300 miles southwards. After that, he alternated between a bus and a motorbike as he traveled through bumpy roads, some glistening with recent rain and others treacherous with portholes.
Zachary was not depressed about the long journey but was brimming with happiness and anticipation the further south he moved. He was slowly but surely inching towards the city where he would begin his journey towards greatness.
He traveled more than 1000 miles and arrived in Lubumbashi six days after leaving Bukavu. Lubumbashi was the second-largest city in DR Congo, located in the southeasternmost part, along the border with Zambia. It was a city that held a lot of Zachary's painful memories. It was where he had begun and prematurely ended his pro-soccer career in his previous life.
With luggage in hand, Zachary looked for a motel to spend the night and chose to think about everything else the next day. The week-long journey had tired him out.
For more, visit
July 19, 2010: Lubumbashi – DR Congo.
The first slither of the sun peeked over the skyline in a radiant, golden form. Brilliant gold and orange hues bled like fire in the east over the rivers, forests, and beyond Lubumbashi City.
The sun rays fell slanting through Zachary's motel-room window. He blinked a few times in an attempt to help his eyes adjust to the illumination directed right at his defenseless figure.
"What a beautiful morning," he mumbled to himself. He had slept like a baby the previous night. Although the small motel room was very cheap by Lubumbashi's standards, it had a mattress much more comfortable than the one at his grandma's house.
Zachary jumped out of bed and hurried off to wash up in preparation for the day to come.
A few minutes later, he ate a light breakfast provided by the motel and headed off to the city after handing in his key. He left his luggage in his room since he had booked it for a whole week. Moreover, he wasn't worried about thieves since there was nothing valuable to steal from his simple metallic suitcase.
After leaving the small motel in downtown Lubumbashi, he joined the crowd heading to the city center. He wanted to buy some sports gear.
The city was flooding with a sea of people moving in different directions. The higher-class strutted down the high street carrying their designer handbags and wearing their latest brands or jeans and sneakers. Whereas the lower-class people sat down on the cold littered floor begging for money. On every street corner, buskers were singing top Lingala songs that were popular in DRC. Some sang with a marvelous talent, while others sounded like a cat in a washing machine. New and old cars, motorbikes carrying two to four passengers, and men riding bicycles were everywhere swarming like locusts.
Zachary ignored the city's chaos and kept to himself. He walked through the different second-hand shops buying the sports gear he needed for the trials. He didn't want to risk being chased away by the coaches because of inadequate preparations. Such situations had happened to him a lot in his previous life.
By midday, Zachary had bought a pair of nice second-hand boots, jerseys, and shin-guards.
He had nearly spent all the money he had won by betting on Spain winning the world cup in South Africa. With his knowledge of the future, he had made quite a few bucks when he was still in Bukavu and thought he was rich for the moment. But after one shopping trip, Zachary was nearly back to zero. But this did not dampen his mood. He was sure that he would get a lot more opportunities to make more money.
After shopping, he retired back to his motel room to rest and prepare for the ADTA's trials happening the next day. Zachary wanted to make sure that he was well-rested and not fatigued. He understood that only a well-rested player could perform a hundred percent on the pitch.
Back in his room, he went through a light Hatha-Yoga routine before opening the systems interface to check out his current progress. He was mainly concerned about his soccer-technique stats that would be scrutinized by the coaches and scouts during the trials.
USER STATS
-Soccer-Technique (Av. Rating: B )
Ball Control: A
Dribbling skills: C
Passing accuracy: A -
Body control: B -
--
Preferred foot: (Left and Right)
After obtaining the Zizou-Visual-Juju and training with the locals back in Bukavu, his soccer-technique had stabilized at the B grading. He had tried to improve the grade by utilizing all means possible, but it remained unchanged despite his efforts.
The system did not offer any more rewards for the whole month but just punishments if he didn't complete the daily training schedules it had stipulated. Thus, Zachary was at a bottleneck in the meantime.
"Come what may, I will not fail." He vowed.
He was still confident that his passing, ball control, and game awareness would help him through the trials.
Early morning the next day, Zachary hired a motorbike and headed to Kibassa-Maliba Stadium. It was the home of TP - Mazembe (his previous life's club) until 2011.
By the time he arrived at Kibassa-Maliba, there were already more than a hundred budding soccer players waiting to partake in that year's ADTA's trials. Some were seated on the pavilion seats and others on the running tracks. They had already donned their kits.
Zachary noticed some noteworthy players among them who would later become famous in Africa and beyond. Seated in the front row of the pavilion was the young Chris Luyinda that would later play for TP Mazembe, Standard Liège, and Galatasary. Zachary didn't have good feelings towards him as he had often picked on him when they were at TP Mazambe in his previous life.
There were also other would be famous names like Fredric Luamba, Nike Kabanga, and Ngonda Muzinga seated on the running tracks.
But Zachary ignored the rest and focussed on the one player who had benefitted the most from the ADTA trials in his previous life.
Leaning on the pavilion's wall was a young boy who would go on to shock the soccer world some twelve years later. He was Steven Mangala, the player who joined a high-performance soccer academy right after the trials at the age of fourteen. By the year 2022, he would already be renowned as the next Samuel Eto scoring many goals and becoming one of the best African talents in that era.
But too bad for DRC, Mangala rejected the national team's call before changing citizenship and playing for Belgium during Zachary's previous life. He was cursed by many Congolese fans all day and night but continued scoring goals like a machine. Mangala was the perfect example of what Zachary had wished to achieve in his previous life.
[I will also succeed this time. With the system, I will soon fly into the skies.] Zachary vowed inwardly.
He found a place to sit and put on his jersey and boots.
