Ethan Cole stood in the tunnel of St Mary's Stadium, the roar of 20,000 fans pulsing through the walls on September 10, 2011. Leicester City's Championship match against Southampton was a chance to crush Jake Turner's injury-prone rumor, now spreading like wildfire with a Southampton scout tweeting: *Cole's talent is undeniable, but is he fragile? Turner's tougher. ๐ช* The Football System blazed in Ethan's mind, its sarcastic voice cutting through the pre-match buzz:
**Football System Update**
- **Template**: SSS-Class Striker Template (Cristiano Ronaldo, Sporting Lisbon 2002โ03 Stage)
- Speed: 95/100 (*You're a rocket, but you're not breaking orbit.*)
- Dribbling: 100/100 (*Defenders are tripping over your flair.*)
- Finishing: 90/100 (*Lethal, but you're not picking corners like a sniper.*)
- Assimilation Progress: 50% (*You're halfway to Ronaldo's spark, but you're not his mirror yet.*)
- **Task**: Score in the Southampton match to maintain fan appeal and bury Turner's rumor.
- **Reward**: Unlock Lisbon Precision milestone (Finishing +2).
- **Advisory**: Use Lisbon's pace and Lewandowski's 5-in-9 move to dominate Southampton's speed. Slack off, and you'll be their laughingstock.
- **Penalty Protocol**: Attribute deductions only for match losses or slacking in training (*Lose or skip drills, and you'll be slower than a snoozing ferret.*).
- **Points**: 75 (50 from last match, 25 saved) (*Your piggy bank's getting fat, champ.*)
Ethan grinned at the system's ferret jab, tightening his number 17 Leicester jersey. He'd used 64 points (flash sale price from Chapter 17) to buy **Emergency Move: Lewandowski's 5-in-9** (originally 80 points), saving the rest. The system activated it: **Lewandowski's 5-in-9 ready for Southampton (*Time to go nuclear, mate. Don't waste this.*).** The Ronaldo template's Lisbon stage, with its blistering speed and maxed-out dribbling, was perfect for Southampton's fast wingers, and the Lewandowski move was his ace against their high press. The system's humor and metrics kept him locked in, like a mate hyping him for a fight.
Leicester's 2011โ12 Championship season was a gauntlet, with Sven-Gรถran Eriksson chasing promotion alongside Kasper Schmeichel, David Nugent, and Paul Gallagher. Ethan's goalsโCoventry, Derby, Reading, Barnsley, Bristolโhad scouts from Chelsea and Manchester City circling, but Jake's rumor was a growing threat, amplified by Derby fans on Instagram: *Cole's gonna snap. Turner's the real deal. ๐ช #DerbyCounty*. Ethan's new agent, Jorge Mendes, was working to counter the noise, texting: *Focus on goals, Ethan. I'm handling scouts.* The system's warning (*Turner's lies are sticking like tar.*) kept Ethan on edge.
The tunnel was electric, Leicester's blue kits gleaming beside Southampton's red and white stripes. Danny Drinkwater nudged Ethan. "Southampton's wingers are rapid, Cole. Outshine 'em, and shut Turner's yap." Ethan nodded, his mind on the Lewandowski move and Mendes' promise of bigger things.
---
The match kicked off under St Mary's floodlights, Southampton's pace testing Leicester's defense. Ethan's Lisbon Lightning made him a blur, outpacing Southampton's left-back. In the 8th minute, Drinkwater played a through ball. Ethan darted forward, controlled it with a silky flick, and fired a shot that grazed the bar. The crowd gasped, and the system stayed chill: **Finishing Progress +3%. Match Impact +10 (*Close, mate. Keep rattling that keeper.*).**
Southampton scored in the 15th minute, a winger's low shot beating Schmeichel. The system warned: **Down 1โ0. Don't let this end in a loss, or you'll be kissing 5% of your stats goodbye.** Ethan gritted his teeth, doubling down. In the 25th minute, Nugent crossed from the right. Ethan outjumped a defender, but Southampton's center-back shoved him mid-air, a foul the ref missed. Ethan's header went wide, and the system noted: **Heading Progress +2% (*That brute's playing dirty. Stay tough, champ.*).**
Jake's rumor fueled the physicality. In the 35th minute, the center-back clipped Ethan's ankle during a sprint, forcing a brief limp. The crowd booed, but no card came. The system snapped: **Your stalker's lies are making you a target. Time to unleash Lewandowski's magic.**
Ethan triggered **Lewandowski's 5-in-9** in the 40th minute. The system surged, his senses sharpening like a predator. He intercepted a pass, weaved through three defenders with Ronaldo's Trickster Flair, and rifled a low shot past the keeper. The net rippled, and the Leicester fans roared.
**Goal! Lisbon Precision Progress: 50%. Match Impact +25%. Fan Appeal +15 (*Lewandowski's ghost is proud, mate. Keep it rolling!*).**
Two minutes later, the move still active, Ethan latched onto a loose ball, outran Southampton's backline, and slotted another shot into the bottom corner.
