Chapter 8: The Bullfrog's Appearance (3)

In elementary, middle, high school, and college, there was always one person like Brazil's Ronaldo or France's Zinedine Zidane.

These were the kids who displayed the best skills in the group, monopolizing the attention and affection of the coach and the team.

Seo Sung-min, in particular, was a talent who had been called the "Korean Zidane" since his college days and had soared to fame.

However, the reason he joined Gyeongnam FC, a club only two years old, instead of a strong team like FC Seoul, was due to the damn draft system.

But the good-natured Seo Sung-min never once complained about Gyeongnam FC for choosing him.

'He's just a kind kid.'

However.

Today, Seo Sung-min was looking at me with a gaze so menacing that it was frightening to even look at him.

It seems that the shoulder charge that completely overwhelmed him, taking advantage of the imbalance, had deeply wounded his pride.

'I hit him with all my weight.'

A one-on-one physical confrontation from the front had no chance of success.

So, I might say, I used my "veteran savvy" to overpower him.

Seo Sung-min, who seemed to have noticed this, had a face flushed red.

My current status is that of an ordinary person who returned after rehabilitation training for a torn cruciate ligament in Europe.

It seems that only a few people believe in me...

'From a professional player's perspective, it's a status that can't help but hurt their pride.'

Not only that.

After breaking his balance, I immediately scored a goal like a cannonball.

Just by looking at the shock and anger on his face, hmm.

I thought from now on, it would turn into a more intense fight.

"That goal was amazing! Even if it was a fluke, it was so well struck that it gave me goosebumps!"

As soon as I finished the goal celebration, Gyeongnam FC's captain, Seong Gi-bok, who had treated me like I didn't exist until just a moment ago, approached me with genuine admiration for my goal.

"Hehe, thank you, senior! I'm a fan!"

"A fan?"

"Senior, when I saw your free-kick goal, I tried to mimic the same motion, and it just went in."

During my 14th life, one thing that developed alongside my soccer skills was my ability to flatter.

"Did you see my free-kick goal?"

"Yes, senior! Last year, in the second half of the match, didn't you score a brilliant free-kick goal to turn the game around? I was in the Gyeongnam supporters' section. It was really thrilling!"

"Haha. Look at this kid. I kind of like you, yeah?"

The easily flattered Seong Gi-bok, blushing with embarrassment, patted my shoulder lightly and turned away.

"Play like that, and I'll support you from behind."

"Thank you, senior!"

People are easy to handle with just a bit of flattery.

That was the reason I deliberately flattered Seong Gi-bok.

No matter how well I did, soccer is a sport where what one person can do is extremely limited.

Therefore, it was necessary to recruit an ally.

If the target was the captain, Seong Gi-bok, the rest would follow on their own.

* * *

After the long-range shot, Seo Sung-min started to mark me closely.

23rd minute of the first half.

Thud!

Stumble!

When I received the ball near the penalty arc and tried to push forward, Seo Sung-min, who suddenly ran up, stuck to me and immediately charged in.

However.

Thud!

Although I almost fell, I managed to hold my ground and passed a diagonal ball to Park Jong-woo, who had pushed into the left penalty area.

Clang!

Park Jong-woo, who had stepped into the penalty area, immediately unleashed a right-footed instep kick.

Thud!

"Ow!"

He let out a sigh of disappointment as the ball hit the crossbar and flew away.

I gave him a thumbs up.

It's better to have more people helping.

After that, whenever I had the ball, Seo Sung-min would try to shoulder charge me or throw his body to block my shots.

'He must be really frustrated.'

My lips curled up, as things were going according to my plan.

Originally, Seo Sung-min was more of an attacking midfielder.

But after losing to me, he switched positions with Kim Dong-chun and started playing defensively.

It was a well-thought-out plan.

Even if my activity area was slightly reduced, it would make Seo Sung-min directly confront me.

Because after the long-range shot, I was no longer alone.

With the team's support, I showed the composure to shake off Seo Sung-min's pressure with a one-two pass with Park Jong-woo.

The team members gradually began to trust me and provide passes, as if we had been playing together for a long time.

Around the 30th minute of the first half.

"Pass!"

Seong Gi-bok, who had moved up to the right penalty arc, raised his hand and shouted.

I received Kim Hyo-in's forward pass with my back to the goal and let it roll behind me.

At the same time.

Whoosh!

I turned and quickly darted into the opponent's penalty area.

Clang!

