Five matches.
Four victories.
Twelve priceless points.
Virtus Lombardia had gone from a team scraping for survival to one breathing the air of ambition. The locker room that had once been heavy with silence and frustration now buzzed with laughter, the echo of boots clattering against tile, the low hum of hope.
And at the heart of it all stood Jaeven Moretti Han, the sixteen-year-old who had somehow turned a struggling provincial side into a story that was beginning to capture the nation's attention.
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The Run of Form
The spark began two weeks earlier against Melegnano — a tough, disciplined side that sat above Virtus on the table. The night had been cold, the floodlights harsh, and Virtus were jittery at kickoff. But Jaeven looked calm, even serene.
In the 34th minute, he drifted in from the left wing, cut past his marker, and curled a shot from the edge of the box. The ball sailed past the goalkeeper and kissed the top corner. The stadium erupted, fans leaping from their seats. Later in the game, he delivered a splitting pass between two defenders for Luca to finish — the kind of pass that showed his growing composure and vision.
2–0. Three points.
Then came Sant'Angelo — a more aggressive opponent. They pressed hard and kicked harder, but Jaeven thrived in chaos. In the first half, he scored a clean left-footed goal after a quick give-and-go with the midfielder Ruggieri. The second came from a solo run that had the commentator shouting his name as he weaved past three defenders.
> "Han again! He's dancing through them!"
By full-time, Virtus had won 3–1, and Jaeven had a brace and an assist.
The third win — against Vigevano — wasn't glamorous. It was ugly football, all grit and grind. Both sides were deadlocked at 0–0 until the 78th minute. Then Jaeven picked the ball up near midfield, carried it wide, and sent a through-ball that sliced open the defense. Luca got on the end of it, and Virtus scraped a 1–0 victory.
Rossi, the coach, had hugged Jaeven that night.
> "You're learning to win dirty. That's when you know you're growing."
Then came the fourth match — a thriller against Seregno.
It was the kind of game that defined careers.
Virtus were ruthless that night. The crowd was electric. Jaeven scored early — a right-footed shot from outside the box. His second came after a perfect counterattack. The third… was pure art.
He received the ball near the touchline, feinted left, spun right with an elastic motion, and drove forward. One defender stumbled, another froze. He angled the shot from near the byline, and it curled inside the far post.
4–2. Hat-trick.
The fans screamed themselves hoarse.
For days, that clip trended across Italian social media.
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The Rise of Virtus Lombardia
Virtus Lombardia had climbed from 14th to 4th, sitting now in the promotion zone.
The city couldn't believe it.
For the first time in years, people filled the stands early. Fans wore scarves again, banners waved in the crowd, and children started imitating Jaeven's dribbles during school breaks.
The Italian sports media went wild:
La Gazzetta dello Sport:
> "Virtus Lombardia's Miracle: From Survival Fight to Promotion Zone in Just Half a Season."
Corriere dello Sport:
> "Rossi's Masterstroke — How a Sixteen-Year-Old Sparked a Revolution."
Sky Calcio News:
> "Han Effect: The Teen Magician Leading Lombardia's Charge."
Football Italia Weekly:
> "Genius or Luck? The Boy Who Plays Without Fear."
Eurosport Italia:
> "From the Shadows to Stardom — The Smile That Revives Football's Joy."
They called him "Il Sorriso di Lombardia" — The Smile of Lombardy.
Clips of his rainbow flick against Ravenna, his trivela assist, and his step-over feint were everywhere.
Commentators began saying, "Han has done it again," each time he touched the ball.
Even rival coaches — once dismissive — now planned entire tactics to contain him.
But no one succeeded for long.
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The System's Whisper
That night, Jaeven sat on his bed, the faint blue interface of the system glowing before him.
He had resisted opening the reward packs after each match, choosing instead to wait — to savor the moment when all four victories could be counted together.
Four shimmering icons hovered before him like stars waiting to fall.
He exhaled slowly.
"Let's see what I've earned."
---
> [Opening Pack 1…]
Reward: +50 EXP | +3 Technique | 1x Advanced Dribbling Module
> [Opening Pack 2…]
Reward: +40 EXP | +2 Vision | 1x Rare Skill Card (Pinpoint Cross)
> [Opening Pack 3…]
Reward: +70 EXP | +2 Acceleration | 1x Stat Booster (Agility +3)
> [Opening Pack 4…]
Reward: +90 EXP | Legendary Skill Card (Ronaldinho – Elastico)
---
The last card gleamed brighter than the rest — golden light spilling into the dim apartment.
A silhouette emerged — a man juggling a ball, his movement fluid, effortless, playful.
Jaeven froze. The grin. The aura. The unmistakable rhythm.
Ronaldinho.
> [Legendary Skill Unlocked – "Elastico (Ronaldinho)"]
A legendary dribble that bends rhythm and balance. In the right hands, it becomes poetry in motion.
Jaeven's breath hitched. For a second, he could almost hear faint laughter, like the echo of a stadium crowd in Brazil.
