At the next practice, all the Sanu players were gathered. The field was already set up with cones and balls placed to the side, but everyone’s attention was focused on the opposite end of the pitch, where Rafael was approaching with a big smile on his face.
All the athletes stood in an organized line, as usual before the start of training. Rafael stopped in front of them, hands in the pockets of his track pants, relaxed posture.
"Hello, everyone", he said, with the animated tone of someone about to share news. "A new student transferred to the school today. He’s my nephew and now also part of class 1-B. His name is Oliveira"
Standing next to Rafael, the boy finally stepped forward. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹•𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑒•𝙣𝙚𝙩
He was about 1.75 meters tall, light-skinned, dark-eyed, and had striking hair — a mix of burnt yellow with green-tipped highlights, somewhat like Dante’s style, but with a bolder edge. His fringe fell slightly over his eyes, and his gaze was blank.
"Hi", he said, dryly, as if he didn’t want to be there.
Silence lingered for a moment, broken by Ian, who stepped forward in his usual friendly manner.
"Hey, Oliveira! Welcome! I’m Ian!", he said, with a big smile, reaching out for a handshake.
Oliveira stared at him for a second... and simply ignored him. He didn’t even glance at the extended hand. He crossed his arms and looked away, cold as a concrete wall.
Ian stood there for a moment, his hand frozen mid-air, unsure how to react. An awkward silence settled over the group.
"Wow...", Dante murmured beside me, trying to hold back a laugh. "Real friendly, huh?"
I stayed quiet too, just watching. But one thing was clear: the guy wasn’t interested in pleasing anyone.
Noticing the tension in the air, Rafael gave an awkward chuckle and tried to lighten the mood.
"Oh, yeah... he’s a bit closed off at first, but you’ll get used to him. Oliveira’s got a lot of talent. He’s played at some solid academies back in the countryside — you guys will get along fine"
"Hmm... another player in the group.", Felipe commented with a half-smile. "Let’s see if he’s really all that"
"Don’t worry, I’ll show you", Oliveira replied, now with a slight provocative tone in his voice.
He looked directly at Kelvin for a second, as if he already knew who he was. The look wasn’t exactly hostile... but it wasn’t friendly either. It was like he was analyzing him.
"Alright, let’s see it on the field", said the coach, approaching from behind with his stopwatch. "Enough introductions. Let’s warm up! Three laps around the field, then ball work!"
The players started to spread out for a light jog. Oliveira ran alone, not joining anyone. He didn’t seem interested in making friends just yet.
Dante jogged up next to me.
"This guy screams trouble. I bet he doesn’t last two weeks"
"Or maybe that’s just his personality...", Kelvin murmured.
"Or he’s one of those types who craves attention. Especially with that hair", Dante added, glancing sideways.
Oliveira ran with his chest out, like he wanted to make his presence felt. A common trait for someone used to being a standout elsewhere.
The warm-up ended with some stretching, and soon after the coach began organizing the scrimmage. As usual, the starting team remained intact to work on chemistry — with one exception: Oliveira would play among the reserves, taking one of the center-back spots so the coach could get a better look at him.
"Today’s scrimmage is serious", said the coach, gathering everyone. "No slacking. I want intensity. Oliveira, you’re with the reserves, left center-back. Let’s see how you handle it"
The boy simply nodded, expressionless. He walked to his position and stood there quietly, adjusting his socks calmly.
Kelvin, on the other side, tightened his cleats and looked at Kazana.
"It’ll be interesting to see how he plays"
"I’ve seen flashy-haired guys with egos bigger than their legs... let’s see if this one can actually play", Kazana replied, cracking his neck with a slight grin.
The ball rolled. The scrimmage started with the starters dominating possession, passing patiently. Rodrigo and Ian commanded the midfield, while Dante held the line with composure. João Vitor and Danilo pushed up the flanks, always ready to support. Kelvin and Felipe moved along the wings, switching sides, while Kazana stayed central in attack.
In the opening minutes, the starters were more dangerous. But every time the play got near the box, Oliveira showed up.
First, it was Felipe, who tried a cross from the right. Kazana went up for the header, but Oliveira cleared it strongly, heading it far from the area like a seasoned pro.
Then came Kelvin. He received on the left, used a step-over to beat the reserve full-back and cut inside, ready to slide in a diagonal pass. But before he could find Kazana, Oliveira anticipated it. With a quick, precise lunge, he stepped in and won the ball cleanly, no need for force.
"What the...", Dante murmured from midfield. "This guy’s a problem"
Kelvin furrowed his brow as he jogged back. Getting dispossessed that easily wasn’t common.
Later, Rodrigo found a chipped pass between the center-backs. Kazana controlled it on his chest, ready to spin, but once again Oliveira appeared. He used his body, won the physical battle, and calmly played the ball out. A clean touch, a grounded pass — effortless.
"This kid...", Felipe said, impressed. "He’s the real deal"
Kelvin and Kazana exchanged glances. In the minutes that followed, they tried again. Kelvin went at him with speed and sudden direction changes. Oliveira didn’t backpedal. He simply tracked him calmly, cut off the space, and at the right moment, poked the ball away — cleanly, like it was nothing.
With every failed attack, Kelvin’s frustration grew. The only moments he managed to get through were when he used the system abilities — but he knew he couldn’t rely on that all the time. The system skills were limited per match.
During a water break, he approached Kazana — the only one who had managed to get past Oliveira before the pause.
"It’s hard to get past him. He doesn’t bite, it’s like he reads the play before it happens"
"I think I got it, Kelvin", Kazana replied, grabbing his water bottle. "He’s not Erick"
Kelvin raised his eyes, confused.
"He’s not Erick", Kazana repeated, serious. "That guy doesn’t come close to Erick. The feeling I got playing against him... Oliveira’s on another level"