William stared at the transparent screen flashing in front of his eyes as the pick-up car drove through the busy streets of Manchester.
[Warning: Today's Training Intensity Increased by 200%. Detect the Presence of 'Senior Players' which will test your physical endurance. Are You Ready?]
"Two hundred percent?" William thought, his hands clenched into tight fists. He knew that his Combat 63 statistic was a huge improvement from his previous life, but against Pep Guardiola's training intensity, it still felt like trying to hold back a storm with a paper umbrella.
And let's be 200% honest, which human being gives such heavy training to a weak 18 year old youth.
"Hahh–I wish that bald man was more humane" muttered William while sighing and starting to think that he couldn't spend much time with Maria after coming home from training.
As soon as the car stopped at the gate of the City Football Academy (CFA), William got out with his sports bag slung over his shoulder. However, his steps stopped near the barricade of fans who usually wait in front of the entrance.
"William! William Carter!"
A boy aged around 10, wearing a 2017/18 City jersey with the name 'CARTER' and the number 11 on the back, shouted loudly while waving an autograph book. William froze. That face... he knew it.
In his previous life, this boy was named Leo. Leo is a loyal fan who always waited for William in front of the rehabilitation center when William was down with an ACL injury. In the future he has passed, Leo is the one who gives him letters of encouragement every week, saying that William is still his hero even though he can no longer play.
"Can I have a photo, Bro?" asked the boy with sparkling eyes.
William took a deep breath before nodding and smiling at the boy.
"Can you also give me an autograph?" Leo asked William while looking at him with disbelieving eyes that he was out of the house and just wanted to seek his luck in making videos - the players who came to the training ground actually met William.
"Of course," William answered as he took a marker – and signed the scarf which was a little worn from too much use. "Oh, what's your name?" William asked as if he didn't know the child.
"Leo–my name is Leo" the boy answered happily.
"Okay Leo, thanks for wearing my shirt while you were here."
After that moment, William continued and arrived at the first team changing room.
Before entering, William remembered how he met Leo earlier than in his previous life.
William clenched his fists with greater determination. If in the past life he disappointed fans like Leo because of his fragile physique, this time he will give everything.
When you enter the changing room.
he immediately noticed the difference from the atmosphere of the team today. The atmosphere is full of energy, banter is heard between the players, the smell of new uniforms, grass and shoe polish mix together as only a football dressing room can.
But the room felt heavier as if a tough workout was about to happen today.
Several players immediately turned to William–"Oh, look, this is someone who got tens of thousands of followers on social media after creating an account," said Raheem Sterling after he saw William enter while showing his cell phone screen.
William chuckled while changing his clothes. "Only because of Maria's request, Raheem," he answered casually. Kevin De Bruyne, who was nearby, also smiled faintly, giving William a pat on the shoulder, which now felt a little firmer thanks to Combat 63. "Good job, Will. Stay humble. The media here can get very wild if you let it," said the Belgian maestro.
After the players joked, someone came in and he was Lorenzo Buenaventura, Pep's trusted fitness trainer who is known to be very cruel when it comes to physical matters.
Clapping his hands he said "alright guys, training today as usual–but not for you William Pep wants you to have the right foundation. Come with me to the gym. We'll spend the first hour making sure your body no longer looks like crumbly tofu."
Summary of training or rather physical torture on the young man.
First Session: The Ordeal of Lorenzo Buenaventura
In the gym, Lorenzo doesn't waste any time. He knows William's history of ACL injuries in his previous life, and his job is to make sure it doesn't happen again.
Plyometric Drills: Lorenzo forces William to perform explosive jumps to test Balance 66 and strengthen his knee support muscles.
Resistance Training: William is fitted with a heavily weighted elastic rope while attempting a rotational movement, forcing his Combat 63 stats to work to their maximum limits.
High-Intensity Intervals: Under Lorenzo's watchful eye, William had to perform short sprints over uneven surfaces, squeezing out his newly improved Stamina of 71.
"Again, William! The Premier League won't wait for you to breathe!" shouted Lorenzo while pointing at the digital clock on the wall.
