The Greatest of all Time

672  Ascending to New Heights

A refreshing sensation welled up within Zachary's entire body, spreading like a tide after he swallowed down the SSS-grade vitality-enhancing elixir.

He felt a profound relaxation as if his skin and muscles were under the care of the best masseuse in the world. But just as he was getting used to the comfortable feeling, sharp pains assaulted him from all over his body.

Zachary quickly picked up one of his T-shirts and bit down on it to stifle his cries. He collapsed on the bed just as popping sounds emerged from his body, seeming as if his bones were cracking and reassembling at a rapid pace.

The pain was excruciating, unlike anything he had ever experienced. His muscles and joints itched painfully as the elixir worked its magic. The SSS-grade version was potent, and the distress it caused was almost unbearable.

But Zachary had faced death once. He summoned every ounce of his willpower to endure the agony. His vision blurred with tears, but he held on, gritting his teeth against the pain. Seconds stretched into an eternity, but finally, the pain began to subside.

He took a moment to catch his breath, the T-shirt falling from his mouth, damp with sweat and saliva. He got up from the bed and marveled at the changes coursing through his body.

His muscles felt denser, his bones sturdier, and his movements more fluid. It was as if he had been reborn, his physical capabilities enhanced to a new level beyond what any ordinary human could ever dream about.

With a deep breath, Zachary knew he wasn't done yet. He still had two more elixirs to consume and was ready for whatever came next.

The vitality-enhancing elixir had tested his willpower. But he had emerged more vigorous and more resilient. Now, he was prepared to face the challenges the other elixirs would bring.

Summoning the system interface once more, determination burned in his eyes. His next goal was the SSS-grade mental conditioning elixir, designed to refine his cognitive abilities and improve his mind's control over his body.

This elixir would even negate the side effects of the potent vitality-enhancing elixir he had just consumed. Without hesitation, he summoned the SSS-grade mental conditioning elixir, which appeared in the shape of a small apple, and readily swallowed it.

This time, no sharp pains were assaulting his body. Instead, a jolt akin to an electric shock emerged from the base of his spine, moving upwards along his back before hitting his brain like a bolt from the blue. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Zachary's mind immediately blanked out, and he lost his perception of his surroundings. He felt empty, unable to form even a conscious thought for what seemed like an eternity. Fortunately, his mental tenacity allowed him to push through until the weird sensations gradually began to ebb.

Slowly, his perception of the outside world began to return. He blinked his eyes and found that he had already collapsed on the floor.

Breathing in to center himself, he picked himself up from the floor, only to realize that his mind and senses had become sharper. His thoughts were more coherent and faster, and his memory seemed to operate with photographic preciseness.

He could recall the finest details of his surroundings without looking, from the texture of the carpet under his feet to even the minute set up of the chairs he had seen in his living room early that morning. His sense of time had also improved; moments felt more substantial, giving him more control over his reactions and decisions.

Zachary felt an unprecedented clarity and focus. His mind was a sharpened blade, ready to cut through any mental fog or distraction. He could feel the difference in his connection to his body as if every muscle, nerve, and fiber was perfectly attuned to his will.

The previously vivid side effects of the vitality-enhancing elixir had also disappeared, replaced by a harmonious balance within his system. He could sense his heightened physical capabilities and knew he could control them with newfound exactness.

After savoring the changes he had experienced, Zachary glanced at the time on his phone. It was only nearing midday. Relieved, he realized he hadn't been out for long and still had some time to consume the last elixir.

Zachary once again summoned the system interface, navigating to the system inventory. Only the life-like icons of the SSS-grade Spatial Awareness Conditioning elixir and the Random Technique Upgrade Token remained.

He focused on the Spatial Awareness Conditioning elixir, knowing it would be his next test for the day. This elixir would enhance his perception of space and movement, making him more adept at navigating the field and avoiding defenders. It would grant him an almost preternatural awareness of his surroundings.

He readily summoned the SSS-grade elixir, which took the form of a small ginger root. Without hesitation, he swallowed it, feeling its slightly rough texture slide down his throat.

