The mid-February dawn bathed Leicester's Willow Creek park in a soft glow as Ethan Cole coached his academy kids through passing drills on February 13, 2012, their shouts echoing across the frosty field. The grass sparkled with dew, and the forty-five kids enrolled in the Willow Creek Youth Football Academy buzzed with energy, their Leicester City scarves waving as Ethan demonstrated a crisp one-touch pass. "Head up, feel the ball!" he called, high-fiving a girl who nailed it. Parents cheered from the sidelines, snapping photos, their pride a warmth against the chill. The Football System flickered, its sarcasm a whisper: **Inspiring the next gen? Don't let Cardiff's defense snuff your flame, champ.**
Inside his family's cozy living room, the mood was tense. Sarah, Ethan's mum, clutched a council rejection letter for academy funding, her eyes shadowed after the anonymous audio feed—Ethan's training banter recorded by a hidden mic . "This stalker's in our lives," she said, voice trembling. Tom, his dad, paced, his fists tight. "We're getting security, son. No debate." Lily, scrolling through Instagram threats, frowned. "Your fans are crazy, but this is next-level creepy." Mr. Harris, Ethan's old PE teacher, sat grim-faced. "Fame's a magnet for danger, lad. Trust no one outside your circle." The academy's £12,000 funding gap and council delays threatened its future, but Ethan's resolve hardened. Tomorrow's match against Cardiff City, a top-four side per the 2011–12 Championship schedule, was his crucible, with Jorge Mendes' contract talks and the anonymous threat (*Cardiff's your endgame*) clawing at his nerves.
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That evening, Mendes called, his tone razor-sharp. "Cardiff's your proving ground, Ethan. Leicester's offering £50,000 a week, a decade-long legacy. United's at £90,000, Liverpool and Chelsea matching, with global fame. Win tomorrow, and we dictate terms. Falter, and you're vulnerable." Ethan's pulse raced, the choice—home or empire—tearing at his core. The hidden mic audio feed replayed in his mind, but he focused on the Cardiff City Stadium's roar.
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The next day, Ethan stood in the tunnel of the Cardiff City Stadium, the roar of 20,000 fans a seismic pulse. The system updated, its tone laser-focused:
**Football System Update**
- **Template**: SSS-Class Striker Template (Cristiano Ronaldo, Sporting Lisbon 2002–03 Stage)
- Speed: 100/100 (*Lightning unleashed.*)
- Dribbling: 105/100 (*Flair divine.*)
- Finishing: 101/100 (*Sniper supreme.*)
- Vision: 97/100 (*Playmaker elite.*)
- Stamina: 103/100 (*Endurance titan.*)
- Assimilation Progress: 99.9% (*Ronaldo's soul is yours.*)
- **Task**: Score in the Cardiff match to lock Premier League interest.
- **Reward**: Unlock Lisbon Precision V milestone (Finishing +3).
- **Advisory**: Use a skill card and shop item to dismantle Cardiff's defense. Flinch, and you're their highlight reel.
- **Penalty**: Attribute deductions only for match losses or training slacking.
- **Points**: 86 (*Your arsenal's primed.*)
Ethan cinched his number 17 jersey, activating the **Ronaldinho's Joga Bonito Card** (one-use, from Chapter 36): **Ronaldinho's Joga Bonito active: Dazzle with Ronnie's freestyle magic (*One play, make it art.*).** He also used a **Focus Enhancer** bought for 20 points: **Focus Enhancer active: Mental Focus +10 for Cardiff (*Mind like a blade.*).** The Ronaldo template's Lisbon stage was tailored for Cardiff's rugged defense, where a narrow win was expected per the 2011–12 schedule. The system held its breath, its sarcasm minimal.
Leicester's 2011–12 season was a relentless grind, with Ethan's Birmingham brace fueling global hype. The Premier League spotlight—Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea scouts packing the stands—craved brilliance. The anonymous threat's hidden mic and Mendes' contract talks (£50,000/week Leicester vs. £90,000/week Premier League) turned the match into a cauldron. .
The tunnel thrummed, Leicester's blue kits stark against Cardiff's red. Danny Drinkwater nudged Ethan. "Cardiff's physical, Cole. Smash 'em, and those scouts'll be on their knees." Ethan's nod was iron, the hidden mic audio feed sharpening his edge.