After the strengthening session with Lorenzo Buenaventura ended, William was not allowed to rest for long. Pep Guardiola immediately blew his whistle, summoning all the players to the center of the pitch to begin an integrated technical drill that combined control, passing and transition speed in one brutal circuit.
When the team started training together, Pep Guardiola and his assistant Mikel Arteta stood on the sidelines, observing carefully.
"Stay focused, no one gives you time to lose focus on the pitch" Pep Guardiola's voice echoed throughout the pitch, attracting attention.
However, the main focus this time is William Carter.
He watched William's movements – how the ball stopped at his feet as if there was a magnet there, how his flat pass went straight to his partner's feet.
"He has a different level with his passing and vision, and his stamina has improved a bit compared to training a few days ago" Pep muttered, his eyes fixed on William.
Arteta, nodding in agreement, continued "Yes, look at how he stops the ball with the tip of his shoe – if the training we give him is successful his Stamina, Speed and Physicality will increase.
He could probably keep up with the strongest players out there. If we play him in midfield, he will also contribute in defense. His ability to read the game is very natural."
Their eyes continued to follow William:
Control training? Perfect.
Passing practice? This is one of the exercises that Guardiola enjoys because he sees players like William and Kevin De Bruyne in his team.
Practice dribbling fast? Smooth and confident.
Shooting practice? Not bad but needs improvement.
Set Piece Practice? Perfect! Even though the power of his kick was still lacking, the angle chosen, the accuracy of the shot, the momentum of the kick – everything happened as if William had calculated how and where he shot the Set Piece.
However, to be honest, Guardiola and his staff can see that William's passing and vision are the most prominent of all William's attributes.
With Kevin de Bruyne by his side these two players could be a nightmare for any midfielder.
And for a forward who was on the same team as those two, it was a blessing.
The cool Manchester air is filled with anticipation as small groups form on the pitch, focused on passing, dribbling and shooting drills.
"Listen, Will," Arteta put his arm around William's shoulders, his tone calmer but very technical. "Lorenzo has tortured you, now it's your brain's turn to work. Pep wants you to play in the blue team with Kevin. Your task is simple: in transition, find the gap between Kompany and Otamendi in less than two seconds."
Arteta stared intently into William's eyes. "I know you have an insane Scanning ability. Use it. Don't let Vincent touch you, because if he manages to catch you, Lorenzo's physical training earlier will feel like a playground compared to our captain's beating."
William nodded in understanding. He saw Vincent Kompany across the pitch warming up his neck, giving him a terrible "welcome" look. With the remaining energy from his Stamina 71, William ran onto the pitch, ready to test his Passing 97 and Vision 97 under the most extreme pressure he had ever experienced.
Training continues with Rondo and here once again William shows how his first touch and short passing exceed the level of the players at Manchester City.
Even now, even though Kevin de Bruyne can be said to be one of the rising midfielders, William is far superior in terms of vision and passing.
After the Rondo is finished, all players rest for a while before training will continue with small sided games.
"Hahhhh–" William collapsed on the sidelines because the physical training given by Pep was truly inhumane.
"Hey look, our prince is in the phase of being reluctant to die - not wanting to die," Sterling grinned as he walked and sat next to William who was lying down.
"Shut up Raheem, I feel like all the muscles in my body are protesting against the boss right now," William answered breathlessly.
Kevin De Bruyne walked over to William while sipping his mineral water. "Good job in the rondo, Will. You frustrated Fernandinho because he couldn't predict the direction of your pass," said Kevin in an appreciative tone.
"I was just trying to read the space before the ball arrived, Kevin," answered William humbly. And got up from a lying position to a sitting position because several players also came to his side.
Even though he was tired, William felt that if it had been him yesterday when his stats had not been added even with just +1 Stamina he would have fainted after all this.
Gabriel Jesus and Bernardo Silva joined in, looking breathless after a quick transition session. "Lorenzo's training just now really killed my legs, but you still look fresh. What secret do you have?" teased Gabriel Jesus while nudging William's shoulder, which now felt stronger thanks to Combat 63.
