Leon tumbled onto his bed, bags of new clothes spilling onto the floor around him.

The day with Byon and his mom had been a whirlwind of laughter, fashion, and an unexpected foray into his mom's dating advice.

He was just about to sort through his new wardrobe when his 'sight' flared, intensely.

A translucent, shimmering overlay appeared in his vision, replacing the clothes scattered on his floor.

[HELP SYSTEM - MARKET AVAILABLE!]

You have 3 Points!

Choose one of the following rewards:

Increase your Potential rating from 94 to 95!

(Cost: 10 Points)

Gain a Player Skill for one match!

(Cost: 3 Points)

Receive £500,000 to your bank account!

(Cost: 2 Points)

Leon stared, his heart pounding.

A market! This was what the founder of football had talked about! He had 3 points from getting Mark signed to Arsenal.

He quickly processed the options.

Increase Potential. From 94 to 95. That was huge! It meant his ultimate ceiling, his maximum ability, would go even higher.

But it cost 10 points. He only had 3. So, that was out for now.

£500,000 to his bank account. Two points. That was a lot of money. More than he'd just earned! He could fix his mom's roof completely, buy her anything she wanted.

The thought was tempting. But he already had £40,000. And his main goal wasn't just money.

Gain a Player Skill for one match. Three points. Exactly what he had. A skill from another player, for one match only. This was exciting! It could be a game-changer. It tied directly into his football.

Leon weighed his options carefully. The money was great, but a unique skill for a match... that could push his 'Current' even higher, help the team win, and prove himself even more.

This was about growth, about pushing boundaries. He knew what he had to choose.

He mentally selected Option 2.

The System shimmered again, the market disappearing, replaced by a new list.

[PLAYER SKILL SELECTION - ONE MATCH DURATION]

Choose a player skill for your next match:

Lionel Messi: 'Dribbling Maestro' - Unparalleled close control and agility.

[locked]

Cristiano Ronaldo: 'Aerial Dominance' - Exceptional heading accuracy and hang time.

[locked]

Kevin De Bruyne: 'Passing Vision' - Enhanced ability to see and execute impossible passes.

Erling Haaland: 'Clinical Finishing' - Unstoppable shot power and accuracy in front of goal.

Neymar Jr.: 'Flair Dribbling' - Dazzling tricks, feints, and unpredictable movement.

Virgil van Dijk: 'Immovable Wall' - Unbeatable defensive positioning and tackling.

Mohamed Salah: 'Lethal Precision' - Uncanny ability to find the back of the net from any angle.

Son Heung-min: 'Ambidextrous Finishing' - Deadly accuracy with both left and right foot.

Kylian Mbappé: 'Blinding Pace' - Explosive acceleration and top speed.

Leon's jaw dropped. The names! These were the absolute legends of football! And he could borrow one of their signature skills for his next match?! This was truly incredible.

He thought about his recent games.

He was already great at passing vision, thanks to his 'sight', so De Bruyne's skill might be redundant.

Haaland's finishing would be amazing, but he'd just scored a great goal against Tottenham.

Then he looked at Neymar Jr. 'Flair Dribbling'.

Neymar's dribbling wasn't just about getting past players; it was about the unexpected, the audacious, the joy of the game.

It was about creating moments of pure magic, something Leon hadn't really focused on. His own dribbling was efficient, but not flashy.

With Neymar's skill, he could combine his predictive 'sight' with dazzling, unpredictable movement. He could take on multiple players, create chaos, and open up spaces that wouldn't exist otherwise. It would be a nightmare for defenders.

He pictured himself on the pitch, seeing the 'outstretched leg' of a defender, then pulling off a flick or a rainbow flick that left them bewildered.

The thought sent a jolt of pure excitement through him. This was it.

Leon mentally selected Neymar Jr.: 'Flair Dribbling'.

The list shimmered, then dissolved. The System screen faded, and Leon's room, with his new clothes scattered on the floor, returned to normal.

He still felt the faint buzz of the System's presence, a quiet hum in the background of his mind.

He quickly tidied up, his thoughts racing. Neymar's dribbling. For one match. Who would they be playing next? He hadn't even checked the fixture list yet.

The next few days at the academy were a mix of standard training and intense preparation for their upcoming Premier League match.

Leon continued to hone his 'sight', practicing anticipating movements and passes, but now, he also secretly imagined himself performing impossible tricks, faking out defenders with a flourish.

He spent extra time after training, working on close control, trying to mimic some of Neymar's signature moves he'd seen on YouTube. His teammates noticed.

"Getting fancy, Leo?" John McGinn (Current: 84) teased, watching him pull off a slick turn.

Leon just grinned. "Got to keep them guessing, John."

He called Byon (Current: 85) that evening, still buzzing from the System's market.

"Hey, Mr. 48 Million, how's City life treating you?"

"Still fabulous, Mr. 45 Million!" Byon retorted, his voice cheerful. "We had a tough training session today. Pep's really pushing us. But I'm learning loads.

What about you? Getting ready for your next victim?"

"You could say that," Leon said, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Just got a... new trick up my sleeve for the next match." He couldn't reveal the System, but the hint was enough.

"Oh, really?" Byon sounded intrigued.

"Don't tell me you've figured out how to fly yet. You better not be trying to out-dribble me now, I'm the king of flair!"

"We'll see," Leon chuckled. "We'll see. You just watch the next game."

The team meeting for their next Premier League fixture was held the day before the match. Coach Emery stood in front of the tactical board, his expression serious.

"Okay, lads," Emery began. "Next match is away from home.

A very important one for our European ambitions. We face Brighton & Hove Albion."

A murmur went through the room. Brighton. A tough team, known for their fluid, attacking football, and their intelligent manager.

Their star midfielder, Pascal Groß (Potential: 86, Current: 84), was a creative force.

Kaoru Mitoma (Potential: 88, Current: 86), their Japanese winger.

Lewis Dunk (Potential: 87, Current: 85), a strong, experienced center-back.

"Brighton are tactically astute," Emery continued.

"They move the ball quickly. They press as a unit. We must be disciplined. But we must also be brave. We must exploit the spaces they leave." He looked at Leon.

"Fischer. You start in midfield. We need your control, your vision. And your ability to create something unexpected."

Leon felt a surge of excitement. That was the perfect word. Neymar's 'Flair Dribbling' skill was ready.

Brighton were known for their organized defense, but what if they faced something utterly unpredictable? using his 'sight' to predict their tackles, then weaving through them with dazzling feints and tricks. This was going to be fun.

-------

A/N: Thanks for reading! A quick review really helps the story