The mid-January sun broke through Leicester's morning mist as Ethan Cole led a pack of kids across Willow Creek's frosty community field on January 13, 2012, their shouts echoing with raw excitement. The crunch of icy grass underfoot mixed with the thump of balls, as Ethan, in his Leicester City tracksuit, demonstrated a curling shot that rattled a makeshift goalpost. "That's how you bend it!" he called, high-fiving a grinning girl who'd just mimicked him. The first Willow Creek Youth Football trials were underway, with twenty kids vying for spots in his academy dream. Their energy was infectious, a spark that lit Ethan's fire for tomorrow's Championship clash against Nottingham Forest. The Football System hummed, its sarcasm a whisper: **Inspiring the next gen? Don't let Forest's defense school you, champ.**
Inside the community hall, Ethan's family watched, their pride palpable. Sarah, his mum, served hot cocoa, her eyes misty as she hugged him. "You're changing lives, love," she said. Tom, his dad, clapped his shoulder, marveling at the turnout. Lily, snapping photos for the academy's new Instagram, teased, "You're a proper celebrity now, big bro." But Mr. Harris, Ethan's grizzled PE teacher, pulled him aside, his voice low. "This academy's gold, lad, but fame's a trap. Premier League clubs are circling—you need to stay sharp." Ethan nodded, Harris's warning echoing the anonymous threat (*Enjoy the spotlight, Cole. It won't last.*) that still haunted him. The trials faced hurdles—local council red tape, funding gaps—but the kids' passion fueled Ethan's resolve. Tomorrow's match was a chance to prove he was more than hype, with Jorge Mendes' contract talks looming.
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That evening, Ethan's phone buzzed with a text from Mendes: *Forest match is key. United, Liverpool, Chelsea watching. Contract talks after. Be ready.* The agent's words sharpened his focus, the weight of his Leicester future and Premier League dreams colliding. The anonymous threat gnawed deeper, but Ethan pushed it aside, his mind on the City Ground's roar.
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The next day, Ethan stood in the tunnel of the City Ground, Nottingham Forest's stadium, the roar of 25,000 fans a thunderous pulse. The system updated, its tone razor-sharp:
**Football System Update**
- **Template**: SSS-Class Striker Template (Cristiano Ronaldo, Sporting Lisbon 2002–03 Stage)
- Speed: 100/100 (*Blinding blitz.*)
- Dribbling: 102/100 (*God-tier flair.*)
- Finishing: 98/100 (*Lethal sniper.*)
- Vision: 94/100 (*Playmaker elite.*)
- Stamina: 100/100 (*Unstoppable machine.*)
- Assimilation Progress: 97% (*Ronaldo's fire is yours.*)
- **Task**: Score in the Nottingham Forest match to lock Premier League interest.
- **Reward**: Unlock Lisbon Precision IV milestone (Finishing +3).
- **Advisory**: Use a skill card and shop item to torch Forest's defense. Slack off, and you're their meme.
- **Penalty**: Attribute deductions only for match losses or training slacking.
- **Points**: 86 (*Spend wisely, champ.*)
Ethan adjusted his number 17 jersey, activating the **Ronaldinho's No-Look Pass Card** (one-use, from Chapter 32): **Ronaldinho's No-Look Pass active: Thread a blind pass with Ronnie's magic (*One play, make it legendary.*).** He also used a **Clutch Finisher** bought for 30 points: **Clutch Finisher active: Finishing +15 in final 10 minutes (*Crunch time's yours.*).**
Leicester's 2011–12 Championship season was a crucible, with Ethan's Doncaster rout making him a global name. The Premier League spotlight—Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea scouts filling the stands—demanded a performance for the ages. The anonymous threat and Mendes' contract talks (Leicester extension vs. Premier League move) added electric stakes.
The tunnel roared, Leicester's blue kits gleaming beside Forest's red. Danny Drinkwater nudged Ethan. "Forest's out for blood, Cole. Break 'em, and those scouts'll be begging." Ethan nodded, his focus a blade.
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The match kicked off under the City Ground's floodlights, Forest's defense a wall of aggression. Ethan's vision and speed sliced through gaps. In the 10th minute, he used **Ronaldinho's No-Look Pass**, flicking a blind ball to Gallagher without looking, who fired a shot the keeper parried. The crowd gasped, and the system noted: **Match Impact +10 (*Ronnie would grin. Card's done.*).**
Forest scored in the 15th minute, a rocket from a midfielder beating Schmeichel. The system warned: **Down 1–0. Don't lose, or you're kissing stats goodbye.** Ethan pushed harder. In the 25th minute, Nugent crossed. Ethan outjumped a defender, but Forest's center-back slammed into him, a missed foul. His header went wide, the system silent.
