McTominay: a powerful rival with good intentions.
Tomás had his hand on McTominay’s body when the notification hit again.
Tomás went rigid.
System notification?
Now?
But what were the implications?
If his skin brushed an opponent during a match, what kind of notification would be unleashed?
He found himself slipping under, helplessly turning the question over and over in his mind.
The match rolled on.
Rashford knocked the ball out of play, and the U18 side won possession.
U18 players ran a year or two older than U16, on average.
Older.
Stronger.
Outside of Rashford and Tuanzebe, who could actually hold their own at that level, the rest of the U16 side looked completely outmatched.
Once the U18 side had the ball, U16 got pushed back almost helplessly.
Even winning it back was a struggle.
As a starting midfielder, Tomás naturally got shoved back into his own half.
United’s U18 side played fast, quick in transition, relentless going forward.
This being his first-ever start, saying he could keep pace with a U18-level match would be a flat-out lie.
Even his teammates, the ones who started regularly, looked like they were about to fall apart.
If it weren’t for Rashford’s constant harassment up front, and Tuanzebe barking commands, defending, and covering ground behind him, this would have been a total disaster.
United’s U16 defense had already been cracked wide open.
This match could end 10-0, 20-0, genuinely anything felt possible.
Tomás, drop back a bit more, keep an eye on him, don’t let Pereira get it at the edge of the box!
Without Tuanzebe’s constant shouting and directing…
Tomás felt like a little boat adrift at sea, an ant on a hot skillet, a headless fly.
Embarrassing to admit, but he actually had plenty of substitute minutes in the U16 side already.
But he had never once played in a match where his team was actually up against it.
An untrusted sub like him only ever got minutes once the game was already fully in hand.
So in every match he had played at United so far, he and his teammates had been the ones doing the beating up.
Tomás, personally, had never once been on the receiving end of a beating.
Not exactly something to brag about, given the circumstances.
Never getting beaten up didn’t mean he had ever actually fought a real battle.
So here was the problem.
Pereira was right in front of him, dropping deep for the ball.
What was he supposed to do?
Tomás almost instinctively looked back at Tuanzebe.
What do I do?
Tuanzebe was about to cry.
This was rough.
Having to direct the whole defensive line AND babysit this one at the same time?
Eight eyes and four mouths wouldn’t be enough to keep up with it all.
Don’t be afraid of getting beat, just stay tight on him!
With Tuanzebe calling the shots, Tomás could actually relax a little.
Once he knew what he was supposed to do, all that effort finally had somewhere to go.
So the second Pereira received the pass from McTominay, Tomás closed him down immediately.
He’s not turning.
Not this time!
Tomás was buzzing.
His timing had been perfect, the mark was clean, the defending had worked.
The instant his hands touched Pereira’s back, the electronic voice rang through his head again, like lightning.
Pereira: a monster that wants to devour you alive.
Kill it?
A monster?
Wants to devour him?
Kill it?
What was all this nonsense?
Tomás was floored.
He forced himself to calm down.
This was a football match.
How did an opponent suddenly turn into a monster?
McTominay hadn’t been like this before, had he?
McTominay.
A powerful rival with good intentions…
Holy crap.
So that’s how this worked.
McTominay hadn’t gotten flagged as a monster!
And Pereira wanted him gone.
Wanted to cut him down like he was nothing.
Tomás resolved to protect himself, not fall victim to whatever Pereira had planned.
You have accepted the mission: kill the genius monster Pereira.
Tomás locked in completely.
Was a Defense of 20 even enough to stop someone like Pereira?
Turned out, he had been overthinking it.
In a flash, the ball slipped right past Tomás’s feet, and Pereira spun past him from the side.
That kind of speed, between the player and the ball, was something else entirely.
Tomás’s eyes went wide.
He had absolutely no idea Pereira could turn a defender like that.
You have been devoured alive by the genius monster Pereira.
Was he actually going to die?
Your will was not broken by the genius monster Pereira.
You have been fully revived.
Please, just keep breathing.
So he actually hadn’t died?
That scared him half to death.
Tomás was genuinely spooked by how these system-and-status web novels always worked.
Characters got wiped out for failing their missions in those things.
He wasn’t a genius like Rashford, so what was there to be ashamed of, getting beaten?
Let alone by a world-class talent like Pereira.
He usually played backup to fourteen-year-old Joe Palmer, and honestly, that didn’t even sting anymore.
If this counted as shameful, well, he was used to it by now.
If it were going to mess with his head, it already would have.
Nothing wrong up there.
And if getting killed just meant a full revival, then he basically had infinite lives out here.
Wait!
Where did Pereira even go?
Pereira had blown past Tomás in an instant.
The whole exchange between Tomás and his system had happened just as fast, lightning quick.
Tomás spun around, and his eyes went wide again.
Tuanzebe!
A flying tackle!
Pereira, who had just beaten Tomás, went flying!
This is fucking ridiculous!
That’s too brutal!
“Tomás, ball!”
Seeing Tomás standing there frozen, Tuanzebe looked ready to cry. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
He had known he couldn’t trust this kid to defend properly, so he had come prepared.
Fine if you’re bad at defense.
But if you can’t finish this off either, I’m done!
The ball?
Right, the ball!
The ball Tuanzebe had won in the tackle was rolling straight toward Tomás.
The moment Tomás got it…
With help from your teammate, you defeated the genius monster Pereira, who wanted to devour you alive, using two lives.
First kill of the match.
Title earned: Rookie on the Court.
You have defeated the genius monster Pereira.
Reward: [Defense] experience +20.
So this really is defeat monsters for experience, just like in games?!
Tomás was thrilled.
You could actually get stronger through competition!
[Title]: Rookie on the Court
Description: A newcomer on the pitch, hungry to improve.
A blank slate, a sponge that has not soaked up any water yet.
While wearing this title in a match, you have a chance to pick up special skills from opponents you defeat, or who defeat you.
Requirement: Available to anyone under 21.
Nice.
This was genuinely great stuff.
He finally had a title!
“Tomás!”
Rashford’s shout for the ball made Tomás instinctively want to send it his way.
The opponents were pressing forward with everything they had, but United’s side had a swift counter going.
Your pass will be 100% intercepted by McTominay.
What?!
Tomás froze.
Right on cue, McTominay’s foot swept past in front of him.
Lucky for him, he had hesitated just long enough not to actually make the pass.
McTominay looked just as stunned, having failed to win the ball.
How was that even possible?!
That brief pause had wrong-footed McTominay completely, and cost him the window to pass straight to Rashford.
If he passed to Rashford now anyway, he’d be offside.
In a flash, Tomás swept his gaze across the pitch ahead.
The system’s notification hit like lightning, like some overclocked processor lighting up his whole head.
The pass to Sam Smith will be 100% unstoppable!
That settled it!
Bang!
Tomás sent the ball out.
Huh?
Why not Rashford?
That move faking out McTominay was gorgeous, and then he just pumps it into the crowd?!
What’s this kid even trying to do?!
The fans and spectators on the sideline were baffled.
Meanwhile, Cox, the academy’s dean, who had been sitting beside Ed Woodward watching intently, scrutinizing Tomás’s every move, shot up out of his seat in shock.
Something wrong?
People sure got spooked easily.
Ed Woodward and John Murtough were both thinking the exact same unimpressed thing, at exactly the same moment.
Then the two of them noticed Paul McGuinness, not far off, on his feet, genuinely excited.
What the heck?
Neither of them could quite make sense of it.