The October morning light spilled into Ethan Cole's Leicester flat, where he stood by the kitchen counter, flipping pancakes with a grin on October 7, 2011. Mia Hart perched on a stool, her pink hair loose, wearing one of Ethan's oversized Leicester City hoodies. The smell of maple syrup mingled with her laughter as she swiped a pancake from the stack. "You're a better striker than chef, superstar 🌟," she teased, licking syrup off her finger. "But I'll give you points for effort 😏."
Ethan chuckled, the Ronaldo template's charm making his banter smooth. "Points, huh? I'll take a hat-trick's worth from you, my #1 💪," he said, sliding her a plate. The Football System hummed in his mind, its sarcastic voice chiming: **Pancakes and flirting? Don't burn the flat down, Romeo.** Their casual breakfast was a rare pause before tomorrow's Championship match against Millwall, and Mia's presence—every other chapter—lit him up. They chatted about her latest influencer gig, a sneaker campaign, and Ethan's nerves about Premier League scouts. "You're gonna dazzle them," Mia said, her hand brushing his. "Just be you 😎."
As they cleaned up, Mia hugged him, her voice soft. "Crush Millwall, Ethan. I'll be watching 📺😉." Ethan grinned, keeping it light "Bet on it," he said, heading to training with her warmth lingering. The system quipped: **Café dates, now breakfast? Keep your head in the game, or I'll make you jog to love songs.**
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The next day, Ethan stood in the tunnel of The Den, Millwall's fortress, the roar of 12,000 fans shaking the walls. The system crackled, its tone sharp:
**Football System Update**
- **Template**: SSS-Class Striker Template (Cristiano Ronaldo, Sporting Lisbon 2002–03 Stage)
- Speed: 97/100 (*You're a jet, but you're not breaking orbit.*)
- Dribbling: 100/100 (*Your flair's making defenders trip.*)
- Finishing: 95/100 (*Sniper-level, but you're not perfect.*)
- Stamina: 97/100 (*You're a machine, but you're not a cyborg.*)
- Assimilation Progress: 70% (*Ronaldo's fire's burning, but you're not his twin.*)
- **Task**: Score in the Millwall match to lock in Premier League interest.
- **Reward**: Unlock Lisbon Flair II milestone (Dribbling +1).
- **Advisory**: Use Lisbon's speed and shop items to outwit Millwall's tanks. Slack off, and you'll be their punching bag.
- **Penalty Protocol**: Attribute deductions only for match losses or slacking in training (*Lose or skip drills, and you'll be slower than a napping weasel.*).
- **Points**: 86 (*Your piggy bank's ready to splurge, champ.*)
Ethan adjusted his number 17 jersey, feeling the surge of a **Stamina Booster** he'd bought for 20 points: **Stamina Booster active: Stamina +10 for Millwall (*You're a marathon man, mate. Don't waste it.*).** The Ronaldo template's Lisbon stage, with its elite speed and finishing, was perfect for Millwall's physical defenders, and the stamina booster kept him relentless. The system's humor fueled him, like a mate daring him to dominate.
Leicester's 2011–12 Championship season was a high-stakes grind, with Ethan's Ipswich goal and assist keeping fans buzzing. The Premier League spotlight—Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea scouts attending today—added electric pressure. Millwall's tough defense was a crucible, and Ethan was ready to prove he was big-league material. His main quest, to win the Championship Golden Boot and title (with a Ronaldo template upgrade as the reward), burned in the background, guiding his drive.
The tunnel roared, Leicester's blue kits gleaming beside Millwall's navy. Danny Drinkwater nudged Ethan. "Millwall's lot will try to rough you up, Cole. Dance through 'em, and make those scouts drool." Ethan nodded, the system quipping: **Premier League eyes on you. Don't trip over your own hype, superstar.**
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The match kicked off under The Den's floodlights, Millwall's physicality hitting hard. Ethan's speed and stamina made him a menace, slicing through gaps. In the 8th minute, he darted past a defender, received a pass from Gallagher, and fired a shot that the keeper parried. The crowd booed, and the system cheered: **Finishing Progress +3%. Match Impact +10 (*Keep rattling that keeper, mate!*).**
Millwall scored in the 15th minute, a low shot from a striker slipping past Schmeichel. The system warned: **Down 1–0. 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 left. Ethan outjumped a defender, but Millwall's center-back—a grizzled brute—elbowed him mid-air, a foul the ref missed. Ethan's header went wide, and the system noted: **Heading Progress +10% (*That thug's a wall, but you're tougher.*).**
In the 38th minute, Ethan struck. He intercepted a pass, weaved through two defenders with Ronaldo's Trickster Flair—stepovers dazzling under the lights—and rifled a curling shot past the keeper. The net rippled, and Leicester fans roared.
