My system allows me to copy talents

Inside a rather elegant-looking pub, two men could be seen seated before the bar counter. One of the men, a rather old individual with greying temples, leaned against the high table before him while the other sat with his back straightened.

”The kids have grown. Don’t you think so?”

One of the men said, his voice calm as if draped in nostalgia.

The other men with the slouched backs stared at the glass filled with golden liquid placed atop the high table. His expression seemed poised as if he had nothing to care about.

Then he extended one of his arms as he grabbed the glass of liquor before him.

Just as he grabbed the glass, his wrinkle lines became vivid as a smile appeared on his face.

”Indeed. These kids are the best among the ones I have taught till now...” Nozomi said while swirling the glass of liquor he held in his hands, the golden liquor shimmered like liquid gold.

The other old man seated beside him smiled and nodded his head, ”You’re right. Hiro was always special. But I wasn’t expecting such a performance from Shun, too.”

Once again, the smile on Nozomi’s face widened as his chest swelled with pride.

”I knew he would make it, too. That kid had something special in him. Just that he was paired with a much more radiant luminescent that dimmed his potential. You can’t go around comparing a floodlight with the sun itself now, can you?”

Indeed, what he said made sense.

Just as he said, Shun had the potential too. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been scouted. However, since he was paired with Hiro, whose potential outshone all those present around him, his talents were somewhat overshadowed.

”That makes sense. Well, Hiro was in a league of his own after all,” the other individual said, his tone filled with nostalgia as he recalled the events from the past.

Then he reached into the pocket of his coat.

”But even so, you can’t ignore Shun’s performance in his recent matches,” he continued as he brought out a packet of cigarettes.

While he was talking, Nozomi lifted the glass of liquor. He brought it near his lips before taking a sip.

The cold alcohol gushed down his throat, cooling his mouth before a wave of warmth gushed forth from his stomach.

It burned. But it burned well.

However, he seemed as if he couldn’t be bothered about this burning sensation. He just corked his head and said, ”Well, you just had to give that kid a stage, and he would have shone.”

The individual beside him pulled a stick of cigarettes and trapped it between his lips.

Click! Click!

The lighter’s girder made clicking noises as he tried to light it. Sparks flew before a combustion ignited.

He inhaled as he tried to light the cigarette.

The tobacco caught on the flames and started burning with a crisp burning sound. Then plumes of white smoke rose as the cigarette ignited.

He inhaled a deep puff before releasing a mist of white cloud into the air.

”Just as you said...” he said while inhaling the smoke deep into his lungs. ”He just needed a stage to shine.” He exhaled, releasing a puff of white smoke, his expression relaxing. ”But you ought to give him the credit for yesterday’s match. If it weren’t for him, the result of the match would have been different.”

The tip of the cigarette burned, turning into ash, which seemed as if it would fall at any moment.

”Seven crucial saves in a single match. Just how did he even manage to do that?” The man said, jerking off the ash.

”Indeed, those numbers sound impressive. But more than the numbers themselves, it was his actual performance and how he carried himself throughout the match that set him apart from his past self.”

The man with the cigarette looked at him for a moment before nodding his head, ”Indeed. He was something else in that match. Even that first save was one to remember. If only his teammates didn’t let him down, the result would have been different.”

”True, you can say that his teammates let him down considering his performance. But remember, those are elites we are talking about. Who are we to badmouth their performance? Just two old souls who couldn’t even make it to Europe?” Nozomi raised his brows as he stared at him with a bemusing smile.

Faced with one such expression, he couldn’t bring himself to argue further.

”Hahaha... You know, you are sounding like one of those drunkards in the bar who thinks he knows better than the actual players on the field.” Nozomi continued.

”Now. Now... You’re the one to talk,” he responded, pointing at the glass of liquor in Nozomi’s hands. Then he looked at his flushed face and continued, ”You look more like a drunkard than I.”

”Hahaha... You don’t get to drink all the time. Let me enjoy while I can,” Nozomi laughed before he chugged the entire liquor in a single gulp.

Seeing his antics, the other individual couldn’t help but smile. Well, considering how well his recruits have been doing, he couldn’t be prouder about it.

Though he couldn’t take full credit for recruiting Hiro, he could take credit for scouting Shun. If it weren’t for him traveling to Hokkaido to recruit him, the world would have lost one such gem as Shun.

”Hahaha.... You’re right. We don’t get to drink often. Might as well enjoy it while it lasts...” Saying so, he grabbed a bottle of liquor, then poured it for his friend Nozomi before pouring one for himself.

Then he raised a toast as he said in an excited tone, ”To our pupils!”

Nozomi rallied as he raised a toast, ”To our players!”

The two drank like a dehydrated man stranded in the desert finding an oasis.

One glass. Two glasses. Then another.

The two drank like there was no tomorrow. Like it was the end of the world.

”Hic~ I wonder how Hiro’s feeling about that 2-1 win?”