Tuesday, June 12, 2023St George’s Park — Room 31811:15 PM
Phillips still hadn’t arrived and the room was quiet except for the low hum of the facility’s ventilation outside the window, and the bed on the other side had a bag on it that hadn’t been unpacked yet.
Demien sat on the edge of his own bed with his laptop closed on the desk behind him and his phone charging on the nightstand, and the ceiling was standard hotel ceiling and the room was standard hotel room except for the tactical board on the wall with the FA crest at the top of it.
He’d been putting this off since Ro.
Since the confetti was still falling at the Stadio Olimpico and the panel had appeared with the Coppa Italia rewards and the Van Basten notification and the balance had sat at 1,490 TP and 813 MP and 7 SP for the past month while he was buying houses and driving to Florence and sailing off Antibes and reading contracts and starting England camp.
He spoke quietly into the dark.
"System."
The blue interface materialised in his peripheral vision imdiately, text appearing in clean lines against the quiet room.
「HELLO, DEMIEN. WELCO BACK.」
A brief pause. Then the next line.
「WHAT PACK WILL YOU BE OPENING FIRST?」
The balance appeared above the pack options in precise nurical form.
「CURRENT BALANCE」 「1,490 TP | 7 SP | 813 MP」
「AVAILABLE PACKS」 「Bronze Pack: 50 TP or 50 MP」 「Silver Pack: 200 TP or 100 MP」 「Gold Pack: 500 TP or 200 MP」 「Black Pack: 10 SP」 「Diamond Pack: 50 SP」
He studied the options without rushing. 1,490 training points. 813 match points. 7 special points. Malta in four days. North Macedonia at Old Trafford three days after that.
What he needed was not flashy skills or comrcial traits. He needed the things that showed up in every minute of every match — strength for duels, composure under pressure, stamina to hold quality through ninety minutes, decision speed when the press arrived faster than Serie A gave him ti for. He’d felt all four of those gaps in today’s session.
Two Gold Packs using TP — 1,000 TP. Four Gold Packs using MP — 800 MP. Four Bronze Packs using remaining TP — 200 TP. Ten packs total. 1,400 TP and 800 MP spent. 90 TP and 13 MP left in reserve.
He’d decided before the interface finished loading.
FIRST GOLD PACK — TP
"Gold Pack. Five hundred TP."
「GOLD PACK SELECTED」 「COST: 500 TP」 「500 TP CONSUD」 「REMAINING BALANCE: 990 TP | 7 SP | 813 MP」
The gold lever materialised in front of him — heavier than bronze or silver, the glow warr and more sustained — and his hand closed around it and pulled and the chanical click resonated through the interface before the pack tore open and seven cards flew out and settled into their arc.
First card flipped.
STRENGTH 2COMMON
Second card. Orange glow.
STRENGTH 4UNCOMMON
Six points of strength stacking. His shoulders and trunk adjusted, physical duels becoming fractionally more viable against players who outweighed him.
Third card. Orange.
GK POSITIONING 4UNCOMMON
The mont it appeared the system flagged it.
「IRRELEVANT ATTRIBUTE DETECTED」 「GK POSITIONING — NOT APPLICABLE FOR OUTFIELD POSITION」 「CONVERTING TO SPECIAL POINTS」 「GK POSITIONING 4 → 1 SP」
Fourth card.
SHORT PASSING 4UNCOMMON
Fifth card. White shimr.
TRAIT SHARD [STAMINA REGENERATION] 「Current Progress: 1/4」
Sixth card. Blue glow.
RARE SKILL SHARD [STEP-OVER COMBO] 「Current Progress: 1/5」
Seventh card. Blue glow.
RARE SKILL SHARD [STEP-OVER COMBO] 「Current Progress: 2/5」
Two Step-Over shards in one pack. Progress accelerating on the first pull.
「FIRST GOLD PACK COMPLETE」 「UPDATED BALANCE: 990 TP | 8 SP | 813 MP」
SECOND GOLD PACK — TP
"Gold Pack. Five hundred TP again."
「500 TP CONSUD」 「REMAINING BALANCE: 490 TP | 8 SP | 813 MP」
Sa lever. Sa pull. Cards flew and settled.
First card.
FREE KICK ACCURACY 4UNCOMMON
Second card.
COMPOSURE 2UNCOMMON
Decision-making under pressure improved. The two points landed in the part of the brain that slowed everything down when the press arrived.
Third card. Rare glow.
VOLLEYS 6RARE
Strong boost. Aerial finishing significantly better — timing, contact point, follow-through all sharper.
Fourth card.
CURVE 2COMMON
Fifth card. White shimr.
TRAIT SHARD [AERIAL THREAT] 「Current Progress: 1/4」
Sixth card. Blue glow.
RARE SKILL SHARD [STEP-OVER COMBO] 「Current Progress: 3/5」
Three of five shards now. One more pack could complete it.
Seventh card. Rare glow.
LONG SHOTS 6RARE
Shooting from distance improving substantially. Combined with the curve, his range from outside the box was extending into territory that would give goalkeepers problems.