But his solace was soon disturbed by some annoying brats. He stood up and turned around to look at two guys who had been close friends to him before he got injured. They were Patrick Luamba and Tony Majembe that were his former classmates, and also from Bukavu. But after his accident, they distanced themselves and started making fun of him at school on a daily basis.
"Yo. Isn't this our famous captain - Zachary Bemba." Tony, a tall lanky youth, sighed. He had a physique similar to that of Peter Crouch.
"Sure it is," the bite-sized Patrick chimed in.
"What is he doing here? He should be back in Bukavu eating potatoes and milking cows."
"Maybe, he is here to see us impress the scouts and join TP Mazembe."
"That should be the case..."
[Empty tins make noise.] Zachary sighed.
"Patrick, Tony," He intoned while glaring at the two boys. "What's it that you want? Do you need another beating?" He asked while taking a few steps towards the two scoundrels. Zachary was already taller than most of the other boys his age and thus looked intimidating.
The two took a few steps back, seeming a bit panicked and occasionally stealing a few glances at Chris Luyinda in the pavilion.
[He must have put them up to this.] Zachary concluded while observing his former rival. Luyinda was always the bully in whichever team he joined. Zachary was not surprised that he was already sending his sycophants to bully him.
"Do you want another beating?" Zachary creased a brow as he glared at the boys. He wanted to make a stand and ensure that he was not disturbed by any other brats during the trials.
"You can try," Tony stammered. "But, are you sure that you want to assault an ADTA registered candidate before the trials?" He asked.
Zachary frowned and was about to give the boys a piece of his mind but then stopped. He was interrupted by a few coaches that started emerging from the dressing room and lining up on the grass in the center of the field.
All the players hurriedly exited the pavilion and congregated on the soccer pitch before the coaches.
"Good morning to you all..." A plump aged man with a long goatee bellowed. Zachary was familiar with the coach. He was Samson Damata, one of TP Mazembe's youth development staff. He was a no-nonsense man who had trained several professional players that went on to play for the DRC national team in its golden years.
"I presume that everyone here has already registered as a participant in the 2010 Lubumbashi Trials. If not, I suggest that you leave right now before I call security." Coach Samson Damata added.
None of the players turned to leave.
"Okay then," Samson intoned after a few seconds. "I guess everyone here has registered then." He patted his small belly.
"But we don't want to know your names as of yet," he yelled. "Because most of you won't be here tomorrow," he added, voice turning dramatic towards the end.
The voices of the youths started babbling anxiously like a mountain river. Zachary remained quiet. He was already in the know that the trials of 2010 would be different. In the past, TP Mazembe coaching staff would allow every soccer player who had registered to participate in the final soccer-trials. But for this year, only a select couple of dozens would remain after undergoing screening due to the presence of the French scouts.
"Quiet," Coach Damata bellowed, instantly silencing the youth.
"I won't waste my time explaining our decision to you. But you have to know that we only want twenty-six players from your group. The rest will have to go home and wait for next year's trials."
"We shall only be testing one thing. That's your physical fitness. You will never become a pro as long as you are not fit. So, our test simple." Coach Damata paused while grinning.
All the young players gathered on the pitch became nervous.
"You will have to run thirty-two laps around this field. Those with the fastest times get to stay for the main trials." Coach Damata stated.
For more, visit
"DING"
No sooner had Coach Damata announced the first test in the trial than the familiar system notification resounded in Zachary's mind. The translucent blue screen shimmered and then popped up in front of him without being summoned. The incident was a first as he usually had to will the screen to appear when he needed to check the user interface of the system.
Zachary ignored the chaos around him and checked the contents of the notification.
G.O.A.T MISSIONS
#NEW MISSION: Lubumbashi soccer trials (serial missions)
Task 1: Become the first in the physical fitness testing at the soccer trials.
--
Rewards:
-B-grade agility-enhancing-elixir
(Will make you faster and more in control of your body.)
--
Punishment in case of failure:
-The G.O.A.T system will go offline for three months.
--
Remarks: A G.O.A.T is a player who should dominate his profession from the start or at the very least try to. Cheers to the beginning of your rise as a potential G.O.A.T.
--
NB: Mission tasks to be updated as the trials continue.
"What the fuck?" Zachary exclaimed out loud, forgetting where he was. "How will I achieve this with all the monsters partaking in the trial?" He mumbled.
"You have anything against my instructions, young man?" Zachary heard Coach Damata bellow, his voice sounding incensed. He looked up only to find the other players staring at him with stunned and perplexed eyes. Some like Luyinda, Patrick, and Tony were trying their best to suppress their laughter.
[What have I done?] Zachary's heart leaped into his throat.
He looked towards the front and saw the dark-skinned Coach Damata wearing a scary face as he glared at him, his hands akimbo.
"Young man," he intoned. "Do you have anything against my instructions?" He once again asked, his fists clenching and relaxing. Zachary could tell that the no-nonsense coach was angry. He resolved to save the situation before it escalated.
"I'm sorry, sir," Zachary stammered, trying his best to sound humble. "I quite forgot myself there and shouted out loud. I meant no offense." He added, giving a slight bow to the coach. He was aware that Coach Damata liked honest students who could acknowledge their faults rather than gloss over them. So, he decided to disclose some half-truths to gain the coach's pardon.
"Can you tell us what you were thinking at the time? We want to understand what could make a young man forget himself when at one of the most rewarding soccer trials in the country."
Zachary let out a breath of relief as he heard the coach's tone lighten. He appeared to have passed the first hurdle.
"I was thinking about how I need to best all the players here to catch the eye of one of the scouts. I am very nervous, sir." He replied in a shaky voice.
