The mid-March afternoon sun lit up Leicester's Victoria Park as Ethan Cole kicked a ball around with a group of local teens on March 16, 2012. Laughter echoed as he nutmegged a kid, who groaned but grinned. "You're too good, Cole!" one shouted. Ethan laughed, passing the ball back. "Keep practicing, mate. You'll get me next time." A few fans snapped pics, yelling, "Smash Derby tomorrow!" Ethan gave a thumbs-up, his mood light despite the weight on his mind—Mia Hart's text, *Fancy a pizza night at mine, champ? 🍕😉*, had him buzzing, but the anonymous threat's restaurant photo with his reflection circled was a gut punch. The Football System chimed, keeping it chill: **Park's your playground? Don't let Derby's defense ruin your flow, man.**
Ethan was loving these slices of life. Football was everything, but messing about in the park, planning a low-key night with Mia, and feeling Leicester's pulse kept him grounded. Jorge Mendes was turning up the heat on his contract, with Leicester begging him to stay and Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea offering crazy deals. The anonymous stalker, now creeping into his downtime, was a problem, but Ethan wasn't about to hide. His quest for the Championship Golden Boot and title, with a Ronaldo template upgrade as the reward, kept him sharp. Tonight, he'd chill with Mia; tomorrow, he'd light up Pride Park.
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At Mia's flat, the smell of fresh pizza filled the air, fairy lights casting a cozy glow. Mia, in a loose band tee and shorts, handed Ethan a slice, her pink hair messy from cooking. "You're gonna wreck Derby, right?" she asked, plopping onto the couch beside him, her tone playful but proud. Ethan took a bite, leaning back, different from his usual cocky vibe. "Planning on it, but let's talk about you. How's the art gig going?" Mia's eyes lit up, a new angle from their usual flirty banter. "Got a gallery spot next month. Nervous as hell." Ethan nodded, genuinely curious. "That's massive. You gonna paint me scoring?" She laughed, shoving his shoulder. "Only if you dedicate a goal to me 😎." They talked for hours, the vibe relaxed but warm, Later, she texted: *Kill it tomorrow, champ! Pizza night was dope 🍕💕*. Ethan replied: *You're the real MVP 😏*. This was Ethan living his life, not just chasing the next match.
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The next day, Ethan stood in the Pride Park tunnel, Derby County's stadium, the crowd's roar hitting like a freight train. The system checked in, all business:
**Football System Update**
- **Template**: SSS-Class Striker Template (Cristiano Ronaldo, Sporting Lisbon 2002–03 Stage)
- Speed: 103/100 (Lightning quick.)
- Dribbling: 108/100 (Smooth as silk.)
- Finishing: 107/100 (Lethal finisher.)
- Vision: 100/100 (Reads the game like a book.)
- Stamina: 103/100 (Runs all day.)
- Assimilation Progress: 99.9% (Ronaldo's DNA is yours.)
- **Task**: Score in the Derby match to keep Premier League clubs buzzing.
- **Reward**: Unlock Lisbon Surge IV milestone (Speed +3).
- **Advisory**: Use a skill card and shop item to slice through Derby's defense. Slip, and you're their viral clip.
- **Penalty**: Stats drop only for losses or slacking in training.
- **Points**: 86 (Locked and loaded.)
Ethan adjusted his number 17 jersey, activating the **Iniesta's Pass Card** (one-use, from Chapter 41): **Iniesta's Pass active: Thread a killer pass with Andrés' vision (One play, make it magic.)** He also grabbed a **Finishing Booster** for 20 points: **Finishing Booster active: Finishing +10 for Derby (Bury every chance.)** The Ronaldo template's Lisbon stage was ideal for Derby's physical setup, with a win expected per the 2011–12 schedule. The system stayed cool.
Leicester's season was a battle, with Ethan's Bristol City brace making him a household name. Scouts from United, Liverpool, and Chelsea packed the stands, notebooks out. The anonymous threat's restaurant photo and Mendes' contract talks (£100,000/week Leicester vs. £150,000/week Premier League) cranked up the stakes.
The tunnel buzzed, Leicester's blue kits sharp against Derby's white. Danny Drinkwater, usually all hype, leaned in, his tone serious but new. "Derby's out for blood, Cole. You've got this, but watch their midfield. Sneaky bastards." Ethan nodded, the restaurant photo pushing him to stay sharp.
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The match kicked off under Pride Park's lights, Derby pressing hard. Ethan's vision and speed found gaps. In the 18th minute, he used **Iniesta's Pass**, threading a pinpoint ball through four defenders for Nugent to smash home. Leicester fans roared, Derby's crowd groaning. The system pinged: **Assist! Match Impact +30%. Fan Appeal +20 (Iniesta would smile. Card's gone.)**
Derby hit back in the 30th minute, a header from a corner sneaking past Schmeichel. The system nudged: **1–1. Dig in, or you're in trouble.** Ethan stepped up. In the 44th minute, he latched onto a loose ball 20 yards out, his boosted finishing guiding a volley that screamed into the bottom corner. The stadium shook, Leicester fans chanting his name.
