THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME

As promised, Zachary received an update from Emily about the stand of Tottenham Hotspur's scouts later that morning. The club wasn't totally against offering him hard-to-refuse personal terms as long as he showed he was worth it. He only needed to put up more spectacular performances, especially during Rosenborg's next two Europa League matches, and show a willingness to join the London-based club. Then everything else, whether a sky-high weekly wage or bountiful match bonuses, would be on the table for discussion.

Zachary could tell that Tottenham was pretty much interested in signing him based on their attitude and their reaction to Emily's conditions. It seemed they hoped to sign him immediately since they were very accommodating during the entire negotiation process.

Be that as it may, he didn't let the prospect of joining a top league side unsettle him and disrupt his training plans. He understood that he could only return to targeted intensive training a day early by recuperating faster. So, he resumed his post-match recovery routine, beginning with a yoga session right after ending his phone call with Emily.

He was still yet to push most of his fitness attributes to the S-grading to meet the requirements for learning a few more G.O.A.T Skills from the system. He had to spend more time in the gym or on the training ground, working tirelessly with a one-track mind since that was the only way to improve his fitness to the next level.

Based on experiences from his previous life, he only had a small window of about six years, at least until he was 24 years, to raise his skills to a world-class level. He had to take advantage of that short duration when his body was still maturing to hone his skills and rise to the top of the footballing world. Otherwise, he would find it hard to make any improvements after hitting the age of 25 since his physical development would stagnate, following the fundamental laws of nature.

The hours flashed by quickly as he went through his yoga session. Soon, it was past noon. Zachary enjoyed a sumptuous home-cooked lunch before jogging all the way to Lerkendal to meet up with Coach Bj?rn Peters, his fitness instructor.

Together, they immediately started going through a simple stretching routine, then performed agility drills before diving into an intensive endurance and body strengthening workout. As usual, they worked extra hard, only taking a few minutes of rest in-between exercises. They were so immersed to the point that they didn't even bother to pause when it started drizzling a few minutes later.

Remarkably, Zachary was under the effects of the system's 1.2 g Earth miniaturized gravitational field the entire time. As a result, his body was under augmented physical strain, causing the session to turn out to be more rewarding than usual. By the time they called it a day after warming down in the evening, he was out of breath and sweating profusely.

His weariness even elicited a rare trace of worry from his fitness trainer. But Zachary just waved off the concern with an excuse of still being fatigued from the previous day's match.

He wasn't worried that he would break himself since he had an ample supply of the system's elixirs. He could still exercise as much as he wanted under the increased gravity and recover within two to three hours after consuming a B-graded physical-conditioning-elixir. That was the beauty of having the system functions supporting his training in the background.

-----

In the evening, after training, Zachary met up with Camilla at the Skybar of the Clarion Hotel, located close to the harbor. The restaurant had an exciting menu based on fantastic regional products that combined Nordic cuisine with rustic American flavors and sophisticated Asian traditions. It was the perfect place to relax and mingle in Trondheim while enjoying a drink from the bar or just listening to great music.

Zachary and Camilla immersed themselves in the ambient atmosphere and enjoyed a great dinner there. They gorged themselves with various exquisite dishes before heading to Zachary's place for the night at around 9:00 PM. There, they immersed themselves in their world of passion and gave rise to an enthralling deep night sonata. They took their time exploring one another and soaking themselves into each other's comfort until the wee hours of the morning.

"So, are you ready for your upcoming Europa League matches yet?" Camilla inquired as she snuggled up to Zachary just a few minutes after their heated battle. Her emerald-green eyes shone like a pair of rare luminous crystals in the dimly-lit room, and her skin still glittered slightly as an after-effect of intense passion. Even without make-up, she could still catch the attention of the most stoic of men. She was still as alluring and beautiful as ever.

Zachary smiled while caressing her round and plump backside before answering, "I'm not ready yet since I'm still recovering from the fatigue of yesterday's finals. However, I'm sure I'll be ready by Wednesday. And, of course, I will take part in the match without any worries."

"That's good to hear then," Camilla said, tracing circles on Zachary's perfectly lined chest muscles. "I really hope you win the remaining two group matches so that you can qualify for the knock-out stages. What's the team's situation like at the moment?"

"All the players are in high spirits after winning the Norwegian Cup. As long as we prepare adequately, we should be able to give our upcoming opponents a run for their money."

"Perfect," Camilla mumbled excitedly. "Then, there's a high chance that you might win a treble if all your teammates remain in good condition and continue working hard. Right?"

"That's hard to say," Zachary replied, shaking his head. "There are a lot of tough teams in the competition, like Napoli, Valencia, Sevilla FC, and Lyon. Moreover, all the third-placed teams in the Champions League groups, including giants like Juventus and FC Porto, might also join the contention for the Europa League Trophy during the knock-out phase. So, I cannot be sure how far we'll go when we have to face such tough opponents in upcoming matches."

"But if it's you, you can make the impossible happen on the pitch," Camilla said, patting Zachary's chest. "As long as you give your best and keep on scoring to help Rosenborg win, then you never know how far you'll reach. You might even find yourself winning the finals before you know it."

Zachary suppressed a chuckle. "I like your confidence in me. And yes, you're right. We merely have to do our best, and everything else is up to luck or another higher power. Thanks for this bit of encouragement, Camilla."

"You're welcome," Camilla's replied coyly. "By the way, my boss just informed me today to tell you about an upcoming Audi photo shoot on the 3rd of next December. Our brand will be launching a couple of new car models before Christmas. So, as an Audi ambassador, it's part of your responsibility to help us market them."

"Is it just a photo-shoot?" Zachary pressed.

"Yes, just a photo-shoot. You'll only need to pose in front of the new vehicles for a few photos, and that's it. We'll use the images for marketing all around Norway. Moreover, if you attend, there might be an exciting surprise for you afterward."

"Then, I'll most likely be there," Zachary replied with a smile. "But, I have to run this by my agent first before making the final decision. I hope that's okay with you!"

"It's okay," Camilla replied. "Go ahead and do what you've got to do. You can tell her to contact my boss or me if she has any doubts she needs to clarify. Where are you spending Christmas, by the way?"

"I'll probably spend the entire time training within Trondheim," Zachary replied, sighing. "I have to try my best to refine my skills before the start of next season. So, I can't waste any time, even during the Christmas season."

"Ohhh!" Camilla said, snuggling even closer to Zachary. "And here I thought that we might be able to spend some time together on vacation this holiday season. It's really a bummer that you have to train even during holidays?"

Zachary sighed and shifted about to make himself more comfortable. "If it's two or three days, then we can still go for the vacation. But if the vacation is any longer, then I probably won't have the time."

"Three days will be enough," Camilla was quick to reply. "We can head to either Stockholm or Amsterdam on 24th December, and enjoy Christmas there. By the time you return to Trondheim, you'll be well-rested and able to give more than a hundred percent during training."

"Okay," Zachary just mumbled incoherently in agreement since he was already dozing off. "But, let's sleep for now since I have to wake up early for training."

"Good night, then," Camilla said.

"Good night."

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