Dynasty Awakening: Building My Own Football Empire-Chapter 211: Tiny Manager

The mood inside the Sterling Era Training Complex was darker than a coal mine. It had been forty eight hours since the heartbreak at Anfield. The last minute deflection that stole the points still played in the mind of Michael Sterling like a bad movie on repeat.

Michael sat in his office. The curtains were drawn. He was sitting in the dark staring at a blank wall.

Arthur Milton walked in. He did not knock. He was holding a box of donuts.

"Boss," Arthur said softly. "You have been sitting in the dark for two days. You look like a vampire. Please eat a donut. It has sprinkles."

"I do not want sprinkles Arthur," Michael said his voice hoarse. "I want the three points back. I want Diego Nunez leg to be three inches to the left."

"Diego is sad too," Arthur said sitting on the sofa. "He is currently in the gym lifting the heaviest weights I have ever seen. He says he is punishing his muscles for the deflection."

"It was bad luck," Michael sighed. "Just bad luck."

Then the phone rang.

It was not the office phone. It was the special phone. The red phone.

Michael looked at it. His heart stopped beating for a second.

It was Sarah.

He picked it up. His hands were shaking.

"Michael," Sarah voice was calm. Too calm. "The water broke."

"The water?" Michael asked confused. "Which water? The kitchen sink?"

"No Michael," Sarah said. "The baby water. The baby is coming. Now."

THE EMERGENCY EXIT

Michael dropped the phone. He stood up so fast his chair fell over.

"Arthur!" Michael screamed. "The baby! It is happening! Code Red!"

Arthur dropped the donuts. "Code Red! I will get the car!"

They ran out of the office. They ran down the corridor. They ran past the gym.

Diego Nunez saw them running. The giant dropped his dumbbells.

"Is there a fire?" Diego shouted running after them. "I will fight the fire!"

"No fire!" Michael yelled. "Baby! Sarah! Hospital!"

"I will drive!" Diego roared. "I have the big car! It is fast!"

They reached the parking lot. Diego Nunez jumped into his massive black SUV. It looked like a tank.

Michael and Arthur jumped in the back.

"Hold on!" Diego shouted. "I activate turbo mode!"

Diego slammed the pedal. The car launched forward.

"Diego be careful!" Michael screamed as they drifted around the corner. "We need to get there alive!"

"I am a safe driver!" Diego shouted while honking the horn at a pigeon. "Move bird! The heir to the dynasty is coming!"

THE WAITING ROOM

They arrived at the hospital in record time. Diego parked the car on the pavement right in front of the entrance.

"You cannot park here," a security guard shouted.

"I am the Bull!" Diego shouted back throwing his keys to the guard. "Park it for me!"

They ran inside.

Sarah was already in the room. The doctors were there.

Michael ran in. He held her hand.

"I am here," Michael gasped sweating. "I made it."

"You smell like car tires," Sarah said squeezing his hand. "But I am glad you are here."

Outside in the waiting room the rest of the Misfits began to arrive.

Arthur had sent a message to the group chat: BABY IS COMING. HOSPITAL. NOW.

Endrick arrived wearing his training kit.

Sergio Ramos arrived wearing a suit.

Victor Osimhen arrived wearing his mask because he forgot to take it off.

Leo Stone arrived holding a teddy bear.

The nurses were confused. The waiting room looked like a locker room.

"Please be quiet," the nurse said. "This is a hospital."

"We are quiet," Diego whispered loudly. "We are praying for the little boss."

THE ARRIVAL

Two hours later.

The sound of a cry echoed through the hallway.

It was a strong cry. A loud cry.

"That is a good set of lungs," Sergio Ramos nodded. "He shouts like a captain."

The door opened.

Michael Sterling walked out. He looked exhausted. He looked messy. But he had the biggest smile anyone had ever seen.

"It is a boy," Michael whispered.

The team erupted. They tried to be quiet but they failed.

"A BOY!" Diego roared. "A LITTLE BULL!"

"Can we see him?" Arthur asked wiping his eyes with his tie.

"Come in," Michael said. "But quietly."

THE MEETING

The players tiptoed into the room.

Sarah was lying in the bed holding a small bundle wrapped in a white blanket.

She looked tired but happy.

"Hello boys," Sarah smiled. "Meet the newest Misfit."

