Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Football Match[1]
The morning sun hit Jax’s face through the dorm window. He groaned, rolled over, and sat up slowly. His body felt fine better than fine what it was from yesterday.
His device buzzed on the nightstand.
[Message from Kai: Yo! Breakfast time! Get your ass down here before all the good stuff’s gone!]
Jax typed back: [On my way.]
He dressed fast. Academy uniform, neat and sharp. He checked himself in the mirror once, then headed out.
The cafeteria was already full when he arrived. Students crowded the tables, voices overlapping, trays clattering. The smell of eggs and toast mixed with something synthetic probably one of those energy drinks everyone liked.
Kai waved from a corner table. His tray was loaded. "Over here, buddy!"
Jax sat down and Kai slid a plate toward him. "Got you the usual. Eggs, toast, protein bar. And this." He tapped a bright green bottle. "Energy boost. You’ll need it."
"Thanks." Jax grabbed a fork and started eating.
Kai leaned back, grinning. "So, Its a big day today. Its Physical Education Practical Class. Are you ready?"
"For what?"
"Football, man! Didn’t you check the schedule?"
Jax froze with a bite halfway to his mouth. "Football?"
"Yep. Full teams. Co-ed. Everyone plays." Kai laughed. "It’s gonna be hilarious. Most of the guys here can’t even run without tripping."
Jax chewed slowly. "Great."
Kai took a sip of his drink. "Oh, by the way. My sister was asking about you."
Jax looked up. "Your sister?"
"Yeah. Thalia. She cornered me yesterday after the race. Asked how you were doing, if you were okay, stuff like that."
"What did you tell her?"
"Nothing much. Just said you were busy. She seemed... I don’t know. Curious? Not worried or anything. Just curious."
Jax nodded slowly. Thalia, Kai’s sister, a third year ace. Apparently curious enough to ask questions.
’Interesting. She’s probably wondering why her brother’s suddenly hanging around someone who’s making waves.’
Kai kept talking. "She’s pretty cool, actually. Not stuck-up like most of the third years. And she don’t look at me like I was garbage, so that’s a plus."
"Good to know."
They finished breakfast quickly. Kai rambled on about the upcoming match and made jokes about how badly they’d lose. Jax listened but stayed quiet. His mind was already calculating possibilities.
’Football. A game I barely know. But if it’s a game, it has rules. And rules can be used.’
After breakfast they headed to their first class—Game Theory. The classroom was sleek, walls lined with holo-screens showing strategy simulations. The professor, a middle-aged woman with sharp eyes, spent the hour breaking down decision trees and probability matrices.
Jax took notes. Most of it was familiar from Earth, but the examples here were different. Instead of business or war, the simulations focused on duels, bets, and academy challenges.
Kai dozed off halfway through. The professor either didn’t notice or didn’t care.
When class ended, students filed out. A notification popped up on Jax’s device.
[Next Class: Physical Education - Football Match - Field B - 20 minutes]
Kai stretched. "Alright. Time to embarrass ourselves in front of the whole academy."
"Speak for yourself."
"Dude, you don’t even know how to play."
Jax shrugged. "I’ll figure it out."
They walked toward the locker rooms. The hallways buzzed with students, most of them heading the same direction. Excitement hung in the air everyone loved watching PE matches. It was entertainment, drama, and humiliation all rolled into one.
Inside the locker room, Jax changed into the academy’s sports uniform—black shorts and a fitted shirt with his team number on the back. The fabric was light, breathable, designed for movement.
Kai appeared beside him, adjusting his own uniform. "Man, I look ridiculous."
"You always look ridiculous."
"Fair."
A whistle blew outside. They grabbed their gear and headed out.
The field was massive. Real grass, white lines marking the boundaries, goalposts on each end. Stands lined both sides, already filling with students. Drones hovered overhead, cameras ready to broadcast the match live.
The teams had already been assigned by staff.
Two teams stood on opposite sides of the field.
Jax scanned his team first.
Kiera stood near the front, arms crossed, face cold. She glanced at him once, her expression unreadable like disgust mixed with something else. Wariness, maybe. Her sports uniform clung to her curves, shorts hugging her hips, the fitted top emphasizing her athletic build.
Celestia stood beside her, calm and composed. Her blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail, her sports outfit pristine. The shorts showed off her long, toned legs. Her eyes flicked toward Jax, lingering for a moment before she looked away. There was curiosity there.
Kai bounced on his heels, grinning like an idiot. "This is gonna be fun!"
The rest of the team? Four boys and three girls Jax didn’t recognize. Most looked nervous. One boy was stretching awkwardly. Another kept adjusting his shorts. The girls looked more composed but not entirely confident.
’Great. A team of clowns and amateurs.’
He turned to the opposing team.
And his breath caught for a second.
Zinnia stood at the center, her face twisted with barely controlled rage. But even in her fury, she looked striking.
Her pink hair was tied back, and her sports uniform tight black shorts and a form-fitting top showed off every curve. Her breasts pressed against the fabric, her toned thighs flexing as she shifted her weight.
Her eyes locked onto Jax, and for a moment, pure hatred flashed across her features. She looked like she wanted him dead.
Ava stood beside her, calm and focused. Her dark hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and her athletic body was on full display. Her shorts hugged her ass perfectly, and her top clung to her breasts. Sweat already glistened on her skin from warm-ups. She didn’t look at Jax, just stared straight ahead. Her posture screamed competence.
And then there was Azara.
The girl with the small tufts of hair almost like animal ears she stood near the back, arms folded. Her skin had that faint shimmer, marking her as non-human. Her sports uniform was the same as the others, but on her exotic frame, it looked different. The shorts emphasized her lean, muscular legs, and her top stretched over her chest in a way that drew the eye. Her face flushed deep red as her eyes flicked toward Jax, then away quickly.
Jax felt his cock twitch. His resolve stat was still pathetically low, and the sight of all these women in tight, revealing sports gear hit him hard. He forced himself to focus, shifting his stance to hide the growing bulge.
’Damn it. Not now. Focus on the game.’
The rest of Team A was a mix of athletic girls—confident, smirking. They looked like they’d been training for this their whole lives.
A system notification popped into Jax’s vision.
[New Quest: Win the Football Match]
[Reward: All Stats +1]
Jax’s lips curved faintly. ’All stats plus one. That’s worth it.’
The referee a professor with a whistle walked to the center of the field. "Teams, gather!"
Both sides moved forward. Jax stood near the back, watching.
The referee raised her voice. "Standard rules. Forty-minute halves. No excessive violence. Yellow cards for fouls. Two yellow cards equal a red card and ejection. Red cards for severe offenses. Any questions?"
[A/N: This note is for my American readers — football is football. Don’t you call it soccer!]
Silence.
"Good. Captains, step forward."
From Team A, Ava stepped up. From Team B, Kiera moved forward without hesitation.
The referee tossed a coin. "Call it."
"Heads," Kiera said.
The coin landed. Tails.
"Team A kicks off." The referee gestured. "Take your positions."
The teams spread out across the field. Jax stayed in the midfield, near Kai.
Kai leaned over. "So, what’s the plan?"
Jax glanced at the opposing team. "Observe."
"That’s it?"
"For now."
The whistle blew.