Chapter 12: Arrival of Rivals
The sun rose high over Stone Dam Village, casting its warm light over the gathering crowd. The day of the long-anticipated competition had arrived, and with it, the arrival of the other villages. Four other villages from Red Mist Prefecture—Island Village, Iron Village, Windstorm Village, and the most prominent of them all, Sand Village—had traveled to Stone Dam Village for the event.
Sand Village, the reigning champions for the last ten years, arrived with an air of superiority. Their cultivators were known for their unique techniques and numerous secret arts, making them formidable opponents. Both the elders and contestants from Sand Village carried themselves with arrogance, behaving as if they were in their own courtyards rather than visiting another village. Their demeanor irritated the residents of Stone Dam Village, but there was little they could do but hope for a good showing in the competition.
The participants from the other villages also made their way into the village center, greeted by Hamza and the other elders. Hamza, as the head elder, took it upon himself to reveal the contents of the competition. His authoritative voice boomed over the gathered crowd.
"Welcome, everyone, to the annual Red Mist Prefecture competition. This year, Stone Dam Village is honored to host you all. The competition will be held in two stages. The first stage is the eliminations, where four villages will compete against each other. As the champions of last year, Sand Village will bypass the elimination round and proceed directly to the finals."
A murmur of acknowledgment and anticipation rippled through the crowd. Hamza continued, "In the elimination round, Stone Dam Village will face Island Village, and Iron Village will compete against Windstorm Village. Each village will send out participants in the under ten and under thirteen age groups. Each match will be a one-on-one duel, and the goal is to eliminate the opposing team's members."
The under ten group from Stone Dam Village, led by Arman, was the first to compete. Their opponents from Island Village were confident, having four members at the fourth level of body cultivation, compared to Stone Dam Village's single member at that level.
Arman decided to send Damir first. Damir, a spirited young boy, stepped onto the battleground. However, his opponent from Island Village was at the fourth level of body cultivation, and Damir, despite his best efforts, was eliminated quickly. The participants from Island Village mocked Stone Dam Village, jeering at their apparent weakness.
"Is this the best Stone Dam has to offer?" one of them sneered. "You only have one member at the fourth level, and he doesn't stand a chance against us."
Arman, feeling the weight of responsibility, decided to take the stage himself. He knew that the others at the third level wouldn't stand a chance against the fourth-level opponents. Arman stepped up and managed to defeat the first opponent, but it took a significant toll on him. Exhausted, he faced the second opponent and, despite his best efforts, was defeated.
Hope seemed to wane among the spectators from Stone Dam Village. Their under ten team appeared to be on the brink of elimination. The contestants from Island Village smirked, confident in their impending victory.
Just when it seemed all was lost, Ali stepped forward, his face a mask of determination. His recent breakthroughs in cultivation had given him confidence, and he knew this was his chance to prove himself.
The crowd fell silent as Ali took his place on the battleground. He stood alone against the remaining four opponents from Island Village, three of whom were at the fourth level of body cultivation.
The first opponent, a fourth-level warrior, approached Ali with a cocky grin. "So, you're the last hope of Stone Dam Village? Let's see what you've got, little boy."
Ali's eyes narrowed, and he settled into a fighting stance. He knew the challenge ahead of him was immense, but he was ready. The stage was set for an epic confrontation, and all eyes were on Ali as he prepared to face his formidable foes.
With a deep breath, Ali focused his mind and body, ready to give everything he had to defend the honor of his village. The battle for Stone Dam Village's redemption had begun.