They gathered around the bed.

Diego Nunez looked at the baby. The giant defender looked terrified.

"He is so small," Diego whispered. "He is like a nugget. Can I touch him?"

"Gently Diego," Michael warned.

Diego put his massive finger near the baby hand.

The baby reached out. He grabbed Diego finger. He held it tight.

Diego eyes went wide.

"He is strong!" Diego gasped. "Look at the grip! He has Grip 99! He will be a goalkeeper! Or a wrestler!"

"He will be a striker," Osimhen said looking over Diego shoulder. "Look at his legs. Long legs. Fast runner."

"He needs a name," Leo Stone said holding up the teddy bear. "What is his name Boss?"

Michael looked at Sarah. They had discussed this for months.

"His name is Gabriel," Michael said. "Gabriel Sterling."

"The Angel," Ramos nodded. "Good name. Strong name."

THE SYSTEM AWAKENS

Michael took Gabriel from Sarah. He held his son in his arms.

Suddenly he felt a vibration.

It was not his phone. It was the System.

He saw the blue text floating in the air next to the baby head.

[NEW ENTITY DETECTED]

[NAME: GABRIEL STERLING]

[ROLE: THE HEIR]

[CURRENT ABILITY: 1]

[POTENTIAL ABILITY: ???]

[TRAIT: TACTICAL GENIUS (INHERITED)]

Michael blinked.

Tactical Genius?

He looked at the baby. Gabriel opened his eyes. They were blue and sharp.

He was looking at the television on the wall.

The TV was showing highlights of the Manchester City game.

Gabriel stopped crying. He stared at the screen. He watched Haaland score a goal.

Then he frowned. He made a small noise. It sounded like a grunt of disapproval.

The System text changed.

[ANALYSIS COMPLETE]

[BABY VERDICT: DEFENSIVE LINE WAS TOO HIGH]

Michael almost dropped the baby.

"Did you see that?" Michael whispered to Arthur.

"See what Boss?"

"He frowned at the City goal," Michael said. "He knows the defense was bad."

"He is one hour old Boss," Arthur laughed. "He probably just needs a diaper change."

"No," Michael said looking into Gabriel eyes. "He knows ball."

THE PROMISE

The nurse came in to kick the team out.

"Too many people," she said. "The mother needs rest. The baby needs rest. And Diego you cannot eat the hospital biscuits those are for patients."

"Sorry," Diego said putting the biscuit back.

The players said their goodbyes.

Endrick touched the baby foot. "See you soon little brother. I will teach you the samba."

Ramos saluted. "Sleep well soldier."

They left the room.

Michael sat in the chair next to the bed.

Sarah was already asleep.

Michael looked at Gabriel. The baby was sleeping too.

The pain of Anfield was gone. The deflection did not matter. The points table did not matter.

This was what mattered.

"You are going to see some things," Michael whispered to his son. "You are going to see your dad build an empire."

The System flashed again.

[MOTIVATION RESTORED]

[ENERGY: 100 PERCENT]

[NEW OBJECTIVE: WIN THE TITLE FOR THE BOY]

Michael smiled.

"You heard the System Gabriel," Michael said softly. "We have to win the title now. You need a shiny toy to play with."

THE NEXT MORNING

The next day Michael returned to the training ground.

He did not look like a vampire anymore. He looked like a man on a mission.

Arthur was waiting for him. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

"How is the little tactician?" Arthur asked.

"He is sleeping," Michael said. "But he is thinking. I can tell."

Michael walked into the locker room.

The players were there. They looked at him.

"How is Gabriel?" Diego asked immediately.

"He is good," Michael said. "But he is hungry. And he told me something."

"He can talk?" Endrick asked eyes wide.

"In his own way," Michael smiled. "He told me that he does not want a silver medal. He thinks silver is ugly. He wants gold."

Diego stood up. He slammed his fist into his hand.

"THEN WE GET GOLD!" Diego roared. "FOR BABY GABRIEL!"

"FOR GABRIEL!" the team shouted.

The sadness of Liverpool was washed away by the arrival of a new life.

They had five games left. Five finals.

And now they had a mascot. A tiny bald mascot who apparently hated bad defending.

Michael walked to his office. He looked at the fixture list.

NEXT MATCH: ASTON VILLA.