Chapter 238: Life in the Main Universe "The Three of Us" and "Chaotic"
"Akra! Akra! Unstoppable~!
Akra! Akra! Sure to win the championship~!"
In a large stadium, a group of cheerleaders dressed in red miniskirts and black tight tops were waving colorful pom-poms, cheering for their home team.
Next, they threw their pom-poms into the air and moved gracefully, forming a human pyramid. Seeing this, the staff on the sidelines quickly stepped forward and prepared a cushion behind them.
At the same time, the cheer captain with a ponytail stood at the top, bent backward, and performed a perfect backflip, landing precisely on the cushion prepared by the staff.
"Whoo-hoo~!!"
"Go for it!!"
"Akra, crush Seattle!!!"
As the cheerleading performance ended, the crowd in the stands erupted in deafening cheers, shouting for their team.
From above, the scene showed a massive stadium with a capacity of 90,000, situated in the center of the northern commercial district of New Akra City.
Looking out, the city's skyline seemed endless. Gigantic skyscrapers, over a thousand meters tall, stood with measured spacing across the city. Despite the feeling of a steel jungle, the visitors and residents of the city didn't feel overwhelmed.
It was a sunny afternoon with a clear, cloudless sky. The pleasant temperatures of 26-29°C in late March, combined with low humidity, made springtime in Akra one of the most enjoyable seasons for tourists in the main universe's Earth.
In addition, countless hovercrafts zipped through the skies between the tall buildings and above the streets. Meanwhile, black riot control vehicles with the acronym "NAPD" (New Akra Police Department) printed on their sides and a swarm of unmanned patrol drones ensured the city's security.
Even if a riot vehicle flashed red and blue lights and quickly descended, indicating a crime was taking place, it was usually only a minor conflict requiring police intervention.
Even more serious incidents like terrorist attacks or extreme criminals could easily be handled by the NAPD's capabilities.
Moreover, in the skies nearly ten thousand meters above, civilian spacecraft were entering and exiting the atmosphere. These were part of the "Atlas Flights," designed to transport travelers now that space stations had been fully completed.
With the completion of the lunar capital, the residents of the main universe were more enthusiastic about space exploration than the mid-to-late 20th century, and the orbital elevators were no longer sufficient for daily personnel transfers.
Returning to the stadium;
The Akra cheerleading team had now left the field in an orderly manner to rest. The captain, who had performed the backflip earlier, sat on a folding chair, sipping a sports drink to replenish her water and electrolytes, watching Seattle's cheerleading team perform.
"They're dressed way too revealing!"
"Oh my god, how can they do that?!"
"Damn! One of them isn't even wearing a bra! What the hell?!"
Her teammates, seeing how bold the girls from Seattle were, began discussing and even cursing. The audience, too, was getting more excited by Seattle's cheerleaders, cheering and applauding even louder.
This made the sixteen and seventeen-year-old Akra girls feel annoyed, thinking their carefully choreographed performance had been outshone by something "crude."
"America's only good at this kind of thing!"
One girl said angrily before turning to the captain and asking:
"Lina, do you think your brother can lead our school to beat that trashy team?"
"They don't see it as trashy." Lina, the captain, wasn't as bothered by Seattle's performance.
Perhaps, as a native of Universe 04 (the Underworld), she had seen much worse, so her emotions remained steady.
Shrugging, she answered her teammate's question nonchalantly:
"Charlie is our star quarterback. If we win, it's deserved. If we lose, it just means Seattle was better."
"Well... okay."
Her teammate hung a towel around her neck and sat down to Lina's right, slightly resigned.
"Ladies and gentlemen!!"
Just then, the announcer's voice boomed over the loudspeaker, drowning out the noise, and reminded the crowd:
"Up next is the final match of the second World High School Football Championship! Let's give a warm welcome to Atlas High School from Seattle!
Before the formation of the United Government of Humanity (UGH), Seattle was a leader in aerospace, biology, medicine, and computer science. Of course, this is largely due to the contributions of the Atlas Corporation, which helped unite and advance humanity.
The third high school established by Atlas has produced many talents in these fields."
"Whoa~!!"
As the announcer spoke and the applause followed, fifteen players wearing light blue gear and gray-white uniforms ran onto the field. They waved to the audience dressed in matching colors as they entered.
The announcer continued:
"Haha, we can see the players from Atlas High interacting with the crowd.
Their quarterback, Johanson Morgan, is said to be a rising star from Seattle's Morgan family. He stands at 6'3", weighs 220 pounds, and has impressive speed and power.
Now——!!"
The announcer's voice rose as he drew out the word:
"Let's welcome Akra City's Atlas First High School to the field!"
Fifteen players in black and red uniforms ran past Lina and her teammates, also heading toward the field center and interacting with the crowd.
"Whooo~————!!"
The applause was deafening, showcasing the home advantage.
"Akra used to be a city plagued by crime and poverty, nearly forgotten. But Atlas changed everything!
As for their quarterback, Charlie Hornild, he's only 16 years old and has already become Akra City's best player, with a real chance to reach the Hall of Fame!"
"Ah!!"
"Charlie! Charlie!"
The cheerleading team erupted into shrill cheers.
"Hey Lina, would you mind if I dated your brother?" The teammate on her right asked again.