He remembered nights in his past life, watching old highlight reels — Ronaldinho smiling as defenders fell around him, football made joy incarnate.
He smiled now, faintly, closing his eyes.
> "The smile of a legend, huh?"
He flexed his fingers as if feeling the rhythm through his veins.
That was the kind of football he wanted to play — not mechanical, not forced. Beautiful. Free.
---
Rumors and Temptations
The next morning, Virtus's training ground wasn't its usual quiet self.
Several unfamiliar figures stood near the entrance — scouts in clean suits, notebooks in hand, some with Serie C and even Serie B badges.
"Number 11, right? The Korean-Italian kid?"
"Yeah. No agent. Raw talent. The kind you don't see twice."
Their whispers were obvious, but Jaeven didn't flinch. He tied his laces, jogged onto the pitch, and began warm-ups as if nothing existed outside the ball and the grass.
After training, one of them approached.
He was polite, mid-40s, wearing a dark jacket with the badge of Piacenza Calcio, a respected Serie C club.
> "Han," he greeted with a smile. "I represent Piacenza. We've been following your progress. The board is willing to offer you a move — better facilities, higher exposure, even a signing bonus."
Jaeven looked at him quietly, expression unreadable.
> "I appreciate the offer," he said finally. "But I'm staying."
The scout blinked. "You're sure? Serie B scouts will be here soon. Virtus is small, son. Think bigger."
Jaeven's voice didn't rise, but his words carried weight.
> "Virtus believed in me when no one else did. We'll go up together."
He nodded politely and walked away, boots clicking softly against the pavement.
Coach Rossi, watching from afar, couldn't hide a proud smile.
> "That kid… he's not just playing football anymore," he murmured. "He's building something."
---
The Media Storm
By midweek, Virtus was everywhere again — newspapers, blogs, sports talk shows.
Tuttosport:
> "Virtus Lombardia's Meteoric Rise: The Miracle of Rossi and the Boy Called Han."
Il Tempo:
> "From Relegation Zone to Promotion Hope in Just Half a Season."
Calcio Chronicle:
> "Teen Prodigy Rejects Serie C Move: 'Virtus Can Reach Serie A.'"
Journalists praised Rossi's tactical reforms but all agreed on one thing — the team's rebirth started the day Jaeven stepped onto the pitch.
Fans posted artwork, memes, and even fan chants dedicated to him.
#HanEffect began trending again across Italian football Twitter.
Some called him a "miracle."
Others called him "the new spirit of Lombardy."
But Jaeven stayed silent — smiling when spoken to, training when he wasn't.
---
The Week of Preparation
The days before their next match against Mantova Calcio were intense.
Mantova sat first on the table — disciplined, clinical, ruthless.
A team built for promotion.
Virtus trained in the cold morning air, every session sharper than the last.
Rossi gathered the players before the final drill.
> "Listen up," he began. "We're not here to defend. We're here to prove that belief is stronger than names on paper."
He looked around, eyes stopping on Jaeven.
> "You're all playing for each other. For this club. For every fan that stuck with us when we were losing."
Jaeven nodded. His pulse was steady. Calm. Focused.
The drills began — small-sided games, pressing exercises, attacking patterns. Every touch Jaeven took drew quiet murmurs from teammates. The ball seemed glued to him, every movement effortless, every feint filled with purpose.
When the final whistle blew on training, Rossi called him aside.
> "Han," he said quietly. "You're aware Mantova will try to shut you down. Their captain will target you early."
> "Then I'll just play faster," Jaeven replied, eyes steady.
Rossi chuckled. "You sound like you've done this before."
> "Maybe I have," Jaeven said softly, remembering his past life — all those dreams he couldn't live then, finally unfolding now.
---
Night Thoughts
Later that night, Jaeven sat by his apartment window, watching the lights of Cremona flicker below. The city wasn't large, but it was alive — because of Virtus.
He could hear faint cheers from the bars nearby, fans replaying clips, debating tactics.
It made him smile.
He thought of his family — his father Marco's proud grin, his mother's tears when she saw his first interview, Lucia's endless teasing.
He remembered the first day he arrived here — an unknown, untested kid with a dream and a system no one else could see.
Now, scouts watched his every move. Reporters analyzed his touches.
But he didn't feel the weight.
He felt the freedom.
> "Ronaldinho played with joy," he whispered to himself. "That's what made him special."
He looked at his reflection in the glass — the faintest trace of a grin forming.
> "Then maybe I'll do the same."
---
League Table (Top 6)
Position Team Points
1 Mantova Calcio 39
2 Crema FC 37
3 Pavia 36
4 Virtus Lombardia 36
5 Fanfulla 31
6 Vigevano 28
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Next Match
Virtus Lombardia vs. Mantova Calcio
Venue: Virtus Home Ground
Time: Sunday, 5:00 PM
A clash between the dreamers and the giants.
The cameras would all be there.
So would the scouts.
And in the heart of it — a boy with the smile of a legend, ready to paint the field with another memory.
Because for Jaeven Moretti Han, this was only the beginning.
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