**Chapter 10 — Baptism of Steel**
August 25th, 2007 — Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund
The air was thick with the roar of 81,000 fans. Yellow flags waved in unison as drums pounded like a war march. The Bundesliga season opener was more than just a match for Borussia Dortmund—it was the proving ground for the club's new prodigy.
Nico Valen.
At sixteen, he had fought his way into the starting lineup through sheer brilliance in training and friendlies. Coach Thomas Doll hadn't wanted to throw him in too early—but he couldn't justify keeping him out. Not after what he'd seen.
Nico stood in the tunnel, face emotionless, eyes burning. Beside him were seasoned warriors: Christian Wörns, the iron-willed captain; Dede, the indefatigable left-back; Sebastian Kehl, the midfield general; and a young, energetic striker by the name of Alexander Frei.
Doll's voice echoed through the tunnel, calm but firm. "Play fast, play smart. Nico—create chaos."
Nico nodded. The system inside him pulsed like a second heart.
> **System Notification:**
> *Match Objective: Deliver a MOTM performance.*
> *Hidden Objective Unlocked: Survive & Dominate vs Thomas Kleine (Rating 8.5+)*
> *Reward: Legendary Template Draw Unlocked Early*
---
**Kickoff — Borussia Dortmund vs Greuther Fürth**
From the first whistle, the match exploded.
Fürth played a tight 4-4-2 formation, compact in midfield and aggressive in duels. Their enforcer, Thomas Kleine, was a six-foot-three wall of muscle whose only job was to break rhythm and bodies.
Dortmund's midfield trio of Kehl, Kringe, and Nico tried to assert control. Kringe played simple. Kehl broke lines. Nico? Nico danced.
In the 6th minute, Nico received the ball under pressure. Kleine lunged.
Nico spun.
A Zidane roulette, flawless and smooth.
The crowd roared. Kleine's momentum carried him off balance. Nico slipped a pass to Frei, who fired a low shot—saved.
Minute 11: Nico floated into the left half-space, dragging a defender. Dede overlapped. Nico flicked the ball behind him without looking. Dede crossed. Header—off the post.
Minute 18: Nico tracked back, intercepted a pass, and launched a 40-yard switch to the right winger, Kuba.
Minute 22: Kleine finally caught up with him. A shoulder barge sent Nico to the turf. The referee let it go. Nico stood without complaint, brushing off the dust.
> **System Alert: Stamina -6% / Physical Resistance Check Passed**
Minute 29: Nico exploded into space, receiving a through-ball from Kehl. Kleine closed in.
Nico tapped the ball behind his standing foot, turned, and slipped through a gap that didn't exist.
He entered the box, faked a shot, cut inside the sliding defender—and squared the ball.
Frei tapped it in.
**GOAL! Borussia Dortmund 1 – 0 Greuther Fürth**
The Yellow Wall erupted. Nico raised one fist toward the fans, face unreadable.
> **System Notification: Assist Registered**
> *Match Rating: 8.1*
---
**Second Half**
Fürth returned stronger. Nico's teammates looked to him now. Kehl barked orders, Dede tightened his line, and even Wörns gave Nico space to command.
Minute 51: Nico dropped deep, collected the ball from the center-back, and skipped past two pressing forwards with a feint and flick.
Minute 59: Another heavy tackle—Kleine again. This time, Nico stayed down for a moment.
He got up.
But now he was angry.
Minute 63: Nico received a bouncing ball just outside the box. Chest. Knee. Volley.
The ball rocketed toward the top corner. The keeper stretched—and missed.
**GOAL! Borussia Dortmund 2 – 0 Greuther Fürth**
The stadium shook. Nico didn't smile. He stared down Kleine as he jogged back.
> **System Notification: Goal Registered**
> *Match Rating: 8.9*
Minute 70: Nico weaved between four defenders, drawing fouls and gasps.
Minute 75: He played a one-two with Frei, then curled a cross with the outside of his foot.
Kuba met it with his head.