A titter rippled across the otherwise silent stadium. Some of the young men held on to their stomachs and laughed like there was no tomorrow. The adolescents seemed very amused by Zachary's cowardice. But this did not affect him in any way as he was only concerned about the coach.
"Quiet," Damata bellowed once again, putting a stop to the waves of roiling laughter.
"Young man," he said, turning back towards Zachary. "I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt. I will let this slide in the meantime. But mark my words, this should be the last time an incident like this happens." The coach let his gaze roam over the players to emphasize his point.
None of the players wanted to have a negative tag from the coach so, they remained quiet with their heads bowed.
"Young man," Damata once again eyed Zachary. "What is your name?" He asked.
"I'm Zachary Bemba, sir."
"Zachary Bemba," Coach Damata mumbled. "That name seems abit familiar." Another coach standing to his left whispered a few words to Damata. The latter raised his head and looked at Zachary, grinning.
"I will be watching you during the trials. Try to do your level best." Damata intoned. He then continued giving out his directives.
Zachary only half-listened to the rest of the coach's instructions. His mind was mainly on the system mission. The system had offered the best possible reward for him at that moment. He needed the agility-enhancing-elixir to break through his bottleneck. But he was supposed to outrun everyone, including the boy prodigy - Steven Mangala. Zachary didn't think that he was already the best in his age group just because of a few gifts from the system. There may be players who were already at the S grade by fifteen. Zachary suspected that Mangala was such a player.
[But what's there to fear?] He thought after calming down.
[Mangala is still fourteen. I have longer strides and pretty good stamina. I can definitely win.] Zachary grinned.
He then concentrated back on the words of Coach Damata who seemed to be completing his peroration.
"From our records, we know that there should be 120 players here," Coach Damata stated. "We will divide you into four groups, each with about 30 players."
"When coach Mande here reads your name, you're up in the first group," he said, pointing to a thin man on his left. "Head to the tracks and wait for the whistle. And good luck."
Coach Mande swiftly finished announcing the names of the players in the first group. Zachary was not among and just waited on the grass with the rest. However, the likes of Fredric Luamba and Ngoda Muzinga were in the group.
The race soon started after Coach Mande blew his whistle. Fredric led the others around the pitch from beginning to end. He completed the 32 laps in only 41 minutes and was a couple of minutes ahead of the second rank. The other would be famous names that Zachary was familiar with were also in the top ten.
After the coaches recorded the finishing times of the 30 participants, the second group commenced their race. Zachary was again not selected among the participants. But he noticed that his former friends, Tony and Patrick, were in the group. They managed to finish among the top five, behind the monstrous Chris Luyinda that had almost doubled the rest of the players.
By noon, the third group was finishing their race. It was now finally Zachary's turn to head to the running tracks. And as fate would have it, the boy prodigy - Stephen Mangala, was also in the fourth group.
Zachary stepped on the running tracks knowing he would have little chance to win against Mangala. But if he did win, he would win an agility-enhancing-elixir from the system that would upgrade his talent. Zachary would then not have to worry about not being agile enough later in the trials. Thus, he was more psyched up to win than anyone.
[I'll win this race.] He inwardly vowed while lining up with the others on the tracks. He was only waiting for the whistle.
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FWEEEEEEE!*
In the blazing midday heat, Zachary and the other participants in the fourth group set-off as soon as Coach Mande blew the whistle. The last race in the Lubumbashi trials had started.
Zachary did not bother to spy on his other opponents but just took off at half of his top speed. It was a race of 32 laps totaling approximately 8 miles. He needed to save his energy by slowing his pace at the beginning.
However, the noteworthy players like Miché Mika and Nike Kabanga were in a class of their own. The two were unparalleled when they found clear space during the second lap. They shot forward at their fastest pace and soon led the entire pack of the 30 players. Stubbornly sticking to them was Stephen Mangala, the springy boy prodigy from Kinshasha.
To Zachary's surprise, a short boy he hadn't encountered in his previous life was also part of the leading group.
The group of four started to break away from the others, a feat that caused Zachary to worry. So, he accelerated.
He increased his pace until he was only a few meters behind them during the sixth lap. However, the four stubbornly stuck to their lead despite all his efforts.
For the next twenty laps, their group accelerated ahead of the rest, taking an average of 70 seconds per lap. Their time was only about 10 seconds behind the top runners in the world. They came close to doubling the rest.
Miché Mika led wearing an Olympique Lyonnais jersey. Nike Kabanga and Stephen Mangala shadowed every stride, both wearing arsenal t-shirts. The unknown boy also stuck to the group. However, he had begun losing his stamina and Zachary easily overtook him.
He maintained his acceleration and went past Kabanga and Mangala as well. By the 28th lap, only Miché Mika was still ahead of him.
With only 3 laps to go, Zachary Bemba started closing the gap. Miché Mika dug, pushed harder, and did everything to shake his competitor. But, he was also overtaken by Zachary towards the end of the 29th lap.
Zachary was giddy with excitement but maintained his swift pace. He continued dashing along the brown clay tracks of the stadium. He had no intention of losing his lead.
The spikes underneath his boots gripped the earth in a rhythm. His strides became lyrics to an original track he had gotten a chance to play for the audience of the coaches watching from the sidelines. Droplets of sweat had long started to run down his skin.
Zachary had been jogging an average of five miles each day for the two weeks preceding his journey to Lubumbashi. His fitness could hold up against the remaining few laps around the pitch.
However, at the start of the penultimate lap, Zachary saw a shadow flash by, leaving him in the dust. The boy prodigy, Stephen Mangala, had overtaken him with only 800 meters to go.
[Shit!]
