Narrator: Livon, Raiden, Hinaka, and Ayumi reached the World Palace and were standing outside of it.

Livon: So we are finally here... I would be lying if I said that I was not trembling with excitement. Haha!! The excitement of defeating my opponents!!

Raiden (in his mind): What's got into him??

Hinaka: Ayum, you must have visited the World Palace many times; after all, your father is the Great Leader.

Ayumi: Not many times, actually, but yeah, I have been here at least a few times.

Raiden (while glazing at the World Palace): Bad thing that we can't visit the World Palace. We have to directly go to the World Stadium. I would have loved to visit the World Palace from inside rather than just seeing it from outside.
Ohh yeah!! Ayumi, you can tell us what the World Palace looks like from inside!!

(Miyuki entered the scene)

Miyuki: So all of you are here!!

Raiden (with a joyful face): Ohh, Sir Miyuki!!! I am so glad to see you here!!

Miyuki: Yeah, I am also glad to see you too. So how has training been going for all four of you in the past three months?

Ayumi (to miyuki): It went pretty well for all of us.

Miyuki: It's good to know. But you guys should hurry and reach the World Stadium now. The tournament is just about to begin. You should take a proper look to see where you are going to fight. It can help you stimulate a plan for your matches.

Raiden: Sir Miyuki, would you please give us some valuable information about your experience in the World Tournament, as you were the finalist of the 4th World Tournament?

Miyuki: Just give out your best without caring about other things. And don't let the crowd get the better of you.

Raiden: Thank you so much, sir, for your advice!! I will never forget this in my entire life!!

Miyuki (with a confused face): Entire life....? Isn't that going a little too far...? But alright, whatever works for you!!

Narrator: Suddenly, Suzune and the Elite Soliders for the Strand Country (Noriko, Baker, Kiyomi, and Nova) entered the scene.

Suzune: Aah!! I see Miyuki is busy giving some last-minute tips to his students before the exam starts. You students should better pay attention to it then.

Nova: Nice to see all of you guys again!!

Ayumi: Same here. It's good to see all of you back!!

Hinaka: Kiyomi, your face has become less red now!! Hahaha!! Good for you!! You must have stopped scratching it.

Baker (in his mind): Oh boy, Hinaka is in for it now!!

Kiyomi (to hinaka): DON'T LAUGH ABOUT IT!! You don't know how much suffering I suffered because of the side effects of that herbal cream. I used to scratch my face all day without taking a break. Even in my sleep, I used to scratch!! It was so difficult for me to distract my brain from that scratching and focus on anything else.

Hinaka: Oh, oh, sorry about that. I didn't know that you suffered this much.

Raiden: I can't believe it!! I am in the presence of Sir Miyuki and now Ms. Suzune too!!

Noriko: Oh, yes, the fanboy has risen!! We should really start keeping Raiden away from his heroes.

Riaden: What are you saying, Noriko? Have your brain cells been damaged or something?

Noriko: My brain cells got damaged, you say?? Yours are the ones that have gotten completely rotten over time. You nut!!

Livon (pointing his finger towards noriko): Ohh, oh, oh here is  Noriko! My opponent!! How have you been doing??

Noriko: Oh, it's you, livon. I was doing completely fine until now. But how have you been doing? Ready for your match against me? Wait on a second thought; don't bother answering; it would be a waste of time!!

Livon: Hahahahaha!! Absolutely true!! The time has finally come for the "Fire vs. Snow" battle to start!!

Noriko: Well, you are finally right about something.

Suzune: Let's get moving to the World Stadium now, everyone. It's time to start things off.

Narrator: The World Stadium is located on the left side of the World Palace.

The whole street outside the World Stadium was filled with different kinds of stalls. Such as a food stall, a toy stall, a game stall, a clothing stall, etc. People from all over the world gather at this place and celebrate the World Tournament as a festival.

Kiyomi: I really want to go and check out all these stalls!! But this tournament is stopping me from going there.

Noriko (kiyomi): You want to go shopping at this time?!!

Ayumi (to kiyomi): Don't worry, we will all come here once the tournament ends.