「SECOND GOLD PACK COMPLETE」 「UPDATED BALANCE: 490 TP | 8 SP | 813 MP」
FIRST GOLD PACK — MP
"Gold Pack. Two hundred MP this ti."
「GOLD PACK SELECTED」 「200 MP CONSUD」 「REMAINING BALANCE: 490 TP | 8 SP | 613 MP」
Pull. Seven cards.
First card.
CURVE 4UNCOMMON
Curve stacking to 6 total.
Second card.
GK SPEED 5RARE
「GK SPEED 5 → 1 SP」
Third card.
DEFENSIVE AWARENESS 1COMMON
Fourth card.
ACCELERATION 3UNCOMMON
His first stride out of a standing position tightened. The gap between receiving and moving would be marginally smaller, which at this level was the difference between being available and being closed down before the ball arrived.
Fifth card. White shimr.
TRAIT SHARD [CLUTCH FINISHER] 「Current Progress: 1/4」
Sixth card. The glow was different from anything in the previous two packs — deeper, more saturated, the purple edge that ant Epic rather than Rare.
MARSEILLE ROULETTEEPIC SKILL — COMPLETE
「Marseille Roulette: Full 360-degree rotation. Drag-back motion combined with body feint to create separation in tight spaces. High success rate when tid correctly against committed defenders.」 「TECHNIQUE UNLOCKED — IMDIATE APPLICATION」
First complete Epic skill of the session. Muscle mory for the movent installed across his legs and core — not as sothing he’d need to practice but as sothing his body now understood existed as an option.
Seventh card. Blue glow.
RARE SKILL SHARD [STEP-OVER COMBO] 「Current Progress: 4/5」
One shard away.
「THIRD GOLD PACK COMPLETE」 「UPDATED BALANCE: 490 TP | 9 SP | 613 MP」
SECOND GOLD PACK — MP
"Gold Pack. Two hundred MP."
「200 MP CONSUD」 「REMAINING BALANCE: 490 TP | 9 SP | 413 MP」
Pull.
First card.
GK DIVING 4RARE
「GK DIVING 4 → 1 SP」
Second card.
VISION 1COMMON
Third card.
BALL CONTROL 3UNCOMMON
Fourth card.
FREE KICK ACCURACY 4UNCOMMON
Duplicate boost. Free kick accuracy stacking to 8 total, which pushed it into territory where set pieces from twenty-five yards beca a genuine weapon rather than a nuisance for goalkeepers.
Fifth card. White shimr.
TRAIT SHARD [PRESS RESISTANT] 「Current Progress: 1/4」
Sixth card. Purple glow again.
DIPPING POWER SHOTEPIC SKILL — COMPLETE
「Dipping Power Shot: Generates topspin on driven shots. Ball dips sharply on trajectory. Particularly effective from 20–30 yards against goalkeepers positioned off their line. Beats high-set keepers.」 「TECHNIQUE UNLOCKED — IMDIATE APPLICATION」
Second Epic skill in two packs. Combined with Long Shots 6 and Curve 6, his threat from outside the box was now layered — the standard Pirlo-assisted line-breaker, the curling finish, and now a dipping power option that worked on different goalkeeper positions.
Seventh card. Blue glow.
RARE SKILL SHARD [NEAR-POST ROCKET] 「Current Progress: 1/5」
「FOURTH GOLD PACK COMPLETE」 「UPDATED BALANCE: 490 TP | 10 SP | 413 MP」
THIRD GOLD PACK — MP
"Gold Pack. Two hundred MP."
「200 MP CONSUD」 「REMAINING BALANCE: 490 TP | 10 SP | 213 MP」
Pull.
First card.
NILBETTER LUCK NEXT TI!
Second card.
VOLLEYS 2UNCOMMON
Stacking to 8 total.
Third card.
CROSSING 2UNCOMMON
Fourth card. The glow was deeper orange bleeding into red — Epic stat.
REACTIONS 8EPIC
Significant. Anticipation and reflex sharply improved — reading a deflection, adjusting to a keeper’s early movent, reacting to a loose ball in traffic. The gap between seeing it happen and responding to it narrowing considerably.
Fifth card. White shimr.
TRAIT SHARD [SPEED DRIBBLER] 「Current Progress: 1/4」
Sixth card. Blue glow.
RARE SKILL SHARD [BALL ROLL CUT] 「Current Progress: 1/5」
Seventh card. White shimr.
TRAIT SHARD [CLUTCH FINISHER] 「Current Progress: 2/4」
「FIFTH GOLD PACK COMPLETE」 「REMAINING BALANCE: 490 TP | 10 SP | 213 MP」
FOURTH GOLD PACK — MP
Match points nearly depleted. Final MP pack.
"Gold Pack. Two hundred MP."
「200 MP CONSUD」 「REMAINING BALANCE: 490 TP | 10 SP | 13 MP」
Pull.
First card. Rare glow.
AGGRESSION 6RARE
Physical authority in duels improved — winning contested headers, holding position under contact, winning fifty-fifty balls through controlled aggression rather than technique alone.
Second card.
REACTIONS 1COMMON
Stacking to 9 total reactions across the session.
