The night deepened over the city of Zeriot Malin, Paulo Lourenço stood outside the grand iron gates of Vincent Greenwood's mansion, the glow of the floodlights bathing his weary face in gold.
The defeat against Devertary United still weighed heavily on him but the message he had received from Greenwood's assistant earlier that evening had carried a tone too urgent to ignore.
He entered into the mansion with anxiety,as he stepped through the enormous glass doors, the scent of rich mahogany and aged wine filled the air.
Greenwood's assistant, an average height woman dressed in a black suit, met him with a polite nod before silently handing him a folded document.
Lourenço took it, his fingers trembling slightly. The seal of Anozira Airways was stamped at the top.
As his eyes traced the words "Contract Termination Notice" his expression fell. His throat tightened, and before he could hold it back, tears welled in his eyes. He closed the paper slowly, his voice breaking, "So this is it…"
From behind the marble desk, Vincent Greenwood, dressed in a sharp grey suit, leaned back in his chair with calm composure. "Lourenço," he began softly, "this isn't because I don't love Maraford.
You and I both know that team has history. But sentiment doesn't keep business alive. It's not yielding me the interest it once did."
Lourenço looked up sharply, disbelief mingling with pain. "You're pulling the sponsorship?"
Greenwood nodded once. "Effective immediately."
The silence that followed felt endless. Finally, Lourenço asked in a hoarse tone, "Then where does it go? Where does your money go now?"
Greenwood's eyes flicked toward him, calm yet cutting. "Devertary United."
Lourenço blinked, stunned. Then, slowly, a smirk twisted across his face. "You think you can just throw your wealth around and claim ownership of a club that easily? That's not how this world works, Vincent."
Greenwood chuckled lightly, standing from his seat. "Oh, but it is. You see, right after that match in Zeriot Malin, I had a private meeting. Confidential, of course. I've acquired Devertary United, bought it outright from the Darvent Corporation."
Lourenço's breath caught. "You… bought the entire club?"
Greenwood approached him slowly, his footsteps echoing against the marble floor.
He stopped beside him, leaning close enough for Lourenço to feel the faint scent of his cologne.
"I'm sorry, buddy," Greenwood whispered, his voice cold and deliberate, "but this is the end of Anozira Airways' sponsorship for Maraford. I have a bigger team to run after now."
He straightened, adjusted his cufflinks, and nodded to his bodyguards. As Greenwood strode out of the room, the two guards stepped forward, gently lifting Lourenço from the floor where he had dropped to his knees in disbelief.
The grand doors closed behind Greenwood, leaving the once-proud manager alone in the quiet of that vast, empty room the last symbol of Maraford's fallen era.
---
The scene shifts over to Devertary United Mansion.
The night air hummed softly over the estate grounds when Coach Harrison's phone buzzed.
He answered, his brow furrowing as he listened intently. Moments later, he hung up and immediately strode out to the training pitch, where the players were cooling down after a late session.
"Shark! Lucius! Ness! Deo!" Harrison called. "Come with me,now."
The four players exchanged puzzled looks but followed without hesitation.
At the front gates, a sleek black limo awaited ,its doors gleaming under the mansion lights.
On its side was a strange emblem: a sun and moon, half-covered in clouds, one glowing orange, the other purple, the two colors blending like dusk and dawn in eternal balance.
The players climbed in, with Harrison seated beside them.
"What's going on, Coach?" Ness asked, leaning forward.
Harrison sighed, rubbing his temple. "The club's ownership has changed. Devertary United was sold by the Darvent Corporation."
Deo frowned. "Sold? To who?"
Harrison hesitated. "Anozira Airways."
The car fell silent.
Shark was the first to speak. "Anozira? That's Maraford's sponsor… the reason they even have a name,as history has it."
Harrison nodded grimly. "You're right. But things change fast. Greenwood,the head of Anozira, now owns this club. He's requested to meet us tonight."
Deo exhaled, tension thick in his tone. "So what happens to Maraford now?"
"If they're lucky," Harrison replied, "another corporation will pick them up. If not… they'll fade."
Ness smirked faintly, trying to cut the tension. "At least the money's staying in Sweden."
