Chapter Six: The Yakult Coach

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In a daze, a halo of light seemed to appear before his eyes. Like the rising sun at dawn, it gently tinted half the horizon. The halo grew brighter, and his vision seemed to rush rapidly toward the light. Unconsciously, a massive milky-white door appeared before him. The light was too dazzling to discern its exact design, but it was undoubtedly a door, complete with a handle in the center.

Creak!

The heavy door slowly swung open, and his body involuntarily floated inside. At that moment, Wei Lai’s consciousness seemed to suddenly awaken. Before him stretched a vast football stadium, filled with the roar of the crowd. Yet, it felt as if time itself had been paused.

On the field, players in red and blue were frozen in place, and the fans along the sidelines remained caught in their own actions. When Wei Lai came back to his senses, this was the scene he saw.

Before he could ask anything, a voice sounded in his ear.

[Simulation stadium setup complete. This semester’s curriculum includes four modules: [Tackling], [Interception], [Proper Positioning], and [Tactical Coordinated Defense].]

[Instructor: ????]

“Huh?”

Wei Lai was utterly confused; he had no idea what was happening. Just then, a cheerful voice rang out. Before him appeared a sturdy young man dressed in a red training suit. Regrettably, a misty haze shrouded the youth’s face, making it impossible to see his features clearly.

“Hey! Young man from the East, the defense course is about to start. But before that, how about a sweet and delicious Yakult?”

A bottle of Yakult mysteriously materialized in his hand. Wei Lai, still puzzled, was urged to drink it quickly.

He could only tilt his head back and drink the Yakult. The sweet liquid delighted his taste buds, flowing down his throat into his stomach.

Suddenly, an inexplicable energy coursed sinuously through his limbs. The sensation was gentle, without any irritation, and incredibly refreshing. Wei Lai couldn't help but let out a satisfied sigh.

“See! I told you, Yakult is the most delicious drink in the world!” The youth’s voice was boisterous as he waved his hand. “Come on, let’s start today’s lesson!”

Wei Lai’s body moved instinctively to follow.

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“There are many defensive techniques, but my first lesson is the most fundamental of all: the importance of the body!”

The youth struck a bodybuilding pose. “Superior physical fitness lets you glide through defense effortlessly. Whether tackling or obstructing, you can use your body to overpower your opponent. A strong physique plays a crucial role in defense!”

“So, let’s happily train our bodies!”

His voice remained upbeat throughout. Wei Lai tilted his head and said, “But I’m only fifteen. My body hasn’t fully developed yet; I shouldn’t overtrain, right? Also, what should I call you?”

“You can call me Coach Yakult!”

Wei Lai grimaced—everything seemed to revolve around Yakult. How much did this guy love Yakult!

“Don’t worry. This place is different from the outside world. It won’t affect your development; it will only make your body stronger!” Though his face was veiled in mist, Wei Lai felt the youth wink at him. “Trust me, I’m a responsible instructor!”

“Core strength gives you better body control!”

“Leg strength lets you execute powerful moves!”

“Arm strength helps you protect yourself and keep opponents at bay!”

“Strong cardiovascular capacity is your foundation—making you a perpetual motion machine on the field!”

Coach Yakult waved his hand, and the once-crowded stadium cleared, transforming into an empty field.

“We’ll start with cardiovascular fitness. First, sprint intervals over a hundred meters. Let’s enjoy training together!”

Before Wei Lai could prepare, his body suddenly surged forward.

“Ah! What’s happening!”

Wei Lai cried out in terror. He felt his body out of control, running frantically, as if it were taken over.

Coach Yakult’s voice followed him like a shadow: “I’m testing your physical limits, then we’ll do anaerobic endurance training at the edge of those limits...”

Wei Lai sprinted again and again, feeling his muscles scream under relentless pressure. At first, he screamed loudly, but soon he lost the strength to shout.

He greedily gasped for air. His breathing started as sharp pants—huff, huff, huff—then shifted to heavy gasps, signaling his lungs’ distress at their maximum capacity.

After countless sprints, Wei Lai finally gained control over his body.

Thud!

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Wei Lai lay flat on the ground, drenched in sweat, feeling his entire body scream in agony. His heart pounded fiercely, and his lungs burned with searing pain.

He was utterly miserable!

“The standard 90-minute session pushes the body to its limits. After energy depletes, oxygen becomes scarce, and the body enters an anaerobic state. How long you can sustain this depends on the intensity of your anaerobic endurance training!”

Coach Yakult strolled over lazily. “Are you going to keep lying there?”

Wei Lai: “I... I can’t run anymore!”

Coach Yakult replied slowly, “Is that so? Sounds like you’re missing that rundown rental room of yours. While your teammates battle on the field, you can only…”

Before he finished, Wei Lai gritted his teeth and let out a low growl, forcing himself to stand. A faint green glow flickered in his eyes.

“What should I do now?”

Coach Yakult admired him: “Good boy!”

“Let’s keep running and push your physical limits. Don’t worry! Your heart won’t explode, and your lungs won’t fail.” The coach smiled devilishly. “Here, we can truly put our bodies through hell!”

Time and again, Wei Lai shattered his physiological limits! Time and again, he pushed himself to the point of vomiting!

Whenever he felt on the brink of collapse, a bottle of Yakult would appear in his hand.

Yakult had a miraculous effect: it eased extreme fatigue. While it couldn’t fully cure it, it helped tremendously.

Under these conditions, Wei Lai managed to persevere again and again.

After an unknown period, Coach Yakult laughed heartily and clapped his hands. “Excellent! Wonderful! The first cardiovascular training session is complete!”

Wei Lai lay on the ground, unwilling to move even a finger.

“Coach Yakult... how long is the semester’s course going to be?”

Coach Yakult sat beside him, sipping Yakult through a straw. “That depends on your performance. If you meet the graduation requirements, we’ll prepare a final exam!”

“A final exam?” Wei Lai turned to ask.

“Of course!” Coach Yakult smiled. “Once you graduate, you’ll learn my name!”

“You have a name?”

“Of course I do!” Coach Yakult grinned. “When you know my name, you’ll gain one of my abilities!”