The entire city of London was already engulfed in a feverish atmosphere.
Especially in North and West London — the strongholds of Arsenal and Chelsea — tensions were running high as the 38th round of the Premier League loomed.
The Battle of London was about to erupt.
Arsenal's Suarez was ruled out with an injury, while Chelsea was missing Lampard and Fabregas.
Both sides had gone deep into the Champions League, leaving their squads battered and fatigued.
One lacked dynamism up front, the other control in midfield — it was almost perfectly balanced.
...
"We have to take the initiative in midfield. Lampard and Fabregas being out gives us a chance to control the game," Wenger said, standing before the tactics board as his players listened intently.
"Mourinho will likely go with a midfield of Matic, David Luiz, and Oscar. They won't look to dominate possession — they'll focus on disrupting our rhythm. So, we need to control the tempo and find gaps in their shape."
As he spoke, Wenger's gaze shifted toward Kai.
Kai gave a small nod.
Although he had only been the team's midfield core for two matches, his performances had been impressive. With Cazorla supporting him ahead, Wenger had every reason to trust his young midfielder.
In Wenger's eyes, Arsenal's midfield — anchored by Kai — was superior to Chelsea's.
If Chelsea surrendered the midfield, Arsenal would dictate the rhythm and play their trademark possession football.
The tactical meeting went on for nearly two hours before finally wrapping up.
Back in the dressing room, Chamberlain walked over to Kai.
"Feeling nervous?" he asked with a grin. "You don't look nervous."
Kai let out a short laugh. "I am, actually."
Chamberlain blinked in surprise. To him, Kai was the calmest man on the pitch — someone whose heartbeat barely changed, even in chaos.
Kai shrugged. "It's the title on the line. One game for everything — the Premier League and the hopes of the Arsenal fans. You can't expect me to be completely calm. This could be my first league trophy."
Chamberlain nodded thoughtfully. "I just hope I'll get a chance to play."
Kai gave his shoulder a light pat. "You'll get your moment. Don't worry."
...
Meanwhile, over at Chelsea's Cobham Training Ground, Mourinho was delivering his final orders.
"We have to disrupt Arsenal's passing. Press the midfield hard, don't give them space to breathe."
After finishing, he looked at Oscar. "This transformation we've been working on — it's time to show results."
Oscar nodded, but his expression was tight.
He wasn't happy with his role anymore. Mourinho's changes had bulked him up; his body felt heavier, slower. The finesse and agility that once defined his game had faded.
The transformation was supposed to make him more complete — instead, it had blurred his strengths.
But at Chelsea, refusing Mourinho wasn't an option.
"Do you think Oscar can handle it?" asked assistant coach Steven Holland quietly after the meeting.
Mourinho gathered his notes without looking up. "That depends on him. We've done everything we can. If he can't deliver, it's on him."
Holland exhaled. He wasn't convinced.
He knew how obsessed Mourinho was with Kai — perhaps more than any midfielder he'd ever managed.
The Portuguese coach had repeatedly pushed the club to raise their offer for Arsenal's midfield general, promising that with Kai, Chelsea would usher in a new era of dominance.
But Arsenal wouldn't budge. Not a single inch.
No matter the price, no matter the persuasion — Arsenal rejected every bid outright.
Later, alone in his office, Mourinho sat down and replayed Arsenal's Champions League clash with Real Madrid.
He had watched it countless times, but each viewing left him both awestruck and frustrated.
Kai — the perfect midfielder.
Positionally sharp, fearless in tackles, crisp in distribution, and showing leadership and composure beyond his years.
Everything Mourinho ever wanted in a midfielder.
He smiled wryly to himself. There's a kind of love that can only stay one-sided.
But he wasn't done.
He'd beat Arsenal — and then, he'd make Kai see that his future didn't lie in red.
He'd show him that under his command, he could become the best in the world.
"After we win," Mourinho murmured, "he'll understand."
A small, confident grin tugged at his lips. "I'll get you eventually."
(Yo, The Special One got some wild ideas, lol)
...
At Arsenal's training base, Kai suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
"Cold wind," he muttered to himself before heading to the locker room for a shower.
Later, as he and Chamberlain walked to the underground car park and got into the car, they were met with a shocking sight the moment they drove out.
A huge crowd of Arsenal fans had gathered outside the gates, surrounding the players' cars.
The fans were pounding on the cars, faces flushed with excitement.
Kai could see several teammates' vehicles also blocked, while the overwhelmed security staff struggled to maintain order.
"What's going on?" Chamberlain asked, startled.
Through the glass, they could hear the shouts.
"We're winning the League, right?"
"We're gonna win, right?"
"Give us an answer!"
Kai frowned.
The noise was growing chaotic. Some fans had started pushing against the barriers; security personnel were trying to hold them back, but tempers were flaring.
If it continued, things could spiral out of control.
He unbuckled his seatbelt.
"What are you doing?" Chamberlain grabbed his arm. "Are you mad? It's dangerous out there!"
Kai glanced at him calmly. "If no one steps in, this could get ugly fast."
Before Chamberlain could respond, Kai pushed open the door and stepped out into the noise.
