Early Morning, Home
Luca stirred awake before the sun crested over the rooftops of their modest Barcelona apartment. His muscles still ached from yesterday's training, but the adrenaline humming in his chest made it impossible to stay in bed.
Down in the kitchen, his dad, Manuel, stood barefoot by the stove, flipping eggs. His shoulders hunched slightly, an old fatigue in his bones from years of early shifts at the port. But the second he saw Luca walk in, his face lit up.
"Well?" he asked. "How was it?"
Luca dropped into the chair, still processing everything. "Different," he said first. "Faster. Stronger. Smarter. Everyone's… intense."
His dad placed a mug of warm milk on the table. "And you?"
"I held my own," Luca said. "No—more than that. I think I impressed them."
Manuel smiled, proud but cautious. "The coach said anything?"
"He told me to come back today. That they're not done watching me."
A pause. A beat of silence before Luca added softly, "I think I'm close, Dad."
"You're not close, Luca." His father sat across from him, eyes steady. "You're there. Now make sure they can't send you back."
Luca nodded, emotions catching in his throat. He'd chased this dream for so long—it was finally breathing.
Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper – Day 2
The complex buzzed with quiet energy as Luca returned to the training ground. He was early this time, determined to soak it all in.
In the locker room, the atmosphere was casual but professional. Guys joked, laced up boots, compared playlists. Luca found his spot — Locker 27 again — and sat quietly, listening.
Unai Hernández turned to him with a grin. "You're back. That's a good sign."
"Guess so," Luca replied, smiling.
"Where you from again?"
"Barcelona. Born here. Raised in the city."
"Then you already speak the language." Unai winked. "Let's see if you can speak it on the pitch again."
Warm-Up – Communication Begins
Coach Rafa Márquez divided them into units: defenders, midfielders, forwards. Luca was slotted into midfield again, this time alongside Pau Prim and Dani Rodríguez.
They started with high-tempo ball circulation. Tight triangles. One-touch max.
Luca began speaking more. Calling names. Pointing. Gesturing.
"Turn, Pau!""Inside!""Switch right!""Now—again!"
The senior players noticed.
Casadó raised an eyebrow after a sequence. "Kid's not just flash. He's got a brain."
And then it clicked—Luca wasn't just playing with them.
He was leading.
Midfield Possession Drill
A complex possession game was next. Two-touch limit. Five-pass minimum before switching.
Luca found space with ease. But now, he started helping others find it too.
"Drop back, Dani.""I've got left overlap.""Behind you, Casadó!"
Each time he spoke, the play flowed sharper.
One play saw Luca intercept a pass, roll it under pressure, and deliver a diagonal ball across the pitch that made Trilli raise his hands in mock surrender.
"Vale, magician," he called. "You got eyes in your socks?"
Unai jogged by, laughing. "He's using GPS."
Luca just grinned. "You'll see more."
Fitness & Position-Specific Work
After tactical play, the players split into groups.
Luca ended up with Julián Araujo, Noah Darvich, and Ángel Alarcón in a ball control + sprint rotation.Araujo, the energetic right-back, watched as Luca took a through pass in stride and flicked it up without looking, then sprinted to receive it again.
"Damn, bro," Araujo said. "You Brazilian in disguise?"
"Nope," Luca said. "Ronaldinho fan, though."
"That checks out."
Between drills, they chatted more. Darvich told him about adjusting from Germany. Ángel teased that Luca had too clean of a haircut for a serious baller. They laughed. Luca felt himself settling in.
It was starting to feel like a team.
After Practice – Walk to the Bus Stop
Training wrapped, and the players slowly filtered out. Some had scooters. Some had cars. Luca was walking to the bus stop when a voice called from behind.
Unai jogged up. "You taking public?"
"Yeah. Don't have a license yet."
Unai handed him a small Barça water bottle. "You killed it today, Luca. Keep going like this… and you'll be more than just a call-up."
Luca looked down at the badge on the bottle, then up at the facility behind them.
"I'm not stopping," he said.
"Good." Unai bumped fists with him. "We've been needing someone with fire."
System Notification – Nightfall
At home, Luca finished dinner, helped clean the table, and flopped into bed. His body was heavy, but not just from the training—it was everything. The speed, the intensity, the pressure, the pride.
And then the system blinked.
[SYSTEM – DAILY SYNC COMPLETE]
Verbal Influence Activated 🗣️
Communication XP: +12
Tactical Awareness XP: +6
Mentality XP: +5
"True leaders don't just play — they connect."
⚡ Team Chemistry (Barcelona B): 14%🔓 New Dialogue Option: "Take space."🔓 New Gesture Unlocked: Double Tap Left Wrist (Call for overlapping run)
Luca stared at the screen.
Even a voice can be a weapon.
Tomorrow, he'd sharpen it again.