CHAPTER 109: IT’S A DERBY!

The week leading up to the first round of the Carabao Cup was a happy, peaceful haze.

One evening, he was sitting on the sofa with his dad, watching a ridiculously over-the-top action movie.

"See that?" his dad said, pointing a pretzel at the screen as the hero single-handedly fought off twenty ninjas."That’s tactical awareness, son. He’s using the environment to his advantage. A true leader."

"I think he’s just punching people, Dad," Ethan said with a laugh.

"A valid tactic in the right circumstances!" his dad insisted.

His mom came in from the kitchen, holding a freshly baked, slightly lopsided lemon drizzle cake. "No-Reason Cake!" she announced proudly.

"What’s a ’No-Reason Cake’?" Ethan asked, his eyes widening at the sight of the sugary masterpiece.

"It’s a cake for no reason at all," his mom explained, cutting a huge slice for him. "Which is the best reason to have a cake."

Sarah emerged from her room, drawn by the scent of sugar.

She flopped onto the armchair, a contented, stress-free smile on her face. "Is the official ’Celebrations Officer’ approving this unscheduled treat?" she asked, looking at Ethan.

"The motion is approved," he said with a mock-serious nod, taking a huge bite of cake.

He looked at his family, at their easy, happy laughter, at the warm, comfortable silence that now filled their home. This, he thought, was his SSS-Rank team. And they were unbeatable.

The next day was Saturday. No CostMart. And more importantly, it was matchday. The first round of the Carabao Cup. Apex United versus Nova Athletic. Ethan versus Maya.

He woke up with a familiar, thrilling buzz of anticipation.

He spent the morning in the pod, running his team through a final, light training session.

The atmosphere was electric. The players knew all about their opponents.

They had seen Nova Athletic’s steady climb up the league table.

And they had heard the whispers about their S-Rank Maestro, Gavi.

Ethan gathered them in the virtual briefing room.

"Alright, lads," he began, a wide, confident grin on his face.

"Today’s the day. The Carabao Cup. A new competition, a new challenge. And our opponents are a team we know a lot about. Nova Athletic."

He brought up their tactical display on the main screen. "They are a very good team. They’re organized, they’re patient, and they have one of the best creative midfielders in the division in Gavi. He’s their Emre. He’s the one who makes them tick. Our midfield battle today is going to be the key to winning this match."

He saw the focused, determined looks on the faces of McLean and

"But," Ethan continued, a mischievous glint in his eye, "we have a new secret weapon. A new instruction I can give to one of you. It’s called ’Play with Joy’."

He looked directly at David Kerrigan. "Davey. This one’s for you."

Kerrigan, who had been leaning back in his chair looking bored, suddenly sat up straight, his eyes gleaming.

"For a short period in the match," Ethan explained, "I can activate this trait for you. When it’s active, all tactical instructions go out the window. Your only job is to do whatever you want. To be a complete and utter menace. To play with pure, unpredictable, human instinct. You will get a massive boost to your flair and dribbling. You will be, for a few minutes, completely unstoppable."

The other players stared at Kerrigan, a mixture of terror and amusement on their faces.

David Kerrigan looked at his manager, his face a picture of pure, unadulterated ecstasy.

"So," he said, his voice a reverent whisper. "You’re telling me... my only instruction... is to have no instructions?"

"That’s the one," Ethan confirmed.

"Gaffer," Kerrigan said, a single, happy tear rolling down his cheek.

"You’re a genius. An absolute genius."

The home dressing room at The Apex was buzzing.

The players were laughing, joking, but there was a sharp, competitive edge to their banter.

"Right, you heard the gaffer," Jonathan Rowe was saying to the other attackers. "Our job is to defend. And then give the ball to Davey."

Grant Hanley grunted, lacing up his boots. "Just make sure you track your runner when it’s over."

Ethan stood before them, his final team talk ready.

"Lads," he said, and the room fell silent. "We know them. They know us. Their manager is a friend of mine. She’s smart, she’s a brilliant tactician, and her team will be perfectly prepared for us."

He looked around the room, a slow, confident smile on his face. "But she’s not ready for us today. She’s not ready for our heart. She’s not ready for our chaos. And she is definitely not ready for whatever David is about to do."

He clapped his hands. "Let’s go out there, have fun, and get our first win in the ’Cheese Aisle Derby’."

The team walked out into the roar of the home crowd, a wave of blue and white rising to greet them.

Ethan took his place in the technical area and looked across to the away dugout.

Maya was there, looking sharp and focused in her Nova Athletic tracksuit.

She caught his eye and gave him a small, confident smile and a little wave.

Ethan just grinned back. The game was on.

"A VERY GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND WELCOME TO A PACKED APEX STADIUM for what promises to be an absolutely scintillating first-round clash in the Carabao Cup!" the commentator’s voice boomed, filled with an infectious energy."It’s a battle of the new kids on the block! A clash of two of the most exciting, youthful teams in the entire Football League! It’s the league leaders, the chaotic entertainers, Apex United, against the tactical purists, the rising stars of Nova Athletic!"

He took a theatrical breath.

"But this isn’t just a cup tie, folks! It’s a derby! A rivalry born not in geography, but in the dairy aisle of the local CostMart! It’s the battle of the gaffers! Ethan ’The Cheese Guy’ Couch versus the mysterious, brilliant ’Tactical Mastermind’ Maya! The Clash of the Wonderkids, is about to begin!"