As they all headed out to train, there was a renewed energy among them, even though the training was just as gruelling as before, this time there was no whining, no complaints, and no one slacking off.
Each player gave it their all, treating the intense regimen as a form of self-punishment for falling short of their coach's faith.
And so the month rolled by, with morning training sessions, short breaks at the Nutrition Nook for meals and team bonding, and then back to work.
Mystic went all in, even using all five of his Double Training Elixirs, one of the rewards he had gained just to help boost the levelling of Tasty.
He was fully committed to getting him to at least level 10 before the Street Championship began, as he had come to believe it was the only way Tasty could hold his own when the real challenges hit, and not be reduced to a silent player like Idris had done.
-
After the One-Month Training Regimen Mystic op med their improvement table.
[Players' Improvement Stats]
Kado – Lvl 4 (34/40) → Lvl 6 (134/150)
Kehinde Okududu – Lvl 2 (1/20) → Lvl 4 (1/80)
Iyang James – Lvl 2 (6/20) → Lvl 4 (6/80)
Madugbugo Chinoso – Lvl 2 (7/20) → Lvl 4 (7/80)
Kofo – Lvl 2 (1/20) → Lvl 4 (1/80)
Jimoh Olusegun – Lvl 4 (8/80) → Lvl 6 (8/150)
Peter Lambert – Lvl 5 (32/100) → Lvl 6 (52/150)
Daniel Mojo – Lvl 4 (48/80) → Lvl 6 (48/150)
Peter Oyebuchi – Lvl 3 (12/40) → Lvl 5 (12/100)
Iyanda Sunday – Lvl 5 (34/100) → Lvl 6 (54/150)
Ogunsalu Damilare – Lvl 5 (48/100) → Lvl 7 (8/200)
Jimoh Olushola – Lvl 2 (2/20) → Lvl 4 (2/80)
Eboye Victor – Lvl 2 (2/20) → Lvl 4 (4/80)
Apari – Lvl 3 (24/40) → Lvl 5 (24/100)
After their loss to the Bariga Young Boyz, Mystic realized something, the training they'd done that week before the match had only given his players half the experience that they were supposed to get.
He'd been too caught up in other tasks to notice, and since he was so curious about what could have caused it he had asked his AI assistant and discovered that it was because he hadn't personally supervised the training.
Instead, he had handed over the schedule and left them to it—something he now knew couldn't happen again..
Since Mystic had bot employees to assist with training supervision, he initially left the monitoring and daily oversight of the players to them while he focused on exploring the underground stimulation training pitch, gym and other financial related issues that he had to file in the club books before they could be registered for the street championship.
He wanted to settle the tournament issue and fully understand every inch of the underground facilities before bringing his team down for its sessions.
Because of how exhausted he always was in when he got back to his home during that week, he often went straight to bed, which was why he didn't immediately notice the drop in training experience gained until after the match where they lost when he realised their experience point should have been much higher than it was.
But once he did learn of what caused it he made it a point to attend every session personally.
Even though some of the bots still led the drills like assistant coaches, Mystic ensured his presence at every session.
And that was why the times 2 training bonus returned for the whole one month training they have been through, because as the holder of the Novice Coach rank, his presence automatically doubled the effects of all their training exercises.
Now, after a month of consistent work, it was finally time to register for the Street Championships.
Mystic believed they were ready and that was because he could see the stats himself, but the players needed a mental boost, a way to realize they were no longer the same group that got crushed by the Bariga Young Boyz.
They had grown, they were now a threat, all Mystic had to do was help them see it for themselves.
And he felt it was finally time to put his knowledge of the underground base to good use as he planned on running them in a stimulation match.
But before that, he decided to check the updated status of his top players to see just how far they'd come.
