The wheels of Manchester City's private jet touched the tarmac of Manchester Airport with a subtle vibration that interrupted the players' reverie in the cabin. Under the shining lights of the runway, one by one the gridiron gladiators descended, carrying their backpacks with slightly heavier steps than when they left this morning.
The damp and cold Manchester night air immediately hit them as they boarded the team bus which was waiting in front of the private hangar. The atmosphere on the bus was much calmer compared to the chaos in the Amex Stadium dressing room a few hours ago.
As the bus engine roared smoothly towards the City Football Academy (CFA)—their headquarters and training center—the assistant coach walked down the middle aisle.
"Listen up everyone," the assistant coach's voice broke the silence. "As soon as we arrive at headquarters, you are allowed to go straight to your homes. There will be no evaluation session tonight. However, remember carefully: training starts tomorrow morning at exactly 10 o'clock. Don't be a minute late."
William Carter leaned his head against the bus window, looking at the reflection of his face which looked a little tired but had a different glow. Beside him, Kyle Walker is busy showing off social media trends that are still talking about William's debut.
However, William's mind is not currently silent, his mind is currently remembering his own previous life.
That's right, William went back to the past. In his previous life he had not yet debuted for the senior team at this time but Pep Guardiola had been monitoring him and finally made his debut in the senior team at the age of 20.
However, all of that only lasted for half a season until a serious ACL injury hit him. Of course, if a player who is more senior and has experience gets an ACL, that player will definitely be able to get through a period like that.
But imagine a young player who is being groomed to become a maestro in Manchester City's midfield and is expected to partner Kevin De Bruyne with all the expectations from the British media and fans being hit by that problem when he is playing well and starting the season well.
William's career as a player was destroyed at that time, but he did not give up and even Pep Guardiola, staff and leaders of Manchester City gave him the opportunity to become Guardiola's assistant coach.
After being an assistant for 3 years, William learned a lot from Guardiola about tactics and could even analyze how opposing players played, with his high talent as a midfielder and ability to read the opponent's game.
He and Pep Guardiola became the most wanted coaches and assistant coaches in the world, but on the way home after training William had an accident and when he felt that the world was very cruel to him even though now he was living his life well but fate seemed to be playing tricks on him.
However, what happened was not something William was thinking about, but instead he went back in time, back to January 11 2017—namely his 18th birthday.
And by returning to the past, William started to train more, even though his body was not strong enough to play at the premier league level, if he played against someone his age, he could still fight, and the highlight of everything was the 2017 U21 World Cup which was held in South Korea.
William, who was called up to the England U21 team, performed very well and helped England U21 become champions. He already knew that England U21 would indeed be champions even without him, but with him everything ran more smoothly and seemed easier.
William became the best player of the tournament, what was even more surprising was that after the party and going home William created a system of 'The Maestro' where he got 20% of all the peak statistics of 'Zinedine Zidane'.
William is very happy because Zidane is his favorite player, and also only gets 20% of each statistic when Zidane is at the peak of his performance.
If he gets more than that, the world will equate him with Zidane and the world will know him as the new Zidane, not William Carter.
Therefore, William was determined to make the world recognize him as a player, not as a successor.
After several months of training, William was finally promoted to the Manchester City senior team and even played in Manchester City's first Premier League match.
This is something that didn't happen in his previous life, not that it didn't happen, more precisely, it hasn't happened.
"Hey, we're here." That word woke William up from his reverie.
"Really? I didn't even realize we had arrived," William answered Kyle Walker who was next to him.
"That's because you've been daydreaming too much since we were on the plane, what's wrong? Is something bothering you?" Kyle Walker asked as he tidied up his bag and prepared to get off the bus.
"No, I just feel that the fans' words about me on social media put a lot of pressure on me," William replied with a slight sigh and lied even though it was a little true.
"Come on, the British media has been like this for a long time—don't think too much about it, okay?" Kyle Walker answered in a confident voice while patting William on the shoulder.
