Soto's legacy reward was extremely generous. In total, it gave Lu Yang one superstar-level skill, one star-level skill, one player-level skill, two centimeters of height, and maxed-out affinity with Soto.
This meant that, in Soto's heart, Lu Yang was the person closest to him.
After all, even a father and son weren't necessarily at 99 affinity.
And for friends to reach 99 affinity, they had to be bonded by life and death.
It was clear that Soto had entrusted all his hopes for football to Lu Yang.
He believed Lu Yang could play the kind of football he himself had once been forced to give up for various reasons, such as attacking football. That was what Soto had given up.
In life, the road went either left or right. But whichever way you went, you'd always feel an unusual longing for the path you hadn't taken.
Not because the scenery over there was better, but because we always imagined the unknown to be wonderful, and remained endlessly curious about it.
That was why Soto's hopes for Lu Yang's future surpassed his hopes for his own.
Two centimeters!
He'd grown taller again!
Lu Yang was now 1.83 meters tall!
Would Moric cry when he heard the news?
Lu Yang had five pack-opening chances, but he wasn't using them for now. He'd already gained so much.
Besides, skills and other rewards from the packs still took time to experience and get used to. There were only so many hours in a day, so he had to take his time and consolidate what he'd learned.
Of course, diminishing marginal returns also played a part.
Lu Yang had opened so many random packs that they no longer thrilled him like they used to.
Right now, he was more interested in the Champion's Pack.
As a Champion's Pack, it ought to be different from an ordinary one.
"Ding! You used the Champion's Pack and obtained the player-level skills Cross from the Baseline, Frontcourt Pressing, and Overlap Coordination. You obtained the star-level skills Cannon Shooter and Denilson's Stepover. You obtained the superstar-level skill 'Football Elf—Dragon Tail Flick.' You obtained the Moment Card: Roberto Carlos!"
"Cross from the Baseline: Increases the success rate of your crosses after reaching the baseline."
"Frontcourt Pressing: When you're in the opponent's half, your ability to win the ball and intercept passes receives a small boost."
"Overlap Coordination: You and your teammates on the wings will work together more smoothly."
"Cannon Shooter: You're a deadly striker lurking outside the penalty area. Your long-range shooting ability receives a significant boost!"
"Denilson's Stepover: A dazzling stepover that can leave any defender flat-footed!"
A whole host of skills greatly enhanced Lu Yang's abilities.
But the one he focused on most was the superstar-level skill.
"Football Elf—Dragon Tail Flick: There are many ways to dribble past an opponent, but the Flip Flap is undoubtedly the most iconic. Ronaldinho's Flip Flap was nothing short of miraculous. He didn't invent the move, but he was its greatest ambassador! The Football Elf Ronaldinho's double Flip Flap could leave everyone guessing which way he'd go!"
Lu Yang took a deep breath.
This skill was at the level of an absolute showstopper!
It was the Flip Flap!
And... Dragon Tail Flick was Ronaldinho's signature version of the Flip Flap. Its range of motion was enormous, and he could flick the ball in either direction. It was practically impossible to stop!
With that Roberto Carlos Moment Card, the system was practically telling him to go all the way Brazilian!
Would his next reward be a Neymar Moment Card or skill?
Lu Yang's personal stats also saw their biggest leap ever.
First came the boost from Cristiano Ronaldo's Moment Card in the final match.
After using a Moment Card, a player could experience what it was like to be a superstar. Depending on their performance and how well they matched the card, they could receive different ability boosts.
Every time Lu Yang used a Moment Card, he made huge progress.
The Messi and Ibrahimovic Moment Cards had been the same.
This time, Cristiano Ronaldo's Moment Card greatly improved Lu Yang's attacking and physical attributes.
Attacking Positioning: 55–60 Dribbling: 60–63 Shooting: 60–63 Set Pieces: 50 Curve: 50–55 Speed: 60–63 Acceleration: 55–60 Shot Power: 55–60 Jumping: 55–60 Strength: 55–60 Balance: 63–65
Likewise, with the season now over, Lu Yang received a season-end boost. At the end of every major season, players improved by varying amounts based on their performance. It was the result of their hard work on the pitch, and was no less valuable than what they gained from training!
Short Passing: 55–60 Heading: 55–60 Defensive Positioning: 55–60 Tackling: 65–67 Interceptions: 60–63 Clearance: 50–55 Shot Blocking: 50–55 Shot Power: 60–63 Strength: 60–63 Balance: 65–67
And every skill he acquired improved the corresponding attributes.
An absurdly powerful skill, or one exclusive to a particular category, could give a major boost to an attribute.
For example, "Soto—Perpetual Motion Machine" had taken Lu Yang's stamina from 50 straight to 99.
