December 23rd arrived at Oakwell with a biting cold wind that froze the puddles in the car park.

It was the kind of weather that made normal people stay in bed with hot chocolate.

But today was not a normal day. It was the Yorkshire Derby.

Barnsley versus Leeds United.

Michael Sterling stood in his office looking out at the stadium. The floodlights were already on cutting through the afternoon gloom. The pitch looked perfect thanks to the expensive heating system Leo Volt had helped install.

The door burst open.

Diego Nunez walked in. The Uruguayan Bull was wearing the full match kit. He had his shin pads on. He had his boots tied tight. He was jumping up and down.

"I am ready Boss," Diego shouted. "Look at my knee. It is strong. I can kick a wall."

Michael sighed. He put down his coffee.

"Diego," Michael said patiently. "The doctor said January. Today is December."

"Doctors are boring," Diego argued flexing his quadriceps. "Leeds are coming. They are our rivals. I hate them. I do not know why I hate them but the fans told me I must hate them. So I hate them."

"I love the passion," Michael smiled. "But you are not playing. If you play today and get injured you miss the whole season. Sit down."

Diego slumped onto the sofa. He looked like a giant toddler who had been told Santa Claus was cancelled.

"Fine," Diego grumbled. "But if Higgins misses a tackle I am running onto the pitch. You cannot stop me."

"I will ask Arthur to hold you back," Michael said.

"Arthur weighs as much as my left leg," Diego noted.

The locker room was buzzing. The players were wearing the new Blackout kit. It looked sleek and dangerous against their skin.

Isaiah King was looking in the mirror.

"This kit is illegal," Isaiah whispered admiring himself. "I look like a shadow. A fast handsome shadow."

"You look like a ninja who loves pink boots," Finn Riley would have said if he was still here. Isaiah missed Finn but today he had a job to do.

Kai Sora was sitting in his corner. He was wearing gloves a snood and thermal leggings under his shorts. All black.

"Kai," Michael asked walking over. "Are you warm enough?"

"No," Kai said shivering. "Yorkshire is a freezer. I need to run to stay warm. It is a tragedy."

"Good," Michael laughed. "Run fast."

He gathered the team.

"Listen up," Michael said. "Leeds are fifteenth in the table. They are struggling. They are fighting relegation."

He looked at Danny Fletcher.

"But in a derby form does not matter. They will come here to fight. They will try to kick you. They will try to ruin our Christmas."

Danny Fletcher stood up. The Captain looked sharp.

"We do not let them," Danny said his voice calm but hard. "We are fourth. We are the Kings of Yorkshire. We show them why."

"Exactly," Michael said. "We do not just beat them. We outplay them. We outrun them. We give the fans a Christmas present they will never forget."

"Let us cook," Arda Guler said rubbing his hands together.

The teams walked out.

The Fortress was shaking. The fans were singing Christmas songs but with new lyrics about Barnsley players.

"Jingle bells, Leeds smells, Danny scores all day!"

It was simple poetry but effective.

KICKOFF

Leeds United tried to start fast. They ran around like headless chickens trying to press Barnsley high up the pitch.

But Barnsley were too slick. The chemistry from the restaurant dinners was showing. They knew where everyone was without looking.

Minute 10.

Benjamin Pavard collected the ball in defense. A Leeds striker ran at him screaming.

Pavard did not panic. He did a simple turn. He looked elegant.

He passed to Kenji Sato.

The Japanese Engine was fresh. He turned and drove forward.

"Go Kenji!" the crowd roared.

Kenji saw Kai Sora in the center.

He passed.

Kai controlled the ball. He was surrounded by white shirts.

Kai adjusted his snood. He looked bored.

He flicked the ball with the outside of his boot.

It was a pass that cut the Leeds defense in half. It rolled perfectly into the path of Isaiah King.

Isaiah was onside. He was in the box.

The Leeds goalkeeper Meslier came out.

Isaiah did not panic. He remembered the mud at Nottingham. Today the pitch was perfect.

He did a shimmy. Meslier went down.

Isaiah chipped the ball.

It floated into the net.

GOAL.

1 to 0.

Isaiah ran to the corner flag. He stood still and crossed his arms looking at the crowd. The Coolest Man in Yorkshire.

Diego Nunez on the bench jumped up and hugged Arthur Milton so hard that Arthur dropped his hot water bottle.

Minute 25.

