Dynasty Awakening: Building My Own Football Empire-Chapter 223: Berlin Wall

The silver FA Cup trophy had found a home. It sat on a special shelf in the reception of the club. Every time the door opened the light hit the silver handles and made the room shine.

But Michael Sterling was not looking at the trophy.

He was looking at a medical report.

It was Wednesday. Four days before the final game against Everton. The game that would decide the Premier League title.

Arthur Milton sat on the floor of the office. He was building a small tower out of sugar cubes.

"The squad is thin Boss," Arthur said pushing a cube with his finger. "We are running on fumes. Enzo Silva is out. Endrick is out. Kai Sora is out. Jean Luc Dubois is tired because he ate too much cheese."

"I know Arthur," Michael said rubbing his temples. "We need legs. Fresh legs. Someone who is not scared. Someone who does not know that we are fighting for history."

"We have the academy," Arthur suggested. "The blue haired kid Jax?"

"Jax is talented," Michael admitted. "But he is chaos. We have enough chaos with Diego Nunez. I need control. I need someone who can hold the ball when the panic starts."

Then the door opened.

Kenji Sato walked in. The billionaire was wearing a suit made of shiny silver material. He looked like a walking spoon.

"Michael!" Kenji shouted. "I have the solution. The package from Germany has arrived."

"The package?" Michael asked.

"The Berlin Project," Kenji said. "Remember? We signed him in January for the youth team but he had to finish his exams. He landed this morning. He is ready."

THE MAN IN THE SUIT

Michael walked to the reception area.

Standing next to the FA Cup trophy was a boy.

He was seventeen years old. He was tall. Very tall. He had short blonde hair that was cut with mathematical precision.

He was not wearing a tracksuit. He was wearing a black suit with a black tie. He was holding a leather briefcase.

He looked like a banker. Or a hitman.

"Hello," the boy said. His voice was calm and deep. "I am Lukas Weber. I am here to play football."

Michael extended his hand.

"I am Michael Sterling. Welcome to Barnsley."

Lukas shook the hand. It was a firm handshake. One shake. No more. No less.

"I have watched the videos," Lukas said. "Your team is... interesting. Very emotional. I bring logic."

"Logic," Michael repeated. "We could use some logic."

"Where is the changing room?" Lukas asked checking his watch. "Training begins in twelve minutes. I do not like to be late."

Arthur Milton whispered to Michael.

"Boss. Is he a robot? He blinks very slowly."

"He is German Arthur," Michael smiled. "He is efficient."

THE LOCKER ROOM SHOCK

They walked into the dressing room.

The music was loud. Amara was dancing on a bench. Diego Nunez was trying to balance a football on his bald head. Jamie Vardy was drinking an energy drink.

Lukas Weber walked in. He placed his briefcase on the bench.

The music stopped. Everyone looked at the boy in the suit.

"Who is the lawyer?" Diego Nunez asked. "Did we get sued? Did I break a window again?"

"I am not a lawyer," Lukas said opening his briefcase. "I am Lukas. I play defensive midfield."

Inside the briefcase there was a pair of football boots. They were black. Just plain black. No colors. No stripes. And a pair of shinpads that looked like they were made of titanium.

"Black boots?" Amara asked. "Where is the pink? Where is the neon?"

"Colors do not help you pass the ball," Lukas stated. "Black is serious."

Diego Nunez walked over. The Bull sniffed the air around Lukas.

"You smell like new car," Diego said. "And soap."

"Hygiene is important," Lukas said. He started to unbutton his shirt. Underneath he had a body that looked carved from marble. He was young but he was built like a machine.

"Okay," Diego nodded. "You are not a lawyer. You are a terminator."

THE TRAINING SESSION

Ten minutes later they were on the pitch.

Michael wanted to see what the Berlin kid could do.

"Training match," Michael shouted. "Lukas. You go on the blue team. Play number six. Hold the midfield."

The game started.

The blue team was the reserves. The purple team was the first team.

Usually the first team destroyed the reserves.

But today something was different.

Amara tried to dribble through the middle. He was fast. He was the Ferrari.

Lukas Weber did not run fast. He just moved. He took two steps to the right.

Amara ran straight into him.

It was like running into a lamp post.

Amara bounced off. Lukas took the ball.

Lukas looked up. He did not do a trick. He played a simple pass to the winger. Ten yards. Perfect weight.

"Simple," Lukas said to himself.

