Soccer System: All the Skills, One Player!

The game was still in progress and Real Madrid wanted the goal more than anything. The Round of 16 involved two games, one at home and the other at Brighton. Coming out on top was more than a must for Real Madrid.

In the 42nd minute, Hakimi received a pass from Sergio López and tried to escape once again. This time, Felix came to cover and put pressure on him before he could take off. Hakimi had to play it to Óscar Rodríguez, who twisted his body and tried a vertical pass to the team's imposing center forward.

But Daniel Riber was alert. He read the pass perfectly and cut the ball back to Javier, who quickly turned and played Lucas through the middle.

Lucas took hold of the ball and thought:

"It's time to put that to the test." Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire

As soon as Sergio López advanced to press him, Lucas gave the ball a short touch and activated his new skill. Suddenly, the world around him seemed to slow down and his vision became clearer. His body reacted automatically, and he exploded forward with a speed he had never experienced before.

Brighton's seat jumped upright.

"What the hell was that?" Alex exclaimed, his eyes widening.

Willian couldn't hide his surprise. "Lucas has never run like that before."

On the pitch, the Real Madrid players were equally shocked. Hakimi turned his head in disbelief as Lucas shot through midfield like a rocket.

Óscar Rodríguez ran out to round him, but Lucas deflected it with a dry dribble and carried on. He felt the wind cutting against his face as he passed Miguel Baeza, who was desperately trying to catch up with his pace. The combination of his vision, Space Control and now Explosive Acceleration made him a monster on the pitch.

He spotted Arthur up ahead and made a low, precise pass to the center forward. Arthur, who until then had been well marked by Manu Hernando and Adrián de la Fuente, got a light touch to Raphael on the left.

Raphael, with his characteristic speed, advanced along the edge, but before he could cut inside to shoot, López brought him down. The referee whistled a foul on Brighton near the edge of the box.

The Real Madrid players surrounded the referee, protesting against the booking.

Hakimi shook his head, still unhappy with everything that was happening.

As the players positioned themselves in the area, Lucas felt a gaze on him. Turning around, he saw Hakimi watching him with a look of frustration and respect.

"So that's it? You were holding back the whole time?" Hakimi asked.

Lucas smiled. "Let's just say I learned a few things from watching you."

Hakimi clucked his tongue and walked away.

The game resumed with a free-kick. Javier hit it hard and high, forcing goalkeeper Mohamed Ramos to make a difficult save. The ball went out for a corner and Brighton gained confidence.@@novelbin@@

With the end of the first half approaching, tempers were increasingly flaring. Hakimi, annoyed at having been outpaced, played harder, getting into physical disputes with Lucas and Aidan. In a move in the 44th minute, Hakimi tried to take off again, but Lucas, already adapted to his new skill, followed his movement and managed a clean tackle, calmly making his way out.

The commentators were in shock at Brighton's performance. "Lucas Tanaka is dominating the midfield with impressive ease now at the end of the first half! And his fresh burst of speed has taken Real Madrid by surprise."

"It took me by surprise too!"

The referee blew the whistle for the end of the first half, and the players walked to the dressing room. In the tunnel, Hakimi approached Lucas again.

"I don't know how you did it, but you surprised me. It's rare that someone can keep up with me in a race."

Lucas smiled. "Believe me, I surprised myself."

Hakimi laughed lightly. "But the second half will be different. I'm just getting started."

Lucas nodded. "I can't wait."

Half-time passed quickly, and soon the players were back on the pitch.

Real Madrid returned with a more aggressive stance, trying to suffocate Brighton with high pressure. Óscar Rodríguez dictated the pace of the game, distributing quick passes and putting Hakimi and Borja Mayoral in good attacking positions.

In the 51st minute, Hakimi finally found space and delivered a perfect cross for Mayoral, who headed the ball into the net.

Anton saved the ball on reflex. The rebound fell to César Gelabert, who shot low, but Luiz Fernando blocked the shot with a spectacular push.

Real Madrid stepped up their attacks, and Brighton defended tooth and nail. Aidan and Loki worked tirelessly to contain the advances down the flanks, while Felix and Javier did their best to hold off Óscar.

But in the 63rd minute, Lucas' golden moment came.

After an error by Manu Hernando, the ball fell to Lucas, who didn't think twice. He activated his Explosive Acceleration and shot through midfield like a bolt of lightning, leaving Sergio López and Adrián de la Fuente behind.

The crowd held its breath.

Hakimi sensed the danger and ran to try to keep up. For the first time in the game, the two were side by side, competing in a direct race.

Hakimi was fast, but Lucas now had the same acceleration and the bonus of having better attributes. With a quick dribble caused by <Mirage Feint>, he changed the direction of the race, leaving Hakimi behind for a crucial second. With a precise pass, he found Arthur on the edge of the box.

Arthur turned and shot with dominant force. The ball flew past the goalkeeper and into the net.

BRIGHTON GOOOOOAAAAL!

The stadium erupted in celebration. Brighton had taken the lead against the mighty Real Madrid!

Lucas raised his arms and was embraced by his teammates. He knew there was still a long way to go, but that moment proved something important: he was at the level of future professionals.

Hakimi, catching his breath, looked at Lucas and shook his head with a half-smile. "I guess I underestimated him. But this game isn't over yet."