Tuesday, February 21, 2023

Centro Bortolotti Training Complex

9:23 AM**

Tuesday training at Zingonia was the first truly intense session since Demien's return, and he trained fully with the midfield group now without restrictions or early exits while the coaching staff watched him integrate back into the squad's rhythm.

The session began with pressing triggers—organized defensive sequences where midfielders learned to recognize when to step forward and close down opponents—and Demien operated in tight pockets between the lines while teammates applied pressure from multiple angles.

Koopmeiners pressed him aggressively during one drill and their bodies collided shoulder-to-shoulder, and Demien's first touch took the ball away from the contact before his second touch released it early to Pasalic who had dropped to offer support.

"Good recognition," the assistant coach called from the sideline, and his tone was matter-of-fact because this was expected rather than exceptional.

The drills progressed to positional rotations where midfielders cycled through different zones based on where the ball moved, and Demien's understanding of space and timing showed clearly as he recognized when to push forward into attacking positions and when to drop deeper to maintain defensive balance.

Gasperini observed silently from his usual position near the touchline with hands in pockets, and he offered no corrections throughout the ninety-minute session which carried more weight than praise because his silence meant everything was functioning as it should.

Short-passing sequences dominated the final portion of training with the emphasis on Roma's midfield aggression, and the coaching staff reminded players repeatedly that Cristante and Matic would press aggressively to force turnovers in dangerous areas.

"They want you to hold the ball too long," the assistant coach explained while the group gathered near the center circle, "so your decision-making needs to be immediate—receive, scan, release before pressure arrives."

Demien nodded along with the others while his mind processed the tactical requirements, and his turns felt clean when receiving under simulated pressure while his awareness of teammates' positioning remained sharp throughout.

After training ended and players filed toward the dressing room, short clips from the session began circulating online through fan accounts that monitored training from outside the complex, and the footage showed Demien participating fully in drills without any visible limitations.

**Social Media Response

12:47 PM**

The clips spread quickly across Twitter and Instagram with fans immediately noticing Demien's presence in full training, and comments filled with cautious optimism mixed with reminders not to expect too much too soon.

**@AtalantaDaily:** *Demien Walter training fully with the first team today. No restrictions visible. 👀*

**@SerieA_Central:** *Walter back in full training ahead of Roma. Gasperini will decide closer to matchday.*

**@CalcioMercato:** *Atalanta's Demien Walter continues comeback - full participation in Tuesday session*

Headlines remained measured rather than sensational, and most outlets framed his involvement as continued reintegration rather than confirmation of imminent return to matchday squads.

**Press Conference

2:34 PM**

Gasperini sat behind the table in the press conference room with journalists filling the seats, and questions about squad availability came early in the session.

"Mister Gasperini, can you give us an update on Demien Walter's condition ahead of the Roma match?" the first journalist asked.

"Demien is training fully with the group now," Gasperini replied, and his tone was characteristically measured, "he's integrated well over the past weeks and his physical response has been positive."

"Will he be available for selection against Roma?" another voice called out.

"Decisions will be made closer to matchday," Gasperini said, and he leaned forward slightly, "we continue to take careful approach with his return—there will be no rush to put him in situations before he's completely ready."

"But he's close?" someone pressed.

"He's progressing well," Gasperini confirmed, "but Roma is a difficult match and we have to consider what's best for the team and for Demien's long-term fitness. Week by week we assess."

The questions shifted to Roma's tactical approach and potential lineup changes, and Gasperini provided his usual professional responses without revealing specific match plans.

**Tuesday Evening

Demien's Apartment

9:47 PM**

Demien sat on the edge of his bed with the lights low and his legs feeling the fatigue properly for the first time since the injury, and the heaviness was present but stable rather than painful while his hamstring responded normally to the increased training load.

He'd stretched for thirty minutes after returning home and eaten a proper recovery meal, and now the apartment was quiet around him while his mind turned toward something he'd been planning since Monday's session ended.

The system had been waiting.

210 TP | 103 SP | 229 MP

Enough for two Diamond Packs with currency remaining.

He took a slow breath and spoke quietly into the empty room.

"System."

The response came immediately, and the familiar blue interface materialized in his peripheral vision with text appearing in clean lines.

「Hello, Demien. Ready to proceed?」

The Pack Selection Interface initialized smoothly, and his current resources displayed in precise numerical form.

「CURRENT BALANCE」

「210 TP | 103 SP | 229 MP」

「AVAILABLE PACKS」

「Bronze Pack: 50 TP or 50 MP」

「Silver Pack: 200 TP or 100 MP」

「Gold Pack: 500 TP or 200 MP」

「Black Pack: 10 SP」

「Diamond Pack: 50 SP」

Demien studied the options carefully, and his decision was already made because 103 SP meant two Diamond Packs with enough remaining for additional purchases afterward.