In the 38th minute, Ethan struck. He intercepted a pass, danced through two defenders with Ronaldo's flair, and rifled a curling shot past the keeper. The net rippled, Leicester fans erupting, a sea of blue in the stands.
**Goal! Lisbon Precision IV Progress: 50%. Match Impact +30%. Fan Appeal +20 (*Scouts are buzzing.*).**
Halftime came at 1–1, Nigel Pearson nodding. "You're their nightmare, Cole." The system updated: **Task Progress: 90%. One more goal or assist (*Keep it tight.*).**
The second half was a war, Forest's defense doubling down. Ethan's stamina kept him relentless, outrunning tiring defenders. In the 88th minute, with the clutch finisher blazing, he latched onto a through ball and fired a clinical shot into the top corner, the ball kissing the net like a lover. The stadium roared, Leicester fans chanting "Cole! Cole!" as Forest's supporters fell silent.
**Goal! Task Complete: Score in Nottingham Forest match. Reward: Lisbon Precision IV Unlocked. Finishing: 101/100 (*You're a finishing god.*).**
The match ended 2–1, Leicester victorious with a one-goal difference. Ethan's brace earned him man of the match, the crowd's chants echoing as he waved to the stands. A staffer whispered: "Mendes says United's bid is £20 million. Liverpool and Chelsea are countering. Contract talks tomorrow." The system quipped: **£20 million? Don't buy a castle yet, hotshot.**
The system glowed: **Points Earned: 50 (25 for win, 25 for two goals). New Task: Score in the next match to lock Premier League interest. Reward: Lisbon Dynamo IV milestone (Stamina +3). Side Quest: Win man of the match in two consecutive games (Reward: One-Use Skill Card – Zlatan's Scorpion Kick).**
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Post-match, Mendes called, his voice calm but urgent. "Leicester's offering a new contract—big raise, long-term. United, Liverpool, and Chelsea want you now, but staying could make you a legend here. We'll meet tomorrow. Think hard, Ethan." The weight of the decision—loyalty to Leicester or a Premier League leap—pressed heavy, amplified by the anonymous threat's shadow.
Ethan crashed at his flat, scrolling Instagram. His follower count hit 100,000, fans losing their minds over his Forest brace. He posted a match clip, captioned: *Forest burned, let's keep climbing 🦁⚽ #LeicesterLad*. Fans flooded the comments: *You're our GOD, Cole! 🌟🔥* Ethan replied: *Cheers, fam! We're just starting 😏💪*. Mia commented: *My champ's unstoppable! Coffee soon? ☕😉*. He replied: *You know it, #1 😎💕*. The system stayed silent, letting the buzz hum.
The Premier League hype had skeptics. A teammate forwarded a tweet from a pundit: *Cole's a phenomenon, but can he handle United's pressure? #LCFC*. Worse, Ethan's phone buzzed with another anonymous text: *You're flying high, Cole. Crash is coming.* Attached was a grainy photo of him leaving the City Ground, taken from the shadows. His blood ran cold, the threat no longer just words.
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The next morning, Ethan hit the park, the system's new drill pushing his Ronaldo template:
**Lisbon Dynamo IV Drill: Complete 350 sprints with 95% stamina retention. Reward: Stamina +3 (*Ronaldo never stopped.*).**
He blazed through, his speed a storm, the anonymous photo spurring him on. By the 340th sprint, he was relentless, the system updating: **Drill Progress: 95% (*Beast mode engaged.*).**
At training, Drinkwater dropped a bomb: "Forest fans are raging, Cole. Next match is Southampton—they're top of the league. Scouts are coming, and Mendes was asking about your contract." The system warned: **Spotlight's a furnace. Southampton's a crucible. Win, or you'll dim it.**
Ethan scrolled Instagram post-training, liking a fan's post: *Cole to crush Southampton! 🦁⚽* He replied: *Bet on it 😎💥*. But the anonymous photo haunted him, a specter he couldn't shake.
As Ethan stood on his balcony, Leicester's skyline aglow under a starless night, his phone vibrated again. Another anonymous message: *Southampton's your stage, Cole. Fail, and you're done.* Attached was a new photo—Ethan at the park that morning, coaching kids, taken from a distance. His heart pounded, the city's lights blurring as fear and fury battled within. Southampton loomed, a top-table clash, with Mendes' contract talks, Premier League giants, and a faceless enemy circling. Ethan's fire roared, but the shadow was closing in, and the world was watching.