[Player Status]
Name: Ogunsalu Damilare (Tasty)
Sex: Male
Nationality: Nigerian
Rank: —
Talent Rank: Rare
Level: 7
Position: Forward
Age: 18
[Attributes]
Strength: 13
Agility: 12
Endurance: 11
[Acquired Skills]
_ Empty
_ Empty
_ Empty
Overall Power: 36
-
[Player Status]
Name: Kado Daniels
Sex: Male
Nationality: Nigerian
Rank: —
Talent Rank: Epic
Level: 6
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 18
[Attributes]
Strength: 14
Agility: 12
Endurance: 13
[Acquired Skills]
_ Empty
_ Empty
_ Empty
_ Empty
Overall Power: 39
-
[Player Status]
Name: Jimoh Olusegun (Jezzy Vingz)
Sex: Male
Nationality: Nigerian
Rank: —
Talent Rank: Rare
Level: 6
Position: Midfielder
Age: 18
[Attributes]
Strength: 13
Agility: 10
Endurance: 10
[Acquired Skills]
_ Empty
_ Empty
_ Empty
Overall Power: 33
After checking the status tab of his top three players, Mystic couldn't help but sigh in relief, at the very least, they had leveled up, and their stats now looked decent enough to compete in the Street Championship.
He only hoped they wouldn't end up facing any high-tier street clubs like the Bariga Young Boyz, teams that already had players at the bronze rank.
Because if they did, there was a real chance they'd be eliminated just as quickly as they entered the competition.
Next, Mystic decided to check his own tab.
[Coach Status Tab]
Name: Mystic Dark
Stage: Amateur-Rank Coach
Level: 3 (14%)
Mana Energy: 11/11
Club Name: Dark Elites
Players: 14
Club Rank: Street-Based
Fan Base Level: F
Real-Life Money: 660,000
B-Coins: 300
Player Coins: 20,500
Mystic had made progress too, perhaps not as dramatic as his top talents, but progress nonetheless.
He had finally leveled up, and his Player Coins were now sitting comfortably in five digits.
After confirming all he needed, he entered the locker room, where his players had already gathered around him and X, the AI bot.
By now, the team had come to view X almost like a symbol of their coach, Because wherever Mystic was, X wasn't far behind, humming and beeping with its usual quirky sounds.
"I know you've all been waiting for this day," Mystic said. "So I won't waste your time, please check your phones."
At the same moment, he used his mind to authorize the system's transfer of their first-month salaries, another feature he had only recently discovered, thanks to the system's control over his financial resources.
[–14,000 Alliance Credits]
Even before they started checking their phones, notifications of bank deposits began flooding in.
Tired eyes lit up instantly, replaced with smiles, it was as if the weight of exhaustion had been lifted from their shoulders, washed away by the thrill of their first paycheck.
Some were already daydreaming about what they could buy, while Mystic stood silently, watching them soak in the moment.
"Now, if you're all done grinning at your salaries, I'd love for you to head to the Nutrition Nook and grab something to eat, as in the next thirty minutes, I'll be testing your resolve," Mystic said, prompting a round of chuckles and movement as the players shuffled out.
–
# Underground – Training Facility
Thirty minutes later, the players of the Dark Elites stood in the underground level of their training facility, a part of the building they hadn't even known existed until now.
When Mystic revealed the hidden elevator in the locker room that led down to this secret section, they had been stunned.
The idea that something so advanced had been right under their feet all this time without their knowledge felt surreal.
Even now, though they stood underground, the space remained cloaked in darkness, still, curiosity buzzed through the group, the idea that their modest facility held such sophisticated features beneath it was nothing short of mind-blowing.
"X, bring this baby to life, would you?" Mystic's voice rang out, addressing his AI bot.
By now, the players were well-accustomed to Mystic talking to X frequently, but what came next left them speechless.
A sequence of soft mechanical hums echoed through the room as lights began to flicker on, two at a time, from various corners of the space.
One by one, the dark veil lifted, revealing the cutting-edge environment before them. More than a few jaws dropped as they took in the underground facility in awe.