Chapter 8
Now in the country of England, in the bustling city of Manchester, it was a day unlike any other. The streets buzzed with excitement, the air thick with anticipation and chants. It was Derby Day in the English premier league
The day of the Manchester Derby, the legendary rivalry between Manchester City and Manchester United, scheduled to be played at Old Trafford.
This rivalry wasn't just about football....it was history, pride, and decades of unresolved tension. Every year, fans waited for the day the two sides clashed, and every year, emotions ran as high as the stands.
In recent years, Ruben Amorin had given Manchester United their first Premier League title in almost fifteen years. Since then, he had brought further honours to the club, cementing their return to dominance. Pep Guardiola, however, had rebuilt Manchester City into a fortress of tactical brilliance. Today, the clash would decide who truly reigned supreme as the "noisy neighbours" of Manchester.
The stadium was a fortress of noise. Fans packed every seat, waving banners, chanting names, and singing club anthems. The energy was palpable..
It was derby day time !
The Manchester United players emerged from the tunnel. The crowd erupted in unison, chanting their names, waving flags, and pumping their fists.
Among them, Joshua Zirkzee sprinted forward with a fiery determination in his eyes.
And then, in the 5th minute, it happened.
Zirkzee found the back of the net with a brilliant header he scaremed in excitement The crowd erupted in wild jubilation. Fans screamed and jumped in excitement, singing, chanting, and celebrating their team taking the lead in the derby. The United bench exploded with energy as the players hugged, high-fived, and yelled in triumph.
Manchester United had taken a well-deserved lead in the Manchester Derby.
Ruben amorin pumped his fists in the air..
But the celebration was brutally cut short.
A deep, resonant hum suddenly vibrated through the stadium. The ground beneath the players seemed to shudder. And then without warning a massive purple gate appeared directly over Old Trafford a gate so large it overshadowed the entire stadium...Its energy pulsated violently, twisting the air, distorting the stadium lights.
Time seemed to pause for a moment. The massive gate dominated the sky above the stadium, its aura radiating a presence that no human had ever felt before. Fans froze. Players stopped mid-step.
Chaos erupted.
Screams pierced the air as the crowd panicked. People bolted in all directions, trampling over each other in their attempt to escape. Players abandoned the pitch, tripping over one another, eyes wide with fear as the purple aura swirled above them.
The stadium was thrown into utter chaos.
At the English Hunter Association far away in the northern district of London , alarms rang heavily as monitors flickered.
Beep beep beep beep beep ...
Magical energy readings spiked at an unprecedented rate. Officers scrambled, shouting commands, and trying to make sense of the readings.
"What the hell is that!? That energy… it's off the charts!" one officer yelled, staring at the glowing meters.
Another officer, typing furiously, shouted, "We need to dispatch drones immediately! Get eyes on the gate!"
The red warning light blinked furiously. One officer slammed a hand on the console, sending dozens of drones into the sky.
"Shit!" muttered a young officer as he watched. "I was really hoping to see Bruno Fernandes score today…"
"Huhhhh!? Are you crazy?" another officer screamed, adopting a perfectly thick English accent, glaring at his colleague. "There's a purple magical gate hovering over Old Trafford, and you're talking about Bruno Fernandes, you stupid mate!?"
The first officer froze, blinking rapidly, before shrugging awkwardly. " noo I just.... I thought we could still enjoy football…"
The drones soared into the sky, their mana meters activated, surrounding the massive gate in formation. Readings from the association's meters responded instantly, reflecting the overwhelming power the drones were detecting.
The energy levels kept climbing. One officer, voice shaking, began calculating frantically.
"S… SS....SSS… wait… what?"
Beep beep beep beep beep beep
His voice cracked as the readings continued to climb. "Are you kidding me?! It's… it's still rising!"
The meters began to spark violently, the readings exploding from the strain. The room shook slightly under the intensity.
" Good Send word to Elena Warwick immediately!" one officer screamed over the alarm. "This… this is above SSS rank! Above a Pillar's power!"
The massive gate swirled with a violent purple aura, energy spiraling around it like a living thing.
"How… how is there a gate with more magical energy than a Pillar?" whispered another officer, wide-eyed.
Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Renji and Sakura were relaxing at Renji's home. Lily sat on the sofa, engrossed in the TV, as Renji and Sakura sat side by side, watching the evening news.
Sakura tilted her head, her voice casual but curious. "So… what did the human try to tell you?"
Renji gave her a long, piercing stare, then sighed. "Mind your business, stupid."
"Huhhh? Januza-sama, that's rude… I was only asking a question, you know."
Renji let out a dry, humorless chuckle. "Shut up. I know what you really want."
"Ehhhhh? And what would that be, Januza-sama?" Lily piped up, a teasing grin spreading across her face.
Renji scoffed. "I know you just want to—"
Before he could finish, a sudden pulse of energy hit them.
GBIM!!!!
The apartment shook violently as a surge of overwhelming magical energy slammed into their heads
Renji and Sakura's eyes flared, glowing as they instinctively reacted to the power.
Sakura gasped, her body stiffening with tension. "A god… is here."
Lily screamed, clutching her head. "Aahhh! My head! It hurts!"
Lily-sama!! Sakura rushed to her side in an instant. "Lily-sama! Stay calm!" She carefully supported her as she felt the magical resonance emanating from her.
Lily's grin broke through despite the pain. "It hurts!"
Sakura's eyes widened in shock. "Januza-sama… she's reacting to the magical energy as well. This… is extraordinary. No ordinary human could sense this power."
Renji turned to Lily, his voice calm but firm. "It's okay. You're going to be fine. The fact that you reacted to this magical energy… means Rajah really chose you. No ordinary hunter would instantly feel this."
Lily's hands trembled slightly as she tried to steady herself. "B… breathe… in… breathe… out…"
Renji's expression grew resolute. "Just breathe. But for now… I need to go. We'll be back, okay?"
Lily nodded, determination flickering in her glowing eyes despite the pain.
With perfect synchronization, Sakura and Renji dashed outside. The wind immediately caught their hair and robes, tugging at them as they propelled forward.
Renji shouted, sharp and commanding: "Track the energy!!"
Sakura's eyes flared as her aura expanded. Her presence rippled outward, brushing across the entire country, then stretching further, touching the far corners of the planet. She focused, scanning through layers of space and magic with perfect precision.
And then she found it.
Her lips curved into a grim smile. "Found it. A divine gate… pulsing with raw energy. Location… England."
Her aura exploded forward, flaring like a radiant comet streaking across the sky.
She looked to Renji, determination blazing in her eyes. "Let's go, Januza-sama."
With a sudden burst of speed, both of them leapt into the air, leaving the city behind in a blur. Clouds whipped past them as they tore through the sky, racing toward one direction the heart of the purple gate over Manchester.
The air itself seemed to vibrate as they flew, the magical energy of the gate resonating like a bell, calling to them, beckoning them to intervene.
No one in England could comprehend what was about to happen. The Derby, the city, the very fate of humanity it all hung in balance.