When they were near home, Max pulled the car over in front of a big supermarket. He turned to Kay and said, "Just one minute, Kay. I need to grab something quickly. I'll be right back."

Kay nodded, watching his father get out of the car and walk towards the store.

His father returned hurriedly. They continued their drive home, and when they arrived, Max turned to Kay with a grin. "Kay, why don't you head inside first? I'll be right behind you."

Kay, slightly puzzled, agreed and made his way to the front door. As he stepped inside, he was met with darkness; all the lights in the house were turned off. He paused in the entryway, a mix of confusion and curiosity filling his mind.

"Mom? " Kay called out, his voice echoing in the silence. He took a few cautious steps forward, feeling his way through the familiar space with the help of his sticks just as the doctor advised him. Just as he was about to call out again, the lights suddenly flicked on, illuminating the room.

"Surprise!!!" A chorus of voices rang out, and Kay's eyes widened in astonishment. His mother, Reina, stood at the center. The room was decorated with banners and balloons, all celebrating Kay's new artificial leg.

Reina stepped forward, her eyes shining with love. "Welcome home, Kay. This is for you, to celebrate your strength."

Max appeared at the doorway, smiling broadly and holding a cake with a small football on its top. "We wanted to celebrate with you—your beginning in the new coaching school and fixing the artificial leg."

Kay was very happy about this surprise. "Thank you, Dad, Mom," he said, his voice choked with gratitude. "This means so much to me."

After this scene, Kay's parents told him there was an additional surprise, but it was late. Kay tried to make his parents reveal the nature of the surprise but without success.

As they continued to celebrate, half an hour later, the doorbell rang.

Max glanced at the door and smiled. "I think our second surprise has arrived."

Kay, curious, wondered who it could be. He couldn't think of anyone specific. When the door opened, a young tall man entered. Kay's eyes widened in recognition and delight. It was his friend, Alex.

"Alex!" Kay exclaimed, a broad smile spreading across his face.

Alex grinned and walked over, enveloping Kay in a warm hug. "Hey, buddy! I heard you've got an artificial leg, so you would get rid of your sticks. I had to come and see you."

Kay felt overwhelmed with happiness. "I can't believe you're here. This means so much to me, but I think that I can't get rid of these sticks yet as the doctor told me that I can discard them after some sessions of physical therapy."

Reina and Max watched the reunion with smiles. Max patted Alex on the back. "We knew Kay would be thrilled to see you. Welcome, Alex."

Alex nodded, looking around at the festive decorations. "Thank you for inviting me. Let's make this celebration unforgettable."

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The party was a vibrant celebration filled with joy and warmth. The living room was adorned with colorful banners, balloons, and streamers.

The scent of delicious food wafted through the air, and a table was laden with a variety of dishes and a cake decorated with a small football on top.

Kay sat on a comfortable chair, surrounded by his parents and Alex. Everyone was in high spirits, sharing stories, laughter, and congratulations. The mood was lively, and the sense of camaraderie was palpable.

As the evening progressed, Kay and Alex found a quieter corner to sit and talk. Alex handed Kay a soda and leaned back, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Kay," Alex began, "I heard about your decision to become a manager. That's a big shift from playing."

Kay nodded, taking a sip of his drink. "Yeah, it is. But it's something I've been thinking about a lot. I want to stay in the game, even if I can't play anymore."

Alex looked at him with a mixture of admiration and concern. "You know, being a manager is very different from being a player.

As a player, you focus on your own performance. But as a manager, you're responsible for an entire team. It's a lot of pressure."

Kay nodded thoughtfully. "I understand that. But I think I can handle it. I want to help young players develop and reach their potential. I think I can make a difference."

Alex smiled, his eyes reflecting his genuine support. " I believe you can too, Kay. You've always had a good head on your shoulders and a deep understanding of the game. You'll face challenges, no doubt. But you've always been determined. Just remember, coaching requires patience, strategy, and understanding each player's unique strengths and weaknesses."

Kay felt a surge of confidence from Alex's words. "Thanks, Alex. I know it won't be easy, but I'm ready for it."

Alex patted Kay on the shoulder. "And I'll be here to support you every step of the way. You're going to be an amazing manager, Kay."

Their conversation was interrupted by Reina, who called everyone to gather around the table for the cake-cutting.

The room filled with cheers and applause as Kay cut the cake, surrounded by the people who believed in him the most.

After saying goodbye to Alex and his parents, Kay retreated to his room. The excitement of the day was slowly ebbing away, leaving him with a quiet space to reflect.

He sat on his bed, the memories of the celebration playing through his mind like a comforting reel.

As he relaxed, a thought struck him. It had been a long time since he had checked the manager system. A lot had happened which pushed Kay to forget to check the system periodically.

He took a deep breath, focused, and said, "Open system." Within moments, the familiar translucent window materialized before him, glowing softly in the dim light of his room.

The system booted up, displaying various tabs and options. Kay's eyes scanned the screen, searching for new updates and notifications.

There was nothing new, which made Kay surprised that after a long time, there were no changes, especially since he had enrolled in the coaching school as the system had told him in a quest when it first appeared.

He remarked three tabs on the system's window: Quests, Achievements, and Tools.

Kay then said, "Quests."

A new window opened, replacing the old one, showing two quests. On the left of each, there was a small square. The second one, "Reading coaching books," was checked, but the first one, "Enrolling in a coaching school," was still empty.

Kay then thought to ask the system about that but received no response. He pondered for a moment, then concluded that maybe it would be checked after the first class.

Then Kay checked the tab labeled "Achievements," but found it empty with a count of 0 achievements. He realized it was because he hadn't begun his coaching career yet.

In the last tab, "Tools," Kay noticed a counter showing the number 4. These were the books provided by the system, which he had already read to complete the quest. The titles were:

The Art of Defense

The Art of Midfield

The Art of Attack

General Instructions

Seeing these familiar titles reminded Kay of the knowledge he had already absorbed and how it had laid the groundwork for his coaching journey.

See you in the next chapter ...