Dynasty Awakening: Building My Own Football Empire-Chapter 206: Wolf Cub

The neon green ghost of Turbo the streamer had left a mark on the club. The mood on the bus to Wolverhampton was different. It was lighter.

Diego Nunez was not staring at the window. He was watching a video of himself barking on his phone and laughing.

"I sound like a very big dog," Diego chuckled. "A rottweiler mixed with a dinosaur."

Michael Sterling sat at the front. He was smiling. But inside he was calculating.

They were playing Wolverhampton Wanderers. Wolves.

It was a Monday night game. The lights at Molineux Stadium were famous. The atmosphere was always hostile.

Arthur Milton was scrolling through his tablet. He looked confused.

"Boss," Arthur said. "I am looking at the Wolves lineup. I know everyone. Jose Sa. Kilman. Neto. But who is this?"

He pointed to a name on the wing.

Number 47: Rico Viana.

"I do not know," Michael admitted. "Is he an academy player?"

"I checked the database," Arthur said sweating slightly. "He is sixteen years old. He arrived from Sporting Lisbon last week. The scouts said he was for the Under 21 team."

"If he is starting in the Premier League," Michael said feeling a prickle of danger. "Then he is not just an academy player. Gary O’Neil is smart. He does not play children unless they are special."

THE GOLDEN SHIRT

Molineux was loud. The Wolves fans howled. Literally howled. It was their thing.

"Why are they howling?" Endrick asked as they warmed up. "Are there real wolves here?"

"Only human ones," Sergio Ramos said tying his boots. "Be sharp Endrick. They bite."

The teams walked out.

Michael looked at the mysterious Number 47.

Rico Viana.

He was small. He had messy curly hair. He looked like he should be in a classroom studying geography. not playing against Sergio Ramos.

But he had an arrogance about him. He was chewing gum. He was looking at the Barnsley players like they were slow.

The referee blew the whistle.

Barnsley started well. The confidence from the Turbo session was there.

Minute 10

Leo Stone got the ball. He passed to Victor Osimhen.

Osimhen held it up. He laid it off to Endrick.

Endrick shot.

Jose Sa saved it.

"Good start!" Michael clapped. "Keep pushing!"

Then the ball went to the left wing.

Rico Viana received it.

Pavard was marking him. Pavard was a World Cup winner. He was experienced.

Viana did not care.

He stood still. He put his foot on the ball.

Pavard stepped forward.

Viana flicked the ball over Pavard head. A rainbow flick. In the Premier League. In the first fifteen minutes.

The crowd gasped.

Viana ran around Pavard. He collected the ball on his chest.

Diego Nunez came across. The Bull.

"I will stop the baby," Diego growled.

Diego slid in.

Viana did a body feint. He dropped his shoulder so fast that Diego slid past him and ended up in the advertising boards.

Viana was free.

He was inside the box.

He did not smash it. He chipped Jan Visser.

The ball floated into the net.

GOAL.

Wolves 1. Barnsley 0.

The stadium erupted. The noise was deafening.

Rico Viana ran to the corner. He crossed his arms and stood still. The Mbappe celebration.

"Who is this kid?" Arthur shouted standing up. "He just humiliated a World Cup winner and a Bull! He is sixteen!"

Michael felt the System vibrate in his pocket.

[NEW RIVAL DETECTED]

[NAME: RICO VIANA]

[POTENTIAL: WORLD CLASS]

[TRAIT: THE ANARCHIST]

[THREAT LEVEL: EXTREME]

"He is the Anarchist," Michael whispered. "Great. Just what we needed."

THE DUEL OF THE WONDERKIDS

Endrick saw the goal. He saw the celebration.

The Brazilian Wonderkid did not look happy.

He was supposed to be the best teenager in the league. He was the Golden Boy.

Now this Portuguese kid was stealing his spotlight.

Minute 25

Endrick demanded the ball.

"Give it to me!" Endrick shouted to Leo Stone.

Leo passed it.

Endrick ran. He tried to do too much. He tried to dribble past three Wolves defenders.

He lost the ball.

Wolves countered.

They gave it to Viana again.

The kid was electric. Every time he touched the ball the crowd stood up.

He ran at Pavard again. Pavard looked terrified. He backed off.

Viana passed to Neto. Neto shot.

Jan Visser saved it.

"Wake up!" Jan Visser screamed. "Stop letting the child bully you!"

THE SECOND BLOW

Minute 40

Barnsley were rattled.

They were used to being the young fast team. Now they looked old and slow compared to Viana.

Wolves won a corner.

The ball came in.

It was cleared by Ramos.

It fell to Viana on the edge of the box.

"Don’t let him shoot!" Michael screamed.

Viana hit it on the volley.

It was a rocket. It swerved in the air.

It smashed against the post and went in.

GOAL.

Wolves 2. Barnsley 0.

Michael sat down on the bench.

"He is not human," Arthur said covering his eyes. "He is a glitch in the matrix. Boss we are losing to a boy who probably has homework due tomorrow."

The halftime whistle blew.

2 to 0.

The dressing room was angry.

Pavard threw his water bottle.

"He is too fast," Pavard said in French. "He moves like water. I cannot catch water."