Minute 10

Diego Nunez had the ball. The Bull wanted to test the new kid.

"I am coming Terminator!" Diego roared.

Diego charged forward.

Lukas watched him. He waited.

When Diego tried to push the ball past Lukas put his foot in. He used the timing of a Swiss watch.

He stole the ball. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Diego tripped over his own feet and fell into the mud.

Lukas did not celebrate. He just passed the ball. Again. Simple. Clean.

"He does not sweat," Arthur Milton observed from the sideline. "Look at him Boss. Everyone is sweating. He is dry."

"He reads the game Arthur," Michael said. His eyes were wide. "He knows where the ball is going before the ball knows."

THE BERLIN WALL

The session continued.

Lukas Weber was a wall. He intercepted passes. He blocked shots. He organized the midfield.

He pointed his finger.

"Left," Lukas commanded the reserve left back. "Move three meters."

The left back moved. The attack was stopped.

"He is a general," Sergio Ramos said during the water break. "He is seventeen but he talks like he is thirty."

Michael walked onto the pitch.

"Okay," Michael said. "Enough."

He looked at Lukas.

"You are young Lukas. But you play old."

"Old is good?" Lukas asked.

"Old is very good," Michael said. "We have a problem. Our midfield is empty. Kai Sora is injured. We have a final on Sunday against Everton. Can you play?"

Lukas did not look excited. He did not jump.

"The pitch is the same size," Lukas said. "The ball is round. Everton is just eleven men. I can play."

Diego Nunez put his arm around Lukas. Lukas looked uncomfortable but he allowed it.

"He is the Berlin Wall!" Diego shouted. "We have a Bull. A Tank. And a Wall! We are construction workers!"

"I prefer the name Lukas," the boy said seriously.

"Too late," Diego grinned. "You are The Wall."

THE LUNCH TEST

After training they went to the canteen.

This was the final test. Can he survive the Misfit lunch?

Jean Luc Dubois the French giant was sitting with a mountain of cheese.

"Try the Brie," Jean Luc offered Lukas. "It is soft like a cloud."

"Dairy slows down digestion," Lukas said taking a plate of grilled chicken and broccoli. "I need fuel. Not clouds."

Arthur Milton sat next to him.

"So Lukas," Arthur asked. "What do you do for fun in Berlin? Do you go to techno clubs? Do you dance?"

Lukas cut his chicken into perfect squares.

"I like to organize my bookshelf," Lukas said. "And I play chess. And sometimes I watch documentaries about bridges."

Arthur stared at him.

"Bridges?"

"They are marvels of engineering," Lukas said. "They connect people. Like a good pass."

The table went silent.

Then Diego Nunez burst out laughing.

"He is funny!" Diego shouted. "He tells jokes with a straight face! Bridges! Hahaha!"

Lukas looked confused. "It was not a joke."

"He is a genius," Diego wiped a tear. "The Funny Wall."

THE DECISION

Later that afternoon Michael sat in his office.

The squad list for Sunday was on his screen.

MIDFIELD:

Leo Stone (The Phantom)

Lukas Weber (The Berlin Wall)

It was a midfield with an average age of sixteen and a half.

"It is crazy Boss," Arthur said eating a biscuit. "Playing two teenagers in the title decider. If we lose we look stupid."

"If we play scared we lose anyway," Michael said.

He looked out the window. He saw Lukas Weber walking to his car. He was wearing the suit again. He walked with a straight back.

"He is not a normal teenager Arthur. He has ice in his veins."

Michael felt the System vibrate.

[NEW PLAYER INTEGRATED]

[NAME: LUKAS WEBER]

[TRAIT: THE METRONOME]

[COMOSURE: 20]

[STATUS: READY FOR WAR]

"The Metronome," Michael whispered. "The rhythm of the game."

He picked up his phone. He sent a message to the group chat.

Welcome to the team Lukas. Sunday we go to war. Bring your logic.

Diego Nunez replied instantly with a sticker of a brick wall wearing sunglasses.

Michael leaned back in his chair.

The pieces were coming together.

They had the chaos of Diego. The speed of Amara. The power of Jean Luc. The magic of Leo.

And now they had the logic of Lukas.

Everton would try to make it a fight. They would try to make it messy.

But Lukas Weber did not do messy. He would tidy up the mess.

"Five days," Michael said to the empty room.

He looked at the FA Cup.

"You need a brother," he told the trophy. "A big gold brother."