Anfield roared.
The bright red sea of Liverpool fans swelled with energy as the players walked out of the tunnel for the Premier League opener against their most bitter rivals: Manchester United.
Noah Ramsey stood among legends.
Van Dijk to his right. Alisson behind him. Mo Salah gave him a quiet nod. Trent slapped his back with a grin. But it all felt like background noise to Noah. His eyes weren't on his teammates. They were on the Portuguese figure standing across the pitch.
Cristiano Ronaldo.
The legend. The icon. The symbol of ego.
And today, I'll bury him, Noah thought, not with malice, but with icy detachment. His mind was already simulating passing lanes, defensive gaps, the optimal angles. Metavision had become a constant.
The Emperor's eyes were always open.
---
Klopp's decision to start Noah had sent shockwaves. A 16-year-old debuting in the Premier League? Madness. But after watching him dismantle the U23s, then hold his own in first-team training, the manager had taken the gamble.
Now here he was, lining up as a striker.
He didn't shake during the anthem. He didn't blink during the handshake.
And when Ronaldo offered a polite nod before kickoff, Noah just stared.
No words.
---
The game began with thunder. United pressed high. Bruno Fernandes fired a shot just wide. Rashford darted past Trent, forcing a save from Alisson.
But Noah? He waited.
Watched.
Studied.
By the 15th minute, he struck.
Receiving a pass from Robertson, Noah dummied it past Varane, turned, and flicked it forward to Salah, who tapped it back into space.
Noah sliced through United's line like a scalpel.
Shot. Goal.
1–0.
He didn't celebrate.
Just stared at Ronaldo.
---
By the 30th minute, Liverpool led 2–0. Noah had scored one and assisted the second. But it wasn't just the goals.
It was his presence.
He directed the midfield like a conductor, shouting at Henderson, waving at Van Dijk to push higher, pointing where Trent should overlap. He played with zero fear. Zero filter.
Ronaldo noticed.
After a hard tackle near the halfway line, Ronaldo walked over during a stoppage.
"You're good," he said, tone amused. "But don't get ahead of yourself."
Noah looked up slowly.
"I don't need your approval."
Ronaldo smirked. "You remind me of myself at your age."
Noah's eyes narrowed.
"Don't insult me."
Ronaldo blinked. "Excuse me?"
Noah stepped forward. "You're just a relic clinging to your past. An arrogant fool playing the role of a god."
Gasps echoed from the nearby players.
Bruno Fernandes stepped in. "Hey, watch it, kid."
But Noah didn't flinch.
Ronaldo's expression hardened. "Say that again."
"You're. An. Arrogant. Fool."
---
The next five minutes were chaos.
The ball returned into play. Tensions high. Ronaldo charged at Noah shoulder-first on a 50-50 ball, sending him tumbling.
Foul.
No card.
Noah got up, brushing grass off his shirt with a grin.
Moments later, Noah returned the favor—a sliding tackle on Ronaldo that left the Portuguese rolling in pain.
Yellow card.
Klopp screamed from the sideline. "Noah! Control yourself!"
But Noah wasn't listening.
He wasn't angry.
He was focused.
This was ego vs. ego.
Old king vs. new emperor.
---
Halftime.
Liverpool 2–1 United. The tunnel buzzed with tension.
Ronaldo turned to Klopp.
"That boy of yours needs a leash."
Klopp responded coolly. "You didn't have one at his age either."
Inside the dressing room, Henderson pulled Noah aside.
"You need to calm down. This isn't a one-man show."
Noah shrugged. "Then play like it isn't."
Henderson stared. "Careful. You're starting to sound like a villain."
Noah met his gaze. "Then stop acting like extras."
Gasps. Silence.
Even Salah looked shaken.
---
Second half. Klopp kept Noah on. Maybe out of trust. Maybe to see how far he'd fall.
Noah lit the pitch on fire.
A step-over past Martinez. A backheel flick to Diaz. A curved shot that De Gea barely reached.
But his interactions were robotic. No smiles. No joy. Just surgical brilliance.
In the 75th minute, Ronaldo found space and equalized.
2–2.
He ran to the corner, doing his SIUUU. Arms wide.
Noah stared, unblinking.
Then he muttered, "A fool playing king."
---
85th minute.
Noah drifted deep, received from Thiago, turned, and drove forward.
Metavision flashed.
Space on the left. Varane slow to step. Ronaldo lingering too far forward.
He sliced through them.
One pass. Salah. Goal.
3–2.
This time, Noah celebrated. Slowly. Arms raised like a monarch.
Facing Ronaldo.
Who stood motionless.
Then finally turned away.
---
Full-time whistle.
Klopp didn't smile. Just nodded.
Fans chanted Noah's name. Pundits exploded online. Who is this kid? Where did he come from? Some called him the future.
Others called him terrifying.
But in the tunnel, as players walked back, Ronaldo approached one last time.
"You've got talent," he said. "But talent without respect is poison."
Noah replied calmly.
"Respect is earned. Not inherited."
And with that, he walked away.
The Emperor of Anfield had arrived.
And everyone felt it.