World football system
Chapter 31: The Price of Brilliance

Chapter 31: The Price of Brilliance

The day began with the sky over Valencia painted in moody greys, the kind of weather that clung to your skin and reminded you of everything heavy you hadn’t said out loud. Tobi Oliveira stood on the balcony of the family apartment, a hoodie pulled over his head as he watched raindrops trace ghostly fingers down the railing. It was his rest day, technically—a rare 24-hour pause between matches, training, school, and public appearances. But his mind refused to rest.

The free-kick against Athletic Bilbao had gone viral. Pundits replayed it a hundred times. Headlines screamed "Tobi Magic!" and "Oliveira’s Moment of Brilliance." Valencia’s social media team posted a slow-motion reel of the goal with dramatic music. His face was on posters in downtown Valencia. Children lined up in Sporting jerseys outside the training ground. Sponsors had begun calling Clara every hour.

He should have been flying.

But inside, it felt like something was cracking.

---

Cracks Beneath the Surface

The first sign came during a class test. Tobi sat at his desk staring at the biology paper, words swimming. He blinked. The letters danced again. He hadn’t slept more than four hours the past three nights.

He circled three answers blindly and turned in the sheet.

Inés pulled him aside afterward. "That wasn’t normal."

"Just tired."

"You haven’t eaten lunch all week."

"I’m fine."

She looked at him like she could see through the lies. "Do you remember what you told me after the Sevilla match?"

He shook his head.

"You said you weren’t going to carry the world anymore."

She handed him a granola bar and walked away.

> [SYSTEM WARNING] Mental Load: 84% – DANGEROUS Suggested Protocol: Mandatory Cognitive Reset Buffs Disabled Until Rest Achieved

He ignored it.

---

Leonor’s New World

Leonor, meanwhile, was thriving.

She came home each day talking about new drills, her coach’s praise, a teammate named Sofía who had become her best friend. Clara had arranged a mini PR shoot for the academy, and Leonor had posed like a natural, Valencia gear proudly worn.

"Tobi!" she called one afternoon. "Coach said my vision is elite! Just like yours!"

He ruffled her hair. "You’re better than me."

"I know."

They both laughed.

She paused. "But you look tired."

He knelt. "Don’t worry about me. I’m your big brother. It’s my job to worry about you."

She hugged him, tight. He didn’t let go for a while.

> [SYSTEM EFFECT] Bond Boost: +2 Resilience Family Support Active

---

Tactical Reinvention

Back at training, Coach Moreno was experimenting. "We’re moving you deeper, Oliveira. Not a CAM. More of a hybrid—deep playmaker, link man. Think Iniesta. Pirlo. You have the vision."

It was a challenge. New angles, more defensive responsibility, less spotlight. Alejandro was given the CAM role for two matches.

The media spun it as a demotion. Tobi felt the sting but kept quiet.

He studied hours of film—Pirlo in Juventus, Modric for Real Madrid, even Xabi Alonso. He stayed behind in training for extra drills.

Martín, the veteran keeper, caught him late one evening. "You know most kids would sulk about a position change."

"I’m not most kids."

"True. But even gladiators rest, Tobi."

> [SYSTEM UPDATE] Tactical IQ: +2 Position Flexibility: Acquired – Deep Lying Playmaker

---

The Spiral

A week later, he collapsed during a match.

It wasn’t a tackle. It wasn’t even a sprint. He passed the ball, turned, and the world went dark.

When he woke up, he was on a stretcher. Blinding lights overhead. Clara’s voice in his ear. Leonor crying.

"Dehydration," the doctor said. "Extreme fatigue. His vitals are stable now. But this didn’t happen overnight."

He was benched for two weeks.

The media turned.

"Oliveira: Burned Out Before 18?"

"From Prodigy to Problem?"

He stopped checking his phone.

> [SYSTEM STATUS] Mandatory Reset Active All Buffs Disabled Passive Recovery Mode: 14 Days

---

Healing

The world moved without him. Valencia played matches. Alejandro scored twice. Leonor kept training.

Tobi spent days walking through parks, sitting on rooftops, journaling. He met with a club therapist. Slowly, the tension eased.

He reconnected with old academy friends. They played beach football with no cameras, no coaches. Just wind and sand.

He laughed again.

He read books. Watched anime with Leonor. Cooked dinner for Clara.

One night, they sat on the balcony watching stars.

"I thought the world would end if I slowed down," Tobi said.

"And?" Clara asked.

"It didn’t."

---

Comeback

Two weeks later, he returned to training. Quiet. Focused. No media frenzy. No grand announcement.

Just Tobi. Ball at his feet.

Coach Moreno watched him through narrowed eyes. "You ready?"

"Now I am."

---

Villarreal (Return Match)

He wasn’t in the starting lineup. But in the 63rd minute, he was subbed in. Valencia was down 0–1.

He took the field calmly, positioned deeper than usual.

The game slowed in his mind.

He intercepted a pass. Started a triangle. Switched the play.

In the 78th minute, he curled a ball from 40 yards into the perfect space. Assist.

1–1.

In extra time, he made a recovery tackle that started the winning move.

Final whistle: 2–1.

No celebration. He walked off, head down, calm.

Coach Moreno shook his hand.

"You became a player today."

> [SYSTEM RESTORED] Recovery Complete Attributes Updated:

Tactical IQ: +3

Leadership: +2

Mental Resilience: +5

Position Flexibility: Permanent

New Passive Perk: "Calm Under Fire"

---

Late Night Journal Entry

He wrote in his notebook before bed:

"I thought I had to be the best to be loved. But they loved me when I fell too. That’s power."

He closed it.

Outside, rain returned.

But this time, it felt like cleansing.