"The media only knows how to exaggerate things like this, they don't realize that the news they convey will put pressure on a player"
"Hahh—really annoying," continued Kyle Walker.
William just smiled when he heard Kyle Walker's words because William knew all that, even in his previous life he felt very pressured by all the high expectations given by the media and fans.
After talking for a while they got off the bus and walked towards their respective cars. In the parking lot William saw a black Range Rover that he knew very well.
Richard Carter, William's father, was waiting there with his body leaning against the Range Rover.
While looking at his son Richard felt that all this was just a dream.
He is a businessman who has lived in Manchester since childhood, he has been a Manchester City fan since he was young.
And now his own son, playing for the team he has supported since childhood.
Richard smiled warmly as he hugged William, "Good, whatever the future holds - father will always support you," Richard said in a tone of pride and emotion mixed into one.
"Thank you father, I will do my best in the future," answered William as he let go of his father's embrace.
"Okay, let's go home" asked Richard because he saw that his son was very tired.
While on the way to their house, Richard occasionally saw his son who was closing his eyes as if he was very tired, as if he had finished the war against extraterrestrial aliens.
Richard Carter was a true "Blue." He grew up in an era where Manchester City were a mere shadow of their league-dominating neighbors. He went through dark times at Maine Road, experienced the bitterness of relegation, until finally witnessing the club's revival at the Etihad. For him, Manchester City is not just a club, but a family identity.
For decades, he has always watched Manchester City matches, whether alone, with his wife, with his eldest child, and even in previous seasons he watched matches with his entire family.
He just feels that by watching he gives a little strength to the team along with other fans.
But now, something has really changed his life as a Manchester City fan.
Now he sees how his eldest son provides an assist to one of Manchester City's best players in history.
There was a feeling of pride that suffocated his chest, a feeling that made him unable to say much because he was afraid that his tears would fall in front of his son, who had now become one of the most talked about talents in the world of football.
"Mother and Ami actually insisted on coming," Richard finally broke the silence. "But they fell asleep when they waited too long and it was late. They are very proud of you, Will."
"Let them sleep, I feel that tomorrow before practice and when I wake up in the morning - our house will feel very noisy with the two of them" William answered while smiling and thinking about how his mother and sister would behave when they woke up tomorrow morning.
"Hahaha, yes. That's right, I can imagine how they will behave towards you tomorrow," Richard answered with a smile
Richard Carter's black Range Rover finally drove slowly into the automatic gate of a magnificent residence in the Alderley Edge area. The house stands strong with modern architecture that combines large glass and dark wood accents, a symbol of Richard's success as a well-known restaurateur in Manchester.
William stared at the magnificent facade of his house under the garden lights. To him, this house was more than just a pile of luxurious bricks; this is a fortress that has always protected him since long ago.
As soon as he stepped into the high-ceilinged main lobby, William stopped in his tracks. On a marble table in the center of the room stood a large board decorated with small LED lights. There was distinctive handwriting—a mix of her mother's elegant calligraphy and Ami's colorful crayon scribbles.
"WELCOME CARTER FAMILY HEROES! NUMBER 11 GREATEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD!"
Under the text, there are photos of William from when he was at the academy, complete with dried flowers and a small greeting card.
William's throat suddenly tightened. In his previous life, when he was just an assistant coach walking with a cane due to an ACL injury, this family never once looked down on him. Richard, Ana, and Ami were always there, reassuring him that he was still valuable even though his legs could no longer dance on the green field. That sincere support is what made him able to survive until he became Pep Guardiola's trusted analyst.
"Thank you, ma'am... Ami..." William whispered softly, touching the edge of the board with slightly trembling fingers. Tears of emotion almost fell, but he quickly wiped them away before his father realized.
"They spent hours on it," Richard said quietly from behind, smiling warmly. "Get some rest, Will. You deserve it."
William nodded and walked up the stairs to his room. As soon as the door closed and he was alone in silence, the air around him seemed to vibrate. A silvery blue light appeared before his vision.
[Ding! Mission "Dream Debut" Completed!]