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The match ignited under the Cardiff City Stadium's floodlights, Cardiff's defense a fortress of grit. Ethan's vision and focus carved openings. In the 17th minute, he used **Ronaldinho's Joga Bonito**, flicking the ball over a defender with a cheeky elastico, then lobbing a delicate chip over the keeper from 15 yards. The ball floated, kissing the net as the crowd gasped, Leicester fans roaring. The system flashed: **Goal! Match Impact +40%. Fan Appeal +30 (*Ronnie would wink. Card's done.*).**
Cardiff leveled in the 28th minute, a low drive sneaking past Schmeichel. The system cautioned: **1–1. Don't crumble, or your stats bleed.** Ethan surged forward. In the 38th minute, Gallagher crossed. Ethan leaped, but Cardiff's defender shoved him, the ref blind. His header sailed wide, the system quiet.
The second half was a war, Cardiff's defense doubling down. Ethan's stamina kept him relentless. In the 85th minute, with his focus enhancer humming, he won a free kick 22 yards out after a defender's clumsy tackle. Ethan stepped up, curling a pinpoint shot over the wall, the ball arcing into the top corner, the keeper rooted. The stadium erupted, Leicester fans in ecstasy, clinching a 2–1 victory.
**Goal! Task Complete: Score in Cardiff match. Reward: Lisbon Precision V Unlocked. Finishing: 104/100 (*You're a finishing deity.*).**
The 2–1 win, unique with a chip goal and a curling free kick, aligned with expectations for a strong team, Ethan's brace earning him man of the match. A staffer whispered: "Mendes says United's bid hit £40 million. Liverpool and Chelsea are pushing. Meeting tonight." The system jabbed: **£40 million? Don't buy a castle yet, mate.**
The system flared: **Points Earned: 50 (25 for win, 25 for two goals). New Task: Score in the next match to lock Premier League interest. Reward: Lisbon Surge III milestone (Speed +3). Side Quest: Assist in three consecutive matches (Reward: One-Use Skill Card – Zidane's Roulette).**
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Post-match, Mendes met Ethan in a tense Leicester boardroom, his gaze piercing. "Leicester's all-in—£60,000 a week, club icon status," he said, his voice low. "United's at £100,000, Liverpool and Chelsea offering private jets. Cardiff was your crown, Ethan. One more match to seal your fate." The choice—legacy or legend—burned in Ethan's chest, the hidden mic audio feed a ghost in his thoughts.
Ethan slumped in his flat, scrolling Instagram. His follower count hit 140,000, fans raving over his Cardiff heroics. He shared a match clip, captioned: *Cardiff conquered, we're unstoppable 🦁⚽ #LeicesterLad*. Fans swarmed the comments: *You're our KING, Cole! 🌟🔥* Ethan fired back: *Thanks, fam! Let's soar 😏💪*. Mia commented: *My champ's a legend! Miss you, see you soon? 😘😉*. He replied: *Can't wait, #1 😎💕*. The system held back, letting the hype surge.
Premier League buzz stirred skeptics. A teammate sent a tweet: *Cole's unreal, but can he survive Anfield? #LCFC*. Then, Ethan's phone lit up with another anonymous message: *Cardiff was a fluke, Cole. Your time's up.* Attached was a photo of his academy kids training, taken from the shadows, a red laser dot on a boy's chest. Ethan's stomach churned, the threat now targeting innocents.
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The next morning, Ethan tore through the park, the system's new drill pushing his Ronaldo template:
**Lisbon Surge III Drill: Blaze through 350 sprints with 95% intensity. Reward: Speed +3 (*Ronaldo was a phantom.*).**
He flew past local kids, his speed a storm, the photo of the academy kid fueling his fury. By the 340th sprint, he was untouchable, the system flashing: **Drill Progress: 95% (*Speed's elite.*).**
At training, Drinkwater warned: "Middlesbrough's next, Cole. They're tough, and they'll target you. Scouts are coming, and Mendes was asking about your contract." The system cautioned: **Spotlight's a blaze. Middlesbrough's a gauntlet. Win, or you'll fade.**
Ethan scrolled Instagram post-training, liking a fan's post: *Cole to crush Middlesbrough! 🦁⚽* He replied: *Count on it 😎💥*. But the photo of the academy kid haunted him, a line he couldn't let the hunter cross.
As Ethan stood outside the academy field, watching his kids train, a package arrived—unmarked, left by the gate. Inside was a burner phone, its screen flashing: *Middlesbrough's your grave, Cole.* The phone vibrated, playing a live video feed—his family eating dinner at home, unaware, a red laser dot dancing on Sarah's shoulder. His heart stopped, the field's warmth turning to ice as terror gripped him. Middlesbrough loomed, a February 18 fixture per the 2011–12 schedule, with Mendes' contract deadline, Premier League giants, and a faceless hunter ready to strike. Ethan's fire blazed, but the hunter was inside his life, and the endgame was now.
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