Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari
----------
Lance's first two templates, Nagi Seishiro and Bachira Meguru, were considered normal.
Fusion Value accumulates based on the number of wins, and it slowly increases with enough games played.
Hyuga Kojiro is different.
This guy is definitely a master of the 'consciousness flow' style.
Each increase in his Fusion Value is quite unexpected.
Perhaps this time it's more aligned with the literal meaning: the deeper one touches the character's soul, the easier it is to achieve fusion.
Hyuga Kojiro, in Captain Tsubasa, is both a rival and a teammate of the protagonist, Ozora Tsubasa.
Known as the "Tiger," he has a distinct personality; in fashionable terms, he's a super-alpha striker with tenacious willpower.
The more difficulties he encounters, the stronger his fighting spirit becomes.
When Simeone handed him this challenge, Lance needed to carry the entire Atlético Madrid team, maintain their title contention in La Liga, and defeat strong opponents like Athletic Bilbao.
Such a monumental challenge would make most people hesitate.
However, influenced by the character template, Lance instead generated immense power!
"Lance, are you really okay?"
"Cut the chatter, just wait for me to win!"
La Liga Round 3, Matchday!
Athletic Bilbao vs. Atlético Madrid.
In the away team's changing room at San Mamés Stadium, Lance, wearing the number 10 jersey, strode confidently into the players' tunnel.
Behind him, Griezmann, Torres, Koke, Saúl, and others exchanged glances.
"Don't you feel like Lance is a different person today?"
"Perhaps this is his true personality? After all, he was once the King of Bayer Leverkusen."
"Regardless, we can only trust him now."
Two hours before the match, when Atlético Madrid's starting lineup was revealed, all Atlético Madrid fans held their breath.
"Atlético Madrid May Strategically Abandon the League to Focus on Champions League Results! Lance Leads a Rotated Squad Against Athletic Bilbao."
"Only Lance Starts? Atlético Madrid's League Strategy Raises Fan Questions."
"Athletic Bilbao vs. Atlético Madrid Starting Lineups Revealed, Fans Question Simeone's Selection Strategy."
On Twitter, Atlético Madrid fans had already erupted.
"Don't they want to contend for the league title?"
"They're underestimating Athletic Bilbao too much. Even if Lance is strong, he can't carry the team alone."
"I think the Champions League group stage isn't as important as the league."
"Atlético Madrid's fitness can definitely handle playing twice a week."
"Today's starting lineup is really baffling."
"Copa del Rey lineup."
"Conservative estimate: Athletic Bilbao wins by a small margin at home."
"The best outcome today is to escape with one point."
Even their own fans had doubts, which showed how inexplicable today's starting lineup was.
————
Atlético Madrid 4-4-2
Goalkeeper: Jan Oblak
Defenders: Gámez, Savić, Monsalve, Siqueira
Midfielders: Correa, Thiago Mendes, Augusto, Oliver Torres
Forwards: Luciano, Lance
————
The head coach of opposing Athletic Bilbao also stated in the pre-match press conference:
"We have spent a great deal of effort studying Atlético Madrid, hoping to withstand this powerful opponent. Since Atlético Madrid isn't taking us seriously, we don't need to hold back either. In this home game, Athletic Bilbao's only goal is three points!"
As Athletic Bilbao's head coach Ernesto Valverde said, Athletic Bilbao displayed formidable combativeness from the start of the match, being aggressive on the pitch, and their active pressing temporarily put Atlético Madrid on the back foot.
"Aduriz's shot!!!"
"It's wide!!! Athletic Bilbao started their fierce attack from the very first minute. This is Basque football!"
"Rubén García, Muniain! Good play!"
"Aduriz takes another shot—"
"Oblak! Atlético Madrid's God of Goalkeeping denies the shot!!!"
"Rubén García, a long-range shot!!!"
"It's Oblak again!"
"Today seems to be the Atlético Madrid goalkeeper's showtime!"
San Mamés Stadium was boiling like a pot of water, with over 30,000 fervent fans singing loudly.
Athletic Bilbao's momentum grew stronger and stronger, and Atlético Madrid could only hold on defensively.
This was the consequence of using a reserve lineup; their overall strength was indeed relatively weaker.
Playing at home, with their fighting spirit overflowing, Atlético Madrid would eventually concede to Athletic Bilbao.
"In this situation, Lance needs to step up. He is the only star player in the Atlético Madrid squad."
Duan Xuan said with concern.
For a moment, Lance even thought he was playing for Bayer Leverkusen.
