THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME
Early Trial

19 July 2010: Lubumbashi – DR Congo.

The first rays of the sun peeked over the skyline in a shining golden form. Brilliant gold and orange colors flowed like flames in the east over rivers, forests, and outside Lubumbashi City.

Sunlight falls obliquely through the room window of the Zachary motel. He blinked a few times in an attempt to help his eyes adjust to the illumination directed precisely at his helpless figure.

"Beautiful morning" he murmured to himself. She slept like a baby the night before. Although the small motel room was very cheap by Lubumbashi standards, it had a mattress that was much more comfortable than the one in her grandmother's house.

Zachary jumps out of bed and rushes to take a bath in preparation for the day to come.

A few minutes later, he ate a light breakfast provided by the motel and went to town after handing over the keys. He left his luggage in his room because he had booked it for an entire week. Moreover, he was not worried about thieves as no valuables could be stolen from his simple metal suitcase.

After leaving the small motel in downtown Lubumbashi, he joined the crowd heading downtown. He wanted to buy some sports equipment.

The city was flooded with a sea of people moving in different directions. The upper class walk down the highway carrying their designer handbags and wearing their latest brands or jeans and sneakers. The lower classes sat on the cold floor, asking for money. On every street corner, buskers sing Lingala's top songs that are popular in the DRC. Some sing with amazing talent, while others sound like cats in a washing machine. New and old cars, motorbikes carrying two to four passengers, and men biking everywhere clustered like locusts.

Zachary ignores the chaos of the city and is aloof. He walked through different second-hand stores buying the sports gear he needed for the trials. He was unwilling to risk being sent off by the coach due to inadequate preparation. Such a situation often happened to him in his previous life.

By midday, Zachary had bought a good pair of used boots, sweatshirts, and shin guards.

He almost spent all the money he won by betting on Spain winning the world cup in South Africa. With his knowledge of the future, he had made quite a lot of money while he was still in Bukavu and thought he was rich for now. But after one shopping trip, Zachary almost went back to zero. But that doesn't dampen his mood. He was confident that he would get more opportunities to make more money.

After shopping, he returned to his motel room to rest and prepare for the ADTA trial that would occur the next day. Zachary wants to make sure that he is well rested and not tired. He understands that only players who get enough rest can perform one hundred percent on the field.

Back in her room, she goes through a light Hatha-Yoga routine before opening the system interface to check her current progress. He was especially concerned about the statistics of his football techniques that coaches and scouts would scrutinize during trials.

****

USER STATUS

->Technical-Football (Average Rating: B +)

Ball Control: A +

Dribbling skill: C +

Passing accuracy: A -

Body control: B -

----

Feet options: (Left and Right)

****

After getting Zizou-Visual-Juju and training with the locals in Bukavu, his football technique has stabilized in the B+ rankings. He has tried to increase value by utilizing every possible means, but has remained unchanged despite his efforts.

The system does not offer any more rewards for the entire month but only penalties if he does not complete the predefined daily training schedule. Thus, Zachary was in a traffic jam in the meantime.

"Whatever happens, I won't fail." She swore.

He is still convinced that his passing, ball control and awareness of his game will help him through the ordeal.

**** ****

Early the next morning, Zachary rented a motorcycle and headed to Kibassa-Maliba Stadium. It was the home of the TP - Mazembe (club of his previous life) until 2011.

By the time he arrived in Kibassa-Maliba, there were already over a hundred rookie footballers waiting to take part in the ADTA trials that year. Some sat on pavilion chairs and others on the running track. They've been wearing their gear.

Zachary noticed some important players among them who later became famous in Africa and beyond. Sitting in the front row of the pavilion is young Chris Luyinda who will later play for TP Mazembe, Standard Liege, and Galatasary. Zachary doesn't have good feelings for her as he often annoys her when they were at Mazambe's TP in his previous life.

But Zachary shrugged off the rest and focused on the one player who benefited the most from the ADTA trials in his previous life.

