Souness stood in front of the dugout at Old Trafford, soaked after spending the entire ninety minutes in the rain.
At first, he occasionally raised a hand to shield his face.
After the twelfth minute, he stopped even bothering.
That was when Brazilian international Kaká opened the scoring.
It became another match dominated by Beckham.
He did not score on his return to Old Trafford, but he was comfortably the best player on the pitch, providing all three assists for his teammates.
Across two Premier League matches, Beckham had shown outstanding form, influencing games in ways he had rarely been allowed to at Manchester United.
His passing and creativity were already making the £18 million transfer fee look like a bargain.
Palacio had scored in both of the opening Premier League rounds.
With four goals, he now led the league's scoring chart.
Drogba had scored his first Premier League goal, while Beckham sat top of the assist rankings.
More importantly, the 3-0 victory allowed New Manchester United to leapfrog Blackburn and move to the top of the Premier League.
Souness could only watch as his team fell apart.
There was nothing he could do.
He wanted to lose his temper, but he could not even bring himself to do that.
His players had genuinely tried to win.
The problem was that New Manchester United had been superior in almost every respect.
Individual quality.
Tactics.
Movement.
Understanding between teammates.
After Blackburn's previous defeat, Souness could still blame unfamiliarity or poor preparation.
This time, there were no excuses.
Cole and Yorke no longer looked like the devastating strike partnership they had once been, particularly without a winger like Duff supplying them.
Against New Manchester United's defensive structure, both forwards were almost completely isolated.
Blackburn's defence, midfield, and attack had been separated from one another throughout the match.
Once those connections disappeared, defeat became inevitable.
"This simply isn't a squad capable of challenging for anything," Souness thought bitterly.
He was beginning to wonder whether he could ever fulfil his ambitions at Blackburn.
The money earned from selling Duff should have been reinvested in the squad.
Souness had asked for reinforcements.
Blackburn had refused, encouraged by their 6-0 victory in the opening round.
"They're newly promoted too, but they're not Leicester City."
Souness sighed.
He glanced towards Mourinho, who had also spent almost the entire match standing in the rain.
The Portuguese manager was now walking towards him with the unmistakable smile of a winner.
Souness had no interest in seeing it.
He turned and walked away in the opposite direction.
Mourinho stopped.
Then he shrugged with an amused smile.
If Souness wanted to avoid him, that was his choice.
New Manchester United had won.
Mourinho intended to enjoy it.
...
Two consecutive victories and first place in the Premier League were far beyond what almost anyone had expected.
Even Ethan found it difficult to believe.
So did Mourinho.
Neither had imagined New Manchester United's first Premier League campaign would begin so smoothly.
Because of the UEFA Super Cup, their third league fixture, away to Manchester United, had been postponed until October 22.
That meant that after defeating Blackburn, the squad could turn its full attention towards AC Milan.
As UEFA Cup holders, New Manchester United would face the reigning Champions League winners in Monaco.
On paper, AC Milan were clearly the stronger side.
But after two consecutive Premier League victories and a place at the top of the table, confidence around Newton Heath was high.
Everyone wanted to win the first UEFA Super Cup in the club's history.
Mourinho treated the match seriously.
In the days beforehand, he organised several dedicated tactical sessions designed specifically around AC Milan's strengths.
Yet at the Stade Louis II in Monaco, despite a determined performance, New Manchester United ultimately fell short.
From the opening stages, the midfield combination of Rui Costa and Pirlo exerted enormous influence over the match.
New Manchester United's possession-based approach, which had received so much praise in England, struggled badly.
Beckham in particular found it difficult to control the game against Pirlo and Rui Costa.
In the 34th minute, Rui Costa played a perfectly weighted through ball from the centre.
Shevchenko accelerated onto it.
Curtis and Terry closed from either side, but the Ukrainian forced his way between them and unleashed a powerful shot into the top corner.
1-0.
New Manchester United responded immediately.
The attacking four of Villa, Kaká, Robben, and Palacio began causing serious problems for AC Milan's defence.
Palacio was particularly dangerous against Pancaro on the right.
Three minutes later, the pressure finally produced an equaliser.
Kaká drove through the centre before releasing the ball towards Palacio.
Palacio reached it ahead of Maldini and knocked it back into the path of Villa.
Villa arrived at pace and finished low at the near post.
1-1.
After equalising, New Manchester United continued attacking.
The four forwards repeatedly tested AC Milan's defensive line.
But Maldini and Nesta remained composed in the centre, while Cafu did an excellent job containing Robben on the opposite flank.
New Manchester United threatened constantly without creating enough clear chances.
Then, in first-half stoppage time, AC Milan punished them.
A quick counter-attack ended with Shevchenko forcing a save and winning a corner.
Rui Costa delivered a dangerous ball into the penalty area.
A scramble followed.
Inzaghi reacted fastest and stabbed the loose ball into the net.
2-1.
AC Milan had regained the lead just before half-time.
...
New Manchester United began the second half aggressively.
They clearly wanted an early equaliser.
Mourinho repeatedly gestured from the touchline, warning his players not to become too reckless.
His instructions were directed particularly towards Maicon and Evra.
He did not want both full-backs pushing forward at the same time.
But AC Milan deliberately retreated and allowed New Manchester United more possession, gradually drawing them farther up the pitch.
The Red Rebels controlled the ball and attacked repeatedly, but they lacked the final pass.
Then Ancelotti replaced Seedorf with Ambrosini, adding another defensive presence to midfield.