He also accelerated but failed to catch up with him.
[Am I going to lose?]
He labored to increase his pace. The pain in his limbs was an ocean of unknowable depths and lurking beasts. But, he ignored it and continued chasing Mangala's shadow.
A feeling of dejection washed over him. He felt his legs become heavy like they were weighed down by lead.
[I have to win this no matter what.]
He tapped into energy reserves he never thought he had and accelerated instantly.
Coach Damata stood on the sidelines watching the race. He had taken a keen interest in the fourth group that included two interesting boys who had formerly been noticed by the TP Mazembe scouts. They had all participated in regional under-14 tournaments. Stephen Mangala had been the best player in the secondary school competition held in Kinshasha at the start of the year. The other boy, Zachary Bemba, had been the captain of a primary school in Lubumbashi. He had won the 2008 best player award in the Lubumbashi under-14 regionals.
The boys did not disappoint him.
"Mangala, the new boy will take this race," Coach Mande announced from his left. "Zachary and the rest are spent and have no chance of catching up," he added.
"Let's wait and see," Coach Damata smiled. "A competition is never won until the very end," he intoned. He focused back on the running forms of Mangala and Zachary.
The race's results looked like a foregone conclusion after the last bend. Mangala flew gleefully towards the finish line while Zachary desperately chased. But, with half a lap to go, Zachary contorted his body and sprinted, pulling off a schoolboy imitation of a galloping horse.
With 30 meters remaining, Zachary miraculously accelerated past Mangala before dashing to the finish line. He looked back at neither those behind him nor the coaches on the sidelines. His eyes remained locked on the finish line until he won the race.
"Beni Badibanga, Paul Kasongo, Patrick Luamba, Tony Majembe, ...Chris Luyinda, Miché Mika, Fredric Luamba, Stephen Mangala, and Zachary Bemba." Coach Mande closed his counter book after reading out the names of the players with the best times in the race.
As promised, the coaches only selected 26 boys among those gathered. Those whose names had been called by Coach Mande entered the center circle of the pitch as part of the group selected to return for trial matches the following day.
Zachary was the last to be called since he had the best time in the whole group. Coach Mande had been reading the list in descending order.
Zachary swaggered into the center circle, earning a few frowns and harrumphs from the likes of Chris Luyinda and his former classmates Tony and Patrick.
He noticed that the eyes of most of the selected players were fixed on him, unlike before. But he ignored them and found an unoccupied spot to sit. He still had to check out his results of the system mission.
At the end of the race, Zachary had been too tired to even lift a finger. He had resolved to rest for a few minutes; however, the coaches had called everyone to partake in a post-race assembly.
Only then did Zachary get time to open the system user interface. He had already confirmed that it was invisible to others. So, he boldly opened the missions tab and perused through his achievements.
G.O.A.T MISSIONS
#4 new messages
CONGRATULATIONS
-You have completed 1st task in the serial mission - Lubumbashi Soccer Trials (Become the first in the physical fitness testing at the soccer trials).
--
-Mission-Rewards
1) B-grade agility enhancing elixir (Available in system-shop; temporarily unlocked. The user must consume the elixir within 5 seconds after being removed from the system shop.)
--
-Mission Summary
Task 1: Become the first in the physical fitness testing at the soccer trials. (Finished race in a record time of 39.12 minutes; Rating A)
--
-Overall Mission Rating: NA (available at the end of the trials)
--
-Bonus rewards
You have earned 2 bonus juju points
--
Zachary finally confirmed that he had completed the mission task with an A grade.
However, he did not open the system-shop to access his reward. He closed the interface and looked up only to see the boys that had not been selected marching out of the pitch with dejected expressions. He couldn't help but recall the times he had been part of such a group during his previous life.
He sighed in sympathy.
At this point in his past life, he had returned to his former school in western Lubumbashi with no hope of becoming a professional soccer player. He had been rejected by the school team later due to a recurring ankle injury. But now, he had gone through the first stage of the ADTA trials. His fate was starting to change for the better.
[I only have to perform well in the matches tomorrow. I can then move to Europe and seriously develop my career.] He thought.
"Listen up, everyone," Coach Damata bellowed once the unsuccessful players had left the stadium.
"Congratulations on passing the first test of the trial. Tomorrow, several renowned scouts will be here to watch you perform. Make sure you are here by eight. Otherwise, you will face immediate disqualification." The coach warned solemnly.
"Any questions?" He asked, looking around.
The strange boy who had also been part of the leading group in Hugo's race instantly raised his arm.
"Yes," Coach Damata pointed at him. "Tell us your name first before asking your question."
"My name is Paul Kasongo, sir," the boy stammered. "What will be involved in the trials tomorrow? How should we prepare?" He asked.
[So, he is Kasongo, the player murdered before he left for Europe in my previous life.] Zachary mused.
He finally understood why he didn't recognize a highly fit player like him. Paul Kasongo had died at the hands of a local prostitute in Lubumbashi after being selected by one of the high-performance academies in Europe. All the coaches in Lubumbashi had sighed in regret at the loss of such a budding talent.
[I should help him this time. DR Congo needs more players like him for international tournaments.]
"There will only be trial matches tomorrow," Damata replied. "Eat well, rest well, and come prepared to perform tomorrow morning. That's all."
"Any more questions?"
All the players remained silent.
"Okay, you're dismissed," Coach Damata waved impatiently. "We'll see you all tomorrow."
For more, visit
After being dismissed by Coach Damata, Zachary exited the stadium and trekked northwards to downtown Lubumbashi.
The road ahead of him shimmered in the heat of the afternoon sun. The oppressive heat beat down on his head like he was bacon under a grill.