Just as I stepped into the diagonal of the penalty area, Seong Gi-bok chipped the ball to the penalty mark.

The goalkeeper, Kang Tae-san, panicked and rushed out to face me, who had a clear chance.

Boom!

I was faster.

Thud!

With a diving header that almost made me fall forward, I scored a goal that stuck in the pitch.

* * *

"Huff, huff!"

Seo Sung-min's heavy breathing burst out.

From some point, he had completely forgotten his position and was playing as a defensive midfielder.

And he was marking me like a man-to-man defender.

He wanted to prove himself somehow.

As always, he wanted to show that he was the best on the field.

But at the 12th minute of the second half.

Whoosh!

"What...!"

Seo Sung-min's eyes widened again.

Homariu, who had been near the penalty arc, started to dribble slowly and then suddenly sprinted.

Thud!

Startled by the sudden sprint, Seo Sung-min reflexively extended a standing tackle.

But Homariu easily jumped over it like a hurdle.

'Oh no...!'

Seo Sung-min's hair stood on end.

The space behind him was suddenly exposed.

Boom!

The sound of the ball being kicked made Seo Sung-min's face crumple.

Without hesitation, Homariu took an instep kick as soon as he had a shooting angle.

It was a heart-stopping moment for Seo Sung-min.

By losing to Homariu, he had once again put the team in a scoring crisis.

Fortunately, the goalkeeper managed to block the shot with a punch, narrowly avoiding a goal.

However, Seo Sung-min's crumpled face showed no signs of improvement.

He was playing a position he didn't even handle.

Even if he tried to justify it, he was a professional player.

'Jung-woo said that kid is just an ordinary person. He didn't even join the soccer club... He definitely said that!'

There are limits to what one can learn on their own.

No, it's impossible to surpass a professional player with just self-study.

Yet, Homariu was easily breaking free from his pressure.

Instead of stubbornly holding his ground, he used his teammates or moved a step ahead to avoid pressure.

His play was as seasoned as a veteran who had seen it all.

Most importantly.

Even though he wasn't playing in his position, there were no instructions from the bench.

'They're not even looking at me...!'

Usually, Jo Gang-rae would have exploded in anger at such an unauthorized position change.

But now, his eyes were fixed on Homariu's actions.

Even the seniors who had sent him disapproving looks before the game were now praising Homariu.

"Looks like he really has European experience."

"This kid, he's got good chemistry with me. Hey, Mario, why don't you join Gyeongnam FC? I'll support you from behind."

"No wonder. His name sounds like he'd be good at soccer."

From the moment he started receiving passes from the seniors, Homariu became like a fish in water.

Then.

"I wish you could press a bit harder."

"...What?"

Seo Sung-min turned his head, thinking he had misheard.

He saw Homariu, who had just taken a series of threatening shots, walking slowly with his hands on his hips.

But his face was twisted in dissatisfaction.

Seo Sung-min realized it was directed at him from the next words.

"Your pressure is too loose. This way, I'll be all cooled down... Huh."

"..."

Snap.

At that moment, Seo Sung-min heard the sound of his rationality snapping for the first time in his life.

* * *

I didn't really want to provoke Seo Sung-min.

He was a very diligent and kind person.

'If the mission target had been Park Se-chock, I would have stripped his soul and hung it out to dry on a sunny day.'

But the sudden mission targeted Seo Sung-min.

Moreover, the reward for this mission was a random item.

The grade of the reward item varied greatly depending on how many times I won against Seo Sung-min.

But it wasn't just about the grade.

'The practicality can vary greatly depending on what the item is.'

For example, even if it's a C-grade item, something like "Son Heung-min's mainstay in the 2017-2018 season" would be worth using.

'Let's see. If it's the 2011-2012 season... It would be great if an item like Gareth Bale appeared.'

The probability of a named European player appearing is extremely low.

Therefore, to slightly increase the odds, I had to provoke Seo Sung-min and force him to drop his line and engage in a competition.

'And it's easier to deal with Seo Sung-min, who has poor defensive skills.'

After all, he's an attacking midfielder, right?

Fortunately, Seo Sung-min fell for my provocation and kept playing out of his comfort zone.

At the 20th minute of the second half.

Thud!

Stumble!

Seo Sung-min came at me with a quite strong shoulder charge.

It was a powerful charge that almost knocked me over and pushed me back more than two steps.

Of course, the ball was already gone from my feet.

Just before the rough charge hit me, I passed the ball to the winger