[Mission: Contribute a goal in the first match.]
[Reward: +2 big stats + 1 Physical Training Acceleration Card.]
Staring at the transparent screen in front of him, William nodded his head, closed the system display before starting to tidy up all his equipment.
When everything was done William reopened the system.
[DING!]
[Maestro System: William Carter Statistics Panel]
Overall Rating: 68 \rightarrow 75 (Major Player Standard)
Initial Statistic Attributes (Original) Update (+20% Zidane Sync)
°°Vision 85 → 97
°°Passing 80 → 97
°°Ball Control 80 → 95
°°Dribbling 70 → 91
°°Set Pieces 80 → 95
°°Shots 55 → 71
°°Combat (Physical) 56 → 62
°°Stamina 60 → 70
°°Speed 57 → 65
°°Heading 30 → 45
[Inventory]
-Training acceleration card
(Can be used to improve training results for the next 1 month after use, - Recommendations for suitable training 'Physical Training, Heading, Shots' so that the Host is suitable to become the best player in the world)
- +2 big stats
(In statistics there are Each main attribute has subcategories, which are measured numerically and not by letter grades. For example, passing is divided into Short Pass, Long Pass, Cross, and Arc, where the numbers are simply extraordinary:
Short Pass – 95 Long Pass – 97 Cross – 97 Curve– 98.
And the big statistics are adding statistics to the main category and the subcategories will adjust, maybe some subcategories will add 2-3 small statistics.)
Looking at his statistics William thought, with this top level of Vision and passing – there is no player as good as him at his age.
Even without the help of 20% of 'Peak Zinedine Zidane' statistics William believes he can become one of the world's best in the future.
However, what William is now facing is not just a player who is the same age as him, but a player who has more experience than him - who has a bigger physique and more stable stamina.
The highest level isn't just about talent—it's a battle of physicality and wits, a game determined by how small the margins are where the fastest, smartest, and strongest will win.
After thinking about how to use statistics that were definitely allocated to physique and stamina, William felt his body warm and started to feel sleepy.
[DING! +1 big stat on Combat – +1 big stat on Stamina]
[System Note: Muscle restructuring in progress. You will feel slight pain in your body for the next 6 hours while resting. Physical attributes have now improved beyond the 'vulnerable' threshold, but remain below the Premier League intensity average.]
[It is recommended to sleep and rest so that the effect is successful and the Host's body is not too painful]
William could feel a warm wave spreading throughout his nerves, as if his muscle fibers were being strengthened one by one. Although a figure of 63 on the physical aspect was still low by the standards of the cruel English league, for him this was a miracle.
"With these statistics, at least I won't be crushed by just one more impact," muttered William. He lay down, staring at the ceiling with determination. In this life, he will not let an ACL or any opposing defender stop his journey to become the best in the world because now he will rise to take on the destiny that was hindered in his previous life.
After a few seconds, a very strong wave of fatigue hit William and he fell asleep while his body was being optimized by the system.
__________________
That morning, Manchester sunlight filtered through the curtains in William's spacious room, but the calm didn't last long. The door to his room opened with a soft bang, followed by small footsteps running towards his bed.
"Wake up, Sis! The Prince of Manchester must not sleep until noon!" Ami exclaimed as she jumped onto the bed and shook her sister's shoulders.
William opened his eyes and slowly sat up. The first shock he felt did not come from his sister's nosy, but from within his own body. The soreness and heat caused by last night's muscle restructuring had disappeared, replaced by a sensation of lightness and energy that he had never felt before.
"Ami, come down first!! - I'll clean myself up and follow," said William while looking at his younger brother who was sitting in front of him now.
"Ummm–but hurry up, I want to hear the story about yesterday's match" Ami answered with a smile and ran downstairs. "Ohh, and there is someone waiting for you downstairs," Ami continued before continuing to run.
"Is anyone waiting for me? William thought, after a while William smiled and knew who had come to visit him.
After washing his body and changing clothes, William looked at his statistics in the system.