**GOAL! Borussia Dortmund 3 – 0 Greuther Fürth**
> **System Notification: Assist #2 Registered**
> *Match Rating: 9.3*
Coach Doll made a substitution in the 85th minute. The crowd rose.
Nico Valen came off to a standing ovation.
---
**Post-Match**
The locker room buzzed with laughter and relief.
Frei slapped Nico's back. "You're not human, hermano."
Kehl gave him a curt nod. "Zidane who?"
Coach Doll walked in and clapped twice. "First of many. Enjoy the win. Tomorrow, back to war."
Nico sat alone for a moment. Then the voice of the system returned.
> **Quest Completed: Break the Wall**
> *Reward: Player Template — Legendary Draw Unlocked!*
> **Spinning Wheel…**
> *Result: Diego Maradona (Skillset 0% Integrated)*
> **Bonus Trait Unlocked: Hand of Heaven (Rare Passive)**
> **Side Quest Completed: 2 Assists, 1 Goal**
> *Reward: Tactical Trait — Golden Thread (Vision +10, Passing Precision +12)*
---
**Player Stats — August 26th, 2007**
> **Team:** Borussia Dortmund
> **Jersey:** #21
> **System Level:** 7
> **XP:** 1725 / 2000
> **Templates:**
>
> * Zidane (100%)
> * Maradona (0%) \[Locked]
> **Match Stats:**
>
> * Matches Played: 1 (Bundesliga)
> * Goals: 1
> * Assists: 2
> * Pass Accuracy: 92%
> * Dribbles Completed: 7
> * Duels Won: 9
> * Fouls Suffered: 4
> **Traits:**
>
> * Velvet Touch
> * Calm King
> * Orbit Pass
> * Maestro's Aura
> * Golden Thread
> * Hand of Heaven (Passive: Boosts dribbling & balance under pressure)
> **Reputation:** Rising Star (Germany)
> **Next Objectives:**
>
> * Integrate Maradona Template to 25%
> * Get nominated for Bundesliga Young Player of the Month
> * Contribute in upcoming match vs Bayern Munich
Nico looked out the window of the team bus. The city passed in a blur. But his mind wasn't on Dortmund anymore.
He was
thinking of Argentina. Of magic.
Of Maradona.
And what it meant to chase divinity on the pitch .
The end of the 2007 season felt surreal. Nico Valen, a boy reborn with nothing but a divine system and a quiet fire, had shocked the Spanish third division. With Zidane's template unlocking elite awareness, vision, and grace, he hadn't just dominated—he'd enchanted.
16 goals.
21 assists.
2 trophies.
And scouts whispering his name in stadium corridors.
But it wasn't until Jorge Mendes himself flew in from Portugal that Nico realized how big things were about to get.
The airport café was quiet. Mendes sat across from Nico and his parents, dressed in a crisp navy suit, espresso in hand.
"Nico," he said, voice calm but sharp, "you're not just talented. You're a project of destiny. I've represented Ronaldo. Falcao. Di María. And I see the same glint in your eyes."
Nico said nothing at first, his eyes locked on the steam swirling from his cup.
His father leaned in. "Why now? He's only sixteen."
Mendes smiled. "Because the offers are real. Dortmund. Valencia. Ajax. Even Juventus asked. But I told them—he's not here to be benched. He's here to grow."
"What did Dortmund say?" Nico asked quietly.
"They're rebuilding. They watched your Bayern trial match. They want you in the senior rotation. Minutes. Games. Pressure. And their coach sees you as a future star."
Three weeks later, the deal was done.
Borussia Dortmund signed Nico Valen on a youth-to-pro hybrid contract with bonuses tied to appearances, goals, and progression. The Spanish media called it bold. The German press called it genius.
Nico stood outside the Signal Iduna Park on a rainy July morning, holding up a yellow-and-black shirt. His name printed bold on the back: VALEN 29.
System Notification:
Milestone Reached: Transfer to Major European Club.
Reputation Increase: +140
Quest Unlocked: Break Into Starting XI — Reward: Thierry Henry Template (Locked)
He looked at the towering stadium, at the sea of yellow seats.
"Let's begin," he whispered.
End of Chapter.