The system had gone quiet in a way that no longer felt unsettling.
Ethan noticed it during the warm-up. No prompts. No corrective nudges. Just awareness. His body felt tuned in, movements instinctive, breathing even. He wasn't waiting for instruction anymore. He was reading the game as it unfolded.
System:
Organic Growth: Stable
Cognitive Load: Reduced
Training flowed.
Alex Neil adjusted drills midway, pulling Ethan slightly inside instead of wide. No explanation. Just expectation. Ethan understood immediately. He started directing traffic, pointing runners into space, calling presses early.
"Talk more," Alex said as he passed. "You see things early."
Ethan nodded, voice carrying more than before.
System:
Leadership Trait: Emerging
It wasn't authority. It was presence.
Jordan caught him later by the physio room, tone relaxed but deliberate.
"England staff asked for another data update," he said. "No rush. Just… interest."
Ethan wiped sweat from his brow. "That's good?"
Jordan smiled. "That's consistency. They don't chase noise."
System:
National Recognition: Gradual Increase
It confirmed what Ethan had started to feel. The organic path wasn't invisible. It just didn't announce itself.
Recovery that afternoon turned into an unexpected comedy break.
Josh had added him to a small group chat. Toby immediately sent a voice note.
"Why do you sound like you're narrating a documentary now?" Toby said. "Relax, mate. Blink twice if football's turned you into a monk."
Ethan laughed mid-ice bath, nearly dropping his phone.
He typed back:
Monk with calves of steel.
That earned him a thumbs-up and a meme.
Normality mattered.
The sponsor shoot took place two days later.
Neutral studio. Controlled lighting. Nothing dramatic.
Ethan arrived early, dressed simply, hands in pockets. He didn't look for anyone in particular, but he noticed her anyway. Kaia Gerber stood near the backdrop, talking quietly to a coordinator. No entourage. No spectacle. Just… calm.
They were introduced professionally.
"Nice to meet you," she said, offering a hand.
"Likewise," Ethan replied.
There was no spark. No cinematic pause. Just ease.
During a short break, they ended up sitting near each other, water bottles between them.
"You travel a lot," Ethan said, nodding toward her itinerary sheet.
She smiled faintly. "Too much sometimes. People think fast success feels good. It doesn't always."
He considered that. "Football's the same. Everyone sees the match. No one sees the waiting."
She glanced at him then. Really looked.
System:
Social Compatibility: Undetermined
No pressure followed. No expectation. Just mutual recognition.
That was enough.
Matchday brought a tougher test.
Away ground. Narrow pitch. Aggressive crowd.
Ethan started again, but the game didn't bend to him. He adapted instead. Pressed when needed. Dropped when required. In the fifty-ninth minute, he cut inside, drew two defenders, and slipped a pass that led to a clumsy tackle in the box.
Penalty.
Goal.
He didn't celebrate. Just jogged back, nodding once.
System:
Influence Without Output: Logged
When he was subbed late on, the away fans applauded. Not loudly. Respectfully.
That stayed with him.
The email arrived that night.
Another sponsor. Bigger brand. Bigger ask.
£25,000.
More appearances. More access. Less control.
Ethan read it twice, then locked his phone and placed it face down.
System:
Monetary Pressure: Rising
He wasn't avoiding it. Just… delaying.
Later, lying on his sofa, boots by the door, recovery boots humming softly, the system appeared again.
Different.
Subtle.
System:
Legacy Index: Initialised
No description. No numbers.
Just the word.
Legacy.
Ethan stared at it, heartbeat steady.
Growth had stopped being about speed. Or money. Or even recognition.
It was about what remained when the noise moved on.
And for the first time, Ethan realised the system wasn't asking how fast he could rise.
It was asking how long he could last.
END OF CHAPTER 34
Author's Comment
Chapter 34 is about presence.
Not chasing attention — and realising it finds you anyway.
Quick question for readers:
Do you prefer Ethan's quiet influence, or do you want to see him take over games more aggressively?
Thanks for reading 🙏