Rebirth! I Shall Dominate The World!

The field was quiet except for the sound of our shoes crunching against the grass. The sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden hue over the goalposts. Leon and I stood at the center of the field, the ball resting between us.

"You ready to regret this?" Leon asked with a sly grin, rolling his shoulders.

I tightened my fists, a smirk of my own creeping up. "Let's find out."

The whistle—a quick, sharp blow from the referee—signaled the start. Leon was fast, darting forward to take possession of the ball before I could react. His footwork was quick, precise, and calculated. The ball danced between his feet as he advanced toward my side of the field.

I shadowed him, waiting for the right moment to strike. He feinted left, and I bit, nearly stumbling. But as he pushed the ball forward, I dove in, stealing possession with a sharp tackle.

The ball was mine now. I sprinted toward his goal, the wind rushing past my ears. But Leon was relentless. He was already on my tail, forcing me to switch directions with sharp turns and quick dribbles.

"Not bad," Leon said as he cut me off, snatching the ball with a perfectly timed interception.

The game was intense—an unrelenting back-and-forth battle. Every time one of us gained the upper hand, the other found a way to counter. The sound of our breaths grew heavier with every passing minute, sweat dripping down our faces as the sun began its descent.

At one point, Leon broke past me, a clear shot at my goal in sight. He raised his foot to shoot, but I slid in at the last second, my foot knocking the ball out of bounds.

"You're stubborn," Leon muttered, brushing dirt off his shorts.

"Guess you're not as invincible as you thought," I shot back, panting.

The match neared its end, the score still tied. My legs felt like lead, but I couldn't give up—not when I was this close.

Leon had possession again, weaving past me with surprising agility. He reached the edge of the penalty box and prepared to shoot. Time slowed as I lunged forward, blocking his shot with my body. The ball ricocheted off my shin and landed perfectly at my feet.

This was my chance.

With everything I had left, I sprinted down the field, Leon hot on my heels. The goal loomed closer and closer. I could hear Leon's footsteps gaining on me, his breathing heavy but determined.

I reached the edge of his penalty box. Leon was right there, ready to tackle. But instead of trying to dribble past him, I feinted a shot. Leon lunged to block, and in that split second, I chipped the ball over his outstretched leg.

Time seemed to stop as the ball soared through the air, curving just enough to slip past his diving goalkeeper and into the corner of the net.

"Goal!" The referee's voice rang out, and I dropped to my knees, overwhelmed by exhaustion and relief.

Leon stood there, hands on his knees, catching his breath. He looked up at me with a mixture of frustration and respect.

"You actually did it," he said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

I grinned, still trying to catch my own breath. "Told you not to underestimate me."

Leon walked over and extended a hand. I took it, and he pulled me to my feet.

"A deal's a deal," he said, his voice begrudging but firm. "What's your request?"

The system has discovered a new character that could help you with your mission!

Name: Leon Heart

Age: 14

Loyalty meter: 65%

Hobbies: Soccer, gaming, karate

Current Thought About William Right: A perfect rival

Talents: Proficient in Soccer, Karate, and RPG Gaming

Like: Milk Tea, Girls, Sushi

Dislike: His next-door neighbor

Personal Secret: He has a crush on Bethany Li 

Unknown Secret: He doesn't know that he has a talent for karate since he sees everyone else in the class is better than him. Only his coach realize that he learns quicker than everyone and can create his own combo that can be use to take down a World Champion.

Birth history: Born in Holy Hospital on 10/31/1999 at 1 PM

Chance of Betrayal: 25%

Family members: Jake Heart(Father), Lisa Heart(Mother)

Total money in bank: $100,000

History: The ace of the academy's soccer team and also considered a prodige in karate. Leon has a cold yet caring personality. He often act like he doesn't care about his friends, but he will always be there when they needed him the most. Leon first considered William as a enemy, but after witnessing his soccer's skills, Leon had shown respect for William and consider him as his one and only rival!

I smirked, already knowing exactly what I was going to say.

The field was quiet now, the echoes of our match fading into the golden afternoon light. Leon stood opposite me, his hands on his hips, sweat glistening on his forehead. His expression was unreadable, but I could see the faint flicker of irritation in his eyes.

"Alright," I said, straightening up and brushing the grass off my knees. "Here's my request."