"Diamond Pack," he said. "Use fifty SP."

「DIAMOND PACK SELECTED」

「Cost: 50 SP」

「50 SP CONSUMED」

「REMAINING BALANCE: 210 TP | 53 SP | 229 MP」

The interface shifted and the diamond lever appeared—translucent and shimmering with prismatic light that refracted across its surface—and when Demien gripped it the weight felt substantial and almost ceremonial.

He pulled hard.

The lever descended smoothly and ten cards flew out in a wide arc before arranging themselves in a horizontal line, and each card glowed with different intensity based on its rarity.

First card flipped.

Brilliant purple-gold radiance.

**JOHAN CRUYFF — TURN INNOVATOR**

**LEGENDARY PLAYER SKILL**

Text scrolled beneath the card showing Cruyff in his iconic number 14 shirt executing his famous turn.

「Johan Cruyff — Turn Innovator: Revolutionary turning technique that creates instant separation from defenders through deceptive body positioning and explosive directional change. Effective when receiving with back to goal or when tightly marked in midfield. Enables sharp turns that leave defenders flatfooted while maintaining close ball control.」

「This Legendary Player Skill enhances your ability to receive under pressure and create attacking opportunities through superior turning mechanics.」

The card absorbed into Demien's profile and the knowledge settled into his muscle memory—the specific weight shift, the angle of approach, the timing of the touch that made Cruyff's turn so devastatingly effective.

Second card flipped.

Deep red glow—Epic rarity.

**STAMINA +8**

**EPIC**

His cardiovascular system adjusted immediately and his body's ability to maintain high-intensity effort for extended periods improved substantially, and ninety minutes of pressing and running would feel less taxing with this enhancement.

Third card flipped.

Red again.

**VISION +6**

**EPIC**

His peripheral awareness expanded and his ability to process multiple movements simultaneously sharpened, and recognizing passing lanes and teammate positioning would happen faster with clearer mental processing.

Fourth card flipped.

Grey text.

**NOTHING… BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME!**

A nil—common in Diamond Packs despite their premium cost.

Fifth card flipped.

Red glow.

**FINISHING +7**

**EPIC**

His shooting technique refined itself and the mental calculation of power, placement, and goalkeeper positioning became more instinctive, and one-on-one situations would convert more reliably with improved finishing ability.

Sixth card flipped.

Orange shimmer—Rare.

**DEFENSIVE AWARENESS +5**

**RARE**

His ability to read opponent movement patterns improved and recognizing when attackers would make runs or when to step up and intercept passes became clearer, and defensive positioning would be more proactive rather than reactive.

Seventh card flipped.

White shimmer—Trait Shard.

**TRAIT SHARD [LEADERSHIP BADGE]**

**Collect 4 to craft: Leadership Badge**

「Leadership Badge: Enhances team communication and tactical coordination. Teammates respond more effectively to your instructions during matches. Morale boost for squad when you're on the pitch. Increases likelihood of being selected for captain's armband.」

「Current Progress: 2/4 Shards Collected」

Two out of four now, and the trait would have implications beyond individual performance by affecting how teammates responded to his presence on the pitch.

Eighth card flipped.

White shimmer again.

**TRAIT SHARD [BIG MATCH TEMPERAMENT]**

**Collect 4 to craft: Big Match Temperament**

「Big Match Temperament: Maintains peak performance levels in high-pressure fixtures. Reduces nervousness and anxiety during crucial matches. Stats less affected by match importance or crowd pressure. More likely to perform well in derbies, finals, and decisive league matches.」

「Current Progress: 1/4 Shards Collected」

A trait specifically designed for handling pressure situations, and one-quarter progress toward something that would matter increasingly as bigger matches came.

Ninth card flipped.

Blue glow—Epic Skill Shard.

**EPIC SKILL SHARD [FINESSE CURLER]**

**Collect 8 to craft: Finesse Curler**

「Finesse Curler: Curved shot technique prioritizing placement over power. Effective for beating goalkeepers from outside the box by bending the ball around defenders or into the far corner. Particularly useful on the edge of the penalty area.」

「Current Progress: 1/8 Shards Collected」

One-eighth toward an Epic-tier shooting technique that would add another dimension to his finishing options from distance.

Tenth card—final card.

Purple glow—Legendary Skill Shard.

**LEGENDARY SKILL SHARD [VOLLEYS & ACROBATS]**

**Collect 12 to craft: Volleys & Acrobats**

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