My Goalkeeping System

<Focus is a very useful skill but if I were you, I would avoid using it in the middle of a match unless you can deal with the pain and the energy drain>

'Okay, but if I can't use it in the middle, when am I supposed to use it then?' The goalkeeper inquired.

<During penalty shootouts although that would still be a problem>

'How?'

<The skill would have already worn out by the time you are called up for the second kick>

'It's that short?'

<Why don't you check and see for yourself?>

[ Focus ]

[ Skill duration: 4 minutes ]

'That's too short.'

<You need to level up the skill and increase its duration if you're going to turn it into a useful asset for penalty shootouts> Catherine explained before he could ask the question.

'Thinking about how I felt a few minutes ago, I don't think I can ever convince myself to use that skill again.'

<You can't get used to the pain by running away from it>

'Wait, I'm supposed to get used to the pain.'

<Yeah, that's how….>

'How what?'

<Never mind, just know that you can't get used to the pain by running away from it>

'I hear you.' He replied before getting up from the floor.

"Since using focus has consumed more than forty percent of the energy I had left, I'll just do about fifty push-ups and head back inside." He muttered before getting down and in position.

The push-up wasn't the only thing he did as he continued working out and trying out other methods until 5:00 PM.

It didn't look like he was going to stop until Emma came rushing outside to tell him that Emilia wanted him to come pick her up.

[ Endurance has received (+2) stat upgrade ]

That was the message that popped up on his screen as soon as he entered his car.

<Well deserved, you really pushed yourself there even with low energy>

'Well, my stamina didn't get drained when my energy did, I wouldn't have been able to push myself if that had happened.'

<Yeah, I can imagine that>

It didn't take him long to get to the place and just as he stopped in front of the building, he spotted Emilia making her way out of the building.

She was wearing a black suit and a skirt which seemed to be shorter than the other skirts she usually wore as it stopped just before reaching her knees.

"You look nice in that suit," Dave said after she entered the car and shut the door.

"Thank you." She said with a smile on her face. "And also thank you for picking me up."

"Oh, don't mention it." He said before starting the engine.

"So where did you have to run off to after dropping Emma?" Emilia asked as they moved down the road.

"The stadium, I had something to deal with."

"Are you out of contract?" She asked.

"No, I have one year left." He said.

"Then what was it about?" She asked.

"I had to clear something regarding a loan transfer." He said.

"A loan transfer, to where?"

"Benfica, but I'm not going." He said.

"Benfica is a very good team, going there will really help in improving you." She said,

"I can improve in my current team." He said.

"I guess so." She said before turning her gaze away from him.

After arriving home, Dave quickly made his way upstairs to freshen up.

It took him about forty minutes to come downstairs and see the table already set for dinner by the two women in the house although Emma had to do most of the work while Emilia went upstairs to get changed which was fair.

The first few minutes of dinner time were quiet until Emilia decided to break it.

"Hey, Dave." She called.

"Huh?" Dave said before turning his gaze to her.

"I spoke with my boss today and told her I had something important to deal with on Wednesday. I'm glad she didn't ask what it was I had to deal with and just said yes, so I'm free on Wednesday which means that I will be able to make it here." She expressed.

"That's great," Dave said with a smile on his face.

"What are you two talking about?" Emma asked with a confused expression on her face.

"Dave wanted me to be here on Wednesday to meet someone and just created the space for that," Emilia explained.

"Wednesday, someone. Isn't that day Clark is coming to the city?" Emma asked with her gaze on Dave.

"Clark? Isn't he the one you told me about? Dave's agent and best friend." Emilia said.

"I was about to tell her about who I wanted her to meet but it looks like you just took it off my hands, babe." The goalkeeper said before turning his gaze back to his food.

With dinner done with, the women cleared up the table and did the dishes together and just as they walked out of the kitchen, Emilia turned toward the staircase.

"Hey, let's go watch something together," Emma said as she grabbed her by her arm and pulled her along to the living room where Dave was already sitting while going through his phone.

"But, I'm tired," Emilia complained.

"We'll go to bed when the tiredness hits the both of us," Emma said before pulling her down on the couch along with herself. "You're going home tomorrow, the least you can do is watch something with me tonight."

"Actually, I'm not going tomorrow."

"You're not?"

"Yeah, Dave asked me to stay one more day because he knew you wouldn't want that and I said yes, after all, I'm off work for the whole week," Emilia explained.

"Dave," Emma muttered before turning her gaze to her fiance who had his gaze fixed on his phone's screen acting like he didn't hear everything they just said.

_______ _______

Ten minutes into his sleep, the goalkeeper found himself in the endless white space with Catherine standing in front of him.

"Hey, Cat." He said. "It's intense Focus Training again right?"

"Yeah," Catherine said with a nod. "You'll have to take the training seriously if you don't want to have to depend on the focus skill in dire situations and get your head blown off later."

"Seriously speaking, Catherine, I don't think I can convince myself to ever use that skill again, that pain is just too great." He said, touching his head with both of his hands.

"Then you'll have to work hard in improving your normal focus level to the extent that you won't need the skill anymore but…."

"But what?" Dave asked

"You can cut short your level of dependence on the skill but you'll still need it in certain conditions in which you will be desperate to win, especially in penalty shootouts when the pressure on the pitch is at its maximum and all eyes are on you."

*****

That's the third chapter just like I promised, my new year present to you, hope you enjoyed it!

New year mass release goals.

A magic castle= one extra chapter.

Two magic castles= two extra chapters.

Mass release for goals met last month will still be rewarded on the due dates.