Team 2 responded with intensity in the nineteenth minute. Gianluca Romano won the ball in midfield with a crunching tackle on Paolo Martinez. He immediately played it forward to Ferrari, the center forward.
Ferrari flicked it first-time to Diego Marquez, who had pushed high from left back. Marquez drove forward with pace, bursting past Matteo Ferrari’s challenge. Esposito stepped across to close him down, but Marquez cut inside sharply. Esposito lunged for the tackle and missed. Marquez was through on goal, one-on-one with Marco Leone.
Demien saw it unfolding. He tracked back, sprinting from midfield. His lungs burned. His legs screamed. He read the angle, anticipated the shot.
Marquez pulled his foot back.
Demien lunged. His right foot stretched out and poked the ball away cleanly. Marquez stumbled over the challenge. The ball rolled harmlessly to Marco Leone in goal.
The Atalanta scout stood up slightly, eyes wide. He turned to the Sampdoria scout beside him. "Did you see that recovery speed?"
"He read it two steps early."
"That’s tactical intelligence. That’s not something you can teach."
Coach Ricci clapped once from the touchline. "Good effort, Marquez! Keep pushing!"
Demien’s lungs burned as he jogged back to midfield. His legs felt the work, but they responded. The soreness from yesterday was still there, but it didn’t slow him down.
In the twenty-third minute, Team 1 built possession patiently. Rinaldi passed to Federico Rossi on the left. Federico played it inside to Luca, who turned and found Demien dropping deep near the halfway line.
Demien collected the ball with his back to goal. Gianluca Romano pressed immediately. Demien played it short to Matteo Ferrari, who had moved into space on the right.
One-two. Matteo returned it first-time.
Demien’s world slowed. Andrea Pirlo: Deep-Lying Playmaker activated. He could see everything—Paolo Martinez making a diagonal run from left midfield into the channel, Liam Hughes stepping too narrow, the gap behind Team 2’s defensive line yawning open.
Demien struck the ball with his right instep, applying curve. The pass sailed over Enzo Bianchi’s head, over Julian Weber’s attempted interception, dropping perfectly into Paolo’s path on the left flank.
Paolo controlled it with his first touch, cutting inside past Hughes. He looked up and whipped a low cross into the box.
Di Luca met it with a first-time volley. The ball smashed into the back of the net.
The crowd roared. Di Luca wheeled away, arms spread wide. Paolo sprinted toward Demien, grabbing his head. "That pass was perfect! How did you even see me?"
Demien raised his fist. The assist registered in his mind. Mission complete. The system would confirm it at halftime.
"Just lucky," Demien said, but his chest swelled with something closer to certainty.
From the stands, Marco Benetti exchanged a glance with the Atalanta scout. The scout was already on his phone, speaking quickly into the receiver.
Coach Mancini clapped twice. "Beautiful! Keep that tempo!"
Coach Ricci shouted at his midfield. "Weber! Bianchi! You’re letting him dictate everything! Press him earlier!"
In the thirty-second minute, Team 2 pressed high after the restart. Julian Weber and Enzo Bianchi closed on Demien near the touchline as he received from Esposito.
Demien was trapped. Two defenders, the sideline behind him, nowhere to go.
He activated Curve Run Timing. His body shifted subtly, opening his hips. He dragged the ball across his body with his right foot, then flicked it forward with his left between Weber’s legs.
The nutmeg caught Weber off guard. Demien accelerated past him, using the half-second advantage.
Enzo Bianchi recovered quickly, sliding across to block. Demien didn’t panic. He spotted Matteo Ferrari in space, thirty yards ahead on the right.
He played a sharp diagonal pass with the outside of his boot. The ball skipped across the grass, bypassing three Team 2 players.
Matteo collected it and drove toward goal. He cut inside and shot. Bellini parried it away for a corner.
The crowd buzzed. The scouts leaned forward, jotting notes rapidly.
James Riccardo, the Parma scout, underlined something in his notebook. "System-enhanced awareness," he muttered. "He’s operating on a different level."
Time was winding down in the forty-third minute. Team 1 controlled possession deep in Team 2’s half.
Luca played a short pass to Demien near the edge of the penalty area. Gianluca Romano closed quickly, determined not to give him space.
Demien saw it all through Pirlo’s vision—Marco Valenti drifting too far left, Roberto Costa ball-watching, the gap between them opening.
He touched the ball right, creating separation from Romano. He looked up and saw Moretti making a run behind the defense.
Demien threaded a perfectly weighted through ball with his right foot. The pass split the center backs.
Alessandro Moretti latched onto it, his pace carrying him clear. He rounded Bellini and slotted the ball into the open net.
The crowd buzzed. The scouts were all on their feet now, phones out, notebooks filled with notes.
Coach Mancini clapped twice, pumping his fist. "Hold the line! Stay focused!"
Coach Ricci threw his hands up in frustration. "We’re giving him too much time! Close him down faster!"
Near the fence, the Atalanta scout turned to his colleague. "Three goal involvements in one half. We’re making the offer."
The Sampdoria scout nodded. "We will too."
Marco Benetti sat back in his seat, allowing himself a small smile.
The halftime whistle blew.
Demien walked slowly toward the touchline, his breath heavy but controlled. Sweat soaked through his shirt. His calves burned. His shoulders ached. But his mind felt clear, sharp.
The system panel flickered into view as he reached the bench.
「MISSION COMPLETE」「Match Rating: 8.9」「Assists: 1」「Goals: 1」「Passing Accuracy: 91%」「Defensive Actions: 3」「Offensive Contributions: 2」 New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on novel•fire.net
「SYSTEM RATING FEATURE UNLOCKED」
Demien tapped the notification.
「SYSTEM RATING FEATURE」
「Real-time match performance tracking now available」
「Access during matches for live feedback and tactical adjustments」
He closed the panel; eight point nine. The mission was complete.
But the match wasn’t over yet.
Marco watched the players walk off the pitch for halftime. Demien moved with confidence, his head up, his breathing controlled. Three to nothing. One goal, one assist. Dominant performance.
The Atalanta scout two rows down pulled out his phone. It buzzed in his hand. He answered quickly.
Marco shifted slightly, angling his body to hear better without being obvious.
The Atalanta scout listened for a moment. "Yes, I asked you to look into that. What did you find?"
Marco strained to hear. The crowd noise made it difficult, but he caught fragments.
"So the official reason Fiorentina released him was because he wasn’t good enough?" The scout’s tone sharpened. "That’s not true. Not with what I’m seeing today. He should be a starter for any team at this level."
Another pause. The scout leaned forward, his free hand gripping his notebook.
"His technical ability is Serie B standard. His tactical intelligence is beyond his age. His sprint time is professional level." The scout shook his head. "Something doesn’t add up."
Marco’s pulse quickened. They were digging into Demien’s background. That was good. That meant serious interest.
The scout tapped his pen against his notebook. "One more thing. Do you know who his agent is?"
Marco’s breath caught. This was the moment.
The voice on the other end of the phone started to answer.
Marco’s voice cut through the moment. He stood up from his seat and stepped forward, his hand extended toward the Atalanta scout.
The scout turned, phone still pressed to his ear. His eyes met Marco’s.
"You’re Marco Benetti?" the scout asked.