Suddenly, the after-effects of the race washed over him. He felt lightheaded. His knees began aching, threatening to buckle. He felt like his brain was on a five percent battery. All he wanted was to rest and soak in the calm peace of nature.
He decided to hire a motorbike back to his motel. That tapped further into his dwindling finances. However, his state of destitution didn't sour his mood. His fate was altering. If all went as planned, he would be swimming in dollars in only a few years.
A few minutes later, Zachary leisurely walked to the public bathrooms of his motel. He felt that only a cold shower could soothe his tender muscles.
The dirty bathroom and cold water were the best he could get with his meager funds. The pipes screeched like a ghost in a horror movie before spitting out a dribble of cold water. Zachary braced himself to prevent himself from reflexively jumping out of the stream before he'd finished soaping and rinsing his body.
The water poured down and dripped to the floor. As his mind faded into dullness, everything became a foggy illusion. He felt like he was standing underneath an everlasting waterfall. The sensation of the cold water calmed him, making him reminisce about events from his past life.
[What could she be doing now?]
Images of a beautiful girl that had come close to becoming his wife flooded his mind. He had dated Anita for more than two years. He was about to propose to her when his life got turned upside down. The moment his contract with TP Mazembe got terminated, the girl up and disappeared. He had failed to trace her whereabouts even during his later years.
[I need to make time and head to Kinshasha to see her.] Zachary resolved. He needed to gaze at her one last time before returning his attention to his career.
Zachary exited the shower and headed back to his motel room. He felt refreshed and ate a light lunch before sleeping off his fatigue until evening.
He felt rejuvenated after waking up. He was physically ready to take the elixir. So, he opened the system user interface.
A card with an image of a fresh onion appeared on the translucent blue screen when he clicked on the temporarily-unlocked system-inventory tab.
Once he selected it, a small onion popped out of the screen. He wasted no time in tossing it into his mouth.
This time around, the B-grade elixir did not cause his body any pain. He only felt a slightly ticklish sensation, like he was under the ministrations of a massage therapist. But soon, the feeling passed as if it had never been there.
[Is that all?]
His experience with the vitality enhancing elixir was a far cry from the agility one. The former brought great pain while the latter caused only a slightly ticklish sensation.
Zachary doubted whether the elixir had been effective.
He clenched and unclenched his hands to see whether anything changed. However, there seemed to be no way of checking. He had no idea how raising his agility would affect him. So, he opened the system user interface to peruse through his attributes.
SOCCER G.O.A.T SYSTEM
SYSTEM LEVEL: 1 (17/100 juju points to level-up)
USER: Zachary Bemba
AGE: 15 years
TALENT ASSESSMENT: Grade-B
JUJU-POINTS: 17
(Evaluation: A slightly talented pitiful boy dreaming about playing on the pro soccer scene)
--
USER MENU
USER STATS
G.O.A.T MISSIONS
SYSTEM SHOP (temporarily-unlocked)
SYSTEM LOTTERY (locked)
SNOOPING TOOL (locked)
--
NB: Pls level-up the system to unlock more functions.
"Yes," Zachary yelled excitedly after perusing through the home page. His talent assessment had finally broken through to the B grading after more than a month of toiling. He tapped on the user-stats tab to see the breakdown of the changes in his attributes.
USER STATS
-Physical Fitness: B
-Soccer Technique: A -
-Game Intelligence: A
-Mental Ability and Mindset: C -
-X-Factors: F
-G.O.A.T Skills: 1
Zachary's physical-fitness and soccer-technique stats had all increased by a single grade. He clicked on the soccer technique tab next.
USER STATS
-Soccer-Technique (Av. Rating: A -)
Ball Control: A
Dribbling skills: B -
Passing accuracy: A -
Body control: B
--
Preferred foot: (Left and Right)
He had expected such a result. A player who improved his agility would also enhance both his dribbling skills and body control. The two attributes had improved by a grade after his consumption of the agility-enhancing-elixir. However, he couldn't understand why his physical-fitness hadn't leaped to the A- grade. The elixir was B-grade but had only caused minor changes in his physical fitness. So, he tapped on the physical-fitness tab to gain a better understanding of the changes in his body.
-Physical Fitness (Av. Rating: B )
Balance and Coordination: B -
Agility: B
Strength: B -
Stamina: B
Endurance Points: 3500/ 5500 (A -)
"My stamina has dropped!" Zachary exclaimed. He noticed that his stamina had fallen from the A- to the B grading.
He was perplexed.
[Maybe agility enhancement directly reduces stamina.]
His agility had leaped from the D to the B grading. Consuming the elixir also enhanced his balance-and-coordination from the C to the B- grading.
He was now confident he would excel during the trial matches tomorrow.
But before he could soak in the feeling of jubilation at improving his abilities, a wave of hunger washed over him. His stomach growled and rumbled. He couldn't think of anything but food.
"Is this a side effect of the elixir?" He mumbled while patting his tammy. He glanced at his Asahi-watch; it was still six o'clock in the evening.
Zachary cleaned up and dashed out of his room to fill up his belly. He was critically short of money and decided to head to a roadside food stall nearby. He had already resorted to meals consisting solely of pancakes and fried cassava.
But as he stepped out of the motel, he bumped into Paul Kasongo, the strange boy that had also been selected for the trials happening the following day.
"You're Zachary Bemba? Right?" Kasongo asked, grinning.
"Yes, that's me," Zachary replied, creasing his brows. "Are you staying in a nearby motel? Why are you here?"
Paul Kasongo was fated to be murdered by a prostitute at the end of that week. According to the memories of his previous life, the unfortunate incident would take place in a Lubumbashi motel room.
