The floodlights at Galaxy Youth Academy lit up the night like a stage. This was Ace's third official match as a contracted LA Galaxy player, and this time, everyone was watching.
Portland Timbers Academy stood across from them. Organized, aggressive, and dangerous on the counter. Their striker, Jordan "Lightning" Kane, and captain Tyler "Anchor" Brooks were already drawing first-team attention.
The stands were fuller. The cameras were closer. The noise was louder.
Ace stood in the tunnel, the No. 10 resting naturally on his back now. It didn't feel heavy anymore. It fit.
I'm done adjusting. Now they adjust to me.
The system screen flickered into view.
[Daily Task Active]
Score or assist at least 1 goal.
Reward: 500 EXP + Random High-Grade Skill Card
The whistle blew.
Portland pressed immediately, trying to suffocate Galaxy from the start. Ace dropped deep, calm on the ball, setting the rhythm.
Three minutes in, Portland struck first. A high press forced a mistake, Kane broke through, and though the keeper got a touch, the rebound was finished.
0–1.
The crowd groaned, but Ace didn't react. He simply turned and jogged back.
Good. Now it starts.
Galaxy responded quickly. Ace received between the lines and triggered Phantom Shadow Dribble. For a split second, his movement blurred, and two midfielders stepped the wrong way. He slipped through them and played a perfect through ball to Marcus, who squared it back into his path. Ace met it first time and buried it.
1–1.
The stadium came alive, but Ace didn't celebrate. He just pointed forward.
More.
The tempo shifted. Galaxy pressed higher, sharper. Every touch from Ace carried intent.
From a corner in the 22nd minute, Ace whipped in a dangerous ball. Lucas rose above everyone and powered the header into the net.
2–1 Galaxy.
The comeback was complete, but Ace stayed locked in.
Not even close to done.
Portland tried to respond, pushing numbers forward, and that opened space. Ace intercepted in midfield, drove past one defender, then another. Phantom Shadow Dribble created just enough hesitation for him to slip the ball into Diego, who finished cleanly.
3–1.
Now the crowd was roaring. The game was tilting fast.
By halftime, Galaxy were in control. Not just leading, controlling.
Coach Harlan kept it simple. "Keep the tempo. Don't relax."
Ace didn't speak. He didn't need to.
Portland came out desperate in the second half, pressing higher and risking more. Ace punished it almost immediately. He picked up the ball deep, turned, and accelerated past two players in seconds. Carrying it forward, he slipped it wide to Marcus, continued his run, and arrived perfectly for the return. One touch. Finish.
4–1.
This time, he allowed himself a small breath.
This is the gap.
Portland began to fade. Their structure broke apart under pressure. Ace was everywhere now, dictating play, winning second balls, controlling the tempo completely.
The final blow came in the 70th minute.
Ace picked up the ball near midfield and slowed just enough to draw defenders in. Three players closed on him, waiting.
He moved.
Phantom Shadow Dribble triggered.
For a split second, he wasn't where they expected him to be.
He slipped through the space they left behind, stepped into range, and struck clean.
Top corner.
5–1.
For a heartbeat, the stadium fell silent.
Then it exploded.
Teammates rushed him, shouting, grabbing him, celebrating wildly. Diego laughed, shaking his head. "That's insane!"
Ace stood still for a moment, breathing steady, eyes calm.
Now they see me.
When the final whistle came, there was no doubt.
5–1.
Not a comeback.
A statement.
Coach Harlan pulled him aside briefly. "That's how you announce yourself. You're not just playing anymore. You're setting the standard."
Ace nodded once. "I'm just getting started."
Diego grinned as they walked off. "Three goals, two assists. You didn't carry us. You took over."
Ace didn't respond.
He didn't need to.
The cameras were waiting again, more than ever before. Closer, sharper, louder.
"Alex Rivera, a hat-trick and two assists in a 5–1 win. The entire game ran through you. What does this performance mean?"
Ace kept his voice calm. "It means we executed well as a team."
Another reporter stepped forward quickly. "Alex, the videos of the blonde woman leaving with you are trending again. Social media is calling her 'Ace's Mystery Blonde.' Are you in a relationship?"
The shift was immediate.
From football to spotlight.
Ace didn't blink.
"My focus is football. Everything else stays private."
No hesitation. No crack.
He walked away.
In the tunnel, his phone was already buzzing nonstop. Notifications flooding in, clips spreading everywhere.
One message stood out.
Emma:
Hat-trick.
You're getting dangerous.
Come see me when you're done being a superstar.
Ace looked at it for a moment, then locked his phone.
Out on the pitch, it was a win.
But more than that—
It was a warning.
Five goals.
And now the world was watching.