The world, for the second time in Ethan's life, seemed to stop spinning.

The first time was when he'd won the gauntlet. This was infinitely more confusing.

The name 'Apex United' was a secret, a password to a world that wasn't supposed to exist outside the pod in his bedroom.

To hear it spoken so casually, so playfully, in the fluorescent-lit parking lot of a CostMart, was like watching a character from his dreams step out of the television.

"How..." he stammered, his brain a blue screen of error messages

. "How do you know that name?"

Maya's mysterious smile widened into a full-blown, brilliant grin.

She took a step closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

"Because my 'imaginary friends' at Nova Athletic are playing you in the league in three weeks. And I've been studying your team's stats. That 4-0 win against Bolton? Very impressive. Your young Danish striker is a beast."

Ethan just stared at her, his mind slowly, painstakingly putting the pieces together.

Nova Athletic. A manager. She's a manager!

"You're... you're in the game?" he finally managed to say, the words feeling ridiculous and wonderful all at once.

"Since day one," she confirmed, her eyes sparkling with a shared, secret joy. "Now, are you going to stand there looking like a goldfish, or are you going to walk me to the bus stop so we can talk about how you managed to get two players sent off in sixty seconds?"

They sat on a cold metal bench at the bus stop, the world of late-night shoppers and passing cars feeling like a distant, mundane backdrop to the most exciting conversation of Ethan's life.

"So, Nova Athletic," Ethan said, the name rolling off his tongue.

"League One?"

"The very same," Maya confirmed. "We got the roster for Wycombe Wanderers. Solid, but a bit boring. We're currently sitting in fifth place. A couple of wins, a couple of draws. Not quite the perfect start you've had."

"It hasn't all been perfect," Ethan admitted, thinking of the Accrington disaster.

"So, how did you get in? Was it a contest? A weird severance package involving a tech company called Aetheria Dynamics?"

Maya laughed. "Nothing that dramatic. My older brother was a beta tester. One of the originals. He's a data analyst for a real football club now—one of the ones who got a job out of it. The pod was his 'signing bonus'. He doesn't have time for the game anymore, so he gave it to me."

"No way," Ethan breathed.

"So you've known the game was 'real' from the start?"

"I knew it was more than just a game," she said. "I didn't know how much more until 'Prodigy' showed up at Old Trafford. That was a shock, even for my brother." She looked at him, her expression turning serious for a second. "You have to be careful, you know. This thing is bigger than any of us realize."

"I'm starting to figure that out," he said.

"So, your wonderkid? Who'd you get?"

"A midfielder," she said, a proud, maternal smile on her face. "A 17-year-old from Spain named Gavi. Not the real one, obviously, but a 'newgen' with the same name. They call him 'The Maestro'. He's got S-Rank potential in Dribbling, Passing, and Vision. He's the only reason my boring team is in fifth place."

An S-Rank creative midfielder. A perfect rival for Emre.

"Wow," Ethan said. "So you've got the artist, and I've got the finishers."

"Exactly," she said. "Which is why our match is going to be so interesting. My Maestro against your little magician. It'll be a chess match."

"As long as my players don't get sent off for telling bad jokes, maybe," Ethan grumbled, and she laughed.

They talked for what felt like an hour, sharing stories, comparing stats, and bonding over the shared, secret absurdity of their double lives. He told her about Leo and his S-Rank defender.

She told him about her first-round cup match, a boring 1-0 win she'd secured with a "perfectly executed, AI-approved defensive masterclass."

The arrival of her bus felt like an unwelcome interruption.

"Well," she said, standing up.

"This is me."

"Hey, uh," Ethan began, feeling a familiar, awkward nervousness.

"Maybe... could I get your number? You know, so we can talk tactics. Or whatever."

She smiled, a warm, genuine smile that made his heart do a little backflip. "I thought you'd never ask, cheese guy."

She typed her number into his phone, her name appearing on his screen with a little sparkle emoji next to it. "Text me," she said as she stepped onto the bus. "I want to hear all about your plan to stop The Maestro."

The bus pulled away, and Ethan was left standing on the sidewalk, a goofy, lovesick grin plastered on his face.

The bike ride home was a triumphant, joyous cruise.

The world felt brand new, filled with a million exciting possibilities.

He wasn't just a secret manager anymore. He was part of a secret club.

He got home, said goodnight to his family, and lay in his bed, staring at her name in his contacts. He typed out a message, deleted it, typed another, and finally settled on something simple.

Ethan: Hey, it's Ethan. The cheese master. Just making sure this is the right number.

A reply came back almost instantly.

Maya : *It is. And for the record, my S-Rank Maestro is going to run circles around your midfield. Just a friendly warning ;) *

Ethan: We'll see about that. My SSS-Rank magician has a few tricks up his sleeve. Goodnight, gaffer.

Maya : Goodnight, gaffer.

He put his phone down, his face hurting from smiling so much. He felt a sudden, desperate need to share this impossible, wonderful news.

He dialed Leo's number.

"What's up?" Leo's voice came through, sounding like he was in the middle of a game. "I'm just about to start my second half. We're drawing 0-0. It's a tactical stalemate."

"Forget the match!" Ethan said, practically bouncing with energy. "You are not going to believe what just happened."

He told Leo everything. The new girl at work. The casual "Apex United" drop.

The fact that she was a manager. In his league. With an S-Rank midfielder.

There was a long, stunned silence on the other end of the line.

"...No," Leo finally whispered.

"No. Freaking. Way."

"Way," Ethan confirmed, grinning.

"So you're telling me," Leo said slowly, his voice a mixture of awe and terror, "that not only do I have to deal with your SSS-Rank cheat code and your two new S-Rank lottery tickets... but now there's another super-manager in our league? A girl? A cute girl?"

"Her name is Maya," Ethan said dreamily.

"Oh, this is a disaster!" Leo wailed, his voice filled with a comical despair. "I'm doomed! I'm going to get relegated! My fortress is going to be besieged by an army of wonderkids led by my two best friends and a tactical genius who probably smells like vanilla!"

Ethan howled with laughter.

"It's not a competition, Leo."

"Everything is a competition!" Leo shot back. "This changes the entire dynamic! We were a duo! A dynamic duo! Now we're a... a love triangle of tactical nerds! I'm so happy for you, man. And so, so scared."

Ethan was still laughing as he hung up.

He lay back on his pillow, staring at the ceiling, the happy, chaotic energy of the day finally settling into a deep, contented peace. His life wasn't a loop anymore.

It was a universe of expanding possibilities.

He had his family, his job, his team, his best friends... and now, a new, mysterious, and brilliant rival.

The game had just gotten a whole lot more interesting.

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