My system allows me to copy talents

454  Extraordinary Talent

But how could he be a match to him in terms of speed?

Even if he exhausted himself, he'd be no match to him. But despite that, he tried his best to catch up to him. Unfortunately, he only struggled in vain as he failed to catch up to him. Hiro easily took the lead. Then as he began to accelerate, he didn't stop until he reached the post. But then as he got to the goal line, he paused and turned around to face Kaoru. With a smirk on his face, he said, "I'll take the first one." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Kaoru could only glance at him submissively with a smile on his face. "I'll let you have this one. I won't go easy on you next time," he said confidently. Huh? You call this going easy on me? You could have injured me multiple times already by now if I was not careful enough. Hiro couldn't help but scorn. After that Kaoru only made it more difficult for him. But he was prepared. The two engaged in a fearsome battle of wits, technique, and strength. However, Hiro came out on the top in the end. Out of five times, they challenged each other, Kaoru only managed to stop him once. From this duel, Hiro could somewhat figure out the reason why he was chosen for the camp despite his mediocre stats. He was well aware of his strengths and weaknesses. So, he always tried to lead the opponent to the spot of his choice to make better use of his strengths. Also, he excelled in team play rather than solo play. He wasn't the type of defender you could count on in one-on-one situations. But he was exactly the type of defender one would need in one's team. Even in the first duel, if he wasn't alone, he might have neutralized Hiro. By keeping him occupied, he created chances for his teammates to clear the ball away. He was the type of player who complimented his team— a team player. Perspiration trickled down his forehead. His breathing was a little ragged while at the same time, he struggled to stand straight. The duel left him utterly exhausted.

It was as if he had performed a high-intensity cardio workout without any break for the entirety of the duel that took place. "You're truly as great as they say," Kaoru praised, a smile on his face. 22:18

[Quest Completed]

"You're truly as great as they say," Kaoru praised, a smile on his face. [Quest Completed]

At the same time, Hiro heard the notification of the system. It signaled that he meant what he said. He was genuinely praising him. "It was really difficult to go against you," Hiro replied. "Don't jest. I'm sure you've faced much tougher opponents in the league," Kaoru laughed as he tried to remain humble. "No, I mean it," Hiro insisted. "It's only a matter of time before you get an offer from the clubs in the upper division."

For a while, the two conversed, each humble.

Then as he got to his room, instead of sleeping, he started to skim through his rewards. Earlier, he couldn't do it because he was with Kaoru. But now, he was all alone in his room. And, he had all the freedom to do whatever he wished. From his conversation with Kaoru, he got to know a lot about him. And, undoubtedly, despite his mediocre stats, he was rather skilled. This caused him to doubt the credibility of the system. Sure, he had a knack for defending. But his stats were much higher than his. So, why did he struggle against him? Based on the stat difference, he should have toyed him. But instead, he struggled to get past him. Perhaps, he possessed some amazing talents?

Greed flashed in his eyes as he thought about it. He couldn't help but look forward to the amazing talents he was about to acquire. [Aerial Dominance (A)]

Effects: Increases the ability to win aerial duels and enhances heading accuracy for set periods both defensively and offensively. Can stay up in the air for a slightly longer period. +4 jumping +3 heading accuracy. "I won't lie. It's an amazing talent to have. It provides a permanent boost to two stats."

Hiro found it quite tempting talent. A talent suitable for both a defender and a striker. But he was neither. Also, he had little to no use of it. He might not have the best jumping ability in the league. But his accuracy was as good as any other player in the league. Even so, he rarely had any opportunity to score headers. So, after weighing the pros and cons, he decided to give up on it. Then, he hopped to the other. [Tactical Awareness (S)]

Effects: Boosts one's ability to read games and intercept passes. Also helps improve one's positioning, making him harder to bypass. +5 Interception +5 positioning. It was exactly the type of talent he required at the moment. He wasn't defensively apt. But if he were to have this talent then he could at least cover some of his flaws. The best part about this talent was that it helped him to position even better. If parried with his skill 'Hawk Eyes' he might generate even more chances. Also, the good thing about possessing this talent was that he could improve his defense. As he went through its contents, he figured out why Kaoru seemed unpassable a moment ago. It was all due to his positioning. The talent that allowed Kaoru to shine. It was this talent. He had somewhat guessed that he possessed something similar to it. But he wasn't sure previously. However, everything made sense as he saw it. "I knew it. No wonder, I felt uncomfortable back then," he shouted excitedly as he confirmed his suspicion. Previously when he had come face-to-face against Kaoru, he had been bothered by his positioning. It was almost flawless. Just how could he position himself so accurately? It had got him thinking. But since he didn't have much time, he couldn't ponder about it for long.