Sai looked at the king, took a deep breath, and bowed deeply. "Sorry, my king," he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside him.
The king scrutinized him for a moment, his eyes narrowing. "You do look like the people of my kingdom," the king said, his tone curious but guarded.
Sai's mind raced as he tried to maintain his composure. Memories of his family's tragic fate and the capture of his village flashed through his mind. He clenched his fists, hidden from the king's view, and forced himself to stay calm.
Tai and Shi watched the exchange from a distance, their expressions tense. Tai whispered, "This isn't good. We need to be careful."
Shi nodded, his eyes never leaving Sai. "Let's hope Sai can handle this."
The king continued to study Sai, his gaze piercing. "What brings you to Japan?"
Sai replied, "We are here for the martial arts tournament."
The king raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Sai explained, "My friend, my master, and I have been training for a long time to win the tournament."
The king's expression softened slightly. "Great, that means I have martial arts masters who will represent my kingdom."
Sai looked puzzled. "Are you not in the tournament?"
The king shook his head. "I am, but not in this common one. I have participated in many tournaments. The king of Japan created a special tournament called the Rule Tournament. If you win this tournament, you may face me."
Shi interrupted, "Sai, we have a tournament to win."
Sai nodded and ran to Shi, watching as the king walked away to his room. "I will get into the Rule Tournament," Sai vowed.
Just then, the tournament bell rang. A voice announced, "All fighters, go to the fighter room. You will see your opponent and your match."
Sai and Tai entered the room, seeing martial arts masters from various backgrounds. They noticed one who looked particularly formidable. Approaching him, Tai asked, "How strong are you?"
The person, named Li, replied, "I'm not sure. How old are you guys?"
Sai said, "I'm 13, and I turn 14 tomorrow."
Tai was surprised. "What? You're 13? I thought you were older."
Sai shook his head. "No, I'm 13. What about you?"
Tai replied, "I'm the same age as you, but my birthday has already passed, so I'm 14."
Sai looked at Li. "You must be older, maybe 18 or 20."
Li laughed. "No, I'm 14 too. I just turned 14."
Sai was amazed. "Wow, you look so strong."
Li smiled. "Thanks. It's all about training."
Li then pointed out other fighters in the room. "See that guy? He's Vik from Korea. He loves money. And that old man is Barak, a martial arts king. He once took over an entire kingdom with his eyes closed. He's here to test his skills. And that one over there is a killer. His hands have ended many lives."
A young boy entered the room and announced, "Li, your opponent is Ray. Sai, your opponent is Vik. Tai, your opponent is Fi. And you, old man, your opponent is the killer."