August 21, 2012 – Carrington Training Ground
The next morning, Carrington's training complex was alive with murmurs. Word spreads fast in football — even faster when a no-name like Alexander Marshall scores a goal and an assist in his unofficial debut.
Alex entered the cafeteria, tray in hand. He was barely two steps in before he felt it: the eyes. Not hatred. Not awe. Just… curiosity.
Curtis Doyle glared up from his scrambled eggs. Jesse Lingard, at the next table, gave Alex a small nod. A few others — Tyler Blackett, Tom Lawrence, even Will Keane — were suddenly aware of the "new lad" from the U18s.
Alex kept his cool. He grabbed a banana and sat alone.
[System Notification]"You have gained a +2 Charisma boost for handling pressure with composure."
He almost chuckled. The System really had a stat for everything.
Later That Day – U21 Coach's Office
Paul McGuinness folded his arms. "You looked sharp yesterday, Marshall."
Alex sat straight. "Thank you, sir."
"But it was just a friendly. Let's see what you do in the league."He tossed a training bib onto the desk. "You're with the U21s full-time now. Earn your place."
[Quest Unlocked: "A Foot in the Door"]Objective: Make your official U21 League debutBonus: Contribute to a goalReward: +2 Tactical Awareness, +1 Pace, Mentorship Path progress
Mini Timeskip – A Week of Grinding
The next week was brutal.
5:00 a.m. runs.Solo shooting drills.Mental replay sessions through the Tactical Replay Hub — a System feature that let him relive match moments in his mind, tweaking decisions and reactions like a video game.
Every choice earned tiny bonuses:
+0.2 Tactical Awareness+0.3 Dribbling Reflex"Cold-Blooded" Trait Progress: 11%
One night, he pushed it too far — eyes bloodshot, muscles aching, watching a mistimed pass over and over in Tactical Replay until the System flashed red:
[⚠️ WARNING: Fatigue threshold reached. Stat penalties active tomorrow.]
He closed it reluctantly.
Matchday – U21 League Debut vs Everton
The air smelled of rain and nerves.
He wasn't starting — not yet. But in the 63rd minute, with the score still 0–0, Coach McGuinness pointed to him.
"Marshall. You're on. CAM. Show me something."
[System Activated: Match Boost – "First Official Debut"]Temporary Buffs: +3 Vision, +2 Dribbling, +1 Pace
The first touch was rusty. The second, smoother. Then it clicked.
In the 75th minute, he intercepted a loose pass near the box. Instead of shooting, he feinted, drew in the defender, and slipped it through to Curtis Doyle.
Tap-in.
Curtis didn't celebrate with him, but Alex didn't care.
[Assist Recorded]+1 Vision+1 Tactical AwarenessMentorship Path Progress – Wayne Rooney: 2/5
The match ended 1–0. The staff were pleased. And for the first time, some of the players clapped him on the back.
That night, lying in bed in his shared flat, Alex checked his System.
Current Stats:
Pace: 69
Dribbling: 73
Shooting: 69
Passing: 72
Stamina: 74
Strength: 64
Tactical Awareness: 68
Charisma: 63
Still rough. But better.
And tomorrow?
Another chance to improve.
Bonus Chapter : Every 100 Stones bonus 1 chapter