**Goal! Lisbon Surge IV Progress: 50%. Match Impact +40% (Scouts are buzzing.)**
The second half was a slugfest, Derby's defense tightening. Ethan's stamina kept him going. In the 82nd minute, he raced onto a through ball, saw the keeper off his line, and chipped the ball over him from 15 yards, the ball floating into the net for a 3–1 win. The crowd erupted, Leicester fans in a frenzy.
**Goal! Task Complete: Score in Derby match. Reward: Lisbon Surge IV Unlocked. Speed: 106/100 (You're a speed demon.)**
The 3–1 win, unique with a volley and chip goal plus an assist, fit the goal difference for a mid-table team like Derby, Ethan's performance earning him man of the match. A staffer whispered: "Mendes says United's bid's at £65 million. Liverpool and Chelsea are pushing hard. Meeting tonight." The system quipped: **£65 million? Don't buy a spaceship yet, man.**
The system updated: **Points Earned: 75 (25 for win, 25 for two goals, 25 for assist). New Task: Score in the next match to keep Premier League interest. Reward: Lisbon Vision VI milestone (Vision +3). Side Quest: Score a penalty this season (Reward: One-Use Skill Card – Pirlo's Panenka).**
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After the match, Mendes met Ethan at a Leicester steakhouse, his vibe intense but human. "Leicester's offering £110,000 a week, a street named after you," he said, cutting into his ribeye. "United's at £160,000, Liverpool and Chelsea promising Netflix docs. Derby was your stage, Ethan. Next match seals it." Ethan didn't nod like usual; he leaned forward, his tone new. "What's the catch with these big clubs, Jorge? I don't want to be a benchwarmer." Mendes raised an eyebrow, impressed. "United guarantees starts. Liverpool's rebuilding, riskier. Chelsea's a gamble." Their talk felt like a real negotiation, not the same old script.
Ethan kicked back at his flat, scrolling Instagram. His followers hit 190,000, fans going wild over his Derby goals. He posted a clip, captioned: *Derby done, let's keep climbing 🦁⚽ #LeicesterLad*. Comments blew up: *You're a god, Cole! 🌟🔥* He replied: *Thanks, fam! We're rolling 😏💪*. Mia commented: *Champ's unstoppable! Pizza was fun, next date? 🍕😉*. He shot back: *Name the spot, #1 😎💕*. He checked Hollywood gossip: "Drake's New Tour Hype 🎤🔥" and "Margot Robbie's Barbie Role Buzz 🎬👀." The system stayed quiet.
The Premier League buzz had skeptics. A teammate texted a tweet: *Cole's a freak, but can he handle Stamford Bridge? #LCFC*. Ethan smirked, texting back: *We'll see, mate.* But his phone buzzed with another anonymous message: *Derby was a fluke, Cole. You're done.* Attached was a video of him kicking around in Victoria Park yesterday, filmed from a car, his face zoomed in with a red outline. Ethan's chest tightened, the threat invading his chill moments.
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The next morning, Ethan hit the park, the system's new drill pushing his Ronaldo template:
**Lisbon Vision VI Drill: Complete 350 through balls with 95% accuracy. Reward: Vision +3 (Ronaldo saw the game.)**
He fired passes past local kids, his focus locked, the park video driving him. By the 340th pass, he was a maestro, the system pinging: **Drill Progress: 95% (Vision's sharp.)**
At training, Drinkwater's vibe was fresh, almost joking. "Derby was mental, Cole. You saving some goals for Blackpool?" Ethan laughed, not his usual serious nod. "Gotta keep a few in the tank, man." Drinkwater chuckled, tossing him a water bottle. Their banter felt natural, not the same old pump-up.
Ethan scrolled Instagram after training, liking a fan's post: *Cole to crush Blackpool! 🦁⚽* He replied: *Let's go 😎💥*. But the park video stuck with him, his freedom under siege.
As Ethan browsed a Leicester record shop, flipping through vinyls, a shop clerk handed him a package, saying, "Someone left this for you." Inside was a USB drive labeled *Cole*. His phone buzzed with a new anonymous message: *Blackpool's your breaking point, Cole.* Plugged into his laptop later, the USB showed a montage of his life—clips of him training, eating with Mia, joking in the park—all stitched together with a distorted voiceover: "You can't run, Ethan." His blood ran cold, the shop's music fading as panic set in. Blackpool loomed, a March 24 fixture per the 2011–12 schedule, with Mendes' contract deadline, Premier League clubs circling, and a stalker who owned his every move. Ethan's fire burned, but the hunter was inside his life, and the fight was now raw.
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