"The drive to the physician is far; I hope your coach won't be angry with you." Dumi said, climbing into his SUV.
"I don't think he will, he gave us this day as a free day, and I told one of my teammates I'd be out." He said, fixing his seatbelt.
"Why did you request a better forward specialist if the one you have is so terrible—and doesn't your club do reviews on its staff?"
Winston felt quiet for a while, he wouldn't know, since the reviews are not done. In front of them, "it seems like they don't, in front of us at least, and the striker coach's methods are rote; he doesn't offer suggestions for improvement or direction."
"Oh, I'm gonna charge you."
Winston paused for a while, then he replied, "How much..."
Without waiting for him to finish, Dumi added, "Fifty-thousand as an up fee and ten thousand for an hour."
Winston's eyes widened; he couldn't afford that much money. Despite potential parental help, the sum was too high, leading Winston to consider negotiation.
"The drive to the physician is far; I hope your coach won't be angry with you." Dumi said, climbing into his SUV.
"I don't think he will, he gave us this day as a free day, and I told one of my teammates I'd be out." He said, fixing his seatbelt.
"Why did you request a better forward specialist if the one you have is so terrible—and doesn't your club do reviews on its staff?"
Winston felt quiet for a while, he wouldn't know, since the reviews are not done. In front of them, "it seems like they don't, in front of us at least, and the striker coach's methods are rote; he doesn't offer suggestions for improvement or direction."
"Oh, I'm gonna charge you."
Winston paused for a while, then he replied, "How much..."
Without waiting for him to finish, Dumi added, "Fifty-thousand as an up fee and ten thousand for an hour."
Winston's eyes widened; he couldn't afford that much money. Despite potential parental help, the sum was too high, leading Winston to consider negotiation. Dumi burst out laughing, hitting his thigh. "I'm joking kid, I'd do it for free for you… only for you."
"And besides, you remind me of my younger self, I know those determination eyes. losing sleep, pushing your body to its limit, the burning desire to be the best."
As they got to the city's dead end, Dumi parked the car roadside. Winston found the area reminiscent of his city's downtown, appreciating its scenic vistas and fresh breezes. A forest, a short walk from the city, marks its boundary. Dumi led the way to an apartment building, its balconies adorned, and the structure bristled with security. Entering the building now, then ascending to the eleventh floor via elevator.
Instead of lengthy discussions, Dumi and Winston exchanged short, sporadic comments. While this might have struck some as odd, they found it perfectly acceptable given their lack of familiarity. Dumi knocked on a door located at the far end of the apartment hallway.
Knock knock
"It opened,"
The individual seated before an array of four computers then swung his chair around, effectively facing both Dumi and Winston. The gentleman appeared to be of a relatively youthful age, likely somewhere between his early thirties and the middle of that decade. Winston furrowed his eyebrows, and he glanced at Dumi, who had folded his arms, leaning on the closed door. "So this is the kid," the physician said, pointing at Winston.
"Yeah, and Winston, this is that physician we were talking about, Haruto, the famous physician every athlete runs to when they get injured. All the athletes who are considered the best in their respective fields have received assistance from Haruto."
"Hello, my name is Winston,"
"Please sit down on that bed," Haruto said, gesturing towards the lengthy stretcher bed that was positioned nearby. Before Winston had a chance to articulate the circumstances that led to his current condition, specifically the events that resulted in his legs being the way they are now. Haruto was already examining Winston's legs.
"The accumulation of tension within your muscles leads to a blockage of blood flow, consequently altering its appearance. It's been one month since it started."
"How long is it gonna take?"
"One to three hours, give or take, I will use acupuncture needles to relax his muscle tension." Haruto said, swinging back to his computer. And rapidly typed on his computer. "This kid is lucky he got help this early. Delaying it any further would have resulted in him sleeping in the hospital for weeks—recovering," he said, turning back toward Winston and commencing with the acupuncture on Winston's legs, a procedure which resulted in the paralysis of his lower body. "When did you return"
"A week ago,"
"Mmh, you went back to practicing ancient medicine again,"
"I never stopped; I was only doing it in the background."
