The sting of defeat from the Liverpool match still lingered in Leon's mind, a faint echo of Salah's late, brilliant goal.

But the football world never stopped, and neither did Leon.

The week after the Liverpool game was dedicated to recovery and analysis.

Coach Emery, though demanding, made sure the players had enough rest.

Leon spent hours in the academy's video analysis room, not just watching his own clips, but studying the best midfielders in the Premier League.

He focused on their movement, their decision-making under pressure, and how his 'sight' could help him replicate and even surpass their abilities.

He was slowly building a mental library of ghostly projections, learning to categorize them instantly: the subtle 'shoulder dip' before a dribble, the 'wide-eyed gaze' before a long switch of play, the 'tense hamstring' indicating fatigue.

His next Premier League match, against Everton at Goodison Park, loomed large, but for a moment, the spotlight wasn't on him. It was on his best friend.

A few days after the Liverpool game, the news channels were buzzing with talk of Byon's imminent debut for Manchester City.

Nottingham Forest at home. Leon watched from his dorm room, glued to the TV, a nervous excitement bubbling in his chest.

His mom called him, her voice already bubbling with anticipation.

"Leon! It's starting! Byon's on the bench! Oh, I hope he gets to play!"

The game kicked off, and Leon's 'sight' immediately activated, even through the screen.

He saw the shimmering 'Current' ratings of City's players – Haaland (92), De Bruyne (91), Rodri (89) – a galaxy of stars.

Nottingham Forest's players, while solid, generally hovered in the high 70s and low 80s for 'Current', a noticeable difference.

The first half was all City, relentless in their attack.

They scored early through Erling Haaland.

Leon watched, amazed by the sheer speed and precision of City's play. He saw Pep Guardiola on the sidelines, his 'Current: 90' as a manager radiating a tactical genius that seemed to rub off on his players.

Just after halftime, Leon's phone buzzed. It was a message from Byon:

"Warm up time! Wish me luck!"

Leon held his breath. Moments later, the camera panned to the City bench.

Byon (Current: 80) was stripping off his tracksuit top, revealing the sky-blue number 66.

Leon's heart swelled with pride. This was it.

"And a change for Manchester City! Pep Guardiola brings on a debutant, young Byon, from the academy! Number 66 comes on to replace Jeremy Doku on the wing!"

Byon jogged onto the pitch, a wide, almost disbelieving grin on his face.

He slotted straight into the left wing position.

The first few touches were a little hesitant, his 'Current' briefly flickering with nerves. But then, he settled. Leon watched him, his unique 'sight' highlighting Byon's movements.

He saw the faint, 'rapid leg' projection indicating his incredible acceleration, the 'subtle hip swivel' before a dazzling dribble.

Byon started to cause problems immediately.

He received the ball deep, and Leon saw a Newcastle defender's 'outstretched leg' projection, indicating a tackle.

Byon feinted, then used a burst of speed to dart past the defender, leaving him sprawling.

WHISSHH!

"Oh, brilliant pace from the debutant! Byon leaves his man for dead!"

He then hit a low cross that was cleared by the Forest defense.

Not a goal, but a clear sign of his impact. Leon cheered from his dorm room.

Around the 70th minute, City were pressing again.

Phil Foden (Potential: 90, Current: 88) played a quick one-two with Rodri (Current: 89), who then threaded a pass out to Byon on the wing.

Byon received the ball, about 25 yards from goal. Leon's 'sight' showed a Forest defender, Serge Aurier (Potential: 85, Current: 82), closing him down, with a faint 'tackle' projection.

But Byon didn't just try to beat him. He looked up, his 'Current: 80' seemed to glow with a sudden surge of confidence.

Leon saw a very rare, complex set of ghostly projections above Byon: a rapid 'feint to the outside', followed by a 'sharp cut inside', then a 'leg-and-ball' outline for a shot, but with a 'subtle body lean' indicating a curl to the far post.