"Good luck," Lina said, spreading her hands in a gesture of indifference.
Her father had once been a member of Atlas's Emergency Combat Squad (AECS). Since retiring due to injuries, he had plenty of time to care for her and her brother.
He also brought the habits from his unit home, waking them up at 5 a.m. every day and dragging them for weighted runs around the city center. This, despite his leg being prosthetic, didn't stop him from being "full of life."
After running, around 7 a.m., he would make them a nutritious breakfast that tasted awful—protein powder from his company mixed with fat-free milk, fruits, and vegetables into a "porridge."
And they had to eat plenty of rice, noodles, and other carb-heavy foods.
Even when they went to school, their father packed them lunch and dinner.
But it must be said, ever since their father trained them using the AECS methods, their physical fitness had improved significantly.
Her brother, Charlie Hornild, who was already part of the high school football team, had become the most famous and skilled player in the area, thanks to the martial arts their father had taught them.
As a result, her brother had become the "must-have" target for many high school girls.
She herself was also the "crush" of many high school boys, often finding her locker stuffed with love letters.
Lina could only shake her head at this.
She didn't want to waste her time on romance. If it hadn't been for the company's intervention in Universe 04, which had dealt with the ghosts and specters of the Underworld, her family would have long since become lifeless skeletons.
Thus, she focused solely on preparing for her university entrance exams, aiming to enroll in the military academy established by the company in Akra City, where she could contribute to humanity's future.
While deep in thought.
The referee tossed a coin to decide that the Seattle team would be the offense, and Akra would play defense.
The referee's whistle blew, signaling the start of the championship game, broadcasted globally.
Surprisingly, Johanson Morgan, the Seattle quarterback, didn't pass the ball to a receiver or running back but instead ran forward himself, relying on his teammates' protection.
He was incredibly fast, far from the usual clumsy big guy, easily dodging Akra's defenders.
Boom——!
The sound of pads colliding echoed across the field.
Johanson finally met his match when he collided with Lina's brother, Charlie, who managed to stop his progress.
"That quarterback is pretty strong."
"Thank goodness for Charlie."
The cheerleading squad began to worry.
"Morgan...?"
However, Lina was focused on the name "Morgan."
She remembered watching the news last year when the United Government of Humanity (UGH) and the United Human Forces Command (UHFC) were announced. One of the generals listed was Arthur Morgan from Atlas.
Her father never discussed high-level company personnel, but Lina speculated that the Morgan family from Seattle must be connected to Arthur Morgan.
As for the term "family," it was very different from the old elites before the United Government of Humanity was formed.
They had no privileges above the new constitution or laws. They were simply wealthier than the average family, having earned their fortunes through legitimate means.
The company originally set up oversight departments to better manage Akra City, but they had grown into "giants" and were now part of the United Government of Humanity.
Not to mention that AI had begun to enter the public sphere last year, helping the company's various departments greatly increase efficiency.
Thus, unless the boss she admired fell from grace, there was no way for corrupt elites to find fertile ground for their greed.
As the whistle blew again, Lina stopped worrying about Johanson's background or elite families and continued watching
the intense game.
Meanwhile, underground;
Whoosh——!
A black magnetic levitation train with red "Λ" markings sped through its exclusive tunnel, heading toward the ruins in the northwest.
The cargo containers of this train were loaded with weapons and equipment manufactured in the Akra district.
In the passenger cars, senior employees who had been called up, as well as armed personnel in combat fatigues, sat discussing.
In the car numbered 04, a holographic screen displayed "633km/h, 2002/03/08/13:36," showing the speed and time, while a low hum of conversation filled the air.
"Hey, Ghost, I've always wondered, why do you always wear that mask?"
John "Soap" MacTavish, a Mohawk-sporting soldier sitting by the window, asked with a puzzled expression.
Next to him was Simon Riley, also known as Ghost, wearing a skull mask that covered most of his face, leaving only his eyes exposed.
Gary "Roach" Sanderson, another soldier sitting across from them, was focused on his burger and fries.
"What's it to you?" Ghost shot Soap a glance, saying:
"The company doesn't have strict dress codes for non-combat situations. But let me ask you this—why do you keep asking about it every time we meet?"
"Obviously, it's for a laugh, haha. Every time I see that look in your eyes, I can't help but laugh."
Soap placed a hand on Ghost's shoulder, chuckling quietly.
"...."
Roach, having finished his burger, looked at Soap with silent disapproval.
"Attention all personnel, the train will arrive at the ruins base hub at approximately 14:00. Please prepare accordingly."
"Aah~ Back to work! The vacation life made me a bit sluggish," Soap said, stretching as he listened to the calm female voice over the intercom.
"But it's weird not being the vanguard this time. It feels... off."
"Burp."
Roach burped in agreement.
"Vacations make people lazy," Ghost agreed for once.
He then pulled out the vanguard team's special handheld computer, unfolded its screen, and placed it on the table between the three of them.
A small holographic screen appeared in front of them.
It displayed brief information, some intelligence from Universe 09, and photos and videos captured by the vanguard team.
One of the images showed a city that looked similar to New Akra or Seattle.
Like their own cities, it had massive skyscrapers and flying vehicles, and commercial ads projected via holographic technology hovered above the streets. However...
The first impression the city gave Soap, Ghost, and Roach was one of "chaos."
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