"Any breakthrough on your cultivation?,"
"Hmph, I am currently stuck on the second phase of the Bamboo lifeform. Anyway, have you heard any news about a new drug that is currently circulating? Apparently, it enhances all human senses; it grants them superhuman abilities."
"It in its early stages though, from what I heard some kid killed his childhood friend after taking that pill. Judging by how many powerful people are involved in this. They will master it in no time."
"Has anyone in the football world used it yet? And does the football federation know about this pill?,"
"I would be shocked if they didn't secretly fund it or monitor it, and this pill will change the world as we know it," said Haruto, who fixed his glasses, glancing at Dumi.
Silence fell in the room, and with neither man speaking, Winston understood that some would take the pill for self-improvement. As the chance presented itself, the warmth returning to his lower body, a gradual relief from days of numbness, began to ease. "By the way, is this kid your new protégé, I thought you left football."
"Yeah, he is; I retired—I didn't completely abandon football."
"Oh, let me guess he reminded you of younger self, that the only reason you would take someone as your protégé."
"Okay, you got me."
He stood up with a yawn and walked to the kitchen. "Coffee, I don't have alcohol and I am out of tea"
"How do you live, yeah, a cup of coffee is fine,"
"How's the kid doing?"
While drinking coffee, Haruto looked at Winston, who was lying down and staring at the ceiling. Haruto felt his legs again, experiencing some minor pain. "A few more minutes," he continued, "the muscle clots he has will take time to dissolve in his blood cells."
"How's little Annalise, it's been long since I saw her?"
"Still that energetic girl, she is now nineteen." Dumi said, putting down the coffee mug on the coffee table.
"Say hi to her for me.."
"You can visit."
"Maybe when I have time, I am going back abroad tonight—the perk of being a traveling physician, I don't get to relax."
"More like a tiring job."
"I like it, and pays pretty well."
Once Haruto had meticulously finished the process of extracting each individual needle, Winston then experienced a noticeable burning sensation that spread across the soles of his feet. Haruto intervened when the individual attempted to scratch the affected areas, subsequently providing him with a painkiller medication. The pain he felt gradually subsided—Dumi helped him up onto his feet. His feet were still numb and hot, too hot for him to stand or walk. Looking at Dumi, he gave him a thumbs up with a smile on his face. "Check your account, I sent you your payment," Dumi said, waving his phone in one hand and holding Winston in the other. "Alright, he needs to rest, and the pill I gave him will help disperse the muscle tension. Tomorrow he will be okay."
"Alright, let's go, kid, it's getting late."
Dumi secured his grip on Winston's shirt and then unceremoniously tossed him onto his shoulders, understanding that Winston's present state would considerably prolong their journey to the bottom, and Dumi harbored no desire to create additional complications for Winston. "Just relax kid, how are you feeling anyway?"
"My legs are burning; it like I have been running a marathon"
"That means it's working, listen kid, you want to start tomorrow or…"
"Please, let's start tomorrow."
[Nethen Essence: 51%]
Nethen Essence increased by a percentage, maybe that acupuncture procedure helped. I wonder how many reward bonuses I am gonna get….
[Congratulation user]
[Voltage Core awakening]
[Voltage Core: 51%]
Another awakening, does this mean I have more than one awakening, dammit this pill the physician Haruto gave me is kicking in. I wish this system had a manual on how it works.
Thanks to Mr. Crowe for taking me in as his protégé; at least now I won't fall behind—to think my childhood hero would train me. My father would be jealous that I met him. First, he will train me. I should call home. I wonder how Mom, Anita, and Father are doing back home.
Winston glanced at Dumi, who was humming the same smooth jazz song he had been playing earlier. The jolt from the speed bump caused his tired body to lurch upwards, and in that movement, his head turned to face Dumi. Forcing a smile from his tired body until he drifted off to sleep.