Blue Dream Trail (Soccer) - Episode 49

──Wednesday, November 1, 2028

DFB Pokal 2nd round

vs Rheinbach FC (@Away)

A particularly loud round of applause erupted in the small stadium at night.

“I thought you’d made it again… Ah, that was close!”

“That No. 19 is in a class of his own.”

Such voices echoed throughout a town in central Germany.

At Rheinbach FC, a lower league club, local children waved in admiration to Augsburg’s number 19, Naoe Ren.

“Let’s go. I beg you to stay focused and do your best.”

By the time head coach Meyer called out this message after returning to the bench just before halftime, the score was already 3-0.

It was Ren who assisted with two of the goals and also scored the opening goal.

The opponent’s pressing was weak. Their defensive line was loose.

However, there’s no point in slacking off at that point. Rather, it’s precisely at times like these that he needs to maintain precision and concentration to hone his senses – or so Ren thought.

27 minutes.

The moment their fullback Dimitrov made a vertical attack, Ren, in the midfield, cast his gaze and body out to the side. The opposing left CB was lured in with a step. Ren didn’t miss that moment and made a no-look through pass behind him.

CF Himmel broke through and scored easily to make it 2-0.

36 minutes.

This time it was a counterattack. Ren stole the ball on his half, then made a quick false move, turned, and ran between three opposing players. He carried the ball into the penalty area and calmly put it into the left corner.

“Goal!”

Even though it was enemy territory, huge cheers erupted from the stands.

🗣【Live coverage/local broadcast】

“This is… a Naoe show that everyone in this stadium today will never forget.”

Ren, who was ordered to be substituted at halftime, sat quietly on the bench with a towel around his neck, watching the game unfold.

3-0.

They then added another point to finish the game at 4-0.

【Ren: Voice from the heart】

Although they were an inferior team, we were able to play a good game for the first time in a while.

Finally, the team’s gears started to mesh.

What I want most right now is to play a match where I don’t forget my fear and concentration.

Keep going up like this.

Immediately after Ren was substituted and returned to the bench, Meyer suddenly remembered a conversation he had had a year ago.

— “Naoe could become a true superstar.”

The words he spoke as he laughed with the director were now turning into conviction.