William didn't realize that the +1 statistic he added added several statistical subcategories, some of which could even increase by +3 points.
William just chuckled softly. He glanced at Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta who were busy arranging small cones for the next session. As Pep's former assistant, William immediately knew what was going to happen just by looking at the narrow layout of the pitch.
After seeing that, William suddenly became serious and stretched out his hand towards Guardiola and Arteta while closing his eyes.
"You want to know why I can survive this tough training?" William said in a deep and dramatic voice.
"I will show you my true strength"
"Prepare yourselves. Next is the Small Sided Games," William whispered to Kevin and Raheem. "Five against five in very tight spaces. Pep wants us to practice making decisions under extreme pressure."
"Everyone knows that's what will happen, kid," interrupted Kompany while patting William on the shoulder, who was trying to demonstrate his psychic powers.
"Wait captain–what is this? You also have powers like me?" William asked with wide eyes, a complete surprise.
Bernardino Silva, who noticed how this conversation was starting to go sideways, decided to intervene "Never mind – how can you talk about a coach behind his back?"
"I can talk like that in front of him if I want," William answered in a plain and innocent tone.
"Hahahahah" Laughter broke out on the edge of the field, and because not all the players gathered near William, several other players just watched as if they had missed something fun.
Vincent Kompany shook his head when he heard what William said. He came to believe that the souls of today's youth are very free "Okay son, don't laugh too much and I hope we are on the same team in this training" said Kompany while showing a smile as if it was an introductory greeting to William.
"Ohh–Shit" William felt that his body was completely destroyed after today's training.
Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus both patted William on the shoulder and said in unison as if they had agreed and knew this would happen, "Good luck in the next life."
Not long after, Pep's whistle sounded loud. "Let's gather! Next session: Small Sided Games! Blue Team: William, Kevin, Raheem, Fernandinho, and Ederson. Yellow Team: Kompany, Otamendi, Walker, Silva, and Aguero!"
William stood up, looked at Vincent Kompany who was waiting in the narrow area. He knows this is a real test for him as a young player because he has to face one of the best defenders in the Premier League.
"Okay William, show your performance and give me the best ball later," Sterling exclaimed as he played with the ball and threw it into the air.
"Yes, it's true, I can't wait to see our current midfield duo," Fernandinho grinned, giving a thumbs up as he jogged across the pitch.
With encouragement from the players, William felt that training would be even more enjoyable.
"Wait a minute–it seems like there's something wrong with this line-up!?" Aguero muttered while looking at the line-up of the two training teams.
"That's right, but somehow I don't know what's wrong," answered Bernardo Silva beside Aguero.
Pep's whistle sounded long, cutting off the laughter of the players on the sidelines. William immediately took his position in the training box which had been narrowed to the extreme. In the blue team, he stood level with Kevin De Bruyne, while in the yellow team, Vincent Kompany and Nicolas Otamendi had taken a low stance with a predatory gaze.
As soon as the ball was rolled by Ederson, the intensity immediately soared to boiling point. In such a small space, there is no time to think. William uses his ability to perform fast scanning to map the movements of his teammates even before the ball reaches his feet.
When the ball headed towards him, Kompany immediately lunged with his strong shoulders. Instead of trying to compete for power, William took a very subtle first touch, turned his body and executed a deadly one-two with De Bruyne. The cooperation between the two completely destroyed the yellow team's defensive structure in an instant.
On the sidelines, Pep Guardiola was seen taking notes on his clipboard while occasionally giving instructions to Mikel Arteta. William's presence in the blue team does provide a different dimension, especially because currently City's midfield is a little shaky. David Silva, the main maestro from Spain, was forced to miss this training session because he suffered a minor hamstring injury during the match against Brighton yesterday. David's absence is what opened the door for William to step into the main scheme of things sooner than anyone expected.
The internal match continued at a tempo that satisfied Pep's eyes. William, who seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, again released a curved through ball that split the yellow team's defense.
