Tower of Heaven - Chapter 85: Duel [2]

Eric Maddox, a 70-year-old American retired football coach once hailed for his tactical brilliance, now forgotten by time—closes his eyes for what he believes is a normal nap in his quiet Florida retirement home.But when he opens them, he's not staring at ceiling tiles, instead, he's on a touchline.Wearing boots in the rain.With players running on the pitch, fans jeering behind barriers, and the smell of cheap turf pellets in the air.“What the hell is this?”He’s twenty-five again, but it’s not Earth. It’s a world where football reigns supreme. A world where the sport is religion, its practitioners, deities in cleats. Coaches are revered, players are worshipped, and even the kit man gets treated like royalty.But there's one catch: none of it is familiar. The clubs, the players, the leagues, the competitions, and even the currency—they're all different. Alien. Like waking up in a dream where the rules are the same, but the language is foreign.As if that wasn’t enough, the body he’s now in? A youth coach with a laughable win record, a looming divorce, and a measly fifty thousand in the bank that his ex-wife is fighting tooth and nail to take. All of it.Just when the spiral seems inevitable, a monotone chime pierces the noise.[Initiating Golden Finger…][…45%… 75%… 100%][System Integration Complete.][Welcome, host. You are now bound to the Pro Manager System. Objective: Dominate the Football World. A new era begins]From washed-up has-been to chosen one of destiny, Eric Maddox is about to trade arthritis pills for tactical boards, and shuffleboard for Prestigious Cup glory.Because in this world, tactics are power.And on this touchline, he’s about to become a god.

In the vast and grand universe, myriad treasures and artifacts existed, some crafted by the Grand Dao of the universe itself, while countless others paled in comparison to the might of those created by the Grand Dao.Yet, amidst the cosmic expanse, one individual achieved the extraordinary feat of fashioning a treasure on par with those birthed by the Grand Dao.This creator wasn't mortal, nor an immortal cultivator who had ascended to the pinnacle of power.Neither inherently good nor bad, this enigmatic figure stood as the genesis of countless races—a shattered being unlike any ever witnessed.Known by many names, the most prominent being the 'Son of the Universe'.Born directly from the Grand Dao of the universe, he was not the first entity to be brought forth in such a manner.The universe had previously given rise to beings governed by the System of Reality—known by various titles such as Heavenly Daos or World Trees—acting as gods of creation for innumerable planets across the universe.These divine entities, also referred to as the 'Daughters of the Universe', were exclusively female, with no sons among them.However, the Grand Dao of the universe defied this established norm, birthing a Son and thereby breaking the rules of the System of Reality.The treasure forged by the 'Son of the Universe' was lost to time, only to reappear fortuitously in an alley on a fateful night.On that particular night, a young man named Sam Hailstorm stumbled upon this extraordinary artifact, forever altering the course of his life.As for why the Grand Dao birthed such an unimaginable being, why this treasure found its way to Sam, and the purpose behind the Son of the Universe creating such a powerful artifact, join Sam on his journey of discovery as he unravels the truths and destinies that lie ahead.

During the demon-summoning ceremony, Aiwass finally recalled his past life's memories.This should be an online game that his family's company had released and operated for six years. Now, his foster father was the leader of the latest version's antagonist organization.He would expose his identity six years later, hesitate and then defect from the protagonist's side. Ultimately, because he decided to take a fatal strike meant for the player character, he was killed by his upright older brother in a transitional CG without even a chance to enter the main content.——But the problem was not too significant. Aiwass also knew many secret advancement routes exclusive to the player character, as well as the Nurturing Secret Sequel regulations of the various Paths. He believed he could reverse his unfortunate fate……So now there was only one issue left.“According to the original plot, shouldn't I have been rescued by the protagonist before this lousy ceremony even began?”Tied to the ceremonial altar as a sacrifice, Aiwass fell into contemplation.