Seru responds with his own fire brewing, as if to match Venshind's temperature.
"As long as I'm the leader, it doesn't matter if he's as good as two of you in battle. We will win."
Arsheo gets fired up at his Lazhu's statement, responding to the atmosphere created by his competitors.
The air gets even more tense as the last of the Qitorans take a position to view the match that now includes the two most powerful dragons in the village.
The two teams line up across from each other in the big, grassy area next to the Great Hall that spans half a sector squared.
"Hold on, we need a person to be an official.
Someone who's pretty but strong enough to stop the match.
How about Narci?
If she told me to stop beating someone up, I'd do it.
Even if it was Venshind."
Arsheo says while halting the hostility forming in the air.
The crowd laughs as a big Qitoran man in armor grabs Narci's hand to walk her out to the field.
"She and I will officiate the match with the most care and respect we can.
I will help her with the rules, as this is a Qitoran tradition and she just became one of us recently."
The man says with the kindest voice Narci has ever heard.
He was a rough-looking man who was quite large in stature, but somehow his aura was quite inviting—almost warm, like a home.
"Dozha!
You're back just in time!"
The boys say in unison with one another.
Narci looks up and thinks to herself, "So this is the man who raised the two most interesting dragons she had ever come across.
He's even more kingly than the king in his attitude and presence itself, but somehow it feels like he's got all he ever wanted out of this life."
"Who said you guys could outgrow me during Deiju?
Don't think you can somehow beat me now that you've grown big and unlocked Veythar.
That would be a big mistake on your part, hahaha!"
Oktath valiantly states while letting out a prideful laugh.
He continues on.
"We can properly catch up after the match. These kids look eager to take on the future of Qitor.
Last thing though—I brought a third judge with me. It's too hard to watch the full field with only two people."
"But I definitely only see the two of you.
Did you hide the last judge somewhere on the battlefield to make sure nobody cheats?"
Arsheo says as a voice cuts in from behind him.
"I'm right next to you, jeez. How could you not notice your own Harun?
What a Lirven you are,"
says the man who taught Arsheo everything he knows and the older brother of the boys, Vidrand, sarcastically.
"Izha, where did you go after the Drathar?
You weren't at the house either. I wanted to train with you after the Drathar to get the feel for my Veythar."
Arsheo says while the rest of Team Green looks like they had a heart attack from the sudden appearance of the new judge.
Vidrand looks toward Venshind in confusion and astonishment.
"He trained after the Drathar?
We'll have to unpack that entire statement later since all these dragons gathered around to see this electric game of old."
The teams and judges take their positions and get ready to start the match between the Green and Blue teams.
"Start the game between Green and Blue!"
Seru quickly grabs hold of Venshind's arm at the beginning of the match as Team Blue sits, awaiting their leader's plan.
"Izha, we're going to win this game through strategy, with you being the foundation of our plan.
We're going to take care of the other Green team members one by one while you tie up Arsheo in the Dead Zone.
Arsheo is immensely strong and compassionate. He's going to try and take care of the main objective himself before getting his team involved."
Seru rapidly continues while the Green team waits in their territory to defend it from the Blue team.
"While you're tied up in the forest of the Dead Zone, Arsheo's team is bound to send a squad to assist him in capturing our territory.
That doesn't mean anything, as our side of the team will have already set a trap for them.
While two of us trap half of their remaining team, the remaining six Blue team members will wipe their territory and collect their crown.
The real fight starts afterward when we have to place it on the podium next to our crown—so save your energy."
Venshind speeds off toward the Dead Zone, where Arsheo is already making his way in, while Iuvarin and Veylin go to set up the traps.
Seru leads the other six Blue team members through the forest backside toward Green base, and the Green team sits, counting down the time they were told to wait before going to help.
The clouds lower over the battlefield to slightly blur the vision of the battle, and the fight between Venshind and Arsheo begins.
A head kick is fired at a speed that makes his moves invisible to most.
Venshind blocks it, and the fog clears with the heavy impact. Arsheo shows a smile and starts to cockily converse with his Kezhan.
"I knew they would send you, but I thought it would be a small squad with you.
What's Seru planning?"
Venshind fires back with a punch and a quick but firm statement.
"You won't know until the match is over and the Blue team is victorious!"
They continue to fight in a rapid exchange of kicks, elbows, and punches mixed with leaping blows and flying tactics.
The kids, in the meantime, have kicked off their plan to subdue the Green forces.
Iuvarin and Veylin have set the trap and are waiting for their enemies to fall in one go, as Seru has almost reached the Green base.
The Green squad that was elected to help Arsheo in recovering the Blue crown has left to help their leader and is nearing the trap that was set for them.
As they arrive in the trap area, they check their surroundings, and the trap squad waits for their chance to snatch the headbands of their opponents.
Iuvarin looks over and whispers to Veylin.
"Why did they only send two people?
And why did they send two of their worst fighters for this mission?"
Veylin responds calmly and softly.
"That won't change anything. When we're done with these two, we should make our way towards Green territory and help the rest of our team wipe the area.
Activate the trap."
As they activate the trap, the members from Team Green quickly evade it with precision.
Korin quietly says something to Neyira as he keeps his gaze fixated on the Blue team members.
"Is this why Arsheo told us to watch our surroundings with absolute care?"
The group of four swiftly jumps into battle, with the Blue team obviously overpowering the Green.
Korin and Neyira were the worst fighters in all of Team Green, but they began to move differently all of a sudden.
They were ducking behind trees, switching positions, and teaming up on their opponents when given the opportunity.
The two Green team members started to fight as one very fast, four-armed person.
Their fast combinations of techniques quickly overwhelmed their opponents and left one on the ground missing their headband and the other battered and tired.
"Why don't you forfeit your headband already, Veylin?
There are two of us and only one of you—you stand no chance."
Neyira says.
"Give up?
And lose the chance to say we bested the future king in battle?
No way."
Veylin continues on.
"Besides, Korin looks just as beat up as I do.
He must've taken a lot of damage while blocking hits from the both of us to protect you.
I wager I could still take you both down."
"Try it."
Neyira says, bracing for another barrage.
Korin lunges at Veylin with the rest of his strength and pushes him into the trap area to set off the backup trap they set.
A giant net catapults out from under them and traps the two.
"Go retrieve the crown, Neyira!
We'll be tied up here till we finish the game anyway."
Korin says as the trap engulfs the two.
Neyira speeds past the trap with her stuck teammate, shouting.
"Don't lose your headband, Korin!
Arsheo will be mad that he lost a teammate!"
Neyira disappears into the forest, leaving Korin to defend his headband.