The effect was almost immediate, and he felt his head spinning. But with the experience from the other elixirs, he held on with pure willpower and managed to settle himself on the bed before he could fall back to the ground.

His head throbbed, and his thoughts turned messy as he lost perception of his surroundings again. Gradually, he felt disconnected from the world, as if his awareness had been pushed out of time and space and into some blurry, bleak dimension.

Negativity began to creep into his mind, but as the discomfort became almost unbearable, the weirdness passed. His perception of his surroundings returned. Moreover, it was much more acute than ever.

His eyes were sharper, and he could even see a tiny spider weaving almost translucent cobwebs in the corner of the ceiling. His hearing was more sensitive; if he focused, he could hear Kristin turning the pages of a book in the living room.

His sense of smell had also heightened, allowing him to detect the faint odor of the shirt he had worn that morning. The Spatial Awareness Conditioning elixir had worked wonders, and his senses had risen to unprecedented levels.

Zachary narrowed his eyes, wondering whether he could still be classified as human. Everything about him was becoming extraordinary because of the system, like the incredible stuff of movies. He didn't really know what he would eventually turn into.

Breathing deeply, he suppressed the weird thoughts and returned his focus to his immediate objective. His goal was now to achieve peak greatness in football, and he wouldn't let anything stop him.

Next, he had to use the Random Technique Upgrade Token. But before that, he first summoned the system interface to check his current attributes.

The holographic screen flickered before him, and he navigated to the attribute section. His stats were displayed in detail, showing marked improvements in several areas.

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*USER STATS (Breakdown)

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->Physical Fitness (Av. Rating: SSS)

Balance and Coordination: SSS

Agility: SSS

Strength: SSS

Stamina: SSS

Endurance Points: 159,950/160,000 (SSS)

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->Soccer Technique: (Av. Rating: SS+)

Ball Control: SS+

Dribbling Skills: SS+

Passing Accuracy: SS+

Body Control: SSS

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->Game Intelligence: (Av. Rating: SS+)

Spatial Awareness: SSS

Tactical Knowledge: SS

Risk Assessment: SSS

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->Mental Ability and Mindset: (Av. Rating: SS+)

Soccer Passion: SSS

Composure and Mental Strength: SSS

Coachability: A+

Self-Motivation: SS+

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->X-Factor (Av. Rating: SSS)

Consistency Factor: SSS

Luck Factor: SS+

Supernormal Factor: SS+

Match Winning Factor: SSS

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****

Zachary smiled as he took a look at his attribute page. His physical and mental stats were now off the charts.

His "Strength" and "Balance and Coordination" attributes, which had been stuck at the SS+ level for quite some time, had experienced a breakthrough, shooting up to the SSS grading.

The maximum cap of his SSS-grade endurance had also increased from 110,000 to 160,000 points. Zachary felt a surge of pride; these significant transformations would help him take his game to the next level and allow him to become a demon on the pitch.

But these weren't the only benefits he gained from consuming the three SSS-grade elixirs.

His Game Intelligence attributes, including Spatial Awareness and Risk Assessment, had also shot to the SSS grade, while his Tactical Knowledge lagged just a bit behind at the SS level. His other mental abilities had also improved, making Zachary feel like he'd experienced transcendence.

Turning to his soccer technique stats, Zachary wore a relieved expression.

Usually, after consuming potent elixirs like the vitality-enhancing elixir and putting his body through significant transformations, his technique attributes—such as Ball Control, Dribbling Skills, Passing Accuracy, and Body Control—would experience a slight decline, falling by a grade or two.

However, because he had consumed the vitality-enhancing elixir alongside the mental and spatial awareness conditioning elixirs, these attributes had instead experienced improvements. Even his Body Control had shot to the SSS grade.

The combination of elixirs had created a synergistic effect, harmonizing his physical enhancements with his mental acuity, thus stabilizing and even enhancing his technical abilities.

Zachary couldn't contain his joy. He didn't have to deal with the usual side effects of consuming the vitality-enhancing elixir this time.

Moreover, he suspected that if he went through targeted training over the next few weeks, some of his soccer technique stats might improve even further as the effects of his improved cognitive abilities continued to work wonders. These were the benefits of SSS rewards from the system.