The scent of freshly-cut grass. The murmur of coaches. The click of studs on concrete.
Alexander Marshall stood at the edge of Carrington's secondary pitch, wearing the red of Manchester United. A friendly against Bolton's youth squad — meaningless to most, but to Alex, it might as well be Wembley.
"Alright lads," the U21 coach barked. "This is just a warm-up game, but don't play like tourists. Show me you belong."
Curtis Doyle strutted past Alex, sneering. "Don't worry. I'll score enough for both of us."
Alex didn't bite. His eyes were on the field — and the silent ding in his mind.
[System Alert: Quest – "Seize the Stage"]Objective: Goal Contribution (1 goal or assist) in today's friendlyBonus Objective: Be rated Top Performer by coachesReward: +2 Dribbling, +1 Vision, Stat Bonus (Hidden)
Kick-Off
The opening minutes were frantic. United's midfielders scrambled under Bolton's high press. Curtis demanded every ball and wasted half of them.
Alex moved quietly, finding space, observing.
20 minutes in, he finally got it.
A smooth pass from Jesse Lingard.
[First Touch Skill Activated]+5 Ball Control for 10 seconds
He killed it with his left foot, dropped his shoulder, and ghosted past the nearest defender.
"Man on!" someone shouted.
Too late.
Alex had already slipped it into the channel — a cutting reverse ball for Larnell Cole, who squared it to Will Keane.
1–0.
[Quest Progress: Primary Objective – Goal Contribution completed]+1 Vision
Alex jogged back, heart thumping. But no celebration yet. He wasn't done.
The second half began with Bolton pushing harder. They leveled the score after a corner pin balled into the net. Curtis grew more desperate — taking long-range shots, ignoring overlaps, waving his arms in frustration.
Alex kept calm. He knew he had one more moment coming.
In the 76th minute, Jesse found him at the top of the box.
No hesitation. One touch. Right foot. Far post.
The ball curled cleanly past the keeper into the side netting.
2–1.
A stunner.
[Skill: Clutch Finisher – Activated]+2 Shooting (temporary)+1 Shooting (permanent) Hidden Trait Progress: "Cold-Blooded" – 6%
When the whistle blew, the staff were already talking.
"That lad Marshall," one of them muttered to the other. "Wasn't even in the starting pool last month."
"Can't ignore him much longer."
From a distance, Paul McGuinness — United's U21 manager — made a mental note.
[Quest Complete – Top Performer: Confirmed] Reward Claimed: +2 Dribbling, +1 Vision, Hidden Stat +1 Charisma New Trait Progress Unlocked: "Big Game Mentality" – 10%
In the locker room, Curtis sulked in the corner. Alex didn't gloat. He didn't need to.
He had a bigger goal.
[System Notification: Progress Milestone Achieved] You are now eligible for: Mentorship Path Access Wayne Rooney has noticed your performance in post-match report. Mentorship Track: "The Relentless Striker" – Progress 1/5
New Feature Unlocked: Tactical Replay Hub – Review key moments with bonuses
Alex leaned back on the bench, grinning just slightly.
Today, he didn't just play.He belonged.