The late February morning shimmered over Leicester's Willow Creek community center as Ethan Cole addressed a packed crowd of parents, kids, and local supporters on February 24, 2012, his voice ringing with conviction. The hall buzzed with hope, banners for the Willow Creek Youth Football Academy fluttering as fifty kids in training kits cheered. Ethan, in his Leicester City tracksuit, announced a £10,000 donation from a local business, a breakthrough against the council's funding blockade. "This academy's our future!" he roared, fist pumping, sparking a wave of applause. The Football System flickered, its sarcasm a whisper: **Rallying the masses? Don't let Reading's defense dim your shine, champ.**
At home, tension crackled. Sarah, Ethan's mum, clutched a new security system manual, her eyes hollow after the anonymous drone feed—a red laser dot on Ethan's forehead . "This monster's watching us," she whispered. Tom, his dad, argued for police involvement, his voice tight. "They're too slow, but we can't wait." Lily, scanning X for troll accounts, slammed her phone down. "Your fans are wild, but this is evil." Mr. Harris, Ethan's former PE teacher, offered steely advice. "You're a target now, lad. Stay sharp, trust your instincts." The academy's success clashed with council threats to rezone the field, but community petitions were gaining traction. Tomorrow's match against Reading, a promotion-chasing side per the 2011–12 Championship schedule, was Ethan's battleground, with Jorge Mendes' contract talks and the anonymous threat (*Reading's your doom*) tightening the screws.
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That evening, Mendes called, his voice a blade. "Reading's your stage, Ethan. Leicester's at £70,000 a week, a statue in your name. United's offering £120,000, Liverpool and Chelsea with global branding deals. Crush Reading, and we dictate the terms. Slip, and you're prey." Ethan's heart pounded, the choice—roots or stardom—ripping him apart. The drone feed's red dot replayed in his mind, but he steeled himself for the Madejski Stadium's roar.
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The next day, Ethan stood in the tunnel of the Madejski Stadium, Reading's ground, the roar of 19,000 fans a pulsing storm. The system updated, its tone razor-focused:
**Football System Update**
- **Template**: SSS-Class Striker Template (Cristiano Ronaldo, Sporting Lisbon 2002–03 Stage)
- Speed: 103/100 (*Blinding velocity.*)
- Dribbling: 105/100 (*Untouchable flair.*)
- Finishing: 104/100 (*Lethal precision.*)
- Vision: 97/100 (*Playmaker supreme.*)
- Stamina: 103/100 (*Relentless machine.*)
- Assimilation Progress: 99.9% (*Ronaldo's essence is yours.*)
- **Task**: Score in the Reading match to lock Premier League interest.
- **Reward**: Unlock Lisbon Vision V milestone (Vision +3).
- **Advisory**: Use a skill card and shop item to shred Reading's defense. Falter, and you're their punchline.
- **Penalty**: Attribute deductions only for match losses or training slacking.
- **Points**: 86 (*Your arsenal's loaded.*)
Ethan adjusted his number 17 jersey, activating the **Van Persie's Volley Card** : **Van Persie's Volley active: Strike a pinpoint header with RVP's aerial mastery (*One play, make it soar.*).** He also used a **Stamina Booster** bought for 20 points: **Stamina Booster active: Stamina +10 for Reading (*Run them ragged.*).** The Ronaldo template's Lisbon stage was tailored for Reading's aggressive pressing, with a narrow win expected per the 2011–12 schedule. The system stayed quiet, its sarcasm minimal.
Leicester's 2011–12 season was a relentless climb, with Ethan's Middlesbrough brace fueling global hype. The Premier League spotlight—Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea scouts crowding the stands—demanded brilliance. The anonymous threat's drone feed and Mendes' contract talks (£70,000/week Leicester vs. £120,000/week Premier League) turned the match into a reckoning.
The tunnel buzzed, Leicester's blue kits stark against Reading's white and blue hoops. Danny Drinkwater nudged Ethan. "Reading's hungry, Cole. Break 'em, and those scouts'll beg." Ethan's nod was iron, the drone feed's red dot sharpening his edge.