Thanks to the additional statistics on Stamina which now reached 71, his breathing felt much lighter and his consciousness was very sharp even though he had just woken up. Even though his Combat number or physical strength had risen to 63, it was still relatively low by Premier League standards, he could feel a more solid muscle density in his arms and his body had become stronger.
Combat and Stamina statistics have subcategories such as
Body Balance, Strength, Jumping–Endurance, and Recovery.
For William's statistics, his main statistics are Combat 63 and Stamina 71: simply put, that's not enough to be a main player in the Premier League.
After looking at his stats, William was sure he would use the accelerated training for 1 month to increase his stats because his Combat stats were more important than his other stats now.
In the Premier League, Combat, Stamina and Speed are everything. The ability to break through markings, accelerate in tight spaces, and react quicker than defenders? That's the difference between a good player and a great player.
And in a match, these three main statistics are the most visible and most taken into account by coaches to prepare the players who will play in the match.
So William decided that for now the training acceleration that he will focus on are these three statistics.
Even though the training will be harder, William made up his mind not to waste his opportunity this time.
After preparing himself, William went downstairs, the fragrant aroma of pancakes and coffee filled the room. In the modern kitchen, William saw a girl with neatly tied hair busy helping her mother.
Maria, his childhood friend who is also the daughter of his parents' close friends. Maria's father is a successful property entrepreneur, while her mother is Ana's colleague in the design world. The closeness of these two families has existed since they were toddlers, making William and Maria's relationship more than just ordinary friends.
William leaned against the kitchen door frame, silent for a moment watching the scene in front of him. Maria looked very flexible in helping Ana, her movements were full of warmth which made William be drawn back to memories of his dark past.
In his previous life, when his football career was shattered due to an ACL injury at the age of 20, his world seemed to have collapsed. Many people walked away, but Maria remained loyal by his side. During that half year of decline, it was Maria who patiently helped William walk, took him to painful rehabilitation sessions, and listened to his complaints when William felt he no longer had a future on the gridiron. Maria's loyalty was the main reason why William loved her more than anything else.
Now, Maria is a student at one of the prestigious universities in London. The distance between Manchester and London made their meeting time very precious and rare. This makes Maria tend to be more spoiled every time they meet, as if she wants to make up for every second lost due to her busy studies.
"Look who just woke up," Maria teased as she turned around, holding the spatula with a sweet smile that made William stunned for a moment.
Ana Carter looked very happy to see Maria helping in the kitchen. "William, look at Maria. She came early this morning just to make you a healthy breakfast after she saw you getting 'beaten up' on television last night," said Ana in a tone of undisguised joy.
Ana approached William and without warning immediately hugged William.
Ana pulled away slightly to cup William's face, her expression somewhere between loving and annoyed. "You're getting tanner every time I look at you! Was the training that hard, or do you just refuse to wear sunscreen?"
William grinned. "Maybe a little of both."
Ana shook her head playfully. "Really. You worked so hard, and now you're too old to let your mother take good care of you."
"Come on, sit there and wait for breakfast to be ready." Ana continued and pushed William back to the dining table.
After William sat down at the dining table, he saw his father playing with Ami in the living room and it seemed that William still had valuable alone time before Emi and his mother made a fuss and asked about yesterday's game.
Maria approached William, looking at him attentively. "Your chest still hurts? I saw that tackle on the news many times," she whispered softly, close enough for William to smell her familiar perfume.
"I'm fine, Maria. In fact, I feel fresher today," answered William while giving a sincere smile that he only showed to those closest to him.
After a while breakfast was finally ready. At the large dining table, the warmth of the family and Maria's presence were the best supplement for William before he returned to the CFA training center at 10 o'clock to face the legendary Guardiola's physical training session.
__________________
"Will, look at this–you'll be surprised at what's on social media now," Maria said in a spoiled tone as she handed her cellphone towards William while Ana was busy washing the dishes because Ana wanted to let the young couple share some time.
