Michael Sterling stood in the lobby of the hotel waiting for the team bus. He checked his phone. He opened the social media app. It was a mistake.

A video was trending. It was a famous pundit sitting in a studio laughing.

"Barnsley?" the pundit laughed. "Look. It is a nice story. It is a fairy tale. But this is Anfield. This is the Premier League. Jurgen Klopp eats fairy tales for breakfast. I predict 5 to 0. Maybe 6."

Michael turned off the phone. He put it in his pocket.

"They are very confident," Arthur Milton said walking up next to him. Arthur looked pale. The old scout was wearing his lucky red beanie hat even though it was August and quite warm.

"Let them talk Arthur," Michael said. "Pressure is for tires. We are not tires. We are the car."

The team walked out of the elevator.

They looked different today. There were no smiles. No jokes.

Diego Nunez looked like he was going to war. He wore big headphones and stared straight ahead.

Kenji Sato was reading a tactical notebook.

Arda Guler the new Real Madrid loan signing looked calm. He was chewing gum.

And Kai Sora.

Kai was wearing sunglasses indoors. He walked slowly. He looked like he was going to the beach not to play against Mohamed Salah.

"Kai," Michael said. "Take off the glasses. It is dark in the bus."

"The future is bright Boss," Kai drawled. "I have to protect my eyes."

Michael shook his head. "Just get on the bus."

The drive to Anfield was terrifying.

The streets were lined with Liverpool fans. Thousands of them. They held red flares. They banged on the side of the Barnsley bus. They held up signs that said WELCOME TO HELL and GO BACK TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP.

Isaiah King looked out the window. His eyes were wide.

"They are loud," Isaiah whispered. "There are so many of them."

"They are just people," Shaun Higgins grunted from the back seat. "They bleed like us. They cry like us."

"Do they tackle like us?" Diego Nunez asked cracking his knuckles. "I do not think so."

The bus turned the corner and there it was.

Anfield.

It was massive. The new stand towered over the neighborhood like a mountain of steel and glass. It looked impossible to conquer.

Michael felt a vibration in his pocket.

[SYSTEM ALERT]

[LOCATION DETECTED: ANFIELD]

[DIFFICULTY LEVEL: EXTREME]

[OBJECTIVE: SURVIVE THE FIRST 15 MINUTES]

Survive. The System did not even say win. It just said survive.

Michael swallowed hard. He stood up at the front of the bus.

"Listen to me," Michael said. His voice was steady. "Look at that stadium. It is big. It is scary. It is designed to make you feel small."

He looked at Arda Guler.

"Arda. You played at the Bernabeu. Is this big?"

Arda shrugged. "It is okay. The grass is green. The ball is round. It is the same."

"Exactly," Michael said. "It is just grass. It is just a ball. Do not play the occasion. Play the game."

The locker room at Anfield was small. The away team dressing room was designed to be uncomfortable. The floor was slippery. The benches were hard.

But the Barnsley players did not care.

They put on the new kits. The Premier League patch on the sleeve shone under the lights.

"I like this purple patch," Isaiah King said looking in the mirror. "It matches my boots."

"Focus Isaiah," Danny Fletcher said. The captain was tying his laces very tight. "Trent Alexander Arnold is the best right back in the world. He will attack you."

"Let him come," Isaiah grinned. "If he attacks me he leaves space behind him. I like space."

Michael walked to the center of the room.

Arthur Milton stood by the door holding the team sheet.

BARNSLEY FC

GK: SAM JONES

LB: FINN RILEY

CB: DIEGO NUNEZ

CB: SHAUN HIGGINS

RB: MATEO

CM: KENJI SATO

CM: KAI SORA

CAM: ARDA GULER

LW: ISAIAH KING

RW: JAMIE WESTON

ST: DANNY FLETCHER

It was an attacking team. It was brave. Or stupid.

"Jurgen Klopp expects us to park the bus," Michael said. "He expects us to put eleven men behind the ball and pray."

He looked at Kai Sora.

"Do we pray Kai?"

Kai looked up. "No Boss. We play."

"We press," Michael said. "We run. Kenji you stick to their midfield like glue. Do not let them breathe."

Kenji bowed. "I will be their shadow Sterling san."

"Diego. Higgins. Darwin Nunez is fast. He is strong."

"He is a fake Nunez," Diego growled. "I am the real Nunez. I will show him."

"Good," Michael said. "Now go out there. And remember. We are the Misfits. Nobody wants us here. So let us make them regret inviting us."

