Lorient looked at Reinhart as if he had just asked to bring the Ligue 1 trophy to AS Saint-étienne.

  “You’ve lost your mind, Reinn,” he muttered quietly.

  Reinhart met his eyes, unwavering.“Maybe. But a promise is a promise, right?”

  Lorient let out a long sigh, torn between ughing and groaning.“Our backup striker? No way. That’s a five-million Euro investment. The club president would skin me alive.”

  Reinhart nodded slowly, as if he had already expected that answer.

  “But…” Lorient crossed his arms in front of his chest.“What if you pick one from the youth academy? Anyone you like. No objections from the club.”

  Reinhart hesitated.A youth pyer? From this club?

  But suddenly, a face popped into his mind—a teenager with curly hair and a confident smile. A face he’d seen once in a Ballon d’Or Top 10 nominee list. A boy who, in vague records of the future, was once called the hidden gem of France.

  “I know who I’m picking,” Reinhart said firmly.

  The AS Saint-étienne youth academy stood grandly on the outskirts of the city.The grass was perfectly green, the morning sun casting a heavenly glow over the training field.

  But that wasn’t what made Reinhart freeze as he stepped to the sidelines.

  It was… what he saw.

  In front of him, every young pyer on the field was surrounded by floating transparent holograms, hovering at chest height—like military data in a sci-fi movie.

  Reinhart’s eyes widened.

  “What… is this…?”

  Above each pyer’s head, names, ages, heights, and positions floated. But that wasn’t all.

  Below their names, moving numbers and graphs appeared:

  Name: Jules VerrierAge: 17

  Position: CM / AM

  Potential: 86

  Rating : 71Speed: 75 / 80Physical: 68 / 70Technique: 60 / 78Skill: None

  Special Note:Could become the brain of the team in the future.

  Reinhart stepped closer, his eyes darting from one hologram to another.Every young pyer had one.

  What the hell is this? he thought. It’s like… video game stats. But too detailed. Too real.

  He looked around. The staff seemed completely unfazed.As if… they couldn’t see the holograms.

  Then, something clicked in his mind. His face paled.

  This is my body at 23. Not only did I get a second chance, I also got… some kind of power?Is this a bonus from time itself?

  He took a deep breath and began scanning every young pyer, taking full advantage of his new ability.Most of the stats were average. Simir. Unremarkable.

  But then, one caught his eye.

  A skinny boy with curly hair sat on the edge of the field, wiping sweat from his brow.

  Name: élie DuvantAge: 15Position: LWF / SS / CF / RWF

  Potential: 95

  Rating : 75Speed: 78 / 94Physical: 71 / 92Technique: 81 / 99

  Skill:Phantom Cut – The ability to break through defenses with non-linear acceleration.

  Special Note:Will be Top 10 Ballon d’Or in the next 10 years.A future superstar.

  Reinhart exhaled slowly, barely believing what he was seeing.He remembered the name—Duvant.The boy who, a decade from now, would become a footballing icon.Back then, Reinhart could only watch him shine from a distance.

  Now, that same boy sat right in front of him.

  “I want that one,” Reinhart said.

  The camp staff and Lorient both looked surprised.Then the camp officer chuckled.“Him? That troublemaker from La Ricamarie? Sure, he’s talented… but he’s got issues. Might not even develop properly.”

  “Leave that to me,” Reinhart replied calmly.

  “Hmph, if that’s your decision, then I’ll help you talk to the Duvant family and arrange the transfer,” said Lorient, secretly relieved that Reinhart had chosen a problem child.

  But then—“Wait. I want him too.”

  Reinhart pointed across the field to another teenager, sitting alone, away from everyone else.

  “Oi! Didn’t I tell you you can only take one?”Lorient’s face turned sour with frustration.

  But suddenly, the camp officer tugged on Lorient’s sleeve.

  “What now?”

  “Look, Manager… isn’t that boy…”

  Lorient squinted toward the loner Reinhart had pointed out.

  “Wait. Are you serious?”

  Note :

  Statistical ExpnationPotential: The pyer's potential—the higher the number, the better. However, even if a pyer has high potential, they will not reach their maximum if not developed properly.

  Rating: Represents the pyer’s current ability level. A higher rating means a better pyer. The rating progresses linearly as the pyer develops toward their potential.

  Technique: Refers to the pyer’s technical skills based on their position. For example, if the pyer is a winger, technique includes dribbling, passing, etc.

  Physical: Represents the pyer’s physical condition. Stronger physical potential and rating make the pyer less injury-prone and more capable of pying full matches.

  Skill: These are rare, unique abilities unreted to potential. Some pyers may have special skills despite low growth potential—this can happen due to certain circumstances. Skills can be unlocked when a pyer undergoes a "breakthrough" or enters an "on-fire" state. However, if a pyer is born with innate skills, they are likely a future star.

  Special Notes/Remarks: Contains additional information about the pyer, including glimpses of their destiny