By the next morning, Ren couldn't even walk through Aurelia Prime without seeing his own face.
Billboards flickered above the skyways:
"Messiah #99 — Still Standing Without a Coach!"
News drones followed him down the street, narrating every step. Vendors shouted, "Coachless Messiah Bento! Half price if you finish it in five bites!"
Ren wanted to bury himself in a court wall. "Why... why is eating suddenly content?"
Maria, of course, reveled in it. She slipped her sunglasses down, smirking as the crowd swarmed. "You should thank me, chico. People adore drama. Coach suspended, player survives alone? It's like a telenovela."
Shizuka walked two steps ahead, arms crossed, jaw tight. She refused to look at either of them.
The chaos reached its peak when a black sedan slid silently beside them. Out stepped a man in a silver suit, too polished for Aurelia's streets. His smile was colder than glass.
"Mr. Tachibana," he said smoothly. "Or should I say... Messiah."
Ren tensed. "Who are you?"
The man bowed just enough to mock. "Representative of Apex Sports Syndicate. My client list includes three Top 20 players. I'll make this brief: You're hot right now. Trending. But heat fades fast. Sign with us, and I'll guarantee protection. Easy draws. Fat bonuses. We can even fast-track you into the Top 50."
Maria's eyes narrowed. "He's basically selling corruption, cariño."
Ren's stomach knotted. The man's voice was too calm, too certain.
"And if I don't?" Ren asked.
The man's smile sharpened. "Then we let the League swallow you. Do you think you'll last long without a coach, without allies? Crowds are fickle. They'll cheer you today and forget you tomorrow."
Shizuka finally turned, her glare like frost. "Get lost. He doesn't need snakes whispering in his ear."
The agent didn't even flinch. "Think carefully, Messiah. When the storm comes, even gods drown." He slipped a card into Ren's hand and vanished back into the sedan.
Ren stared at the silver card. No name. Just a logo: a coiled serpent around a racket.
His HUD flickered faintly:
[Warning: External Influence Detected.]
[Note: Survival Odds—Decreased without Stable Alliance.]
He clenched the card until it bent. "No shortcuts. If I win, it's on my own terms."
But even as he said it, he couldn't shake the truth.
In Aurelia, fame was a leash. And someone was already tightening it.
Padel Knowledge Break #13 — Sponsorship & Wealth (Ch.65)
Breaking into the Top 100 isn't just prestige—it's economics. Pro padel athletes earn from:
• Prize pools (increasing exponentially past Round of 32).
• Sponsorships (gear, apparel, energy brands).
• Media rights (streaming highlights, interviews).
In Aurelia, sponsorship deals can be blessings orchains. Wealth buys better training, but corrupt contracts may demand fixedoutcomes. A Messiah who rises without backing? That shakes the entire system.