Leon raised an eyebrow, his suspicion flaring back to life. "What is it? You want me to quit soccer? Or maybe run laps for a week?"

I smirked, shaking my head. "Nothing like that. I want you to work for me."

His reaction was immediate—a mixture of confusion and curiosity. "Work for you?" he echoed, crossing his arms. "Doing what exactly? Cleaning up after your mess on the field?"

"Not quite," I said, lowering my voice and stepping closer. "I need someone on the inside. Someone who can keep an eye on our clients."

"Clients?" he repeated, narrowing his eyes. "What kind of business are we talking about here?"

I hesitated, searching his face for any sign of mistrust. This wasn't just a simple favor. Leon hated me—had hated me ever since the first week of school. Remember back when I caught him and his buddies cornering Todd Abraham at the school entrance? They were bullying the poor kid, demanding money and mocking him for his clothes?

I'd seen enough to know it wasn't just teasing and it was the system who forced me into fighting. Leon had stepped up as the leader of the group, smirking as he pushed Todd against the wall and held out his hand for cash. Something in me snapped. 

As you may already know, I beat up his group really bad. I even broke some bones in the kid with blonde hair when I threw him against the tree!

And now here I was, asking for his help.

"It's simple," I began, trying to ease the tension. "I run a little operation selling answers to homework and assignments. Nothing too big, just enough to make some cash. And guess who my biggest customers are?"

Leon tilted his head, his sharp eyes narrowing further. "The jocks, I'm guessing?"

"Bingo," I said with a grin. "Your buddies, your teammates. The ones who can't be bothered to open a textbook but still need to pass their classes. They pay, and I make sure they get the answers they need. Everyone's happy—until they start talking."

"Talking?" Leon asked, crossing his arms. "What do you mean?"

I sighed, my expression growing serious. "It's been two weeks since I started, and so far, everything seems fine. But I'm worried some of them might let it slip. You know how they are—loud, careless, always trying to impress someone. All it takes is one idiot to brag about how easy their grades are, and suddenly, a teacher overhears. If that happens, we're done. They'll investigate, shut me down, and probably drag me into detention for the rest of the year or maybe even expulsion."

Leon rubbed his chin, clearly thinking it over. "And you want me to... what? Babysit a bunch of loudmouths?"

"Not babysit," I corrected, stepping closer. "Think of it as playing a game. You'd be my double agent. Pretend you're just hanging out as usual, but keep an ear out for anyone who might spill. If someone even hints at leaking, you report back to me immediately. You're already in their circle, so no one would ever suspect you."

Leon let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. "You're really dragging me into some shady stuff, aren't you? Babysitting my own friends? That's low, even for you."

"Come on, Leon," I pressed, letting some of my frustration seep into my voice. "This is perfect for you. You're observant, you know how to play people, and you're already trusted by them. Plus, think about it—you'd have free access to anything you need from me and my team. Assignments, cover stories—whatever you want. And with my name attached to yours, no one would dare cross you."

He stared at me, his sharp gaze practically dissecting my intentions. Finally, a sly grin tugged at the corner of his lips. "Flattering me won't make this any less sketchy, you know."

I smirked, though my thoughts lingered on something deeper. Leon had no idea why I trusted him with this. Despite our rocky start, I knew him better than he thought. From my previous life, I'd learned something crucial about him: Leon was a man of his word. No matter what, he never broke a promise. That unwavering sense of honor had stuck with me, and now I was betting everything on it.

"I'm not flattering you," I said firmly. "I'm being honest. You're the best person for this job, and you know it."

He sighed, shaking his head like he couldn't believe what I was asking. Then, he extended his hand. "Fine, I'll do it. But if this blows up in our faces, you owe me big time."

"Deal." I shook his hand firmly, a grin spreading across my face. "Welcome aboard, Agent Leon."

He rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath. "Agent Leon? Don't push it." But there was a faint smirk on his face as he walked away, leaving me with a sense of relief—and a new layer of anticipation for what lay ahead.

Leon's loyalty meter +5%

The system has activate a side mission based on this character's loyalty meter

Leon has considered you his rival and his goal is to beat you in a game!

Side mission: Form a soccer team and challenge Leon's team to a match and win it!