"Hahaha," Kasongo laughed heartily. "I'm here to visit a friend that works around here. Why would I stay in such a dump?"
"You're not?" Zachary breathed out a sigh of relief. He only had to ensure that Kasongo stayed out of motels in downtown Lubumbashi to prevent his murder.
"I'm staying at the Hollybum Planet Hotel at Kilele Avenue," Kasongo replied, smiling.
"What the fuck!" Zachary exclaimed. "You're that rich?"
Hollybum Planet was a hotel for filthy rich Congolese and tourists from first world countries like France. He had heard that a single night's stay cost upwards of 150 US Dollars.
To his surprise, a boy about his age was staying comfortably in it. Zachary sighed at the unfairness of the world. He couldn't help but gaze back at his shabby motel.
"What can I say? I was born blessed." Kasongo spread out his arms like he was hugging the sky.
"I'm glad to make your acquaintance," he said, extending his arm.
Zachary shook it before nodding.
He observed the would-be murder victim more closely.
Kasongo was almost half a foot shorter than himself. He looked to be only around five-two. He vaguely resembled a younger Raheem Sterling, the famous player who would join Manchester City in the future. He had humorous brown eyes, round cheeks, a long face, and a dark-skin shade.
"I feel like fate made us meet here," Kasongo intoned, voice mellow. "Come on. I'll buy you dinner today." He added, patting Zachary's back.
"I've already eaten," Zachary lied. He didn't want to begin relying on rich kids for his meals. That would go against the teachings of his grandma. He resented charity from strangers.
However, his honest stomach betrayed him. It suddenly snarled and howled. A not-so-subtle undertone of pain followed. It came in waves, making him feel like his insides were digesting themselves.
Zachary clutched at his belly, pulling it this way and that in an attempt to silence it. All his efforts were fruitless. The sounds only grew louder, earning him a few curious glances from Kasongo and passers-by.
"Man," Kasongo creased a brow. "When did you last have a sensible meal?" He asked.
"At lunchtime," Zachary replied honestly. He was certain the hunger and pain were an after-effect of the agility-enhancing-elixir. It seemed to have burnt through all his stored energy reserves. He urgently needed to replenish them.
"Don't be a sissy, man," Kasongo intoned. "Just tag along and have some food. You'll mess up in the trials tomorrow if you go on like this."
Zachary agreed reluctantly.
Half an hour later, Zachary and Kasongo sat at a table covered with a multitude of exquisite dishes.
They had traveled to the Lubumbashi Food Plaza, a classy restaurant that served exotic cuisine. It had large mullioned windows, long embroidered curtains, a flagstone tiled floor, and dark walnut tables, each with a vase of flowers as a centerpiece. Soothing Lingala music was playing live.
It was the sort of place that required making a reservation a week in advance. It was virtually impossible to get a table on demand. However, Kasongo did succeed at reserving a table on short notice.
A few moments after Zachary had slid into his chair and made his order, a beautiful waitress brought him an enormous platter of food. Eggs, all kinds of meat, and crispy fried potatoes lay before him. A tureen of fruit had been placed in ice to keep it chilled next to them. The basket of rolls they brought as an afterthought could keep his family going for a week. He also had a glass of fruity cocktail juice.
[Even with my experience from two lives, I can't come to terms with the existence of this side of DR Congo.]
He sighed at the unfairness of the world.
Many were starving in the downtown of Lubumbashi while the rich stuffed themselves with delicacies. However, he was not depressed since he had come to understand the ways of society.
[A man has to work hard and make it or die trying.]
He continued stuffing himself with food like there was no tomorrow. The elixir had done a number on him. It would take a lot to sate his hunger. Zachary only stopped eating after his second helping. Kasongo gave him enough time to finish eating before starting a conversation.
"So, you're from Bukavu?" Kasongo asked.
"Yes," Zachary replied, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Before I forget, thanks for the meal," he added.
"Small matter, small matter." Kasongo grinned.
"So, where are you from?" Zachary inquired. "I haven't seen you in any Lubumbashi youth soccer competitions."
"Hehehe," Kasongo laughed. "I'm a son of Kinshasha. I used to be a teammate of your competitor Stephen Mangala."
"You really took us for a ride in that race," he added. "You and Mangala are monsters. How do you guys train your stamina?" He asked, gazing curiously at Zachary.
"Well, I run five miles every day," he answered. "You should try it too. It could help."
"Why are you in these trials?" Zachary quickly asked. He was looking for some hints on what led to Kasongo's murder in his previous life.
"What do you mean?"
"I can tell your financial situation is quite good. You're living in a four-star hotel. You're even wearing timberland boots that probably cost more than my school fees. Why don't you tell your parents to enroll you in the soccer academies abroad instead? It would be much easier to develop yourself there. Why join the Lubumbashi trials?"
Kasongo frowned noticeably before replying.
"My father doesn't want me to play soccer," he grumbled. "He says it's a waste of time. He's always talking about how the majority of Congolese soccer players in the local league waste away after retirement."
"Oh, but that's true," Zachary replied. "So, you came here without his permission? Where did you get the money to spend in Lubumbashi?"
"My stepbrother sponsored my trip here. He's the only one who knows I'm taking part in the trials."
"He's much older and already joined my dad's mining company. At least, he understands that a person should only do what they love."
[What a naive boy. Perhaps, the stepbrother instigated his murder.] Zachary mused.
It wasn't uncommon for siblings from wealthy families to murder each other in cold blood for inheritance. Zachary found it hard to believe that a local prostitute had murdered a wealthy patron like Kasongo. There seemed to be a lot of facts that remained unknown to the public in his previous life.