Raiden: Quite a lot of people are present here today. Don't you think, Livon?

Livon: Who cares? The whole world can come and watch the tournament, but I still won't give a damn. These people only care about blood and fighting. It doesn't matter to them who gets hurt. They are only here for their own entertainment.

Raiden: Well, that is one way to put it. Oh, look, there is quite a commotion over there!!

Baker (looking in the left direction): Where are you saying raiden??

Raiden: Look straighter!! If I am seeing correctly, then someone's walking through the crowd.

Hinaka: It has to be the Great Leader Ayan.

Raiden (with a surprised face): Oh, has he arrived!! Look, Ayumi, there is your father.

Ayumi: Yeah, I am looking.

Narrator: The World Tournament is an occasion on which the Great Leader and all the Chief In-Commanders of their respective countries are present to watch over the proceedings.

As the Great Leader was making his entrance to the World Stadium, all the people surrounded him. This time, the Great Leader was not the only one they were looking for. Ayan was escorting Denma, a member of Dushyanta, along with him. Denma's whole body was covered with chains as he was being escorted. Denma had lost a considerable amount of weight since his fight with Aiden and Skyler, which resulted in him getting a lot weaker and thus proving his inability to use his shakti in his current state.

Unknown Person 1 (while shouting to Ayan): You don't deserve to be our great leader! You loser!!!

Unknown Person 2 (while shouting): You are the biggest shame in our history!!!

Unknown Person 3 (while shouting): First, you couldn't even defeat the leader of the Dushyanta, Chrollo. And now you don't even have the guts to kill a member of their group. Are you this scared of the duskyanta? Then why don't you leave and let someone else handle the reigns of the Great Leader? Surely they will do a better job than a sore loser!!

Unknown Person 4 (while shouting): Yeah, leave loser!! I can't even sleep at night properly because of the fear of getting attacked by the Duskyanta, or worse, seeing the whole country destroyed in an instant!!

Unknown Person 5: LEAVE AYAN!!!! Just quiet already!!!

Unknown Person 1: LEAVE!!

Unknown Person 6: LEAVE!!

Unknown Person 2: LEAVE!!

Ayan (with a depressed face): ..............

Narrator: Ayan kept on walking with his face down and without saying a single word back to the crowd.

Denma (to ayan): They sure hate you. (while coughing blood)

Ayan (with a depressed face): ............

Narrator: All the Elite Soliders from both countries, along with Miyuki and Suzune, saw the incident unfold.

Ayumi (with a dejected look): Dad.....

Hinaka (in his mind): Ohh, no ayumi.

Noriko: Come on, Kiyomi, we should go shopping now!! Who will wait till the tournament ends?

Kiyomi: Yeah, let's eat first. I am totally hungry right now. Come, let's go, Ayumi... What would you like to start with? How about we start off with ice cream??

Ayumi (with a low voice): You guys don't need to cheer me up. I am fine...
Let's go to the World Stadium now that it's time.

Narrator: The whole World Stadium was already filled with people, and there were hardly any seats left to sit on. But fortunately, Livon's group was able to find seats that were not filled. All of them were about to get seated at their place, but then they were interrupted by a certain unknown group of people.

Nova (while sitting at the seat): So at long lost, we finally get a sit-on!!!

Baker: Yeah, it would have been a shame if the participants themselves weren't able to get seats!!

Nova: Hahahaha!! You are right about that.

Raiden: Where are the great leaders and chief commanders seated?? I want to know!!

Miyuki: Look at that triangular gable part of the stadium. This is where all of them are seated, along with Denma, who is locked inside the prison cell for the Great Leader to monitor him.

Raiden: Wow!!! So cool!!!

Tegan: Long time no see Miyuki!!!

Narrator: Tegan, along with all the Elite Soliders from the Dragon Country (Itsumi, Noren, Eldon, and Mizumi), entered the scene.

Miyuki: Oh, here you are. I was wondering when you would show up with your students.

Tegan: What!! I was expecting a better response than that!! I was expecting something like 'what a surprise to see you here, Tegan!!' or something like that. Not an uneventful answer like that!!