**Goal! Lisbon Flair II Progress: 50%. Match Impact +30%. Fan Appeal +20 (*That's the Ronaldo fire! Scouts are scribbling, champ.*).**
Halftime came at 1–1, and Nigel Pearson nodded. "You're their nightmare, Cole." The system updated: **Task Progress: 90%. One more goal or assist to seal it (*Don't choke, or you'll be Millwall's meme.*).**
The second half was a war, Millwall's defense doubling down. Ethan's boosted stamina kept him relentless, outrunning tiring defenders. In the 82nd minute, he latched onto a through ball, faked a shot, and laid off a pinpoint assist to Gallagher, who buried it. The stadium erupted, Leicester fans chanting "Cole! Cole!"
**Assist! Task Complete: Score in Millwall match. Reward: Lisbon Flair II Unlocked. Dribbling: 101/100 (*You're a dribbling god, and scouts are buzzing.*).**
The match ended 2–1, Leicester victorious. Ethan's goal and assist earned him man of the match, fans chanting his name as he waved to the stands. Post-match, a Leicester staffer whispered: "Chelsea's scout wants a meeting soon. United and Liverpool are pushing hard too." Ethan's pulse raced, the Premier League intrigue now a blazing fire. The system buzzed: **Three clubs fighting for you? You're a bloody superstar auction, mate!**
The system glowed: **Points Earned: 50 (25 for win, 25 for goal/assist). New Task: Score in the next match to cement Premier League interest. Reward: Lisbon Vision II milestone (Vision +3).**
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Post-match, Ethan crashed at his flat, scrolling Instagram. His follower count hit 40,000, fans hyping his Millwall goal. He posted a match clip, captioned: *Millwall tamed, let's keep climbing 🦁⚽ #LeicesterLad*. Fans flooded the comments: *You're our king, Cole! 🌟* Ethan replied: *Cheers, fam! More to come 😏🔥*. Mia commented: *My champ's a beast! Proud of you 😘💪*. He replied: *All for you, my #1 😎💕*. Then, he swiped to a Hollywood gossip page, smirking at headlines: "Katy Perry's Tour Drama 🎤😱" and "Ryan Gosling's New Film Buzz 🎬👀." The system quipped: **Gossip's back, huh? Don't let Hollywood steal your goals, champ.**
The Premier League buzz had a shadow. A teammate forwarded a tweet from a pundit: *Cole's hot, but can he handle the Premier League's pace? #LCFC*. The system warned: **Big leagues are watching, but the next match is Birmingham—they're solid. Score, or you'll give doubters ammo.**
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The next morning, Ethan hit the park, the system's new drill pushing his Ronaldo template:
**Lisbon Vision II Drill: Complete 250 passes under pressure with 90% accuracy. Reward: Vision +3 (*Because Ronaldo saw plays, and you're catching up.*).**
He pinged balls past local kids, his Lisbon flair sharp. By the 240th pass, he was a maestro, the system updating: **Drill Progress: 95% (*You're seeing plays, but you're not a psychic yet.*).**
At training, Drinkwater dropped news: "Birmingham's defense is tight, Cole. They'll try to shut you down. And those scouts? They're coming again—United, Liverpool, Chelsea." The system warned: **Premier League spotlight's blazing, but Birmingham's a trap. Win, and you'll unlock that system upgrade.**
Ethan scrolled Instagram post-training, liking a fan's post: *Cole to crush Birmingham! 🦁⚽* He replied: *Bet on it 😎💥*. The system jabbed: **Fans are your army, but don't let Insta make you lazy, champ.**
Ethan's jaw tightened. The Ronaldo template, boosted by the stamina booster, was his weapon, Leicester his stage, and Mia's faith—next chapter—his fuel. His main quest—to win the Golden Boot and Championship, unlocking the Ronaldo template's next stage—burned quietly. The Premier League trio—Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea—was a new crucible, and Birmingham's solidity loomed. Would Ethan lock in his big-league path, or would doubters find a crack? The Championship was his fire, and Ethan Cole was ready to Blaze.