The Birmingham rain was a persistent drizzle, clinging to Leon's hair and soaking through his hoodie, but he barely noticed.

He was walking with Byon, their conversation a comfortable rhythm of friendly banter and ambitious dreams.

Byon, still buzzing from his Premier League debut goal for Manchester City, was teasing Leon about market values.

"Seriously, Leo," Byon said, splashing through a puddle, "£48 million! That's almost enough to buy us our own island!"

Leon scoffed good-naturedly.

"Only because you're City's new toy, mate. Give it a few games."

He grinned, enjoying their playful competition. "Besides, you scored one goal. I've got a goals and two assists in the Premier League now."

"Minor details!" Byon laughed, nudging him. "It's all about perception, my friend! And right now, the perception is 'Byon, the Goal-scoring Wonderkid!'"

Leon shook his head, smiling. He was so incredibly proud of Byon. Their paths might have diverged, but their bond was stronger than ever.

As they walked past a bus stop, a small group of people huddled under its shelter, waiting for their ride. Leon's 'sight' was always active, a quiet hum in the background, but then, it flared, sharply. He almost stumbled.

Standing there, a tall, lanky young man, probably eighteen or so, stood patiently, clutching a worn backpack.

Above his head, the numbers shimmered with an intensity that pulled Leon's gaze, almost vibrating with raw power.

Player Name: Unidentified, Potential: 95, Current: 73.

Leon froze. A 95 Potential. It wasn't the 98 he'd seen from the bus before, but 95 was still absolutely astonishing.

And his 'Current: 73' was surprisingly low for such a gifted raw talent, suggesting he wasn't playing at a high level, if at all. This was a diamond, hidden in plain sight.

"What's up, Leo?" Byon asked, noticing Leon had stopped dead in the rain.

"Nothing," Leon murmured, his eyes still fixed on the young man.

This wasn't an "Oh my God!" moment, more like a profound realization. He had to know.

He had to talk to him. This kind of talent couldn't just be walking around unnoticed.

Taking a deep breath, Leon broke into a quick jog, leaving a surprised Byon behind.

"Hey! Excuse me!" he called out, his voice slightly muffled by the rain.

The young man looked up, startled, his eyes wide. He had a kind, unassuming face, framed by dark, slightly damp hair.

"Hi," Leon said, slowing down as he reached him.

"I'm Leon. Leon Fischer. This might sound really weird, but... are you a footballer?"

The young man blinked, then a faint, confused smile touched his lips.

"Me? No, not really. I mean, I play with my friends sometimes, in the park. My name's Alex. Alex Turner." His 'Current: 73' seemed to flicker with genuine confusion.

Byon caught up, looking utterly bewildered. "Leo, what are you doing?"

Leon ignored him, his focus entirely on Alex.

"You don't play? Seriously?" He searched Alex's face, his 'sight' showing no hint of a lie.

"Because... because you've got incredible talent. Like, truly incredible. I can... I can see it." He knew he couldn't explain his 'sight' completely, but he had to convey his conviction.

"I'm a professional footballer for Aston Villa, and this is my best friend, Byon, he just signed for Manchester City."

Alex's eyes widened, darting between Leon and Byon, then back to Leon's Villa tracksuit.

"Aston Villa? Manchester City? You're… the Leon Fischer? I saw your goal against Newcastle! And Byon, your goal against Forest! You guys are amazing!" His voice was filled with genuine awe, mixed with disbelief. His 'Current: 73' seemed to shimmer with a new understanding.

"Yeah, that's us," Byon said, still looking confused but now a little intrigued.

"But what's this about Alex's talent?"

Leon turned back to Alex, his conviction firm.

"Alex, you have to play football. You have an unbelievably high potential. Higher than almost anyone I've ever seen. I don't know how, but I can just... see it. You're wasted just playing in the park."

He knew this was audacious, maybe even crazy, but he couldn't let such a talent go to waste.

"You have to come to Aston Villa. I'll talk to Coach Emery. I'll tell him you're a hidden gem. He has to see you play. He has to."

Alex stared at him, speechless. "I… I don't know. I've never really thought about it professionally. I just play for fun."

"Fun is good," Leon insisted, grabbing Alex's arm, a sense of urgency in his voice.

"But imagine how much fun it could be when you're playing at your true level! This is your chance, Alex. A real chance. Come with me. Tomorrow. I'll arrange it. Please. Just for a trial. Show them what you've got."

Alex hesitated, looking from Leon's intense gaze to Byon's intrigued face, then back to the drizzling rain. His 'Current: 73' pulsed with uncertainty, but also a hint of curiosity.

"I… I don't even have proper boots."

"We'll get you some!" Leon declared, already pulling out his phone. "Just say yes, Alex. Trust me on this."

Alex finally nodded slowly, a bewildered smile touching his lips. "Okay. Okay, Leon. I'll... I'll give it a shot."

Leon grinned, a surge of excitement far more potent than any goal.

He had found another raw talent, a diamond to be polished. This was a new kind of thrill, not just scoring goals, but discovering and nurturing the potential in others.