With AC Milan now protecting the centre with three deeper midfielders, New Manchester United found it increasingly difficult to enter the penalty area.
They were forced into more and more shots from distance.
Their frustration was becoming obvious.
AC Milan remained patient.
Their experienced players understood exactly how to manage the situation.
When an opponent was attacking with momentum, there was no need to meet them head-on.
Defend.
Stay compact.
Wait.
Then strike once the pressure began to lose its intensity.
Eventually, the opportunity came.
Pirlo played a long pass forward from deep.
Shevchenko held off Terry and brought the ball down before laying it back towards Rui Costa.
Rui Costa immediately slipped a through ball beyond the defensive line.
Rivaldo, who had replaced Inzaghi, collected it.
Curtis had stepped out of position.
Rivaldo went past him, entered the penalty area, and calmly placed his finish beyond Čech.
3-1.
New Manchester United still refused to give up.
There were twenty minutes remaining.
Mourinho reacted immediately.
The struggling Maicon came off for Drogba.
Robben was replaced by Cristiano Ronaldo.
New Manchester United switched to an extremely aggressive 3-2-3-2.
With a two-goal lead, Ancelotti had no reason to take unnecessary risks.
He instructed AC Milan to sit deeper and defend.
But New Manchester United attacked with increasing desperation.
Cristiano Ronaldo, in particular, immediately changed the rhythm on the left.
He repeatedly attacked defenders one-on-one, cutting inside several times and creating dangerous situations.
As AC Milan shifted more defensive attention towards that flank, space began appearing on the opposite side.
One lapse from Pancaro was enough.
Palacio attacked him immediately.
A brilliant touch took him past the full-back, who could only turn and watch as the Argentine accelerated away.
Palacio entered the penalty area.
Maldini dropped back to confront him.
Palacio accelerated.
Stopped sharply.
Then burst forward again.
The change of pace created just enough room.
He lifted a delicate chip towards the far corner.
Dida sprang upward and stretched desperately.
He could not reach it.
The ball dropped inside the far post.
3-2.
The goal transformed the final stages.
New Manchester United attacked with even greater intensity.
AC Milan retreated almost completely.
Ancelotti removed Rui Costa and sent on Šimić, effectively changing to a 5-3-2 as Milan concentrated almost entirely on protecting their lead.
It was barely enough.
New Manchester United kept coming.
Even in the final seconds, they were still attacking.
Nobody wanted to accept defeat.
Then the referee blew the final whistle.
It was over.
Several players immediately dropped to the turf.
Curtis stayed on his feet for only a moment before crouching down.
His performance had been poor, and he knew it.
He buried his face in his hands and began to cry.
When teammates approached, he waved them away.
He did not want anyone helping him up.
He did not want to be comforted.
He simply remained there alone, devastated.
Curtis had already faced Van Nistelrooy.
He had faced Henry.
Those performances had given him confidence that he could handle almost any striker.
Then he came up against Shevchenko, Inzaghi, and Rivaldo.
The difference had been painful.
He felt as though AC Milan's attackers had exposed every weakness he still possessed.
Mistake after mistake had contributed to the defeat.
And in Curtis's mind, those mistakes had cost his team a European trophy.
Beckham moved around the pitch comforting his teammates.
His own performance had been disappointing as well.
Under the constant pressure of Gattuso and AC Milan's midfield, he had struggled to produce threatening passes.
New Manchester United's usual organisation had broken down, particularly during the first half.
Against Premier League opponents, Beckham had already shown that he could control matches from central midfield.
Against players of Pirlo and Rui Costa's quality, however, he had been given a very different lesson.
They controlled space and tempo at another level.
Beckham did not intend to make excuses.
He would remember this match.
And if he faced them again, he intended to be better prepared.
Essien had struggled too.
He had failed to give Beckham enough support in midfield.
Against Gattuso's relentless work rate and aggression, Essien had been unable to impose himself in the way Mourinho expected.
Villa and Robben had encountered similar problems.
Against defenders of the quality of Nesta, Maldini, and Cafu, they found very little room to show what they could do.
Villa had scored, but for most of the match he had been kept quiet.
Kaká and Palacio were probably the two New Manchester United players who came closest to producing their normal level.
Between them, they caused serious problems down Pancaro's side.
But even their success had limits.
Once attacks reached the centre of AC Milan's penalty area, space disappeared.
Maldini and Nesta controlled that territory superbly.
Even Drogba's introduction could not change it enough.
Mourinho remained on the touchline after the final whistle, silently watching his players.
Nobody knew exactly what he was thinking.
But there was no visible despair on his face.
Mourinho was not interested in finding a scapegoat after a defeat.
Nor was he the kind of manager who became unbearable after winning and collapsed emotionally after losing.
Victory or defeat, his pride remained the same.
He was José Mourinho.
...
Ethan stood beside the floor-to-ceiling window of the VIP box.
He had watched the match with Berlusconi.
The Milan president had left in an excellent mood.
Ethan remained behind.
His emotions were far more complicated.
He knew his squad was young.
He knew matches like this were part of their development.
Against a team as experienced and accomplished as AC Milan, mistakes would be punished.
The lesson would make them better.
He understood all of that.
It still hurt.
Nobody enjoyed paying for experience with a trophy.
Down on the pitch, Mourinho finally walked towards his players.
He spoke to them one by one.
Then he reached Curtis.
The young centre-back finally stood and threw his arms around the manager.
This time, he stopped trying to hold himself together.
He cried against Mourinho's shoulder.
For all the responsibility already placed upon him, Curtis was still only eighteen years old.
He was still just a kid.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)