After the fifth goal was scored using almost the same scheme, Sergio Aguero suddenly raised his hands and stopped running. He turned to Pep Guardiola who was standing near the side line.
"I finally know what's wrong with this composition" Aguero's voice sounded frustrated.
"Boss! This isn't fair!" Aguero exclaimed while catching his breath. "You put the two best 'senders' on the same team? Bernardo and I had to run around aimlessly because no one could pass the ball like that on our side!"
Bernardo Silva came closer, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a fake expression of frustration. "Sergio's right, Boss. Fighting Kevin alone is already a headache, now you add this kid who seems to be able to read our minds before we move. The blue team has too many 'brains'. Give us one of them if you want this training to remain competitive!"
Pep just laughed a little when he saw his two star players protesting against a player who had just made his debut. He glanced at William who was receiving a water bottle from Fernandinho.
"William, did you hear that? They're starting to get scared of you," teased Pep. "But that's the point. I want to see how you guys deal with adversity like this and solve problems when their passing lanes are completely cut off."
"If players like you are like this, what about other teams?" Guardiola asked the players who were training.
And here they know what Guardiola means that if a team with a combination like this plays then the game will definitely not be balanced even if their players have Messi or Ronaldo.
At that time, Gabriel Jesus raised his hand "Boss, when I practice later, please separate the two of them and divide them into one team."
"Let's be honest with you two – don't act too much by continuing to make beautiful passes like that, we actually want to play football, not Tik-Tak-Toe."
Kompany interrupted with both hands covering his mouth and shouted at William and Kevin de Bruyne.
"You're just worried you can't stop them further captain" Aguero turned his head and answered Vincent Kompany's words.
Even though his body felt extremely tired after a series of brutal physical training, William felt a deep sense of satisfaction. Support and recognition from players like Aguero and Vincent Kompany are more valuable than anything else. He is no longer a young player just passing through; he is an important part of Manchester City's fighting machine.
With jokes like that, the tension caused by intense training turns into training that strengthens the relationships between the players on this team.
Especially the new players, different from William who was born and raised in Manchester, he even played friendly matches with the senior team when he was in the junior team.
So he is already familiar with the players, and he even played against Sterling in an academy match.
Match practice continued, the battle in midfield was fierce, with William working tirelessly to close passing lanes and regain possession of the ball. However, the Yellow Team was tireless, shifting the ball quickly to stretch the Yellow Team's defense line.
William moved more slowly due to his limited Stamina, but with his composure and intelligence he was able to withstand the wave of attacks – reading the direction of the pass instinctively and moving at the right time to intercept it.
But even so, veteran players are still veterans, no matter how good William and Kevin de Bruyne are, they are still very difficult to penetrate the defense of Vincent Kompany and Otamendi.
At the start they dominated, but as the match progressed it became clearer that experience did not lie in this match.
When the whistle sounded for the break, the players gathered around, breathless but still smiling.
The match is divided into teams and all players play in this training session with changing team members.
"Jesus – what's in your head?" Ederson said while patting William's back with his gloved hand, "Why does someone with a handsome face have skills like this?"
William chuckled while shaking his head.
Fernandinho nodded in agreement. "If you keep playing like this, you'll get into the starting lineup sooner than you imagine–That's if you can still walk after additional training for your physique and speed."
"Ughhhhh–Stop talking about extra training," William answered while remembering what happened to players in his previous life who received extra training.
Laughter continued to be heard on the training ground, even though they were all tired, they all knew that if they wanted to have something at the end of the season they had to keep practicing and improving their abilities.
"Alright, guys! We're going to keep building on this momentum! Keep working hard, and we'll see what happens!" Guardiola shouted to the team after training ended.
When the training session ended, Tristan William was on the pitch, watching the sun set behind the training ground.
Today's training was tough, but a smile still appeared on his handsome face - "I will bring more success to this team," William muttered while remembering how Manchester City would dominate the Premier League in the future.
But he is determined not only to dominate the Premier League but if possible the UCL.
Although it is difficult because even a big player like Ibrahimovic did not get a UCL during his career.