Only one person ran in response—a young man who had been making countless mistakes. A pyer whose line was constantly exploited by the enemy, a pyer who was always encouraged by Conrad, and someone rarely mentioned.He ran with incredible speed as the holographic screen dispyed his stats, and at that moment, Reinhart could only stand in silence, witnessing the rise of this pyer.

  Pre-match StatisticsName: Mike LankshearAge: 15Position: RBPotential: 87

  Rating : 79Speed: 77 / 89Physical: 75 / 75Technique: 82 / 85Skill:Viper Wing, aggressive and fast. Under certain conditions, he will sting opponents who enter his zone.

  As the screen flickered, Reinhart saw the numbers shift—showing significant improvement. A miracle had occurred.

  Name: Mike LankshearAge: 15Position: RBPotential: ?? (Being Recalcuted)

  Rating :...Speed: … / …Physical: … / …Technique: … / …Skill:Viper Wing, aggressive and fast. Under certain conditions, he will sting opponents who enter his zone.

  As Mike chased the ball, he remembered a long-forgotten memory.At six years old, Mike was just like any other kid. He watched a Real Madrid match and became captivated by Cristiano Ronaldo—Ballon d’Or winner at the time.His love for football soared. He wanted to py like his idol.But slowly, he realized he couldn’t become Ronaldo. He was moved to the left back position—far from his dream.He almost gave up on football entirely. The position didn’t excite him.But a call-up to the senior squad changed his mind. He decided to give it another shot.

  However, his debut performances were always disappointing.He remembered how Conrad would always comfort him. So did Ollie, and Ryan.But during the match against Gillingham, he noticed Harry.Harry had never stood out in the youth team—mainly because he always went straight home after training to help his parents.Mike always wondered why the coach selected him.But yesterday, Harry went wild. After a string of failures, he suddenly exploded into a terrifying force—earning the MOTM award.

  Seeing Harry shine ignited something in Mike.That’s when he realized what his real dream was—not to become Ronaldo, but to shine like Ronaldo.That moment reawakened his passion. He started training harder—to shine brighter.

  But no matter how hard he tried, today, he realized something: he couldn’t shine like Ronaldo, or Harry.He was just an ordinary pyer—repceable at any time.Mistakes and failures left him frustrated.

  In the middle of that frustration, he heard Conrad’s voice:"Kid, stop bming yourself. I’m here."Simple words—but they sparked something new.

  A veteran without outstanding talent, yet always pyed.

  He also remembered the time he was called into the coach’s office.He asked, “Why me? I keep failing. I’ll never be like Harry. Why do you keep pying me, Coach?”

  Reinhart, usually cold, spoke gently,"You are my pyer. Being in the spotlight isn’t just about scoring goals.There will be a moment where you shine—a moment that will change your life.Fight for it. You will get there."

  With that, Reinhart said no more.But in that young man’s eyes, a glimmer of light appeared.

  For Conrad the Captain who always supported him.For the Coach who believed in him.For Ronaldo his idol.For Harry his inspiration.And for his teammates—

  Just once, he thought, Let me shine.Just once, Let me protect them.

  And then, the unexpected happened.

  [Commentator 2]:“The ball is right in front of the goal line, and GOOOAA…”

  A ball just 5 cm from the goal line—everyone thought it had gone in.Even the commentator shouted.

  Mike threw himself forward and cleared the ball—sending himself into the goal in the process.But it didn’t stop there. Myles, nearby, quickly struck the ball again towards the net—Mike, already on his feet, blocked it with his face. The ball soared forward—And it nded at Lucien’s feet, who had dropped deep.

  [Commentator 1]:“WHAT A BRILLIANT SAVE BY MIKE!WAIT—IS THAT REALLY A 15-YEAR-OLD??!”

  The stadium erupted in awe. A young pyer's rise.Lucien took the ball forward and passed to Eden, who bounced it back.This time, Lucien redeemed himself.He beat Nathan with a perfect step-over, making him fall.Lucien passed to Duvant—who accelerated and beat the defense. Now it was 2 vs 1.Duvant, just 3 meters outside the box, passed right to Lucien—The keeper was frozen.Lucien tapped it gently in.

  [Commentator 1]:“GOALLLL!!!!A LIGHTNING-FAST COUNTER STARTED BY MIKE,FOLLOWED BY LUCIEN AND DUVANT DESTROYING BOLTON’S DEFENSE—AND NOW BRADFORD TAKES THE LEAD!”

  The crowd erupted.Mike, watching the goal, simply stared.It was true—he wasn’t the one who scored.

  But then, Reinhart—almost never heard shouting—called out:

  “MIKE, LISTEN!”Mike froze.Then he heard the roar of the stadium—But they weren’t chanting Lucien’s name.

  They were chanting his.

  All of them.

  Then, all the pyers—even Lucien and Duvant from far ahead—ran to him.Conrad lifted Mike up in celebration.

  “MIKE LANKSHEAR! MIKE LANKSHEAR! MIKE LANKSHEAR!”

  “Unbelievable, Mike,” said Lukas.“How’d you do that, little guy?”Conrad, lifting him, smiled warmly,“That save outshone even my performance—HAHAHAHA!”The usual confident tone from Duvant.

  Finally, Mike's expression changed. He showed an expression he had never dispyed before — a feeling of satisfaction as he finally became the center of attention, marking the success of his rise. He celebrated by forming a heart with his hands. That day, it wasn't a striker who celebrated after destroying the enemy, but a warrior who had successfully defended his territory. It pushed him to once again set his sights on his true goal.

  Everyone cheered.Reinhart watched the match from the sidelines—finally smiling—As Mike’s new status appeared:

  Name: Mike LankshearAge: 15Position: RBPotential: 96

  Rating : 84Speed: 83 / 96Physical: 79 / 95Technique: 86 / 98Skill:Viper Wing, aggressive and fast. Under certain conditions, he will sting opponents who enter his zone.Starlight, shines brighter when certain conditions are met.Special Note: A star who finally discovered his true dream.

  Behind the goal celebration and Mike Lankshear’s heroic save—On the bench, Matias stared at the field, clutching a water bottle tightly.Reinhart stood on the sideline, his face unreadable.

  Will the 60th minute be Matias’s st chance?

  Meanwhile, a new fire flickered to life.Captain Clement stood, holding his waist.A glimmer of light in his eyes.