Taking all his stats into account, Lu Yang's current full profile was:
```
Name: Lu Yang
Age: 16 years, 305 days
Weight: 77 kg
=
Player-level skills:
Backcourt Defensive Coordination
Basic Ball Control
Basic Pressing
Defensive Retreat Footwork
V-Pull
Super Sub
Starting Player
Lion's Header
Midfield Defensive Coordination
Sliding Tackle
Rabona Kick
Weighted Spin Pass
Fancy Ball Control
Low-altitude Passing
Knee-Tap Lift
The Destroyer
Spiritual Leader
Bicycle Dribble
Drag Back
Overlap Coordination
Cross from the Baseline
Frontcourt Pressing
=
Star-level skills:
Marcelo's Instep Control
Soto's Iron Wall
Totti's Panenka Chip
Guti's Through Ball
Cannon Shooter
Denilson's Stepover
=
Superstar-level skills:
Xavi—God's Eye View
Soto—Perpetual Motion Machine
Football Elf—Dragon Tail Flick
=
Attacking:
Attacking Positioning: 60
Dribbling: 67
Ball Control: 65
Long Passing: 63
Short Passing: 63
Shooting: 65
Heading: 60
Set Pieces: 50
Curve: 60
=
Defending:
Defensive Positioning: 60
Tackling: 67
Interceptions: 65
Clearance: 60
Shot Blocking: 60
=
Physical:
Speed: 63
Acceleration: 63
Shot Power: 65
Jumping: 60
Strength: 63
Balance: 70
Tight Possession: 60
Stamina: 99
Injury Resistance: 50
Preferred Foot: Both
Vision: 99
=
Mental:
Aggression: 99
Concentration: 99
Consistency: 99
Affection: 55
Leadership: 80
=
Overall Rating: 65
You have what it takes to establish yourself in a lower-division league! Within that range, your physical abilities are relatively strong. Dribbling, tackling, and balance are your strengths, while set pieces, curve, and clearance are among your weaknesses.
After checking his stats, Lu Yang was quite pleased.
After all, half a season ago, he hadn't even been a professional player.
This time, an overall rating had appeared. It was probably because Lu Yang had activated all his stats and completed a full season of professional matches.
According to the system's overall ratings, anything below 50 meant an amateur-level player.
50–59 meant a professional-level player.
60–69 meant a lower-division-level player.
70–79 meant a Top Five Leagues-level player.
80–84 meant a regular starter in the Top Five Leagues.
85–89 meant a star player.
90–94 meant a first-rate star player.
95–99 meant a superstar.
100 and above meant a legendary superstar.
Serie B was a lower division, while Serie C and Serie D could only be considered professional leagues.
Lu Yang's overall rating already made him a competent Serie B player.
Of course, his stats were all well-balanced, making him seem like a six-sided warrior. That was his strength, but in a league of the same level, balanced stats actually meant he was "bad at everything"!
So Lu Yang still couldn't really play at the Serie B level. He would get lost out there. At best, he could become a Serie B utility player, but that didn't fit his expectations for himself.
But in matches below the level of his abilities, a six-sided warrior was truly an all-rounder.
Fortunately, Lu Yang would be playing in Serie C next season.
The players in that league had an average ability level of 55 to 60.
Every one of Lu Yang's stats matched or surpassed those of the best Serie C players, so he would have terrifying dominance in the league.
Although next season's matches hadn't started yet, Lu Yang was already looking forward to them.
Lu Yang's injury wasn't as serious as it looked. At the very least, it was only a flesh wound. If Talista's foot had been just a little farther off, Lu Yang might have lost an eye. Fortunately, he'd kicked accurately.
While Lu Yang was recovering, Diego Talista even came to visit him.
There was no bad blood between them. On the contrary, they both admired each other's commitment to the game and determination to win.
Talista might have been more ruthless on the field, but in all fairness, he was simply making reasonable use of the rules of football.
He played a little dirty, but that too was a pure form of football.
In fact, a football team often needed a thug like that.
The presence of a thug protected the other ten players on his side.
San Remo didn't have a thug at the moment. Lu Yang had played that role for a while, but although he was tough, he wasn't mean enough!
He was a hard man, but not a thug.
That might be fine in the lower leagues, but in the higher leagues, being merely "tough" might not be enough to protect teammates and intimidate opponents.
Look at basketball. There had been plenty of tough guys over the years, but dirty moves like undercutting players kept happening without being punished by the rules, seriously hurting the fans' enjoyment of the game.
Back in the old days, when the game was played with more grit, if you tried something like that, you'd better be ready for the other team's enforcer to beat you senseless.
That was far worse than a penalty from the officials. A broken bone would be getting off easy.
That was what happened when modern basketball teams had no "thugs."
The same was true in football.
Moric had naturally come to visit Lu Yang, too. He stayed in the hospital for two days, and only after Lu Yang was discharged and moved into Sophia's beachside mansion did Moric curse his way back to his hometown in Croatia.
He was Croatian, and he needed to go home and share the season's results with his parents, his sister, and the rest of his family.
Especially since he'd had such a successful season.
His future was plain to see.
His family's life would soon improve, too.
