Ethan Cole stood in the tunnel of Brighton & Hove Albion's Amex Stadium, the roar of 18,000 fans reverberating through the concrete on September 17, 2011. Leicester City's Championship match against Brighton was a chance to keep his starting role and silence Jake Turner's injury-prone rumor, now amplified by a Brighton fan's Instagram post: *Cole's a fluke, Turner's built to last. 💪 #BHAFC*. The Football System crackled in Ethan's mind, its sarcastic voice slicing through the pre-match buzz:
**Football System Update**
- **Template**: SSS-Class Striker Template (Cristiano Ronaldo, Sporting Lisbon 2002–03 Stage)
- Speed: 95/100 (*You're a blur, but you're not outrunning time.*)
- Dribbling: 100/100 (*Your stepovers are making defenders dizzy.*)
- Finishing: 92/100 (*Sniper-level, but you're not picking corners every time.*)
- Assimilation Progress: 55% (*You're channeling Ronaldo's fire, but you're not his shadow yet.*)
- **Task**: Score in the Brighton match to maintain starting role and crush Turner's rumor.
- **Reward**: Unlock Lisbon Surge milestone (Speed +2).
- **Advisory**: Use Lisbon's flair and shop items to outshine Brighton's midfield. Slack off, and you'll be their punchline.
- **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 (75 from last match, 11 saved) (*Your piggy bank's looking healthy, champ.*)
Ethan smirked at the system's weasel jab, tightening his number 17 Leicester jersey. He'd used 30 points to buy a **Clutch Finisher** (new shop item from Chapter 19), feeling its kick: **Clutch Finisher active: Finishing +15 in final 10 minutes (*For when the clock's ticking, mate. Don't waste it.*).** The Ronaldo template's Lisbon stage, with its maxed-out dribbling and near-elite finishing, was perfect for Brighton's tight midfield, and the clutch finisher was his edge in crunch time. The system's humor and metrics kept him sharp, like a mate goading him into battle.
Leicester's 2011–12 Championship season was a crucible, with Sven-Göran Eriksson pushing for promotion alongside Kasper Schmeichel, David Nugent, and Paul Gallagher. Ethan's brace against Southampton had scouts buzzing, but Jake's rumor was a growing thorn, with a Derby fan tweeting: *Cole's gonna crack soon. Turner's the real deal. 💪 #DCFC*. The system's warning (*Turner's lies are sticking like glue.*) kept Ethan on edge.
The tunnel was electric, Leicester's blue kits gleaming beside Brighton's blue and white stripes. Paul Gallagher nudged Ethan. "Brighton's midfield is tricky, Cole. Dance through 'em, and shut Turner's noise down." Ethan nodded, his mind on the match and a planned evening with Mia Hart, whose text—*Can't wait to celebrate your win tonight, superstar 😎💪*—lit a fire in him.
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The match kicked off under the Amex's floodlights, Brighton's midfield pressing hard. Ethan's Lisbon Lightning made him a menace, outpacing Brighton's right-back. In the 10th minute, Danny Drinkwater played a diagonal ball. Ethan darted forward, controlled it with a silky flick, and fired a shot that the keeper tipped wide. The crowd roared, and the system stayed chill: **Finishing Progress +3%. Match Impact +10 (*Nice try, mate. Keep peppering that keeper.*).**
Brighton scored in the 18th minute, a midfielder's curling shot beating 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 Brighton's center-back shoved him mid-air, a foul the ref missed. Ethan's header sailed 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 shin 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. Good thing you've got that clutch finisher for the endgame.**
In the 45th minute, Ethan struck. He intercepted a pass, weaved through two defenders with Ronaldo's Trickster Flair—stepovers flashing like a young Ronaldo—and rifled a low shot past the keeper. The net rippled, and the Leicester fans erupted.