It was one way traffic. Leeds could not get near the ball. Barnsley were playing champagne football.

Arda Guler was having fun. The Real Madrid loanee was doing tricks just because he could.

He received the ball on the wing. The Leeds left back tried to tackle him.

Arda rolled the ball through his legs.

"Olé!" the crowd shouted.

Arda crossed the ball.

It was a high hanging cross.

Danny Fletcher was waiting. He jumped. He hung in the air.

He headed it down. Power and precision.

BOOM.

The net rippled.

GOAL.

2 to 0.

Michael Sterling stood on the touchline with his hands in his pockets. He was smiling. This was easy. This was fun.

"They are terrified of us Arthur," Michael said. "Look at their faces. They want to go home and open presents."

"We are monsters," Arthur chuckled. "Beautiful monsters."

Minute 40.

Leeds had a corner. It was their first chance.

The ball came in.

Shaun Higgins rose. The Butcher. Without Diego he was the main man in the air.

He headed it clear.

The ball fell to Kai Sora on the edge of the box.

Kai looked up. He saw open space.

Usually Kai would pass. But today he was cold. He wanted to run to get warm.

Kai Sora sprinted.

The crowd gasped. The Architect was running with the ball!

He ran past one Leeds midfielder. He ran past another.

He reached the halfway line. He was still going.

"GO ON KAI!" Michael yelled laughing in disbelief.

Kai reached the edge of the Leeds box. He was one on one with the last defender.

Kai stopped.

He put his foot on the ball. The defender stopped too terrified of being embarrassed.

Kai looked to his left.

Arda Guler had sprinted seventy yards to join the attack.

Kai rolled the ball sideways.

A simple unselfish pass.

Arda ran onto it. He smashed it first time.

THWACK.

Top corner.

GOAL.

3 to 0.

It was exhibition stuff. It was the Harlem Globetrotters in football boots.

Kai Sora fell to his knees. He was panting.

"I am warm now," Kai gasped as Arda hugged him. "But I am also dying. Please carry me."

HALFTIME.

3 to 0.

The locker room was a party.

Diego Nunez was high fiving everyone.

"You guys are sharks!" Diego shouted. "You smell blood! I love it!"

"Leeds are poor," Pavard said wiping sweat from his forehead. "They leave so much space. It is polite of them."

"They are scared," Isaiah said. "I looked at their fullback. His eyes were wide. He asked me where I bought my boots."

Michael clapped his hands.

"Excellent," Michael said. "Perfect first half. But do not stop. We want a clean sheet. And we want more goals."

He looked at Tom the young defender on the bench.

"Tom. Warm up. You are going on for Higgins. Shaun sit down and rest. We need you for Liverpool on Boxing Day."

Higgins nodded. "Job done Boss. The Butcher sleeps."

SECOND HALF.

The second half was a victory lap.

Barnsley kept the ball. They passed it around like they were in training. Leeds chased shadows.

Minute 60.

The fans started doing the Mexican Wave. It rippled around the Fortress.

Minute 70.

Michael made changes. He took off Danny Fletcher and Isaiah King to rest them.

The crowd gave them a standing ovation.

"Rest up," Michael told them as they sat on the bench. "Liverpool are coming in three days. That will be the real war."

Minute 85.

Barnsley scored one more just for fun.

Kenji Sato won the ball back. He had run twelve kilometers again. He passed to the substitute striker a kid named Harry from the academy.

Harry turned and shot.

It took a deflection. It rolled in.

GOAL.

4 to 0.

The perfect night.

PHWEEEEEEET.

The final whistle blew.

Barnsley 4. Leeds United 0.

It was the biggest derby win in twenty years.

The players walked a lap of honor. The fans threw Santa hats onto the pitch.

Diego Nunez picked one up and put it on his bald head. He looked ridiculous and scary at the same time.

Michael Sterling walked onto the pitch. He shook hands with the Leeds manager who looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him up.

Arthur Milton hugged Michael.

"Merry Christmas Boss," Arthur said beaming.

"Merry Christmas Arthur," Michael replied.

He looked at his team. They were laughing. They were hugging. They were united.

They had bounced back from the Forest defeat in style. They had reminded the league who they were.

Michael looked at the scoreboard.

BARNSLEY 4 - 0 LEEDS

He felt the System vibrate.

[MATCH COMPLETE]

[FAN HAPPINESS: 100%]

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