Diego Nunez was sitting on the floor checking his knees.

"He made me slide into the signs," Diego said sadly. "My knees hurt. And my pride hurts. A baby made me look silly."

Michael walked to the center.

"Stop crying," Michael said.

The room went quiet.

"He is good," Michael admitted. "He is very good. Maybe he is the next Ronaldo. Who knows."

He looked at Endrick.

The Brazilian was sitting with a towel over his head.

"Endrick," Michael said.

Endrick looked up. His eyes were burning.

"Are you going to let him take your crown?" Michael asked. "The world is watching. They are saying Viana is better than Endrick. They are saying you are yesterday’s news."

Endrick stood up. He threw the towel.

"He is not better," Endrick said. "He is just lucky."

"Then show me," Michael said. "Stop trying to do it alone. Use your team. Viana is playing for himself. You play for Barnsley."

Michael turned to Diego.

"Diego. Stop diving in. You are a Bull. Not a torpedo. Stand your ground. Make him run around you."

"I will be a statue," Diego promised. "A very big angry statue."

THE SECOND HALF

The players ran out.

The Wolves fans were singing "RICO IS BETTER THAN PELE!"

It was annoying.

Minute 50

Barnsley changed the tempo. They stopped panicking.

Leo Stone took control. He slowed the game down.

He passed to Osimhen.

Osimhen held the ball. He waited.

He saw Endrick making a run. Not a dribble. A run into space.

Osimhen passed.

Endrick collected it. He was one on one with Kilman.

He did not do a trick. He just used his speed. Pure power.

He blasted past the defender.

He smashed the ball into the bottom corner.

GOAL.

Wolves 2. Barnsley 1.

Endrick grabbed the ball. He ran back to the center circle. He stared at Rico Viana.

The challenge was accepted.

The next twenty minutes were pure cinema.

It was Endrick versus Viana. Brazil versus Portugal.

Viana did a nutmeg. Endrick did a roulette.

Viana hit the side netting. Endrick forced a save from Jose Sa.

It was beautiful football.

But Barnsley were still losing.

Minute 75

Michael made a change.

"Jamie," Michael said. "Go in. Cause chaos."

SUBSTITUTION

OFF: Pavard

ON: Jamie Vardy

Barnsley went to three at the back. Total attack.

"It is risky Boss," Arthur said. "Viana is still on the pitch."

"We have to risk it," Michael said. "We are chasing a title."

Minute 80

The risk paid off.

Jamie Vardy chased a lost cause. He pressured the Wolves goalkeeper.

Jose Sa panicked. He kicked the ball poorly.

It fell to Leo Stone.

Leo saw Osimhen.

Osimhen was in the box. He was surrounded.

But Osimhen was wearing the mask. He felt invincible.

He controlled the ball with his chest. He turned. He bicycle kicked it.

GOAL.

Wolves 2. Barnsley 2.

"WHAT A GOAL!" Arthur screamed. "THE MASKED ASSASSIN FLIES!"

2 to 2.

Both teams wanted to win.

Minute 88

Rico Viana got the ball again. He was tired but he was still dangerous.

He ran at Diego Nunez.

Diego stood still. He did not slide. He waited.

Viana tried to go left. Diego moved left.

Viana tried to go right. Diego moved right.

Viana tried to push the ball past him.

Diego used his shoulder.

BUMP.

Viana bounced off Diego. He fell down.

"No," Diego said looking down at him. "Not this time little wolf."

Diego passed the ball to Leo Stone.

Counter attack.

Leo passed to Endrick.

Endrick was running on fumes. But he saw the goal.

He saw Jamie Vardy making a run to the left.

The defenders went with Vardy.

Endrick had a lane.

He drove forward.

He was twenty yards out.

"Shoot!" Michael whispered.

Endrick hit it.

It was low. It was hard. It skipped off the wet grass.

Jose Sa got a hand to it.

But the power was too much. The ball spun into the corner of the net.

GOAL.

Barnsley 3. Wolves 2.

The comeback was complete.

Endrick ran to the corner. He did not do the Mbappe celebration. He pointed to the Barnsley badge.

He was the King again.

FULL TIME

The referee blew the whistle.

WOLVES 2 - 3 BARNSLEY

The players collapsed. It was a war.

Michael walked onto the pitch.

He saw Rico Viana sitting on the grass. The kid looked devastated.

Endrick walked over to him.

Michael watched closely. Would they fight?

Endrick put out a hand.

Viana looked up. He took the hand. Endrick pulled him up.

They hugged.

"Game recognize game," Michael smiled.

He walked over to them.

"You played well," Michael said to Viana. "You gave me a heart attack."

"I will beat you next time," Viana said. He had fire in his eyes.

"I look forward to it," Michael said.

The bus was buzzing.

Arthur was eating a celebratory pie.

"That was close Boss," Arthur said. "Too close. That Viana kid is going to be a problem for the next ten years."

"He is," Michael agreed. "But today? Today our boy won."

He looked back.

Endrick and Diego Nunez were sitting together. Diego was showing Endrick the bruise on his leg where he hit the advertising board.

"It is a battle scar," Diego was saying proudly. "Chicks dig scars."

"I do not want scars Diego," Endrick laughed. "I want trophies."