Third card.
FINISHING 4UNCOMMON
Fourth card.
STRENGTH 4UNCOMMON
Strength now at 10 total across the session. The physical transformation was complete — every contact situation from this point would feel different.
Fifth card. White shimr.
TRAIT SHARD [RECOVERY BOOST] 「Current Progress: 1/4」
Sixth card. Blue glow.
RARE SKILL SHARD [ONE-TOUCH WALL PASS] 「Current Progress: 1/5」
Seventh card. White shimr.
TRAIT SHARD [SPEED DRIBBLER] 「Current Progress: 2/4」
「SIXTH GOLD PACK COMPLETE」 「REMAINING BALANCE: 490 TP | 10 SP | 13 MP」
FIRST BRONZE PACK — TP
Match points depleted. Switching to Bronze with the remaining TP.
"Bronze Pack. Fifty TP."
「50 TP CONSUD」 「REMAINING BALANCE: 440 TP | 10 SP | 13 MP」
Smaller pack. Three cards minimum, sotis more.
First card.
CURVE 2COMMON
Stacking to 8 total.
Second card.
LONG SHOTS 2UNCOMMON
Stacking to 8 total. Long shot range now at professional standard.
Third card.
SHORT PASSING 2UNCOMMON
Stacking to 6 total.
Fourth card.
DEFENSIVE AWARENESS 1COMMON
Fifth card. White shimr.
TRAIT SHARD [CLUTCH FINISHER] 「Current Progress: 3/4」
One shard away from completion.
Sixth card. Blue glow.
RARE SKILL SHARD [STEP-OVER COMBO] 「Current Progress: 5/5」
Complete.
「RARE SKILL CRAFTED: STEP-OVER COMBO」 「Consecutive step-over feints in rapid succession. Creates separation from defenders in 1v1 situations. Particularly effective on the flanks and in the final third.」 「TECHNIQUE UNLOCKED — IMDIATE APPLICATION」
Seventh card. Rare glow.
INTERCEPTIONS 6RARE
「FIRST BRONZE PACK COMPLETE」 「REMAINING BALANCE: 440 TP | 10 SP | 13 MP」
SECOND BRONZE PACK — TP
"Bronze Pack. Fifty TP."
「50 TP CONSUD」 「REMAINING BALANCE: 390 TP | 10 SP | 13 MP」
Cards.
First card.
SHOT POWER 1COMMON
Second card.
BALL CONTROL 3UNCOMMON
Stacking to 6 total.
Third card.
NILBETTER LUCK NEXT TI!
Fourth card. White shimr.
TRAIT SHARD [PRESS RESISTANT] 「Current Progress: 2/4」
Fifth card. Blue glow.
RARE SKILL SHARD [STEP-OVER COMBO]
Step-Over already complete. Auto-conversion initiated.
「DUPLICATE SKILL SHARD DETECTED」 「STEP-OVER COMBO ALREADY COMPLETE」 「CONVERTING TO SPECIAL POINTS」 「RARE SKILL SHARD → 1 SP」
「SECOND BRONZE PACK COMPLETE」 「REMAINING BALANCE: 390 TP | 11 SP | 13 MP」
THIRD BRONZE PACK — TP
"Bronze Pack. Fifty TP."
「50 TP CONSUD」 「REMAINING BALANCE: 340 TP | 11 SP | 13 MP」
Cards.
First card.
DRIBBLING 4UNCOMMON
Second card.
NILBETTER LUCK NEXT TI!
Third card.
VISION 2COMMON
Stacking to 3 total.
Fourth card. White shimr.
TRAIT SHARD [CLUTCH FINISHER] 「Current Progress: 4/4」
Complete.
「TRAIT CRAFTED: CLUTCH FINISHER」 「Composure and finishing significantly increased in high-pressure monts. Decision quality and execution precision improve when stakes are highest. Activates in finals, decisive matches, and late-ga situations.」 「TRAIT ACTIVE」
Fifth card. White shimr.
TRAIT SHARD [PRESS RESISTANT] 「Current Progress: 3/4」
「THIRD BRONZE PACK COMPLETE」 「REMAINING BALANCE: 340 TP | 11 SP | 13 MP」
FOURTH BRONZE PACK — TP
"Bronze Pack. Fifty TP."
「50 TP CONSUD」 「REMAINING BALANCE: 290 TP | 11 SP | 13 MP」
Cards.
First card.
NILBETTER LUCK NEXT TI!
Second card.
NILBETTER LUCK NEXT TI!
Double whiff. Two empty slots back to back.
Third card. White shimr.
TRAIT SHARD [PRESS RESISTANT] 「Current Progress: 4/4」
Complete.
「TRAIT CRAFTED: PRESS RESISTANT」 「Maintains ball control and decision quality under aggressive pressing. Reduces dispossession rate when closed down quickly. First touch remains clean under pressure. Passing accuracy less affected by pressing intensity.」 「TRAIT ACTIVE」
「FOURTH BRONZE PACK COMPLETE」 「REMAINING BALANCE: 290 TP | 11 SP | 13 MP」
User Comments
0 comments from readers