Miyuki (while scratching his head): Well, this was the first thing that came to my mind...

Raiden: Am I dreaming or something? I am looking at the winner of the 4th World Tournament, Sir Tegan, right in front of my eyes!!! Sir, I want your autograph. Would you please give it to me??

Tegan: Is he one of your students, Miyuki??

Miyuki: Yes, his name is Raiden.

Tegan: Oh great!! Even if he was not one of your students, I would have still given it.

Raiden: Thank you so much, Sir Tegan. I am your very big fan. I still remember your match against Sir Miyuki at the finals of the last edition of the World Tournament.

Tegan (while giving an autograph): It's good to hear that. Do well at the tournament.

Narrator: Suddenly, all the people near them started standing up from their seats to take an autograph from Tegan.

Unknown Person 1: Its Tegan, the winner of the 4th world tournament. Come, let's take an autograph from him.

Unknown Person 2: Yeah, it's a once-in-a lifetime opportunity. Let's go and take it!!

Unknown Person 3: I will go and sell it at ebay!! Hahaha!!

Tegan (while giving autographs): Slow it down, everyone!! I am not going to run somewhere; don't worry.

Mizumi (with a frustrated face): Again, these autographs!! When will they stop? Since we have arrived here, I am pretty sure Tegan has given about 500 autographs. It could be more, too.

Hinaka (to mizumi): 500!!! That's huge number!!! Don't you guys get bored then?

Mizumi: That's an understatement!! We all got so frustrated to our core that we left him and then came on our own.

Hinaka: Haha!! That's funny!! Oh, sorry for the rudeness. My name is Hinaka, and I am from the Aquatic Country.

Mizumi: Ah, nice to meet you. I am Mizumi from the Dragon Country.

Nova (to noren): And what might be your name, green-haired man?

Noren: Oh, my?!! My name is Noren.

Nova: It is nice to meet you. My name is Nova. I hope we can get to know each other more.

Noren (to Nova): Yeah, same here.....

Narrator: Both Nova and Noren were about to handshake for their newly found friendship, but their handshake was disrupted by Itsumi, the elder sister of Noren.

Itsumi (while grabbing noren's arm): What are you doing, Noren? You can't shake hands with anyone!!

Noren: But, sis, aren't we supposed to greet someone if we meet them for the first time??

Itsumi: No, you don't!! Unless I tell you too!! He doesn't look like a good person either. He looks like a psychopath.

Nova (while scratching his head): I look like a psychopath; I never knew that. What am I saying?? I am not a psychopath; the only psychopath here is this overprotective sister!!

Itsumi (to noren): Heyy!!!! Whoever you are, keep your mouth shut!! Don't say anything bad about me or my dear brother Noren!!

Nova (while shouting): But when did I say anything to Noren? I am saying it to you!!!

Baker (to eldon): Well, I presume your name is Eldon, then. I won't be friendly like others and introduce myself to you. But as you are my opponent in the World Tournament, I would only like to say, be prepared for your loss!!

Eldon: Hahaha!! Quite funny joke mask man. But I will be the one to win the match, and not only the match against you but also the whole tournament for my Dragon Country!!!

Narrator: Meanwhile, Volker, the teacher for the Crystal Country, was summoned by the Great Leader Ayan.

Volker (while bowing before ayan): Is there anything I can do for you, The Great Leader??

Ayan: Yes. Volker I want you to be the referee for this World Tournament. Your shakti element 'Sound' will be very helpful in this situation. And I trust you that you can handle this job perfectly.

Volker: Absolutely, it will be my honor to do so, The Great Leader.

Ayan: Very well, then go and announce the beginning of the 5th World Tournament.

Narrator: Volker then reaches the center of the ground.

Volker: It's so noisy. I will first stop this. COMPLETE SILENCE!!

Narrator: Volker snapped his finger, and then everyone's voice sitting at the stadium automatically got lower.

Volker: Phew!! And now, LET THE 5TH WORLD TOURNAMENT BEGIN!!

Livon and Noriko: It's about time...

TO BE CONTINUED

NEXT CHAPTER
Chapter 24- FIRE VS SNOW