My system allows me to copy talents

Rising from the famed youth academy of Olympique Lyonnais, Lucien Deneuve’s name had long echoed across the streets of France. At just eighteen, he stormed onto the professional scene with a jaw-dropping hat-trick on his debut, instantly earning the title: “Le Prochain Roi”—The Next King of France.

Within two seasons, the world watched as Paris Saint-Germain shattered records to bring the prodigy home. The spotlight was on him, and he continued to prove his worth. The future seemed set in stone.

But fate, ever cruel, had other plans.

An untimely injury struck before the World Cup, robbing him and perhaps even France of their rightful glory. Many whispered what fans now shouted: “Had Lucien played, history would’ve been rewritten.”

Now, healed and hungrier than ever, Lucien had returned. However, not as a rising star, but as a force reborn.

As Hiro locked his eyes on Lucien, the stadium’s deafening roar faded to static.

Effortlessly elegant, standing with the poise of someone who didn’t just play the game, but commanded it. At first glance, he looked unassuming, almost too calm for someone on the cusp of war.

But Hiro knew better.

His eyes could see what naked eyes failed to notice.

That stillness wasn’t indifference—it was calculation. Lucien’s presence alone distorted the rhythm of the match before it even began. He was like a blade sheathed in silk.

Hiro’s heartbeat quickened. A thin bead of sweat slipped past his temple.

To the average onlooker, Lucien was just another footballer. But Hiro saw more. He saw the gleam in his opponent’s eye. The weightless posture of a man who saw through formations and feints like pages of an open book.

‘So, this is him…’

‘Today, heart alone won’t be enough.’

A nervous smirk tugged at Hiro’s lips as he inhaled sharply, steadying himself.

Hiro could differentiate normal from exceptional, and right now, every sense was telling him he was in the presence of something exceptional.

Soon after, the captains of both teams stepped forward for the coin toss.

The buzz in the crowd intensified as the match drew closer to start. The most anticipated moment was finally close, and the crowd couldn’t contain their excitement.

Hiro could feel a lot of watchful gazes on him.

He could feel himself getting stared at. Though the sensation wasn’t pleasant, he had grown accustomed to it.

“Seems like you’re quite popular even in the opposing team,” Alvarez cracked a joke while they were waiting for their captain’s return.

Hiro could tell he was referring to the stares he received from the opposition.

“Talk about yourself. You’ve got quite a few gazes on you, too,” Hiro responded.

“Hahaha… I guess we’ll have to watch our backs in the match.”

Given the importance of the match, it wasn’t unusual for them to be wary of each other. Also, it wasn’t just the opposition stealing glances, their side was doing the same.

Hiro, however, had already seen enough.

Hence, he didn’t feel the need to observe further.

Perhaps, both sides wanted a clear picture of what they were facing. But at this moment, Hiro believed it would be more useful to focus on what one could do than ponder what the other will do.

Soon after the coin toss ended, the players began to move.

They headed to their respective position to start the match. Both sides assumed their position while the referee prepared to kick off.

Upon settling into his position, Hiro tried to note the formation of the opposition.

Though he was already briefed on their likely formation, Hiro had to make sure of their actual positions. Even the smallest of variables could alter everything.

To prevent the worst possible outcome from happening, he had to be as meticulous as he could.

Though the opposition was positioned in the envisioned formation, Hiro couldn’t help but notice something strange— Lucien wasn’t playing in his usual position.

He was their striker even when he clearly excelled in midfield.

This didn’t sit well with Hiro.

‘Are they trying to confuse us? Or is he just a decoy? False 9, perhaps…’

Hiro contemplated with knitted brows.

Though he was somewhat bewildered, Hiro couldn’t dwell on this forever. Hence, he averted his attention and focused on himself.

He had already run countless simulations. In those simulations, he had experienced this match many times.

He had also shuffled their positions in those simulations to try different variations. However, Hiro knew those simulations could only mimic the real data. Those shadow puppets, in other words, were mere bots programmed with data.

Beep!

The opposition kicked off the match.

Immediately, both sides sprang into action as the shrill sound of the whistle echoed. The cheers intensified as the match started.

Even if Hiro wished to contemplate some more, Hiro couldn’t afford to be careless now that the match had begun. He had to concentrate his attention on the game ahead.

The opposition went hard, challenging to breach their defense from the get-go. It almost looked like they were impatient for the goal.

This set them into panic.

Their side swiftly transitioned into defense as they steadied themselves for the onslaught of the opposition. Even so, Oblak’s skill was tested when Lucien fired a shot from outside the box.

Though the shot missed the target, the opposing fans’ excitement soared.

Lucien himself didn’t look dissatisfied about the stray shot. He smacked his lips and smiled as he watched the ball fly to the stands.

Then he pretended to tie his shoelaces.

Though Hiro found his gesture strange, Hiro couldn’t help but admire the shot he had taken. That shot he had taken just now was filled with power and precision.

Even the technique was flawless.

From this shot alone, Hiro could deduce that Lucien was someone unafraid of taking risks.

This made him appear even more terrifying.

If they kept allowing him space to shoot, he would keep challenging their limits. Then who knows if one of the shots wouldn’t find its way to the back of their net.

To prevent this, they had to limit his shooting angle as much as possible.