first card

It had been more than a day since Liam Carter arrived in this world, and he was now certain that it was a parallel version of the world he originally lived in. The major events and general direction of history seemed to be the same, but there were subtle differences, such as the fate of his family. However, these changes didn't seem to affect the overall course of the world too much.

Before, he had considered using his knowledge from his previous life to start a business empire or leveraging his foresight to dominate the financial markets.

But in his past life, he had been an excavator operator—never attended university, never had a solid plan, and certainly never memorized lottery numbers. He wasn't sure how to survive in this world without a clear advantage.

As for his supposed "rich kid" status, it wasn't as glamorous as it sounded. His father was, at best, a well-off businessman, not a billionaire. On top of that, he was an illegitimate son and had never been treated as part of the family.

Liam had moved to the UK when he was 10, and since then, he had only been back once—to finalize his immigration paperwork at 12. His father had visited him twice while traveling through Europe, but their relationship was distant at best.

His father was still alive in this world, but their relationship was just as strained.

Of course, a big part of that was due to Liam being born out of wedlock.

So, Liam had been at a crossroads, uncertain about what to do next.

His mother, Kate, wanted him to focus on academics, hoping he would get into Oxford or Cambridge and pursue a career in mathematics. She had seen his talent in the subject from a young age.

His grandfather, John, however, wanted him to continue playing football. The old man had once dreamed of a professional career himself, but things hadn't worked out for him.

That was why, when Liam failed to break into the first team at his current club, John had rushed down from Scotland to console him and help him find a place to play there.

Liam, however, had yet to make a decision.

In truth, he wasn't opposed to becoming a professional player. He had played football throughout middle and high school and genuinely enjoyed the sport.

At one point, he had completely drifted away from football due to work and life pressures, but his interest was reignited through playing football video games. That passion led him back into watching matches and following the sport again.

Still, he wasn't confident about making it as a pro.

His entry into the Crystal Palace youth academy had been a lucky break.

Crystal Palace wasn't known for developing young talent. In its long history, only two players had come through its academy and made a name for themselves.

With such a poor track record in youth development, it struggled to attract top prospects, especially in London—a city brimming with professional clubs.

When people talked about the football capital of Europe, some said Milan, others Madrid. But in terms of sheer number of clubs, London was king.

The city had 13 professional football clubs, all competing at various levels of the professional pyramid. It was an incredibly competitive environment.

Crystal Palace, with its weak youth program, simply couldn't keep up. Talented youngsters preferred joining Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea, West Ham, Fulham, Watford, or even QPR—pretty much anywhere but Palace.

Liam had made it into the academy largely because they needed to meet a quota. Professional clubs had youth development targets they were required to hit, or they faced penalties.

Sometimes, that meant recruiting average players just to make up the numbers.

Even his recent professional contract was more about filling a requirement than a vote of confidence in his potential. A new FA regulation had been introduced, requiring clubs to have a minimum number of homegrown youth players in the squad. Crystal Palace was below the threshold, so they offered him a contract to help meet the quota.

The contract length said it all—just three years.

Liam was only 17. If the club truly believed in his talent, they would have locked him down for a longer period. Top clubs offered long-term deals to promising young players, ensuring they wouldn't lose them cheaply.

With all of this in mind, Liam had doubted his chances of making it in professional football. He had been leaning toward following his mother's advice—going to university and using his knowledge of the future to make a comfortable living.

Maybe he wouldn't get rich, but he could at least make enough to live well.

But now, with this talent system, his path had become clear.

---

Liam focused on the first blue card frame in his system menu. A confirmation prompt appeared: "Do you want to activate this card?"

His heart pounded.

This was it—the moment his real football career would begin. With the system, he felt he had a genuine shot at success.

He didn't have a legendary talent card for the world's best player, but even without that, he was confident he could become a star. Maybe even a top player.

As for being the best in the world? That was something to aim for.

What he didn't know yet was which type of talent he would receive.

Would it be a forward's skillset?

A midfielder's?

A defender's?

Or even a goalkeeper's?

Regardless of the position, Liam was committed to following the system's path. But, of course, he had his preferences.

Forwards were the most glamorous players on the pitch, scoring goals and making headlines. That was the kind of spotlight he wanted. He hoped his talent would be suited for an attacking role.

"Anything but goalkeeper," Liam thought to himself.

Without further hesitation, he willed the first blue card to activate.

A flash of white light filled his vision.

Then, the card's details appeared.

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[Wing Speedster (Joaquin)]

Effect: Grants the wing-play abilities of Joaquin, a rapid and skillful winger. When the talent card fusion exceeds 50%, crossing accuracy increases by 20%.

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Joaquin.

Not a household name among casual fans, but a respected player nonetheless. Liam remembered him well.

A classic Spanish winger, Joaquin excelled in dribbling down the flank and whipping in crosses. Unlike modern wide players who focused on cutting inside to shoot, Joaquin played a traditional wing role.

His best season had been 2004-05 when he led Real Betis, a small La Liga club, to an impressive fourth-place finish and Champions League qualification. That year, he had also ranked second in the La Liga assist charts.

Liam grinned.

This was an attacking player's card.

That meant his entire set of cards would likely belong to offensive positions.

But then, doubt crept in.

Wingers weren't just forwards. Midfielders and even full-backs needed similar traits.

One thing was certain—this wasn't a goalkeeper's set.

But whether it would make him a forward, midfielder, or even a defender remained to be seen.