"Does your brother know you're attending the Kibassa-Maliba trials specifically?"
"No," Kasongo replied, smiling.
"He only booked my hotel and left me to my own devices. He has never been a fan of soccer. He doesn't even know any of the teams here in Lubumbashi."
"What if your father pressures him to disclose where you are? He could pull you out of the trials then. Are you certain he'll keep his mouth shut even after your dad finds out you're gone?" Zachary asked, locking gazes with Kasongo. He intended to coax him away from locations known to his murderer.
"What if he pulls you out of the trial before it's finished? You would be blacklisted by all coaches and miss a shot at any other trials in DR Congo." He added.
"You do make a good point. What can I do?" Kasongo stammered. He looked panicked.
"You should either leave the hotel your brother booked and shift elsewhere or return to Kinshasha right away," Zachary stated. He intended to put Kasongo beyond the tentacles of his would-be murderers.
Kasongo shook his head in dejection.
"I can't leave," he whispered. " I heard that international scouts will appear tomorrow."
"You want to continue staying at your hotel?"
"Nope," he smiled. "I get your point. I'll move to another hotel right away." Kasongo stated. He stood up to leave.
"That's good," Zachary replied. He sighed in relief.
"Make sure it's a hotel where you can't easily be traced. I would hate to see the career of a talented player like you end prematurely."
"I understand," Kasongo smiled.
"I have already paid the bill. You should cut down on how much you eat. It'll be hard for you to perform if you get a heartburn tomorrow." He added.
Zachary nodded but continued stuffing salads into his mouth.
"It was nice meeting you. See you tomorrow at the trials." Kasongo added after hearing no reply from Zachary for a while.
"See you." Zachary waved. He would have plenty of time to talk to Kasongo the following day. Now that Paul's case was close to being resolved, he could return his attention to what was most important, food.
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Twilight had just melted away. Gone was the open blue sky that had blessed the previous day. Above lay an unbroken layer of white and grey, brilliant where the sunshine broke through and dark where it didn't.
"It may rain in a few hours," Zachary intoned as he withdrew his gaze from the sky.
"What are you worried about." Kasongo gave a slight smile and said, "We'll be done with the trials by then. The scouts will only stay here a few hours."
They were at the center of the pitch amongst the 26 other players that had passed the physical fitness test the previous day. It was already 8 AM. Every single player on the field had already donned their soccer attire. They were only waiting for the arrival of Coach Damata and his team to start the official soccer trials. Zachary wasn't bored since he was accompanied by his new friend.
"That makes sense," Zachary concurred as he took a look around the stadium. "Are you sure the scouts will be coming today?" He inquired, creasing his brows. There were no coaches or scouts to be seen anywhere on the field or in the stands. He was beginning to think he had misheard the actual date of the trials.
"Relax," Kasongo stated confidently. "They'll be here. I'm sure," he laughed.
"I forgot to ask," Zachary intoned, locking gazes with Kasongo. "Did you move out of the hotel yesterday?"
"Of course," Kasongo patted his chest. "I have already moved into the Rabi Hotel," he said, looking pleased with himself.
"What the f*k!" Zachary's eyes widened. "What difference is there between the Rabi and Hollybum hotels?" He yelled, attracting a few gazes from the surrounding players.
"One is named Rabi, the other Hollybum," Kasongo replied seriously, counting on his fingers to emphasize his point.
"For Christ's sake," Zachary took a few steps towards the short guy. "How many four-star hotels are in Lubumbashi? Your father only has to check those that charge more than 100$ a night to find you. Can't you see that?"
"That is indeed true," Kasongo blanched. "I'll move to a different one after the matches conclude today," he assured.
"Forget it, man," Zachary sighed. "I'll help you select a hotel after the trials. I don't understand why I'm even helping you." He grumbled. He didn't want to see a talented player die prematurely.
"Thank you," Kasongo laughed. "From the moment I saw you, I knew that you were an honorable person. What can I do to repay you? Should I link you to my sister? She is cute." Kasongo whispered.
"If she is as short as you, don't bother," Zachary harrumphed.
He was about to continue his conversation with Kasongo when he heard a few players on the field yelling. "The coaches are here. The coaches are here..." They sounded like kindergarten kids that had just seen an ice cream truck.
Zachary ignored the excitement around him and turned towards the gate of the stadium. Coach Damata was leading a group of about 50 people towards the stands of the stadium.
He noticed that there were about twenty Caucasians in the crowd. They wore sunglasses and large hats to shield themselves from the non-existent sun. That was what he assumed. There was also an aged man and a young girl, not much older than himself, among them. The rest seemed to be fellow Congolese, possibly from the teams in the Linafoot National League. He could recognize a few from Lubumbashi Sport and Racing Club de Kinshasa. All the scouts he had been expecting were finally here. His mood lifted.
"I told you they would be here," Kasongo's voice sounded from behind him.
"Are they all from the ADTA?" Zachary asked. The African Development Talent Agency was the organization that usually sponsored students to the French and Belgian academies.
"Of course not," Kasongo intoned. "These are scouts from the sponsoring organizations behind the ADTA. Some are even from the actual academies in France."
"You better perform your best today," Kasongo warned. "I don't think they will return here after today."
"Are you sure," Zachary creased his brows. "Where did you get all this information?"
"I have reliable sources. My info is completely legit." Kasongo smiled.
"All right." Zachary was excited. He felt rejuvenated after the hearty meal he had had the previous day.
"Be sharp," Kasongo whispered.
After Damata led the group of scouts to the stands, he jogged to the pitch together with his fellow coaches.