The club had already announced that everyone's salary would increase substantially next season. They hadn't said by how much, but it would definitely be among the highest in Serie C!
That was enough for Moric to support his family, and even lead them into a comfortable middle-class life.
And after next season, he would make his family rich.
There was no doubt about it. Anyone could see that Moric was a talented midfielder.
In fact, once the season ended, the club had already received several inquiries about Moric.
Three Serie C teams and one Serie B team were interested in him.
It was worth mentioning that Milan, a Serie A giant, had also shown interest in signing Moric, but Arthas turned them down.
Right now, a giant club was beyond the reach of Moric and Lu Yang.
It would ruin their careers.
No giant club would make Moric the centerpiece at this stage.
And Moric's contribution as anything less than the centerpiece... was clearly no match for that of a "utility player" like Lu Yang.
Of course, Moric would never admit he'd gone back to Croatia because Lu Yang, that freeloader, had moved into Sophia's mansion, leaving him alone in the dormitory, feeling a little lonely and scared.
He wasn't jealous of Lu Yang at all!
Lu Yang's response was, "I don't care whether you're jealous of me. Just don't be jealous of Sophia."
Moric hung up on the spot. "Jealous of you? In your dreams!"
The news that Lu Yang and Sophia were living together left countless European men devastated.
A reporter found Lu Yang training on the private football pitch beside the beach house.
"Could you tell us about you and Sophia—"
"Sophia isn't here. She went to film."
"Then why are you staying at her villa? When are you planning to make your relationship public?"
"We're just ordinary friends. Sophia asked me to look after her house, and there happens to be a training pitch here, so I took the job."
"Uh... What do you think of relationships between an older woman and a younger man?"
"Love is a matter of personal choice. And right now, Sophia and I are both at crucial points in our careers, so we'll focus on work first..."
Sophia saw Lu Yang's interview on television and felt a little disappointed.
It was true that focusing on work was better for her at this stage, but she still hoped that something beyond an ordinary friendship might develop between her and Lu Yang. Of course, she wasn't in a hurry. She knew how to give Lu Yang more time and space.
That was the advantage of a mature woman.
She knew when to show up, like at Lu Yang's championship-deciding match, where Sophia had arrived dressed to the nines.
She also knew when to step away for a while, like during this break, when Lu Yang had clearly decided to train hard and prepare for next season's fresh challenges.
She wasn't going to cling to her boyfriend like some childish young girl, leaving him no room to breathe.
Love was sometimes like sand in your hand: the tighter you held it, the faster it slipped away.
So...
"Lu, are you resting? I just finished filming for today and got back to my room... How are you feeling today? Does your wound still hurt? I saw your interview on TV. If you don't want to talk, you don't have to answer them... Am I talking too much? Am I keeping you from resting? Are you getting annoyed with me? Good, I'm glad... Something funny happened to me today..."
Though she'd had a long day, Sophia still smiled as she lay in bed and chattered away. Before long, she heard Lu Yang snoring on the other end, but she was still happy.
She knew all the arguments, but she couldn't help calling Lu Yang every day.
Maybe that was what love was.
It turned all reason into thin air, leaving no logic behind.
With the end of the Serie D season, the league began announcing its awards and statistical leaders.
Serie D Golden Boot: Vedian.
Serie D assist leader: Moric.
Serie D Tackle King: Lu Yang.
Serie D Interception King: Lu Yang.
Serie D aerial-duel leader: Matuidi.
Serie D clearances leader: Borges.
Serie D Best Young Player: Moric.
Serie D Goal of the Season: Lu Yang, for his astonishing 33-meter bicycle kick against Bisceglie.
Serie D Best Coach: Soto.
Serie D Best Player: Lu Yang.
Serie D Best XI: Lu Yang, Moric, Vedian, Talista...
San Remo could be called the biggest winner of the Serie D honors this year.
If Rondo hadn't missed so many matches this season, he would probably have made the Best XI, too.
These honors weren't just for show. The league would give the winners medals, prize money, and other rewards, while their clubs would hand out additional bonuses.
The awards brought a substantial financial boost to players like Lu Yang and Moric.
After all, Serie D was a lower-level competition, and players didn't take home much in wages.
An ordinary Serie D player earned about as much as someone doing manual labor elsewhere, though it was less exhausting, and being a player was still a respectable job.
Of course, stars like Lu Yang and Moric earned quite a bit more. Lu Yang was still receiving an academy-player stipend, but that was only a different name for the money.
Arthas's professionalism in that regard was reassuring.
About ten days later, the Italian football scene was turned upside down.
A bombshell announcement rocked Serie C!
The college entrance exam results are out across the provinces and cities. I hope all the students get results they're happy with. You don't have to rank among the very best; meeting your own expectations and your family's is already a great achievement.
Go at your own pace, and don't let society's prevailing trends sweep you along. The life you build that way may not be dazzling, but at least you won't regret it.
Good luck!