The next few days were a blur.

Leon trained intensely with the first team. his 'sight' becoming even more refined. He was constantly communicating with his teammates, using subtle gestures and quick words, guiding them based on his predictive vision.

The upcoming Premier League match against Wolves was on everyone's mind.

Coach Emery was a demanding but fair leader, pushing them to their limits.

"We must bounce back from the Liverpool defeat. Wolves are physical, disciplined. We show them our quality."

The day of the match arrived, a crisp Saturday afternoon.

Leon felt the familiar rush of adrenaline as the bus approached Molineux, the home of Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The stadium was a sea of orange and black, their fans renowned for their passionate, intimidating support.

Leon had spoken to Coach Emery about Alex, explaining his unique 'sight' vaguely as "an eye for talent" and "an instinct." Emery, always open to new ideas if they brought results, had listened intently, intrigued by Leon's conviction.

He'd agreed to give Alex a trial with the U18s next week. Alex had looked overwhelmed but determined when Leon had told him the news.

As Leon walked out onto the Molineux pitch, the roar was deafening, a visceral wave of sound that tried to swallow him whole.

He scanned the Wolves lineup, his 'sight' immediately picking up their key players:

Rúben Neves (Potential: 88, Current: 86), a midfield general;

Matheus Cunha (Potential: 87, Current: 85), a tricky forward. Leon felt ready.

The referee's whistle shrieked. KICKOFF!

Wolves started with fierce intensity, pressing high, their midfield, led by Neves and João Gomes (Potential: 86, Current: 83), swarming Villa.

Leon found himself in a constant battle for possession, his 'sight' predicting incoming tackles from Gomes (Current: 83), who seemed to be everywhere.

"Wolves are flying out of the blocks at Molineux! They're absolutely suffocating Aston Villa in midfield! Villa Are under immense pressure!"

Leon calmly absorbed the pressure, using his 'sight' to play quick, precise passes, keeping possession moving, evading tackles.

He saw a 'ghosted outstretched leg' from Hwang Hee-chan (Potential: 85, Current: 82), indicating a block.

Leon quickly shifted the ball, sending it wide to Leon Bailey (Current: 84), who launched a counter-attack.

Around the 20th minute, Wolves broke the deadlock.

A quick pass from Rúben Neves (Current: 86) split the Villa defense, finding Matheus Cunha (Current: 85) in space.

Leon saw the 'leg-and-ball' projection, a powerful shot coming. He lunged, but it was too late.

BOOM!

Cunha fired, and the ball rocketed into the back of the net.

GOOOAL! - Wolves 1 - Aston Villa 0!

Molineux erupted in a deafening roar.

Leon felt the frustration, but he also felt a growing resolve.

Villa pushed back. Leon received the ball from Douglas Luiz (Current: 85) in midfield.

He saw a narrow 'gap' in Wolves' defense, a subtle shift from Max Kilman (Potential: 86, Current: 84). He hit a precise through ball to Ollie Watkins (Current: 86), who was through on goal.

WHOOSH!

Watkins fired!

PING!

The ball crashed off the post! Agony!

The first half ended with Villa trailing 1-0. Coach Emery was animated in the dressing room.

"We must be more clinical! We are creating chances! Leon, your vision is excellent, but we need that final touch!"

The second half began with Villa pressing higher.

Leon, using his 'sight' to read Wolves' defensive patterns, started finding more intricate passes.

He threaded a delicate ball through three defenders to John McGinn (Current: 84), who then released Leon Bailey (Current: 84) down the right wing.

Bailey's cross found Watkins, but his header went wide.

Then, in the 70th minute, Villa found their equalizer.

Leon won a crucial tackle in midfield against João Gomes (Current: 83), seeing the 'outstretched leg' coming, winning the ball clean.

He immediately looked up, seeing Ollie Watkins (Current: 86) making a run into the box. Leon saw the 'ghosted' movement of the Wolves defenders, creating a brief, almost invisible opening.

He hit a perfectly weighted, curling pass that soared over the defense, landing directly at Watkins's feet. Watkins took a touch, then calmly slotted it past José Sá (Potential: 87, Current: 85).

GOOOAL! - Wolves 1 - Aston Villa 1!

The Villa fans erupted! Leon celebrated with his teammates, a surge of triumph washing over him.

The final minutes were frantic.

Both teams pushed for a winner. Leon, exhausted, relied on his 'sight' for every interception, every tackle.

He saw a 'leg-and-ball' projection from Hwang Hee-chan (Current: 82), a powerful shot coming. Leon threw himself in front, blocking it.

The referee blew the final whistle. A 1-1 draw. Not a win, but a hard-fought point away from home.

Leon slumped to the ground, tired but satisfied.

As he walked off the pitch, the roar of the Molineux crowd slowly fading, Leon felt a sense of anticipation.

Alex Turner, the young man with Potential: 95, was coming to Aston Villa. Leon felt a thrill of excitement. He couldn't wait to see what this hidden gem could do. His second life was not just about his own journey to the top, but about helping others reach their potential too.