**Goal! Lisbon Surge Progress: 50%. Match Impact +25%. Fan Appeal +15 (*That's the Ronaldo spark! Fans are losing it, superstar.*).**
Halftime came at 1–1, and Nigel Pearson nodded to Ethan. "Great goal, Cole. Keep that edge." The system updated: **Task Progress: 90%. One more goal or assist to seal it (*Don't choke, or you'll be Brighton's meme.*).**
The second half was a slugfest, Brighton's midfield tightening. Ethan's stamina held, his earlier shop items (stamina booster, injury reducer from Chapter 18) keeping him spry. In the 85th minute, with the clutch finisher kicking in, Ethan latched onto a through ball, outran Brighton's backline, and slotted a clinical shot into the bottom corner.
**Goal! Task Complete: Score in Brighton match. Reward: Lisbon Surge Unlocked. Speed: 97/100. Rival Impact +20 (*You're a clutch king, and Turner's rumor's crumbling.*).**
The match ended 2–1, Leicester victorious. Ethan's brace earned him man of the match, fans chanting "Cole! Cole!" as he waved to the stands. Pearson confirmed his starting role, and a Manchester City scout lingered, murmuring about "big potential." The system glowed: **Points Earned: 75 (25 for win, 50 for two goals). New Task: Score in next match to boost fan appeal. Reward: Lisbon Vision milestone (Vision +3).**
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Post-match, Ethan headed to Mia Hart's flat in Leicester's city center, . Mia greeted him at the door, her pink hair loose, wearing a fitted black dress that hugged her curves. "My Championship king 🌟," she purred, pulling him into a kiss that ignited like a spark in dry grass. The door clicked shut, and the air thickened with heat.
They stumbled to the couch, Mia's hands sliding under Ethan's shirt, tracing his abs as his lips found her neck. "You were unreal today," she whispered, her breath hot against his ear. Ethan's hands gripped her waist, pulling her closer, their bodies pressing tight. The kiss deepened, a hungry edge to it, her fingers tangling in his hair as he lifted her onto his lap. The Ronaldo template's charm amplified his confidence, every touch electric, their rhythm building like a crescendo. Clothes slipped to the floor, and the night blurred into a haze of passion, Mia's gasps and Ethan's low growls filling the dimly lit room.
As they lay tangled in her sheets, Mia traced circles on his chest, smirking. "You're gonna break hearts worldwide, Ethan Cole 😏." Ethan grinned, kissing her forehead. "Only yours matters right now 💪." The system snarked: **Mental Focus -2, but bloody hell, that was *steamy*. Don't skip training, or I'll blast love ballads on repeat.**
Mia pulled him into one last kiss before he left, her voice soft. "Kill it in your next match, superstar. I'll be watching 📺😉." Ethan smirked, already hyped for their next meetup.
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The next evening, Ethan crashed at his flat, scrolling Instagram. His follower count hit 25,000, fans hyping his Brighton brace. He posted a match clip, captioned: *Brighton bagged, let's keep it rolling 🦁⚽ #LeicesterLad*. Fans flooded the comments: *You're our Ronaldo, Cole! 🌟* Ethan replied: *Cheers, fam! More to come 😎🔥*. Mia commented: *My man's unstoppable 😘💪*. He replied: *All for you, my #1 😏💕*. The system quipped: **Flirting on Insta? Keep it chill, Romeo, or I'll make you run laps to love songs.**
Jake's rumor wasn't dead. A teammate forwarded a tweet from a Derby fan: *Turner's telling scouts Cole's goals are luck. He'll flop against Burnley. 💪 #DCFC*. The system warned: **Your stalker's lies are desperate now. Next match is Burnley—they're physical. Score, or he'll keep poisoning scouts.**
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The next morning, Ethan hit the park, the system's new drill pushing his Ronaldo template:
**Lisbon Vision Drill: Complete 200 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 190th 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: "Turner's been hyping his Derby stats, saying he'd have bagged four against Brighton. Burnley's defenders are tanks—be ready." The system warned: **Your stalker's grasping at straws. Dominate Burnley, or his lies will linger.**
Ethan scrolled Instagram post-training, liking a fan's post: *Cole to crush Burnley! 🦁⚽* He replied: *Bet on it 😎💥*. The system jabbed: **Fans love you, but don't let Insta make you soft, champ.**
Will Turner's rumors sway the scouts, The Championship was his battleground, and Ethan Cole was ready to burn.