The tunnel was narrow.

The Liverpool players were already there. They looked huge. Virgil van Dijk looked like a giant. Mohamed Salah looked focused. Alisson Becker looked like a movie star.

They stood tall. They did not look at the Barnsley players. They looked through them.

Shaun Higgins stared at Van Dijk. He did not blink.

Then the music started.

When you walk through a storm...

The song. You Will Never Walk Alone.

The noise from the pitch was deafening. It vibrated through the walls of the tunnel. It was a wall of sound.

"This is loud," Isaiah King shouted to Arda Guler.

Arda just smiled and winked.

The referee picked up the ball. He walked out.

Michael followed them. He walked out into the cauldron.

Fifty thousand fans were singing. Red scarves were held high. It was beautiful and terrifying.

Michael walked to the dugout. Jurgen Klopp was there. The legendary manager looked at Michael. He smiled. A big toothy smile.

"Welcome to the Premier League," Klopp shouted over the noise. He shook Michael's hand. His grip was strong.

"Thank you," Michael shouted back. "We will try not to be boring."

Klopp laughed. A booming laugh. "Good! I like fun!"

Michael sat down. Arthur sat next to him.

"My heart rate is one hundred and fifty," Arthur rasped holding his chest. "If we score I might die."

"Stay alive Arthur," Michael said. "We need you for the transfer window."

PHWEEEEEEET!

The whistle blew.

The Premier League adventure began.

Liverpool started like a train.

They passed the ball so fast it was a blur. Zip. Zip. Zip.

Minute 2.

Salah got the ball on the wing. He ran at Mateo.

Mateo panicked. He backed off.

Salah dropped his shoulder. He cut inside.

"BLOCK HIM!" Michael screamed.

Diego Nunez threw himself in the way.

THWACK!

The shot hit Diego in the chest. It sounded like a gunshot. Diego did not flinch. He roared at Salah.

"NO!" Diego shouted.

Minute 5.

Liverpool came again. Diaz ran down the left. He crossed it.

Higgins headed it clear. But it fell to Mac Allister.

The midfielder shot from twenty yards.

Sam Jones dived.

The ball shaved the post.

The crowd gasped.

"We cannot get the ball," Arthur whispered. "They are too fast."

"Wait," Michael said. "Wait for the moment."

Minute 12.

Liverpool were overconfident. They pushed their defensive line up to the halfway line. Van Dijk was standing near the center circle.

They thought Barnsley were scared.

But Kai Sora was not scared.

Kai intercepted a loose pass. He was deep in his own half.

Liverpool players swarmed him. They wanted to steal the ball back instantly.

Kai did a drag back. He spun away from the pressure.

He looked up.

He saw the space behind Van Dijk.

He saw Isaiah King sprinting.

Kai did not hesitate. He engaged the Quarterback trait.

WHOOSH

The pass was a work of art. It flew over the heads of the Liverpool midfield. It curved around the defender.

It landed in the path of Isaiah.

Isaiah controlled it with his chest. He was through.

The Anfield crowd went silent.

Isaiah ran. Van Dijk ran.

It was a race. The best defender in the world versus the kid from London.

Isaiah was faster.

He reached the box. Alisson came out. The giant goalkeeper made himself big.

"Score," Michael whispered standing up. "Just score."

Isaiah looked at the goal. He looked at Alisson.

He did not shoot power.

He chipped it.

A cheeky arrogant little chip.

The ball floated over Alisson. It floated towards the goal.

Time stopped.

Michael held his breath. Arthur stopped chewing his gum. Jurgen Klopp stopped smiling.

The ball hit the net.

GOAL.

1 to 0.

Barnsley led at Anfield.

Isaiah King ran to the corner flag. He put his hands to his ears. He silenced the Kop.

Arda Guler jumped on his back. Then Diego. Then the whole team.

Michael turned to the crowd. He punched the air.

"WE ARE HERE!" Michael roared.

The System buzzed in his pocket.

[OBJECTIVE UPDATED: SURVIVE THE STORM]

[CURRENT STATUS: EYE OF THE HURRICANE]

[LIVERPOOL ANGER LEVEL: MAX]

Michael looked at the Liverpool players. Van Dijk looked furious. Salah looked angry. Klopp was screaming at his players to wake up.

The beast was awake.

"Get ready Arthur," Michael said sitting back down. "Now the real game begins."

Barnsley 1. Liverpool 0.

Minute 13.

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