The moment Kai stepped out of the car, the crowd surged forward and surrounded him.
More fans poured in from every direction.
. He could feel hands pressing against his shoulders, arms, even his back — too close for comfort.
Frustration boiled up inside him. He drew in a deep breath and roared — a guttural, commanding bellow that cut through the chaos.
"EVERYONE, QUIET!!!"
The roar echoed through the air like thunder. The mob froze. The wild noise that had filled the parking lot seconds ago suddenly vanished into dead silence.
Kai's outburst wasn't new — he'd done this in matches before, rallying teammates or breaking tension — but no one had expected it here.
Taking advantage of the pause, Kai steadied himself against the hood, pushed off, and leapt onto the roof of his car.
From up high, he could finally see the scale of it. The entire area around the training base was packed — hundreds, maybe thousands of Arsenal fans, all staring up at him.
Their faces carried the same mixture of longing, hope, and fanatic energy.
Inside the nearby cars, his teammates looked on in disbelief.
Vermaelen muttered, half-horror, "Has he lost it?"
Cazorla gawked. "Kai… he actually got out! That's mad!"
Mustafi shook his head. "That's a brave man right there."
Standing tall on the car roof, Kai swept his gaze across the crowd and shouted, his voice booming across the parking lot.
"What are you doing here?!"
"What are you trying to get from us?!"
"What's your reason for gathering like this?!"
Silence.
The fans exchanged uneasy glances. The security staff, taking advantage of the lull, quickly formed a protective circle around Kai.
They couldn't afford for anything to happen to him.
Kai's voice rose again, cutting through the stillness.
"I'm disappointed in you — all of you!"
He pointed at the fans, his tone sharp but full of conviction.
"I've always believed Gunners fans were brave, proud, and confident. But look at yourselves! What's this? Fear?!"
"Are you afraid of Chelsea?!"
The fans fell quiet.
Kai's eyes blazed. "Afraid of Mourinho?"
Still no answer. Some lowered their heads.
"Answer me!" Kai thundered. "Don't make me look down on you!"
A fan finally broke the silence. "We just want the League!"
Another voice followed. "That's right! The League!"
Soon, the chant spread like wildfire.
"We want the League!"
"Kai! Tell us! Can you win it?!"
"Kai! Say something!"
The chaos threatened to erupt again until Kai's deep, commanding voice sliced through it once more.
"Quiet!"
Instant silence.
When he spoke again, his tone was firm — less anger, more heart.
"No one can promise you anything," he said, his eyes sweeping across the sea of faces. "Only the strong deserve the Premier League. Strength isn't just about skill — it's about spirit."
He pointed toward the crowd. "Look at you right now. This isn't strength. This is fear before the battle even begins."
"The old Arsenal — the Invincibles — they went 49 matches unbeaten. Do you think those fans stood around trembling before big games? No! They believed!"
"The Premier League isn't decided by us alone — it's decided by you as well."
"If you've got this much energy, save it for match day! Scream your lungs out for us then — not here, not like this!"
His voice cracked with passion. "You're scared! Scared of losing, scared of being mocked — but fear doesn't win trophies!"
He clenched his fist and shouted, "Be confident!"
"Believe in yourselves! Believe in us! And believe in Arsenal!"
"I can't promise you the Premier League — but I can promise you this: no one, and I mean no one, will conquer our home. Not Real Madrid, and definitely not Chelsea!"
The fans fell silent again, this time not out of fear, but reflection.
Kai signaled the security team, who began ushering the crowd back in an orderly manner.
"Now go home!" Kai called out. "Rest up. Save your energy. If you want to help, then shout louder than ever when the match comes. That's what matters most!"
"Go on — home! All of you!"
Slowly, the crowd began to disperse.
Kai exhaled heavily, relief washing over him. He was just about to step down when the noise started up again.
He froze, glancing over. The fans were still there — but this time, smiling.
"Kai!" one of them shouted from the front. "One more!"
Others joined in.
"One more, Kai!"
"Let's do it once!"
"Kai!"
"Kai!!"
"Kai!!!"
Their voices echoed like waves, full of energy rather than desperation.
Kai smiled, shaking his head helplessly. He raised his hands slightly — instantly, the crowd fell silent again, all eyes fixed on him.
He planted his feet, bent slightly, and drew his fist to his chest, gathering his voice.
Then he bellowed from the depths of his lungs:
"ARSENAL!!!"
The crowd erupted, leaping and roaring back in unison —
"FORWARD!!!"
Kai threw three powerful punches into the air.
"ARSENAL!!!"
"ARSENAL!!!"
"ARSENAL!!!"
The entire Colney Training Centre seemed to shake under the echoing roar of the fans.
Kai raised both arms high.
"ARSENAL!!!"
The fans went wild. Arms shot up like a forest swaying in the wind.
Security staff, players, even club workers watching from the windows couldn't help themselves — they joined in, fists raised, shouting with every bit of passion they had left.
"ARSENAL!!!"
"ARSENAL!!!"
"ARSENAL!!!"
For that moment, North London's heartbeat was one.
...
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