The next week was a test of discipline.Not of skill.Not of fitness.
But of patience.
The New Normal
Ricardo Ferrera's training sessions were military in structure:
Rigid positioning.
No unnecessary dribbles.
Touch-limit passing drills.
Defensive transitions before offensive buildup.
For players like Kimmich and Goretzka — it felt like clockwork.
For Mateo?
It felt like handcuffs.
But he adapted.
He ran his lines.He pressed when told.He passed early, cut late, held shape.
No complaints.No rebellion.
He watched.
And he waited.
In the Shadows
What Ferrera didn't know was that every night,Mateo returned to the training dome.
With the help of a private club assistant — and the silent guidance of the System —he ran extra sessions:
Diagonal dribbles at pace.
Tight-space creativity drills.
Finishing from awkward angles.
Explosive first-touch control and transitions.
⚠ Stealth Skill Enhancement Active+1% Dribbling Mastery+1% Surge Control Efficiency
He was training for both worlds:
The coach's game… and his own.
Quiet Recognition
In a closed-door scrimmage, Ferrera watched from the sideline as Mateo followed instructions perfectly.
Controlled. Precise. Efficient.
But near the end of the game, the ball rolled loose on the right.
Mateo sprinted onto it —a full-field run no one expected.
Two touches.An outside cut.
And then… a nutmeg on the center-back,a quick shift to the left foot…
And a calm finish to the far post.
The scrimmage stopped.
The bench stood.
Even Ferrera raised a brow — not in approval,but in surprise.
Mateo jogged back to position.
Expression neutral.
Heart burning.
Behind Closed Doors
That night, Ferrera met privately with his assistant coaches.
"He's disobedient," the coach muttered.
"No," one replied, "he's controlled. But when the moment opens—he takes it."
Ferrera's jaw tightened.
"I want obedience. Not chaos."
"But he wins games."
Silence.
The System Whispers
That same night, as Mateo iced his leg, the System shimmered into view:
[Passive Trait Evolved]Tactical MaskEffect: Ability to adapt visible behavior to fit within structured systems while preparing for breakout performance moments.
Bonus: Increases coach trust rating while maintaining freedom profile internally.
Mateo smirked.
He wasn't breaking the rules.
He was learning to move through them.