William approached and saw Maria's cellphone screen which was filled with notifications. "Look at this, my social media account has exploded since last night. So many people have tagged me because they know I'm your girlfriend."
Maria scrolled through several messages and comments that came to her X and Instagram accounts. "They all begged me to tell you to quickly create a social media account. They said they wanted to see more of your photos because you were too hard to find on the internet."
"Some even threatened to continue 'terrorizing' me until you appeared on social media," continued Maria, hugging William's arm in a pampered manner, leaning her head on the shoulder of the young man who now has Stamina statistics of 71. "So, Mr. Maestro, when are you going to stop making everyone—including your own girlfriend—wait?"
"Hahhhh–" William sighed. "I'm going to make it now, how about it?" William asked while stroking Maria's hair who was leaning against him.
William got up from his seat and went back to the room to get his cell phone.
After that, he went downstairs and sat on the sofa where Maria was waiting for him.
William slowly sat down next to Maria, then with a few quick taps, he registered his official Twitter and Instagram accounts. "Just because you asked for it," whispered William as he uploaded his first profile photo—a candid photo of himself wearing a City shirt with the blurry backdrop of the Etihad stands.
"Done. Now you can stop being terrorized by my fans," he joked.
Maria laughed softly, wrapping her arms around William's neck as they sat together on the sofa they bought together a few months ago. The atmosphere suddenly became melancholy when Maria leaned her head on William's shoulder, which now felt much stronger.
"Tomorrow afternoon I have to go back to London, Will," Maria muttered in a strong spoiled tone. "This damn college is really separating us. We only have time tonight after you get home from practice, and tomorrow morning before you leave again."
William kissed Maria's forehead gently, inhaling the soothing scent of her hair. "I'll pick you up as soon as possible during the training break. Promise."
"It can't be like that, I'll also come back when I'm on holiday or when I don't have much college going on – we'll visit each other if one of us isn't busy," Maria answered firmly and didn't want William to always go to London to see her.
William looked at Maria who was currently looking at him firmly as if there was no rebuttal to his words.
"Hahhh–Okay, okay, each of us will come when we don't have anything to do." Finally, William could only answer with a sigh because he saw Maria's determination.
"Hehehe, that's how it should be–you can't keep spoiling me. I'm a big girl now," answered Maria while sticking out her tongue at William.
The intimate moment was broken when the sound of footsteps could be heard approaching. Ana and Ami appeared with faces full of curiosity, immediately surrounding them on the sofa.
"Sis! How did it feel on the field yesterday? Is it true that Aguero is really fast? Then, were you afraid when that giant man hit you?" Ami bombarded her with questions non-stop and as if she didn't need a breath to speak, while Ana sat beside Maria, rubbing the back of her future daughter-in-law's hand as she listened.
Publicly, the Carter family was representative of Manchester's distinguished upper class. Richard and Ana have always been known as a stiff and authoritative couple in front of the media or their business colleagues. However, behind the doors of this stately home, that narrative crumbles. Here, they are just homesick and worried parents. Richard, who was usually cold in front of the employees of his big restaurant, was now standing in front of the door and was saying goodbye to his family by very warmly hugging his wife and children, while Ana showed overflowing affection that she would never show at any designer party. For them, maintaining their image is an external protocol, but love inside the house is absolute law.
"I have to go," said William as he stood up. He felt the stamina of 71 in his body pulsing, giving him an overflow of energy, while his muscles which were now at Combat stats of 63 seemed to demand to be tested immediately.
He grabbed his sports bag and headed for the door. Outside, a pick-up car was waiting to take him back to the City Football Academy headquarters. William knows that what he is facing today is no longer a warm welcome or praise on social media, but a brutal physical training session from Pep Guardiola who has been waiting for him with evaluation notes in hand.
The real baptism of fire has just begun.
As William stepped outside the gate of the house, a system notification appeared before his eyes in bright red:
[Warning: Today's Training Intensity Increased by 200%. Detect the Presence of 'A Senior' Who Will Test Your Physical Endurance. Are You Ready?]