An Epic Treasure Chest?!
Seeing the new mission window flash in his mind, Ren's eyes burned with a new intensity. Usually, the system was stingy, but a 100% guarantee for an Epic chest if he hit all three goals? That was the kind of reward that could change his career trajectory overnight.
He was already buzzed for his Europa League debut, but now? He was ready to tear through the Merseyside turf.
However, the roar of the "Grand Old Lady"—Goodison Park—was no joke. From the opening whistle, the Toffees didn't just play; they attacked like a tidal wave.
By the 2nd minute, Mirallas was already whipping crosses in. By the 5th, Ross Barkley was threading needles through the midfield. The 21-year-old Englishman was playing with a level of freedom that Ren hadn't seen in Serie A. Behind him, Gareth Barry and James McCarthy sat like two iron gatekeepers, destroying any attempt at a Viola counter-attack and feeding Barkley instantly.
In the 24th minute, the pressure finally cracked the Italian shield.
Barry smothered a loose ball in the center circle and poked it to Barkley. Without looking, Barkley slid a weighted through-ball into the path of Romelu Lukaku. The "Little Beast" didn't even need to look at the goal. Using his massive frame to shield off Stefan Savić, he spun like a cyclone and lashed a right-footed rocket into the top corner.
1-0. Aggregate: 2-1 in favor of Everton.
The stadium nearly collapsed under the weight of the home fans' cheers. Barkley stood with his arms wide, a young king in his own castle.
Fiorentina was reeling. They had come in on a high from three straight league wins, but the Premier League's physicality was a different beast entirely.
On the touchline, Montella remained calm. He knew he couldn't out-finesse Everton while they had the momentum. He whistled sharply, calling Milan Badelj to the sideline during a break in play.
"Milan, look at me," Montella hissed, his eyes sharp. "I told you during the scouting report. Barkley is the heart. If he breathes, we die. I want you to stop being a midfielder and start being the 'Wild Bull.'"
Badelj wiped the English rain from his face, his expression hardening.
"Disrupt their rhythm. Get into their skin. If you have to tackle through the man to get the ball, do it," Montella commanded. "The more you turn this game into a scrap, the more space Ren will have to breathe. If you break their line, Ren will break their hearts. Understood?"
Badelj didn't need another word. As a Croatia international, he was built for the grind. He was the "Wild Bull" for a reason—not just for his strength, but for his relentless, suffocating pressure.
As the ball was kicked back into play, the "Bull" was no longer just guarding the zone. He was hunting. Every time Barkley looked for a pocket of space, he found a purple shirt barreling into him. Every time McCarthy tried to set a tempo, Badelj was there to disrupt it.
The comeback had to start somewhere. And for Ren, that "somewhere" was going to be the space created by the chaos of the Bull.
30+ chapters are available now and daily updates! @patreon.com/Authorzero