"Has Li Wei taken the field yet?" Lily had changed into an Eastern Conference All-Stars jersey. With sunglasses perched on her nose, she waved a giant inflatable thunder stick.
"Soon, soon," Don Quixote muttered. "He should be out any second now."
In a bowling alley in Queens, New York, Wen Si Scout and Coach Miller sat in a booth, the live broadcast playing on a screen above their heads.
In a warehouse on the outskirts of town, Travis clutched his phone, hiding in a corner of the cold storage room.
After being rejected by Jasmine yet again, Craig sat alone in his living room and turned on the television.
In a luxury apartnt in Manhattan, Lady Delores lit a slim cigarette and turned on her computer monitor.
...
「Alamo Do Arena.」
A giant, inflatable helt tunnel stood at one end of the end zone. Dry ice fog billowed out, shrouding the entrance in a thick white haze.
The locker room door was shut tight. In the center of the room stood the head coach of the Eastern Conference All-Stars, his hawk-like gaze sweeping over every young face.
"Listen up, gentlen." His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried with exceptional force in the enclosed space. "This week, you’ve heard enough of the dia hype, enough of the scouts’ analyses, and you’ve definitely heard enough tactical drilling from and the coaching staff. Now, all the talking is done."
He paused, then pointed to the door that led to the field.
"On the other side of that door are 56,000 fans. Millions of eyes across the country, all fixed on you. Your future draft stock. Your ticket to the NFL. So of you will see your value skyrocket after this ga. Others will fade into obscurity."
"Don’t tell this is just an exhibition ga. Don’t tell this is just the final curtain call of your high school careers." He suddenly roared, the veins on his neck bulging. "This is a goddamn war! This is the East Coast versus the West Coast! There’s only one thing we’re here to do—"
"Bring that damn trophy back to the East! Show those West Coast softies who the real kings are!"
"CAN YOU DO IT?!"
"YES!!!"
Dozens of n roared in unison. The sound reverberated through the narrow locker room, powerful enough to make eardrums ring.
"Good! Helts on! Let’s go slaughter them!"
On his command, the locker room door was thrown open.
The noise from outside instantly amplified tenfold, washing over them in a wave of frigid air from the dry ice machines.
The tunnel was dim, the only light a piercing white glare from the mouth of the giant inflatable helt at the far end.
Just then, the stadium’s sound system cut the raucous warm-up music.
After a mont of silence, an instantly recognizable, primal chant accompanied by clapping echoed through the do.
"Ei~A~A"
The heavy, rhythmic drumbeat was like a warhamr, each beat slamming into Li Wei’s chest and creating a strange resonance with his own heartbeat.
The team began to jog down the tunnel.
The defensive players at the front of the line charged out, each one t with a thunderous, tsunami-like roar from the crowd.
Li Wei was at the head of the offensive line, putting him in the final, anchor position for the team’s entrance.
He adjusted his pads, reached up to tighten the chinstrap of his crimson helt, and pulled down his black visor. It hid the cool intensity in his eyes, leaving only his sharply defined jawline visible.
"I’m livin’ in that 21st Century, doin’ sothing an to it..."
The lyrics hit their crescendo.
"You’re up," the coach said, clapping Li Wei on the shoulder. "King."
Li Wei took a deep breath, lowered his center of gravity, and burst through the white fog.
"ROAR—!!!"
The instant he stepped onto the turf of the Alamo Do Stadium, the cheers of fifty-six thousand people erupted into a physical wave of sound that threatened to blow the roof off the massive do.
The mont the figure in the crimson jersey appeared on the jumbotron, the pent-up roar crashed down like a bursting dam.
The ground trembled. The air burned.
Li Wei could feel his eardrums vibrating with the roar of the crowd. Even for him, the adrenaline began to pump furiously in that instant.
「A few minutes later, at the center of the field.」
Li Wei, mouthguard in, stared through his black visor at the opposing captain of the Western Conference All-Stars: Trevor Carson.
The number-one ranked high school player in the nation was geared up and ready to go. His white away-jersey was immaculate, and his eyes shone with undisguised excitent and fighting spirit.
The referee stood between the two, coin in hand, announcing the rules for the toss.
"The mont is finally here, Li Wei," Trevor Carson said, extending a gloved hand while the referee checked the coin. He had a brilliant and sincere smile on his face. "Let’s not disappoint the millions of people watching. Let’s give them a ga for the history books."
"Save the lines from so shonen ani," Li Wei said with a laugh. "The Eastern Conference All-Stars are going to kick the Western Conference All-Stars’ ass."
Trevor froze for a second before bursting into laughter.
"Hahahaha! I knew it!" He roared, doubling over with laughter. "I’ve seen the tapes of your gas in New York. I knew you’d say sothing like that! Perfect! Let’s see who’s kicking whose ass!"
"Heads! The Eastern Conference All-Stars will receive!"
With a blast of the referee’s whistle, the All-Arican High School All-Star Bowl officially kicked off.
The intensity was at a fever pitch from the very first second.
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