Rise of a Football God

~----~

[You have completed Special EFL Cup game system mission: Win the EFL Cup final against Chelsea FC!]

[You played over 90 minutes of this game and won the man of the match award!]n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

[You managed to contribute to your team's victory with 2 assists!]

[Calculating reward…, please wait…]

[Calculation complete!]

[You have been rewarded with 150 Skill Points!]

…

[You have completed a Season System Quest!]

[Season Quest: Trophy Quest- Break the mold!]

>Fulham FC has gone trophy less through multiple seasons for a long time. In your debut season in the premier league, break this mold and help Fulham FC win its first trophy in years<

[You have completed Mission: Win a trophy!]

[You have been rewarded with +100 Skill Points!]

[You have been rewarded with a random reward!]

[Randomizing reward…, please wait…]

[Randomization complete!]

[You have received a golden card!]

[Click to open reward card:]

…

Seeing the golden card that hovered in the interface of his system, Sam's eyes lit up in excitement. He was familiar with this sequence.

He had experienced this same reward format of his system 3 times before.

The first time, he clicked to open the card only to get an image of Ronaldinho that gave him his only legendary inheritance of the elastico dribble skill.

Till date, the elastico dribble was still the most dangerous weapon in his arsenal despite being a midfielder and not a winger. It added an unpredictable element to his game that confounded opponents 99% of the time.

The second time he got a golden card and he clicked it, he ended up with his first ability card, the Shoot it like Lewy card.

This was the ability card that boosted his performance beyond normal, enabling him to put out his unforgettable hattrick display against Manchester City in the FIFA Club World Cup final.

As for the third time that he got a golden card and he clicked it, he ended up with something he valued only below his legendary inheritance, he got his second ability card and this time, it didn't come from a legendary striker or winger but it came from a legendary attacking midfielder.

To Sam, the Thread it like KDB ability card was the most prized possession in his system inventory.

With it, he could channel KDB's otherworldly playmaking ability for a whole 30 minutes in any game he wanted.

This same card was the reason behind how he was able to turn Fulham FC's fortune in the EFL Cup final against Chelsea FC, outperforming Cole Palmer with 2 incredible assists and stealing the man of the match award.

Thinking of the match that was still very fresh and vivid in his head, Sam grinned. 'I wonder what I will get this time'. He thought.

'Another ability card?'

'Or maybe another legendary inheritance?'

'What if it's a legendary inheritance from Messi? Or even an ability card from Messi?' He felt his excitement levels rising.

'Damn! I'll take anything from Messi!'

No longer able to hold his excitement, Sam finally clicked on the golden card. Immediately, it shattered into countless golden specks and from the specks came out his reward, a card.

Seeing it, Sam's eyes lit up. 'An ability card!'

Even before the card could fully materialize, he stared at it keenly, eager to know the famous football player's face that would be on it.

'Messi!' 'Messi!' 'Messi!'

He chanted in his mind but the first thing that he noticed shattered his expectations, it was the jersey that this player wore.

It was a familiar white jersey with black stripes at the side.

And then, he noticed the brown hair, the incredibly handsome face like that of a model, and then he noticed that this player was captured on the card mid-motion, about to hit the ball from a set-piece position just outside the 18-yard box.

Immediately, Sam knew who this player was.

And finally, the card revealed itself in its full glory.

It was a picture of David Beckham, the retired English football player in his English jersey about to take a free-kick for England.

Sam finally paid attention to his system interface again.

…

[You have been rewarded with an ability card: Bend it like Beckham!]

[Available card uses: 3]

[Card Effects:]

>This card can only be used during a set-piece. Once used, for 10 minutes, for every freekick that your team gets, you gain the ability and technique of a prime David Beckham, giving you a +80% scoring buff when taking a free-kick<

~----~

Sam stared at this new reward with eyes so wide that they almost popped out of their sockets. "Damn!" He muttered.

"It's not an 80% scoring chance like the Shoot it like Lewy card, rather it's a +80% scoring buff and that's entirely different".

Sam's eyes gleamed with excitement. "This means that even in the worst-case scenario, if my natural free-kick ability is only about 20% or so, with this buff, it makes it 100%".

Sam's eyes widened even further. "That's a guaranteed chance of scoring from a freekick!"

In that moment, Sam felt like a supernova explosion just took place in his head as the realization of his new card settled in his brain.

The fact that he could use this card 3 times was the cherry on top.

From his younger days when he was an avid football enthusiast, Sam was never the best freekick-taking expert in his team so he rarely took freekicks.

Since his professional career started, he never took one set piece for Enyimba FC either but now this could change.

His eyes gleamed calculatively. 'I know it's just an ability card but if somehow, I can use it to practice instead of just in a game as a scoring trump card, can't I improve my freekick technique with it?'

At this moment, the possibility of what he just thought of left Sam extremely excited. And thinking of improvement, he thought of his general football ability.

'I've been accumulating skill points for a long time without spending them, I think it's time I look beyond the attributes and improve my technique and skills'.

'Besides, recently, with the game analysis A.I, I know my ability far better than before, including my strengths and weaknesses'.

And so, for the first time in a long time, Sam focused on his skills market.

He rubbed his palms together excitedly. 'Let's spend!'