Byon executed it flawlessly. He shifted the ball, froze Aurier for a split second, then cut sharply inside, leaving the defender bewildered.

He took one touch to set himself, and then, from a difficult angle, unleashed a powerful, curling shot.

BOOM!

The ball flew, a perfect arc, past the diving goalkeeper and into the top corner of the net!

GOOOAL! - Manchester City 3 - Nottingham Forest 0!

The stadium erupted! Byon slid on his knees in celebration, a look of pure elation on his face. Leon leaped off his bed, letting out a whoop of his own.

"YES! BYON! HE DID IT!" His best friend had just scored on his Premier League debut for Manchester City! Byon's 'Current' rating jumped, not just a point, but two, to a fantastic 81.

The confidence, the performance, it had clearly made a huge impact.

The final whistle blew a few minutes later, City winning comfortably. Leon immediately called his mom.

"Did you see it, Mom?! Byon scored! A screamer!"

"I did! I did!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with shared excitement.

"That was a goal for the highlight reel! Oh, he's just brilliant! And you too, Leon! Both of you, doing so well!"

Later that evening, Leon watched the post-match analysis. The pundits were raving.

"What a debut for young Byon!" a pundit exclaimed on the screen.

"Coming off the bench, not just showing pace, but the confidence to take on defenders and that incredible finish! This lad is special."

Another pundit chimed in: "And let's not forget Leon Fischer at Aston Villa. Two incredible performances in two starts against City and Newcastle, with a goal and two assists already. It's a fantastic time for young English midfielders. We're seeing a real surge of talent."

The discussion then shifted.

"And talking about young talent, the big news this week is of course Emre Demir, the Turkish wonderkid, who just sealed his move to Real Madrid! Only 17 years old, already tipped for greatness."

Leon felt a flicker of curiosity, and his 'sight' immediately brought up Emre Demir's numbers, now associated with the Real Madrid crest:

Emre Demir – Potential: 94, Current: 83.

Another rising star, another benchmark.

The world of football was constantly evolving, new talents emerging, pushing the boundaries.

Just then, Leon's phone buzzed.

A video call from Byon. Leon answered, Byon's grinning face filling the screen, still looking ecstatic.

"Leo! Did you see it?! I scored! I actually scored!"

"I saw it, mate! You were brilliant! That finish was insane! Pep's going to love you!"

Leon laughed, genuinely thrilled for his friend.

"I know, right?!" Byon's grin stretched even wider.

"This place is crazy, Leon. The training, the players... I'm learning so much!" He paused, then his eyes twinkled mischievously.

"Hey, you know what the commentators were talking about? Our market values."

Leon's eyebrows rose. "Oh yeah? What were they saying?" He hadn't paid attention to that part.

"Well," Byon began, leaning closer to the camera, a smirk on his face.

"They said you're now valued at… around £31 million."

Leon whistled. "Thirty-one million?! That's... wow." It was an astonishing number, a testament to how far he'd come.

"And me?" Byon's grin widened even further. "They said I'm at… £34 million."

Leon stared, then blinked. "Thirty-four million? After one debut goal?"

Byon leaned back, a triumphant, playful glint in his eye.

"Yep! See? That's because I'm at Manchester City, mate! The champions! Everything's just bigger here, even the price tags! Looks like I'm already more valuable than you, my Premier League assist king!" He burst out laughing, a joyous, teasing sound.

Leon shook his head, a genuine smile spreading across his face.

"Oh, you just wait, Byon. That's just because you're new. Give it a few games. I'll catch up. You'll see."

Byon just kept laughing, a challenge in his eyes. "We'll see about that, Leo! We'll see!"

As the call ended, Leon lay back. The numbers felt surreal, a concrete representation of their burgeoning careers.

Their shared dream was now not just about playing, but about their market value, their standing in the global game. It was a new kind of competition, a friendly rivalry that would push them both to new heights.