Rewards: Loyalty meter reach 100%, [Leadership] skill card

Punishment: Loyalty meter -40%

The next week passed uneventfully, or so I thought. Leon seemed to be settling into his role as my double agent surprisingly well. He didn't complain, didn't slack off, and even sent me a few useful updates about our clients. It was almost too good to be true.

Then came Friday afternoon.

Leon barged into the storage room we'd repurposed as our "office," his expression thunderous. His cleats echoed sharply against the tile floor as he stormed up to me. "We've got a problem."

I looked up from my notebook, alarmed by the urgency in his voice. "What happened?"

"Travis," he said through gritted teeth. "That idiot couldn't keep his mouth shut."

My stomach dropped. Travis Kingston—the football team captain. He was one of our most frequent customers and one of the loudest guys in school. "What did he do?"

Leon crossed his arms, his jaw tight. "He was bragging in the locker room. Said his grades have been 'miraculously great' lately. Everyone laughed, but then he said—and I quote—'You just gotta know the right people. My guy William takes care of everything.'"

I felt the blood drain from my face. "He said my name?"

"Not your full name, but anyone with half a brain could connect the dots," Leon snapped. "Some of the guys started asking questions, and Travis—being Travis—just grinned and told them, 'Don't worry about it.' But he's too dumb to realize how suspicious he sounded."

I ran a hand through my hair, my mind racing. If word got out to the wrong person, the entire operation would collapse. Worse, it could lead straight to me. "Who was in the locker room?"

"Half the football team, a few basketball players, and a couple of random guys from gym class," Leon said. "Nothing major yet, but it's only a matter of time before one of them starts talking."

I cursed under my breath. Travis was exactly the type of client I'd been worried about—careless, arrogant, and too eager to show off. "Did anyone seem... interested? Like they might spread it further?"

Leon shrugged. "Hard to tell. Most of them were just laughing it off, but there were a few who looked curious. If they start asking around, it's over."

I paced the room, trying to think. "We need to do damage control. Fast."

Leon smirked, though it lacked any humor. "You think? You should've thought of that before selling answers to guys who couldn't keep a secret if their lives depended on it."

I shot him a look but couldn't argue. He wasn't wrong. "Alright," I said, stopping in my tracks. "Here's what we're going to do. First, we shut Travis up. I'll talk to him myself and make sure he understands the stakes."

Leon raised an eyebrow. "You think he'll listen to you?"

"He will," I said firmly. "If he doesn't, I'll make him regret it. And while I'm dealing with him, you need to monitor the rest of the team. Figure out who might be asking questions and shut it down before it spreads."

Leon tilted his head, studying me. "You're really doubling down on this, huh? You're playing with fire, William."

"I know," I admitted. "But it's too late to back out now. Are you in or not?"

He rolled his eyes but nodded. "Fine. But don't expect me to babysit these morons forever. And if this blows up, I'm not taking the fall for you."

"Deal," I said, extending my hand.

He stared at it for a moment before shaking it, his grip firm. "You'd better fix this, William. Fast."

Later that day, I found Travis in the cafeteria, laughing loudly with his teammates. As I approached, he caught sight of me and grinned, waving me over. "Hey, Will! What's up, man?"

I forced a smile, though my patience was hanging by a thread. "We need to talk. Now."

Travis blinked, his grin faltering. "Uh... sure. What's up?"

"Not here," I said through clenched teeth, jerking my head toward the hallway. "Let's go."

His teammates snickered, but Travis followed me, a curious look on his face. As soon as we were out of earshot, I turned on him. "What the hell were you thinking, Travis?"

He frowned, clearly confused. "What are you talking about?"

"In the locker room," I hissed. "You told everyone about me—about my operation."

Realization dawned on his face, followed by a sheepish grin. "Oh, that? Come on, Will, I was just joking around. No one's gonna take it seriously."

I stepped closer, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "This isn't a joke, Travis. If anyone figures out what's really going on, we're both screwed. Do you understand that?"

He held up his hands defensively. "Alright, alright, I get it. I won't say anything else. Chill, man."

"You'd better not," I said, my eyes narrowing. "Because if this gets out, you'll wish you'd kept your mouth shut."

Travis swallowed hard, nodding. "Got it. I swear I won't say another word."

I stared at him for a moment, then turned and walked away, my mind already racing with plans to contain the damage.

This wasn't over yet—but at least for now, the fire was under control.