Leaning against the wall of the pavilion was a boy who would shock the world of football some twelve years later. He is Steven Mangala, a player who joined a high-performing football academy right after a test run at the age of fourteen. By 2022, he is already famous as the next Samuel Eto to score many goals and become one of the best African talents of that era.

But unfortunately for the DRC, Mangala turned down the call-up of the national team before changing citizenship and playing for Belgium during Zachary's previous life. He was cursed by many Congolese fans throughout the day and night but continued to score like a machine. Mangala is a perfect example of what Zachary wanted to achieve in his previous life.

[I'll make it this time, too. With this system, I will soon fly into space.] Zachary swore in his heart.

He found a place to sit and put on his sweatshirt and boots.

But his solace is soon interrupted by some annoying brats. He stood up and turned to look at the two people who had been close friends with him before he was injured. They are Patrick Luamba and Tony Majembe who are former classmates, and also from Bukavu. But after his accident, they distance themselves and start making fun of him at school every day.

"Yo. Isn't this our famous captain Zachary Bemba." Tony, a tall, skinny young man, sighed. He has a similar physique to Peter Crouch.

"Of course," Patrick chimed in the size of a bite.

"What's he doing here? He was supposed to go back to Bukavu eating potatoes and milking cows."

"Perhaps, he's here to see us impress the scouts and join TP Mazembe."

"It should be..."

[Opty cans make noise.] Zachary sighed.

"Patrick, Tony," he said as he glared at the two boys. "What do you want? Do you need another beating?" He asked as he took a few steps towards the two bastards. Zachary was already taller than most other boys his age and thus looked terrifying.

The two took a few steps back, looking a little panicked and occasionally stealing glances towards Chris Luyinda in the pavilion.

[He must have made them do this.] Zachary concluded while observing his former rival. Luyinda has always been a bully on any team she joins. Zachary was not surprised that he had already sent his sycophant to bully him.

"Do you want another beating?" Zachary furrowed his brows as he glared at the boy. He wanted to make a stand and make sure that he was not bullied by the other brats during the trial.

"You can try it," Tony stuttered. "But, are you sure you want to attack an ADTA registered candidate before the trial?" She asked.

Zachary frowned and was about to give the boy his thoughts but then stopped. He was interrupted by several coaches who started to emerge from the dressing room and lined up on the grass in the middle of the pitch.

All the players hurriedly came out of the pavilion and gathered on the football field in front of the coaches.

"Good morning to you all ..." A fat old man with a long beard shouted. Zachary is familiar with the coach. He is Samson Damata, one of TP Mazembe's youth development staff. He is a no-nonsense man who has coached several professional players who went on to play for the DRC national team in his golden years.

"I think everyone here is already registered as participants for the 2010 Lubumbashi Exam. If not, I suggest you leave now before I call security." Coach Samson Damata added.

No player turned around to leave.

"Well then," Samson recited after a few seconds. "I think everyone here has signed up." He stroked his little belly.

"But we don't want to know your name yet" he shouted. "Because most of you won't be here tomorrow" he added, his voice changed dramatically towards the end.

The voices of the youths began to blabber anxiously like a mountain river. Zacharias remained silent. He already knew that the 2010 trial would be different. In the past, Mazembe's TP coaching staff would have allowed any football player who had signed up to participate in football final trials. But for the year, only a select few dozen remained after undergoing screening due to the presence of French scouts.

"Shut up" shouted Coach Damata, instantly silencing the young man.

"I will not waste my time explaining our decision to you. But you should know that we only want twenty-six players from your group. The rest will have to go home and wait for next year's trials."

"We're just going to test one thing. That's your physical fitness. You will never be a pro as long as you are not fit. So, our test is simple." Coach Damata paused for a moment while grinning.

All the young players gathered on the field became nervous.

"You have to run thirty-two rounds around this field. Those with the fastest time could hold out for the ultimate test." Coach Damata stated.