Back in his first year in the Bundesliga, most games had this same feel: teammates struggling to hold on, whilst he tried to find opportunities in the attack.
He did need to step up, but how?
"Think, what did the head coach just say?"
During a lull when the opponent was taking a corner kick, Lance recalled Simeone's instructions from the past few days.
"Lance, you are not just a pure striker, but a true commander. I've watched your previous games. You can actually exert significant energy in midfield as well. So, on the pitch, you can try to do more, and your positioning can be more flexible. Your current positioning and vision are not yet at the world's top level. I see greater potential in you. Make good use of this real-match opportunity to make yourself stronger."
What did he mean by that?
Lance hadn't undergone any special training in the past few weeks.
Today's match against Athletic Bilbao felt more like a "diagnostic test" from the coaching staff, to see how far he could go without specific adjustments.
Lance had striker templates equipped today.
He had Bachira Meguru and Hyuga Kojiro equipped, along with the B-rank template Meteor.
After an increase in Fusion Value, he did unlock a new skill.
————
Template: Hyuga Kojiro - S (Fusion Value 77%)
— Skill: Tiger Shot
— Skill: Volley Raiju Shot
— Skill: Raiju Descent
————
"Raiju Descent: Awaken Raiju Mode. Generate a lightning storm magnetic field for 3 seconds. Shots become unstoppable."
This type of ultimate skill, as one might expect, requires a certain cost to activate, so Lance needed to save it for a critical moment.
Most of the match required him to rely on his own abilities to turn the tide.
Before he could think further, Athletic Bilbao had already taken the corner kick.
Goalkeeper Oblak, using his height advantage, caught the ball in the air, and Atlético Madrid gained possession!
"Lance!!"
A quick counter-attack was launched with a hand throw, directly to Lance!
Lance almost instinctively wanted to chest-trap the ball, then turn and dribble past opponents.
Athletic Bilbao had already anticipated this, and several midfielders had already closed in, ready to tackle and foul to disrupt Lance's dribble.
In a flash, Lance suddenly remembered Simeone's instructions.
Instead of chest-trapping and turning to dribble himself, he laid the ball off to a teammate!
Then turned and sprinted forward!
"What?"
The unexpected choice caught Athletic Bilbao off guard!
Right winger Correa received the ball and surged forward down the right flank! He crossed the halfway line!
"Atlético Madrid's counter-attack opportunity!! Correa, continuously driving forward with the ball."
"However, Athletic Bilbao's defensive formation is very complete. All players are quickly tracking back, and Correa is forced into a dead end."
Just as Correa was at a loss, Lance burst out from the side, giving Correa a lifeline, and he passed the ball horizontally to Lance.
"Watch out for his dribble!!"
"Track back, track back!"
In an instant, Athletic Bilbao players formed an iron wall in front of the penalty area, blocking all space for Lance to dribble left or right.
Two defensive midfielders also closed in, one in front and one behind, whilst the left-back also formed an encirclement!
Three players surrounded him!
"Lance!! Danger!!"
Atlético Madrid supporters couldn't help but worry for Lance.
Lance's dribbling was more effective when he was in motion, using the high-speed dribbling advantage of the Bachira Meguru template to carve out a path.
He needed more space to break through.
Starting from a standstill to shake off opponents was Messi's speciality.
Lance was about to be dispossessed by the opponent.
"Damn it, I don't care!"
Let's test the power of this newly acquired skill!
Raiju!
The sky above the stadium immediately became overcast, and an invisible bolt of lightning seemed to strike Lance from above!
An invisible electromagnetic field formed around Lance, and the three defenders were paralysed, unable to move.
Lance took the opportunity to physically shrug off the opponents' press, forcing his way out of the encirclement!
3, 2, 1—
During the 3 seconds of the Raiju Descent form, Lance, without warning, took a shot from the right wing!
Bang—
A violent shot powerful enough to destroy the world, disregarding the dense players in the penalty area, ricocheted off two defenders, creating a secondary deflection, and plunged into the goal like lightning!
Until the moment the goal was scored, everyone in the stadium still hadn't realised what had happened!
Faster than the blink of an eye!
"Eh, eh, eh? That goal!!"
"It's a goal!!! Lance—a sudden attack from the right wing breaks the deadlock!!"
"In the 23rd minute of the first half, Atlético Madrid, who had been under siege by Athletic Bilbao, scored first!"
"0 to 1, away team Atlético Madrid leads!"
"Lance scores his 7th La Liga goal, 7 goals in 3 matches! He's far ahead in the top scorer standings!"