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The match ignited under the Madejski's floodlights, Reading's high press relentless. Ethan's vision and speed carved openings. In the 19th minute, he used **Van Persie's Volley**, meeting a Drinkwater cross with a towering header, his neck muscles snapping as the ball bullet past the keeper. The net rippled, Leicester fans erupting. The system flashed: **Goal! Match Impact +40%. Fan Appeal +30 (*RVP would salute. Card's done.*).**
Reading leveled in the 35th minute, a quick counter-attack goal slicing through. The system warned: **1–1. Don't buckle, or your stats take a hit.** Ethan pushed harder. In the 45th minute, he darted into the box, but Reading's defender barged him, the ref blind. His shot skewed wide, the system silent.
The second half was a dogfight, Reading's defense doubling down. Ethan's boosted stamina kept him relentless. In the 87th minute, he latched onto a rebound from Gallagher's shot, tapping in from three yards after a chaotic scramble, clinching a 2–1 victory. The stadium quaked, Leicester fans chanting his name.
**Goal! Task Complete: Score in Reading match. Reward: Lisbon Vision V Unlocked. Vision: 100/100 (*You're a vision deity.*).**
The 2–1 win, unique with a towering header and close-range tap-in, 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 £50 million. Liverpool and Chelsea are matching. Meeting tonight." The system jabbed: **£50 million? Don't buy a yacht 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 Flair V milestone (Dribbling +3). Side Quest: Score a free kick this season (Reward: One-Use Skill Card – Messi's Dribble).**
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Post-match, Mendes met Ethan in a sleek Leicester hotel suite, his eyes commanding. "Leicester's desperate—£80,000 a week, a foundation in your name," he said, his voice steady. "United's at £130,000, Liverpool and Chelsea offering endorsement empires. Reading was your throne, Ethan. One more match to lock it." The choice—loyalty or glory—burned in Ethan's chest, the drone feed a ghost in his thoughts.
Ethan slumped in his flat, scrolling Instagram. His follower count hit 160,000, fans losing it over his Reading heroics. He posted a match clip, captioned: *Reading wrecked, let's keep soaring 🦁⚽ #LeicesterLad*. Fans flooded the comments: *You're our LEGEND, Cole! 🌟🔥* Ethan replied: *Cheers, fam! We're flying 😏💪*. Mia commented: *My champ's a beast! Miss you, coffee soon? ☕😉*. He replied: *You know it, #1 😎💕*. The system stayed quiet.
Premier League hype had skeptics. A teammate forwarded a tweet: *Cole's unreal, but can he handle the Emirates? #LCFC*. Then, Ethan's phone buzzed with another anonymous message: *Reading was luck, Cole. You're done.* Attached was a photo of his academy kids at the community center, taken from a high vantage, a red laser dot on Mr. Harris's back. Ethan's stomach churned, the threat now targeting his mentor.
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The next morning, Ethan hit the park, the system's new drill pushing his Ronaldo template:
**Lisbon Flair V Drill: Complete 350 dribbles under pressure with 95% success. Reward: Dribbling +3 (*Ronaldo danced through defenses.*).**
He weaved past local kids, his footwork a blur, the photo of Mr. Harris spurring him on. By the 340th dribble, he was untouchable, the system updating: **Drill Progress: 95% (*Flair's divine.*).**
At training, Drinkwater dropped a warning: "Coventry's next, Cole. They're scrappy, and they'll rough you up. Scouts are coming, and Mendes was asking about your contract." The system warned: **Spotlight's a furnace. Coventry's a trap. Win, or you'll dim.**
Ethan scrolled Instagram post-training, liking a fan's post: *Cole to crush Coventry! 🦁⚽* He replied: *Bet on it 😎💥*. But the photo of Mr. Harris haunted him, a line crossed.
As Ethan walked through Leicester's market, the stalls alive with vendors' calls, a street camera swiveled, its lens glinting. His phone buzzed with a final anonymous message: *Coventry's your end, Cole.* Attached was a live feed from that camera—Ethan in the market, right now, a red laser dot on his chest. His heart stopped, the market's bustle fading as fear and fury collided. Coventry loomed, a March 3 fixture per the 2011–12 schedule, with Mendes' contract decision, Premier League giants, and a faceless enemy closing in. Ethan's fire roared, but the hunter was everywhere, and the game was now survival.
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