Ethan's phone almost slipped from his grasp. He read Leo's text again, then a third time, the glowing words seeming to pulse with an impossible energy.
I'M IN THE GAME!
For a full ten seconds, Ethan's brain felt like a frozen computer. He could hear his own heartbeat in his ears. The bombshells had been coming one after another—the game's connection to reality, the secret society of managers, GridironGuru's rivalry—but this one was different.
This was personal. This was his best friend.
His thumbs, clumsy with shock, began to type.
Ethan:You're messing with me. This isn't funny.
Leo:I AM 1000% NOT MESSING WITH YOU. I'm lying in the pod right now! It's exactly like you described! The white, the hum, everything!
Ethan:How?! Your dad's severance package? What kind of company gives out neural-dive pods?!
Leo:It's some mega-corp called 'Aetheria Dynamics'. They bought my dad's smaller tech firm. He said the package was weird. They offered him a huge cash bonus or this 'simulator'. He thought it was a tax write-off gimmick and was going to throw it out! I begged him to take it just in case. The delivery guys in the gray jumpsuits dropped it off an hour ago!
Ethan's mind flashed back to the delivery of his own pod. The same unmarked van, the same professional, discreet delivery. It wasn't a prize. It was a deployment.
Ethan:Okay. Okay. I believe you. Wow. So… have you done it? The setup?
Leo:Just finished! My avatar looks like a taller, cooler version of me, obviously. I just got my team!
Ethan leaned forward, his knuckles white as he gripped his phone. This was the crucial part. The game's allocation would define Leo's entire journey.
Ethan:And? Who'd you get? Please don't say you got a Premier League team.
Leo:Haha, no. My luck's not that good. I got an English League Two team. A club called Crewe Alexandra.
Ethan let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. League Two. The fourth tier.
A level below him. It was a tough, gritty starting point, but it meant they weren't direct rivals from day one.
Ethan:Okay, Crewe. They're famous for their youth academy in the real world. Solid start. What did you name your club?
Leo:Orion FC. You know, like the constellation. The Hunter. Thought it sounded cool.
Ethan:Orion FC. I like it. But what about the most important part? The wonderkid?
There was a pause. Ethan could almost feel Leo's dramatic tension through the screen.
A new message finally appeared, glowing with excitement.
Leo:They gave me a defender! A 17-year-old center-back from Argentina. His name is Matias Gallardo. He's only got a 64 Current Ability, but Ethan… his Potential is 92. S-Rank!
An S-Rank defender. Not quite the SSS-Rank of Emre Demir, but still a world-class, game-changing talent. A defensive rock to build a team around. It was a perfect counterpoint to Ethan's attacking jewel.
Ethan:A 92 potential defender?! Leo, that's insane! You have your cornerstone! We both have our future captains!
Leo:I know! I was watching his little highlight reel. He's a beast! Strong, fast, reads the game like a veteran. My team is gonna be a fortress!
They texted back and forth for another ten minutes, Leo recounting every detail of his setup, from choosing his club's colors (a striking black and gold) to the bewildered expressions on his new players' faces. The shared experience, the secret language they now both spoke, was exhilarating. They weren't just two friends talking about a game anymore. They were two managers, two founders, two rivals in a world no one else knew existed.
Then, a thought struck Ethan, so obvious and so brilliant that he couldn't believe he hadn't considered it before. The game wasn't just a single-player journey against NPCs and a few top-tier rivals.
Ethan:Leo. Wait.
Leo:What? Did your game just give you another secret trait?
Ethan:No. Better. My next friendly is against Ipswich in a couple of days. But the schedule has open slots after that.
Leo:...Yeah? So?
Ethan:So, we can schedule our own friendlies. Against other human players.
The pause on the other end was electric. Ethan could picture Leo sitting up in his own pod, the same dawning realization hitting him.
Leo:You. Me.
Ethan:Apex United vs. Orion FC.
Leo:My S-Rank defensive rock against your SSS-Rank attacking player.
Ethan:The first-ever match of the Couch-Leo derby!
Leo:DUDE. WE HAVE TO DO IT. We have to! Can you schedule it now?!
Ethan was already navigating the menus in his mind.
"Let me check." He logged back into the game via his computer, his hands flying across the keyboard. He went to the scheduling tab, his heart pounding with a new kind of excitement. It was one thing to beat an NPC team. It was another thing entirely to face your best friend.
He found an open date four days from now. He clicked on "Arrange Friendly" and then "Search for User-Managed Club." He typed in 'Orion FC'.
A single result popped up. The black and gold crest of Orion FC, managed by 'LeoTheHunter'.
Ethan grinned. He clicked the button.
[Send Friendly Match Invitation to Orion FC?]
[The Apex Stadium | 4 Days From Now]
He hit [CONFIRM] without a second's hesitation.
His phone buzzed instantly.
Leo:I GOT IT! THE INVITE IS HERE! 'Apex United has formally invited you to a pre-season friendly.' This is so official! I'm accepting! YES! It's locked in!
They had a match. A real match. Their two secret projects were about to collide. The implications were huge. They could test their tactics, scout each other's players, and establish bragging rights that would last a lifetime.
Ethan:Get ready, Leo. Emre is going to turn your S-Rank defender into dust.
Leo:You wish! Matias Gallardo is going to have Emre in his pocket all game. Your boy won't even get a sniff of the goal!
The friendly banter, the competitive trash talk they had shared for years over games of FIFA on a console, suddenly felt real. It had stakes. It had meaning.
Ethan laughed, feeling a pure, uncomplicated joy that eclipsed even the thrill of his first victory.
The game was incredible, the secret world was mind-blowing, but sharing it with his best friend? That was the best part of all.
The mountain he had to climb, with GridironGuru and 'Prodigy' at the summit, suddenly didn't seem so lonely. He had a fellow climber now, a friendly rival to push him every step of the way.
Ethan:Four days. Get your team ready. You're going to need it.
Leo:Bring it on, gaffer. Bring it on.