Football Coaching Game: Starting With SSS-Rank Player
Chapter 102: Real-world income
CHAPTER 102: REAL-WORLD INCOME
Ethan materialized on the virtual training ground of Apex United, the digital sun shining, a hive of focused, positive energy all around him.
The disastrous 6-2 loss to Burton felt like a lifetime ago. It had been a necessary, painful lesson, and his team had emerged from the fire stronger, smarter, and hungrier than ever.
He watched them train, a proud, satisfied smile on his face.
The +10% Training Efficiency boost from his beach trip had expired, but its effects lingered.
The players were sharper, their movements more intuitive.
The attacking trio he had gambled on was beginning to look less like a trio of individuals and more like a single, terrifying, three-headed monster.
David Kerrigan’s chaotic dribbling now had a purpose, a final pass.
Viktor Kristensen’s movement was a masterclass in quiet, deadly efficiency.
And Emre Demir... Emre was on another plane of existence.
"He’s playing a different sport to the rest of us," Grant Hanley grunted to James Pearce on the sideline, as they watched Emre spray a 60-yard, defense-splitting pass with the casual ease of a man buttering toast. "It’s not fair."
After the session, Ethan retreated to his office, his heart pounding with a familiar, hopeful anticipation.
He pulled up the squad development screen.
The results of the last two weeks of intense training and hard-fought victories were laid bare.
James McCarthy, the S-Rank defender, had seen his Current Ability jump from 75 to 77.
David Kerrigan, the agent of chaos, had gone from 68 to 70.
But it was his two star strikers who made his jaw drop.
Viktor Kristensen, the ’Clutch Performer’, was now a lethal 71.
And Emre Demir, the SSS-Rank magician, the boy who was rewriting the rules of the game, had made another astonishing leap.
His Current Ability was now 74.
"Seventy-four," Ethan whispered to the empty room, a laugh of pure, delighted disbelief escaping his lips. A 74-rated player in League One was a cheat code. He was a Premier League talent playing two divisions below his level.
He walked out to the briefing room, where his players were gathered for the pre-match talk.
Tomorrow, they faced a tough away trip to Lincoln City.
"Alright, lads," he began, a wide, confident grin on his face. "Good week. The intensity has been fantastic. I’ve been looking at the development reports. You are all getting better, every single day. The system is starting to recognize what we already know: that we are the best team in this league."
He looked at his two young strikers.
"Emre, Viktor. Congratulations on breaking the 70-point barrier. You are no longer ’promising prospects’. You are elite players at this level. And the whole league is starting to get scared of you."
A murmur of pride went through the room.
"But," he continued, his tone turning serious, "the game against Lincoln tomorrow is a huge test. They’re a tough, physical side. They won’t be scared. They’ll want to prove a point. We have to be ready for a fight."
He brought up the tactical display. "We go with the 4-3-3. We play our game. But after that... after that, we have the big one."
He swiped the screen, and the iconic, menacing logo of Quantum FC appeared.
"The wager match against GridironGuru. It’s been scheduled for the week after next. It’s the biggest match of our lives. It’s a chance to prove, on the biggest stage, that we are not a fluke. It’s a chance to earn the respect of the entire FCG world."
He looked around the room, at the fiery, determined faces of his players. "So tomorrow, we are not just playing for three points. We are sending a message. A message to Lincoln, to the league, and to GridironGuru himself. The message is simple: We are Apex United. And we are coming for everything."
The next morning, Ethan was in a fantastic mood. He had a big match to look forward to, his team was flying high, and his real life was a picture of happy, balanced calm.
He walked to his shift at CostMart, the cool autumn air a pleasant, refreshing change.
As he was heading to the dairy aisle, a cheerful voice called out to him.
"Morning, gaffer. You look happy. Did your imaginary friends win another impossible football match?"
It was Maya, leaning against a pallet of yogurts, a playful, teasing smile on her face.
"Not yet," he said, his own grin widening. "That’s tomorrow. Today, I’m just mentally preparing for the epic tactical battle of restocking the semi-skimmed milk."
"A true master of two disciplines," she said with a laugh.
"So, who’s the unlucky opponent this week?"
"Lincoln City. Away. It’ll be a tough one."
"Ah, Lincoln," she said, her expression turning more serious, the manager in her taking over.
"Be careful of their number 10. He’s got a hidden ’Long Shots’ trait that the game doesn’t show you. He’s lethal from outside the box."
"Thanks for the tip," he said, a warm, grateful feeling spreading through his chest. "I’ll make sure my midfielders stick to him like glue."
"You’d better," she said, her playful smirk returning. "Because I need you to keep winning. It makes our match in a few weeks look much more prestigious when I beat the undefeated, table-topping giants."
"Keep dreaming, Maya," he shot back. "My SSS-Rank magician is already preparing a special welcome for your S-Rank Maestro."
They stood there for a moment, a comfortable, happy silence between them, two secret managers in a world of cheese and yogurt.
He went home that evening, tired from a long shift but buzzing with anticipation for the match.
He had a quick dinner with his family, who were all in high spirits, and then, with a familiar, happy sigh, he lay down in the pod and went to sleep, ready for the battle to come.
He woke the next morning, not in his own bed, but in the virtual hotel room the game provided for away matches. He felt rested, focused, and ready.
He was about to head to the pre-match briefing when his phone, which was synced to the game world, buzzed. It was a system-wide news alert from the FCG, a priority notification sent to all managers.
He opened it, a flicker of curiosity in his mind.
The message was a bombshell that changed everything.
**AETHERIA DYNAMICS ANNOUNCES MAJOR FCG EVOLUTION: ’THE SPONSORSHIP MARKETPLACE’**
He scrolled down, his eyes widening as he read.
"As the FCG world continues to grow and evolve, we are thrilled to announce a groundbreaking new feature that will further bridge the gap between the virtual and the real. Starting today, the ’Sponsorship Marketplace’ is officially open."
"Managers who achieve a ’High Reputation’ status through consistent league performance, impressive cup runs, and a strong ’Fan Approval’ rating will now be eligible to attract real-world brand sponsorships. These deals, negotiated within the FCG platform, will provide a tangible, real-world income, paid directly to the manager’s registered real-life bank account."
Ethan stared at the screen, his heart pounding so hard he could feel it in his ears.
Real-world income.
He scrolled down to the final, world-altering paragraph.
`"Reputation is everything. Win big, play exciting football, and the world will take notice. The first round of sponsorship offers will be sent out at the end of the current season. Good luck, gaffers. The game just got real."*