[Football] Free Roamer on the Pitch

A true free agent should be able to play every position on the pitch! The best way to counter an attacking forward is to become a forward yourself! Is it provocative to roam around the opposition's goal wearing gloves? Cesar rose through the ranks, from Real Madrid's La Fabrica youth team to Castilla. At every level, he was given the captain's armband. He was a loyal, dependable captain and a guardian of the goal. Real Madrid fans cheered, knowing their next great goalkeeper was already among them. He was trusted by everyone and never doubted that he would make it to the Bernabeu. But before he could receive the call-up to the first team, he was struck by an entity claiming to be the Goalkeeper System. “You will become the greatest goalkeeper of this century.” The System's words fired Cesar up, and he made a pact with it. Once he'd experienced the benefits of the System, he became even more confident that he could become a great goalkeeper, until... [Score a goal in this match.] “?” Cesar's gloved hand twitched. He decided to ignore the System, which had suddenly gone haywire. [Reward: Penalty-saving training course.] Cesar had been about to block the System, but now his gaze turned resolutely toward the opposing goal. It's not that I'm shameless. It just has too much to offer. Cesar never imagined that giving in once would bring so much trouble. [Use a bicycle kick to stop the opponent's shot.] -- [Reward: Reaction Speed +2] [Score a goal with a bicycle kick.] -- [Reward: Speed +2] He didn't know whether people would call him the greatest goalkeeper of this century a hundred years from now, but he'd already earned the title of Royal Circus headliner. What more could he want? Ha! Casillas went to watch his successor play, as usual. Cesar was rock-solid in the first half. Great job. The second half began. Amid the opposing fans' jeers, a green figure dribbled past three players in the attacking half... Wait, who is that? And where's our goalkeeper?!! By the end of the match, Casillas felt like he'd aged several years. --A preview of an upcoming story-- "Please, Let Me Be the Third-String Goalkeeper!" Some people are born with great dreams. Lancelot Noyes's greatest dream was to coast through life, eating and waiting to die. His father was a goalkeeper coach, and Lancelot discovered at a very young age that he'd found the perfect profession for achieving his dream. A team's third-string goalkeeper had to be the most suitable job in the world for him! As long as he wrote a good enough résumé, he could coast all the way to retirement! With this in mind, Lancelot endured grueling youth training and all kinds of competitions, finally making it into the professional leagues. From now on, he'd do his best to be a third-string goalkeeper: no competing, no showing off, no overexerting himself. He'd be happy to play second fiddle and wish every first- and second-string goalkeeper well. He also hoped all first- and second-string goalkeepers would stay healthy and maintain their best form forever! Lancelot Noyes was born in 1998. He joined Porto's youth academy at age eight. His father was a goalkeeper coach for Porto's youth teams. In the 2013-14 season, Lancelot Noyes was promoted to Porto B and won the Portuguese Second Division title with the team as its second-string goalkeeper. In the 2014-15 season, he was promoted to Porto's first team and won the Portuguese League title as its third-string goalkeeper. In the 2015-16 season, he was loaned to Barcelona and won La Liga as its third-string goalkeeper. [Note: The details in parentheses should not go in the synopsis. Don't stay at any one club for too long, or you'll give yourself away.] With this résumé, Lancelot Noyes knocked on Real Madrid's door. Barcelona and Real Madrid might not get along, but nobody was going to pay attention to the existence of a minor reserve goalkeeper. In the summer of 2016, Lancelot happily moved into Real Madrid's training grounds. But an unexpected situation arose near the end of the first half of the season. Real Madrid's first-string goalkeeper, Casillas, injured his hand and had to rest for several months. To make matters worse, the second-string goalkeeper injured his back and couldn't play for the time being. Fate thrust Lancelot onto the stage. This would be his first match since becoming a third-string goalkeeper... After making a successful La Liga debut, keeping Atletico Madrid scoreless, and realizing he'd have to play for at least two months before he could return to his peaceful life, Lancelot immediately asked to be transferred. The Real Madrid players: Has this kid finally realized he shouldn't waste his talent on the bench? Lancelot: Having to play matches is a whole other deal. Don't think you can take advantage of me! Zidane, who'd only recently taken over: Be good. Real Madrid can give you every opportunity you want. At the very least, wait until the season ends. Once you've got some big-game experience, you won't have to be the third-string goalkeeper anymore. Good heavens! What a vicious curse! Lancelot used his lightning-fast reflexes to rush forward and cover Zidane's mouth. In the Champions League, Lancelot encountered Juventus, led by the young Buffon. Shocked, he ran over and circled Buffon twice. Ramos couldn't bear to watch. He dragged their little goalkeeper back. “What are you freaking out about now?” Lancelot: “I remember he was already the first-string goalkeeper when I joined the youth academy!” Ramos: “I remember Buffon has been Juventus's first-string goalkeeper ever since he transferred there in 2001.” Lancelot: “So... so Gigi is where I belong?!” [Alternate universe. Casillas is still on the team.] Theme: Happy football, happy competition, and striving for the top of the profession.