The scouts were all seated close to the running tracks of the stadium. The Caucasians amongst them held very high tech cameras. Some had binoculars and notebooks. The African scouts, on the other hand, had their arms folded over their chests, with stern expressions on their faces. They looked like they were ready to punch someone. They carried no equipment whatsoever to keep track of the players on the field.
In seats at the very bottom of the stands, a young blonde girl holding an overly long Nikon camera was conversing with an aged man, also a scout.
"Grandpa," she began. "Why did we come here. Do you know of any world-class talents here? We should have traveled to either Nigeria, Cameroon, or Egypt. At least, they've been winning the African Cup of Nations. I think we're wasting our time here."
"Kristin," the old man smiled. "Remember, if you want to become a good scout, never overlook any place. Sometimes, real gems are concealed in obscure places. All we have to do is unearth them." He lectured.
"Will we really find someone talented here?" Kristin inquired. "Because if we don't, the other shareholders will push you out this time around."
"Don't worry," the old man replied. "One of the coaches is a friend of mine. He already informed me that there are two or three promising talents here. The only challenge will be snatching them from the French teams."
"Two to three talents?" Kristin frowned. "Do you have a file on them, grandpa? Why haven't I heard anything about this?"
"Well, here you go," the old man handed two files to the girl. "You haven't been around for the past two days. While you were touring the game parks and watching buffalos and chimpanzees, I was busy doing my job."
"Don't bring up the topic again, grandpa," Kristin implored. "How can you travel to Africa and leave without seeing the wildlife? You missed out on all the fun."
She opened the files about the players.
"Stephen Mangala, Zachary Bemba, and Paul Kasongo?" She spoke softly, lisping slightly. The African surnames were difficult to pronounce. "There's basically no information about them in the file!" She looked towards the old man by her side.
He spread out his arms. "Welcome to Africa," he smiled. "Information about young players here is non-existent. We'll see just how good they are from their performance in the match."
After the coaches returned to the pitch, they led the twenty-six players through light warm-ups before anything else. Everyone stretched and ran short distances to warm their muscles. When they finished the exercises, they returned to the center of the field to listen to instructions from the coaching staff.
"A good morning to you all," Coach Damata greeted, smiling.
"Good morning, Coach Damata," the voices of the players boomed in a chorus, returning the salutation. They all seemed enthused by the presence of the scouts in the stands.
"I see you're all on time," Damata grinned. "Keep up the good spirit of sportsmanship," he urged solemnly before continuing.
"We will begin a trial match shortly. We've grouped you into two teams that will face off."
"Please note the match will only last sixty minutes. So, you will get less than forty minutes to impress the scouts if we factor in time for substitutions. Try to do your best within that timeframe." He concluded.
The coaches had already separated the players into the green and red teams. Coach Mande laid down the charts with team formations on the running track, giving a chance to the players to learn their positions before heading to the pitch to commence the match. Zachary squeezed through the crowd of players to glance at the team charts.
-GREEN TEAM (4-4-2, Diamond.)
Goalkeeper; No. 1, Jackson Lunanga.
Right-Back; No. 2, Yannick Bangala. Left-Back; No. 3, Daniel Kidinda.
Center-Backs; No. 4, Nike Kabanga. No. 5, Samba Farouk.
Defensive-Midfielder; No. 6, Wagaluka Francis.
Attacking-Midfielder; No. 8, Paul-José Mpoku.
Left-Winger; No.11, Joel Ngandu. Right-Winger; No. 7, Edo Kayembe.
Forwards; No. 9, Stephen Mangala. No. 10, Ben Malango.
{*Subs; Leonard Busibwe, Dan Lusaka.}
--
-RED TEAM (4-4-2, Diamond.)
Goalkeeper; No. 1, Samuel Baraka.
Right-Back; No. 2, Awax Bondeko. Left-Back; No. 3, Patrick Luamba.
Center-Backs; No. 4, Miché Mika. No. 5, Frederic Luamba.
Defensive-Midfielder; No. 6, Chris Luyinda.
Attacking-Midfielder; No. 8, Zachary Bemba.
Left-Winger; No.11, Tony Majembe. Right-Winger; No. 7, Paul Kasongo.
Forwards; No. 9, Beni Badibanga. No. 10. Emmanuel Luboya.
{*Subs; Mpoyi Mohamed, Nathan Tambwe.}
Zachary sighed in relief after seeing the match formation charts.
The coaches seemed to have created the line-ups basing on the historical data of the players. Zachary was on the red team together with the likes of Paul Kasongo, Chris Luyinda, and his former friends, Tony and Patrick. The other side had most of the would-be superstars from his previous life. Joel Ngandu, Ngonda Mzinga, Stephen Mangala, and several others were all on the red team.
He had been placed in the number eight position, just behind the strikers, by the coaches. The number eight suited him well since it involved distributing through passes and deadly assists to the strikers. His Zinedine-Visual-Juju would come in handy in that position.
Paul Kasongo was on the right-wing, whereas Luyinda was a number six in the defensive midfielder position. Tony would be attacking from the left-wing with Patrick stationed behind him as a left-back. The rest of the players in green bibs were too obscure for Zachary to recall.
Zachary's red team appeared weak on paper. However, he wasn't going to let any obstacle come between him and a soccer academy recruitment. He was ready to do his best during the match.
"Come collect your bibs and head to the pitch," Zachary heard Coach Mande yelling from the sidelines. "The substitutes should also come here. They'll get a chance to play later in the match."
All the players hurriedly rushed towards Coach Mande. They picked up their bibs before positioning themselves on the pitch in the 4-4-2 diamond formation. Coachability and following instructions were some of the required qualities in soccer. So, all the players arrayed themselves properly in their assigned positions, waiting for the whistle.
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