The Greatest of All Time

Chapter 46 - Solo Winter Training

The cold winter months soon arrived as nature's orchestra came to a sudden standstill. Most of the residents of the Moholt Student village slowly left for holidays. The few that stayed were all from outside Europe.

"Are you sure you want to remain here alone?" Kasongo inquired, frowning. "The Coach has granted us a one-month holiday. You should also get some rest. Why not join me on vacation? You don't have to spend the whole week there—but just two weeks of the holiday."

"Kasongo," Zachary intoned solemnly. "I've already made up my mind. I'm not going back home or on any vacations until I make it to pro-level."

He had no intention of changing his environment while amid training plans and an essential system mission. Taking a break at that moment would make him lax and lessen his focus on his goals.

On the other hand, if he stayed in Trondheim, he would be free to train all day without any interruptions. He would improve his stats much further before the rest returned from their holidays. A one-month training plan could do his physique wonders, with some help from the system. Zachary wasn't willing to give that up for anything.

"Alright, suit yourself," Kasongo mumbled, pulling his suitcase out of the door. He was on his way to meet his family on vacation in Paris. "I wish you a Merry Christmas. Hopefully, you'll have a memorable one here alone in an empty apartment." He added, wryly with sarcasm.

"Merry Christmas to you too," Zachary replied, flashing his flatmate a smile. He didn't mind his friend's tone since he had rejected his invitations several times. Being turned down multiple times would sour the mood of anyone. "Remember to buy some good quality Adidas soccer boots for me when you get to Paris," he added in a joking manner.

After Kasongo left, Zachary was left alone in the Moholt student village apartment. His Swedish flatmates had already left the previous day. He felt lonely in the desolate apartment for a moment, though the feeling did not last.

Looking at the snow outside his window raised his spirits. The corner of his mouth curved into a soft smile. "Just one more year—and all this training will be worth it," he mumbled to himself in encouragement. "Time to begin training."

Zachary settled into a calm state, one that seemed to have taken inspiration from the frozen earth outside his window. Without an ounce of hesitation, he dived into an intensive training routine that helped him forget it was the Christmas holidays.

Due to the knee-deep snow all over the city, Zachary moved all his training programs indoors. He spent most of his time either in the gym or the indoor futsal pitch, going through a speedwork routine and improving his shot accuracy.

He'd even started soaking in a cold tub of water every evening for fifteen minutes to recover faster and free more time for exercise. He would soothe his sore muscles and reduce his perception of fatigue whenever he immersed his body in the water at 4 to 6 degrees Celsius. The ice-cold water would freshen up his body and ensure it was in shape for the set of yoga and Hip-Flexor exercises he performed at night.

Zachary was not worried about squeezing himself dry since he possessed the physical-conditioning-elixir from the system shop. By consuming a single dose, he gained enough energy to train for a week without harming his body.

The winter gloom did not dampen his enthusiasm because he was progressing and improving in many areas. His movements were faster and sharper than they had been the previous month. His endurance was also getting better. He couldn't wait for the Riga Cup to commence. He was itching to test his skills against teams of international academy students from all over Europe.

Zachary sprinted, jogged, lifted weights, and conducted agility and endurance enhancing drills indoors. He didn't neglect to juggle the ball for about an hour or two each day to maintain his deft ball control. Holidays like the Christmas break often made players rusty. Zachary wanted to avoid losing his touch and going off form. The ball was his best friend, his route to fame and riches. He had to spend time caressing it, bonding with it as much as possible.