NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 19: Chapter 19 : Earn Your Name
Three names appeared on the whiteboard inside the locker room:
El Monte.
Bellmere Prep.
Brighton Catholic.
These were the teams Lincoln High would face in the upcoming practice matches.
Julian narrowed his eyes, locking in every name.
El Monte and Bellmere Prep—ordinary high schools from different districts. But Brighton Catholic... that name carried weight.
Last year, they had qualified for the CIF Southern Section Playoffs in Division 3.
They weren't just another school—they were the kind of opponent you tested your real team against.
Coach Owens' plan was clear now.
El Monte and Bellmere Prep would be the proving ground—the forge.
A place to experiment, assess, and finalize the starting eleven.
Brighton Catholic, though? That would be the test of steel.
The battlefield where strategy met execution.
And Julian intended to be on that battlefield.
The days leading up to the matches were intense.
Heat radiated off the turf.
Sweat clung to every player's skin like armor.
Julian trained with focus and fury—juggling, shooting, passing, pressing.
No wasted steps. No idle minutes. Every rep had a purpose.
And as the drills continued, he began to understand the core of this team.
Their strengths. Their weaknesses.
Their souls.
So, he started scanning them.
…
GK
User: Damien Silva
Position : GK
Age: 17
Total Attributes : 133
…
User: Cael Morgan
Position : GK
Age: 17
Total Attributes : 209
…
Defender
User: Riku Tanaka
Position : CB
Age: 17
Total Attributes : 186
…
User: Tariq Okoye
Position : CB
Age: 17
Total Attributes : 134
…
User: Caleb Dominguez
Position : CB
Age: 16
Total Attributes : 120
…
User: Zion Blake
Position : LB
Age: 17
Total Attributes : 121
…
User: Miles Carter
Position : RB
Age: 17
Total Attributes : 123
…
User: Liam Walker
Position : RB
Age: 16
Total Attributes : 130
…
Midfielder
User: Aaron Bishop
Position : CDM
Age: 17
Total Attributes : 131
…
User: Ethan Rhodes
Position : CDM
Age: 17
Total Attributes : 132
…
User: Felix Moreno
Position : RW
Age: 17
Total Attributes : 126
…
User: Tyrell Brooks
Position : LW
Age: 16
Total Attributes : 125
…
User: Ricky Zhang
Position : LW/RW
Age: 16
Total Attributes : 119
…
User: Leonardo Luz
Position : CAM
Age: 17
Total Attributes : 191
…
Attacker
User: Noah Kim (injured)
Position : ST
Age: 17
Total Attributes : Unknown
…
People called him "Pretty Boy."
But behind the flawless looks was a killer's instinct in front of goal.
If he hadn't torn his ACL before the playoffs, Lincoln High might've made it last year.
Julian hadn't met him yet—but even in absence, Noah's presence loomed large.
And now?
Julian was the only striker left.
The last sword at the tip of the spear.
Behind him stood three monsters, each the core of their line:
Cael Morgan. The Iron Guardian between the posts.
Riku Tanaka. The Wall of Discipline in defense.
Leonardo Luz. The Maestro who made the midfield sing.
Each position had its anchor.
The only missing piece was the finisher.
The one who would turn pressure into points.
And now, all eyes were beginning to turn toward Julian.
Another afternoon scorched the turf.
The team had already started warm-ups when Cael jogged over. Sweat glistened on his neck, but his expression was relaxed. Brutally honest, as always.
"You really are a newbie, huh?" Cael said with a half-smirk. "Your first touch makes me want to cry."
Julian paused mid-drill, panting lightly, then cracked a wry smile. "I told you—I've never played a real 11v11. Never even stepped onto a full-size pitch until last week."
By now, the whole team knew.
Julian Ashford.
A kid who'd spent his entire life sick.
No school. No games. No friends.
Bedridden and forgotten.
And then… suddenly here. On the pitch.
Scoring goals like a magician in the drills, like he'd been born with cleats instead of feet.
They didn't know how to explain it.
So most of them didn't try.
Some of them respected him.
Some feared him.
Some whispered that maybe he had talent beyond understanding.
But the truth?
Julian was still raw.
Really raw.
His first touches were clumsy.
His passes inconsistent.
Technique? Off. Timing? Rough.
Sometimes, he didn't even know where to stand.
Yet in the drills, he'd moved like a phantom.
Exploding into space.
Outplaying defenders with a single feint.
Scoring under pressure like he'd been forged for it.
When someone finally asked him how he did it—how a guy who'd never played the game could tear through defenders like that—Julian just shrugged and said:
"The body moved. The instinct knew."
They couldn't argue with it.
What else could they do?
The training continued.
Julian stayed locked in—juggling, dribbling, practicing passes, grinding like a man possessed.
But without his system skills activated, he looked like what he truly was: a beginner.
Every drill exposed holes in his technique.
Every misstep reminded him: talent wasn't enough.
But he didn't care.
Hardship didn't scare him.
It fueled him.
This wasn't just training. This was a battle—against the limits of his new body.
He would suffer. He would learn.
And he would rise.
—
A sharp whistle cut through the air.
Prrritt!
Coach Owens stood at the sideline, arms folded.
"Everyone in!" he barked.
The team jogged over, boots thudding against the turf.
Julian was among them—sweat dripping down his jaw, chest still rising and falling.
Coach's voice carried like thunder.
"In two days, we face El Monte," Owens announced. "We're sticking with the 4-2-3-1… but positions are flexible. Don't get comfortable."
He glanced at the midfielders.
"I might shift some of you up front. I want to test different linkups. Nothing's final. Show me you deserve your spot."
Just then, a new presence appeared beside him.
A girl with blonde hair tied in a high ponytail, piercing blue eyes, and the kind of posture that made even the seniors straighten up.
Laura Anna.
The team manager.
The Flower of Lincoln High Football.
In her arms: a box full of plain navy kits—no names, no numbers.
She stepped forward and handed them out one by one.
"Coach Owens will assign numbers after the practice matches," Laura said, her voice crisp. "Until then, you wear these. Earn your name."
The room stayed silent, serious.
No one complained.
Because they all knew what this meant.
The trial had begun.
"Nothing is safe," Coach Owens added. "Play better. Be better. Or I'll bench you."
He paused.
"Remember our goal."
Every player, including Julian, answered in unison.
"Yes, Coach!"
Just then
…
[System Quest Alert]
Become sensation
For the practice match. Make a goal for each goal you get + 10 attributes
Reward : +10 attribute based on the goal
[ Accept Quest? ]
[Yes] [No]
…
Julian didn't even hesitate.
[Yes]
His pupils sharpened. Blood rushed in his veins.
He needed to grow faster.
He needed to dominate.
Because to qualify for the CIF Southern Section Playoffs, he couldn't afford to be average.