Harrison gave a small nod. "True. But there's more. We won't be playing at the Darvent Stadium anymore. From now on, our home ground will be the Zeriot Malin Stadium, under new ownership."
The limo rolled smoothly through the night until the towering silhouette of Anozira Airport came into view.
An enormous complex stretching over ninety acres of shining glass and metal. Beyond it, a massive mansion rose like a fortress of light.
The limo followed a long, private road and stopped before the grand entrance. As the doors opened, the five men stepped out, greeted by a row of attendants and guards in matching dark uniforms.
They were escorted through a marble corridor into a crystal elevator that ascended to the topmost floor. When the doors slid open, they were led into a vast office, its panoramic glass walls overlooking the city.
Vincent Greenwood stood waiting, smiling confidently, six bodyguards stationed evenly around the room, his assistant beside him with a digital pad in hand.
"Gentlemen," Greenwood began warmly, gesturing to the seats before him.
"Welcome. From this moment on, Anozira Airways is not just your sponsor, I'm your new owner."
He clasped his hands. "About the stadium we'll remodel it. The dragon statues will be replaced with eagles. A symbol of dominance and vision."
He paused, smiling slightly. "But don't worry. The logo and kit remain unchanged. Devertary United keeps its identity,but with new wings."
Harrison stood and extended his hand. "Mr. Greenwood, on behalf of the team, thank you. We're honored to have you as our major sponsor and owner."
Greenwood shook his hand firmly. "The honor is mine, Coach. You've built something remarkable here."
He turned toward the players. "And you four I hope you all know you're the backbone of this team."
He nodded to his assistant, who tapped her pad. A large holographic screen lit up behind them, displaying clips and stats.
"Lucius," Greenwood said, pointing to the goalkeeper, "your saves, nothing short of phenomenal." The screen replayed his acrobatic deflections and point-blank stops.
"Deo," Greenwood continued, turning to the midfielder, "your coordination and passing vision, pure orchestration." Clips rolled of Deo threading passes between defenders, each leading to crucial plays.
He walked up to Ness next, shaking his hand with a proud grin. "Ness,your wild playstyle, your defense, your unpredictable rhythm,you bring chaos, and I love it."
Ness smirked. "What can I say? I'm just that good."
Finally, the screen switched to Shark, displaying his greatest goals;his debut strike, his goal against Night Phantom, and the crucial second goal versus Maraford.
Greenwood chuckled. "You're the genius of the Hantier League, Shark. But tell me,why stop there? Why not become the genius of the La Rima League?"
He looked at them all. "You four.... you're the pillars of Devertary United."
At his signal, the assistant swiped again. Fan comments began appearing on the screen:
> Xtron: "Shark is just what Devertary needed! But credit to Harrison,he built this machine."
>Boran: "Deo's passes and Ness's defense run the show. They make Shark shine."
>00ballwr: "Lucius is the silent wall. Without him, this team would've fallen long ago."
Greenwood gestured toward the screen. "See? This is how the world sees you. Don't forget your value."
His assistant stepped forward. "Before your next match, we'd like the four of you to film a short content video, announcing Anozira's partnership with Devertary United."
Harrison raised a hand. "That should include the whole team. Every player deserves that moment."
Greenwood nodded with a smile. "Of course. Either way, it will work."
As Harrison and the players rose to leave, Greenwood shook his hand once more. "Let's make history, Coach."
When the door closed behind them, Greenwood sat back, a satisfied smirk on his face.
His assistant approached quietly. "You handled that perfectly, sir."
But before Greenwood could respond, the office doors swung open.
A young woman stepped in....radiant, confident, with a spark in her eyes.
"Father," she began, her tone sharp yet curious, "is it true? You just signed with Devertary United?"
Greenwood smiled proudly. "Yes. They left not two minutes ago."
Her eyes widened. "Then you have to let me interview them,please. It'll be perfect for my media startup. This could launch my organization's name overnight."
Greenwood leaned back, a proud grin spreading across his face. "You're persistent, just like me. Fine. I'll make the arrangements."
As she smiled brightly, the night skyline of Zeriot Malin gleamed behind the Anoriza Airways about 500 meter away.
A new era rising, one built not on loyalty, but on power, ambition, and the shifting empires of football.