The laughter echoed in Ethan's head, a sound of pure, unadulterated revelation.
It wasn't the sound of madness.
It was the sound of clarity.
He had been playing chess against a grandmaster, but he had just realized his opponent wasn't a player at all; he was just a book, reading out the most famous openings, move by predictable move.
On the pitch, his team was being systematically dismantled.
They were chasing ghosts, their energy and passion being absorbed by a calm, golden wall of perfect, soulless football.
"And that is surely the game," the commentator said with an air of finality. "A classic sucker punch from Wolves. Apex United showed heart, they showed passion, but in the end, they have been dismantled by a tactical masterclass. CatenaccioKing's perfect system has delivered a perfect result."
The Apex players looked defeated, their brief, chaotic rebellion extinguished.
The 2-0 scoreline felt like an unscalable mountain.
Then, a minor injury.