**Goal! Lisbon Precision Progress: 75%. Match Impact +35%. Rival Impact +20 (*You're a bloody machine! Turner's rumor's crumbling.*).**
Halftime came at 2โ1, Leicester leading. Pearson clapped Ethan's shoulder. "Two goals, Cole? You're a nightmare for them." The system updated: **Task Complete: Score in Southampton match. Reward: Lisbon Precision Unlocked. Finishing: 92/100 (*You're a sniper now, but don't get cocky.*).**
The second half was a grind, Southampton's wingers relentless. Ethan's stamina held, his earlier shop items (stamina booster, injury reducer from Chapter 18) keeping him spry. In the 80th minute, he laid off an assist to Nugent, who buried it, sealing a 3โ1 victory.
**Assist! Match Impact +15%. Fan Appeal +10 (*You're a fan god, and Turner's lies are toast.*).**
The match ended with Ethan as man of the match, fans chanting "Cole! Cole!" as he waved to the stands. A Chelsea scout lingered, and Mendes texted: *Scouts are eating their words. Keep this up.* The system glowed, unveiling its upgrade:
**System Upgrade: Storage Space Unlocked!**
- **Storage**: Skills now stored as cards (*Think Pokรฉmon cards, but for footy legends.*).
- **Lewandowski's 5-in-9 Card**: Used, on cooldown (one-month recharge).
- **New Shop Items**:
- Vision Booster (25 points): Boosts vision +10 for one match (*See plays like a hawk.*)
- Clutch Finisher (30 points): Boosts finishing +15 in final 10 minutes (*For when the clock's ticking.*)
- Emergency Move: Neymar's Rainbow Flick (55 points): Pull off his flashy dribble (*Humiliate defenders with style.*)
- Emergency Move: Van Persie's Volley (60 points): Nail his iconic volley (*Smash it like a rocket.*)
- **Points Earned**: 75 (25 for win, 50 for two goals/assist) (*You're rolling in it, champ.*).
- **New Task**: Score in next match to maintain starting role. Reward: Lisbon Surge milestone (Speed +2).
Ethan grinned, tucking the storage feature away, the system's card system a slick addition.
---
Post-match, Ethan visited his family in Willow Creek, a personal life moment every two chapters. His mum, Sarah, cooked his favorite shepherd's pie, while his dad, Tom, bragged about Ethan's Southampton brace at the pub. His sister, Lily, home from uni, teased, "You're famous now, big shot. Don't forget us." Ethan laughed, promising to get them match tickets. The visit grounded him, a reminder of his roots amid the Championship whirlwind.
Back at his flat, Ethan fired up *FIFA 11*, his gaming hobby a stress-buster. Beating a mate online as Manchester United, he texted: *Schooled you again! ๐๐ฎ*. The system quipped: **FIFA's fun, but don't let it soften your real boots, champ.**
He scrolled Instagram, his follower count hitting 22,000. He posted a match clip, captioned: *Southampton sorted, next up ๐ฆโฝ #LeicesterLad*. Fans flooded the comments: *You're our king, Cole! ๐* Ethan replied: *Cheers, fam! Let's keep it rolling ๐๐ฅ*. He texted Mia, hyping their Chapter 20 date: *Ready for that coffee tomorrow? โ๐* She replied: *Oh, it's on, superstar ๐๐ช*. Then, he swiped to a Hollywood gossip page, smirking at "Rihanna's Tour Drama ๐ค๐ฑ" and "Chris Hemsworth's Thor Sequel Buzz ๐ช๐." The system jabbed: **Tabloids again? Don't trade goals for gossip, mate.**
Jake's rumor wasn't dead. A teammate forwarded a tweet from a Derby fan: *Turner's telling scouts Cole's brace was a fluke. He'll flop soon. ๐ช #DerbyCounty*. The system warned: **Your stalker's lies are desperate now. Next match is Brightonโthey're tricky. Score, or he'll keep poisoning scouts.**
---
The next morning, Ethan hit the park, the system's new drill pushing his Ronaldo template:
**Lisbon Surge Drill: Complete 300 sprints with 90% intensity. Reward: Speed +2 (*Because Ronaldo was a blur, and you're close.*).**
He blazed through, his Lisbon speed electric. By the 290th sprint, he was untouchable, the system updating: **Drill Progress: 95% (*You're a speed demon, but don't crash into fans.*).**
At training, Nugent dropped news: "Turner's been hyping his Derby stats, saying he'd have scored three against Southampton. Brighton's midfield is tightโbe ready." The system warned: **Your stalker's grasping at straws. Dominate Brighton, or his lies will linger.**
Ethan scrolled Instagram post-training, liking a fan's post: *Cole to crush Brighton! ๐ฆโฝ* He replied: *Bet on it ๐๐ฅ*. Then, he swiped to gossip: "Lady Gaga's New Video Sparks Frenzy ๐๐ฑ" and "Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man 3 Hype ๐ฆพ๐." The system jabbed: **Hollywood's fun, but keep your eyes on the pitch, champ.**