Chương 8: Give her Best
Town Square
The Towanda Kingdom was made up of seven regions. It was said that the first king had seven sons. He assigned each son to rule over one of the regions, while his firstborn became the heir to the throne.
The seven brothers had clear leadership roles: six of them governed their regions, passing leadership to their sons, while they all submitted to the eldest brother, who was the king and held the highest authority in Towanda.
During the Age Grade Festival, every eligible son from the six regions traveled to the seventh region, which was also the royal city, to perform the coming-of-age rites and pledge loyalty to the king. The strong unity among the seven regions had made Towanda one of the most powerful kingdoms. Their neighbors both feared and respected them.
When Iyare and her family arrived at the town square, it was still early, but several families had already gathered. Fortunately, they were not too late, and due to their family's prestige, they were able to secure seats inside the main square, giving them an excellent view of the festivities.
"Iye, I want to go and look for my friends," Iyare said after her family had settled down.
"Go ahead," Uye permitted with a smile. She knew that Iyare was looking for an excuse to disappear into the crowd and switch places with her brother later.
Emu and Eloho were once again surprised. Their mother-in-law usually insisted that the children stay within view during large festivals, as such occasions attracted kidnappers looking for children to sell as slaves.
"Iye, can my sisters and I go look for our friends too?" Oma, the first daughter of Osaze's second wife, asked. She was a year younger than Iyare. Seeing Iyare given permission, she also wanted to find her friends.
"What friends are you looking for on an occasion like this?" Uye snapped.
"But Iye, you allowed Iyare," Oma protested, feeling it was unfair. Iyare, who had carried the most load in previous years, was now walking empty-handed and even allowed to wander off.
"So? Iyare is close to marriageable age. She wouldn't easily get lost. Besides, she's been indoors for months. If she doesn't find friends, how will she get a husband?" Uye quickly came up with an excuse.
Eloho and Emu were not convinced. A daughter from a general's family would never struggle to find a husband. They began to suspect that Uye was favoring Iyare because she resembled her brother. However, no matter what they thought, they dared not question their mother-in-law.
Iyare smoothly switched places with her brother during the dance presentation. As expected, the news of Efosa's talent had spread across the kingdom. The young men from the other six regions were eager to challenge him. As soon as the floor was opened for challenges, ten young men stepped forward, all wanting to wrestle him.
Seeing the situation, General Edosa, as the first general, stepped forward and said, "Efosa cannot fight against ten people alone. Why don't you wrestle among yourselves first, and the top three can challenge Efosa?"
His suggestion was reasonable, and the crowd agreed. General Edosa was relieved by their cooperation, though he felt he may have overhyped his "grandson's" reputation, which had now become a double-edged sword.
The entire town square buzzed with energy as the crowd eagerly awaited the matches. These ten young men were also known for their skills, making the competition even more exciting.
The First Round
Five pairs of wrestlers stood in the sandy arena, each focused and determined. The rule was simple: defeat your opponent as quickly as possible. The first person to defeat his opponent won the first slot to challenge Efosa.
As soon as the gong sounded, the crowd erupted in cheers, watching the wrestlers engage in fierce combat.
Wrestler 1 lunged forward, grappling with Wrestler 2. After a brief struggle, Wrestler 1 used his speed to sweep Wrestler 2's legs out from under him, pinning him to the ground. The crowd cheered loudly as Wrestler 1 claimed victory. Wrestler 2 left the arena, disappointed by his quick defeat.
Meanwhile Wrestler 3, known for his strength, overpowered Wrestler 4. Despite Wrestler 4's attempts to evade, a powerful push from Wrestler 3 ended the match swiftly.
The match between wrestler 5 and six was slower, more strategic fight. Wrestler 5 used his agility to evade Wrestler 6's relentless attacks. However, Wrestler 6 managed to flip Wrestler 5 onto his back, pinning him down for the win.
This left only two pair of wrestlers on the stage. These group seemed to be equally matched in strength and ability.
Wrestler 7 displayed excellent technique, countering Wrestler 8's moves with precision. After a tense back-and-forth, Wrestler 7 trapped Wrestler 8 in a hold, forcing him to submit.
In a display of raw power, Wrestler 9 defeated Wrestler 10 after several attempts, pinning him to the ground in a decisive victory.
Since Wrestler 1 secured the fastest victory, he earned a bye to the final round. The remaining winners—Wrestlers 3, 6, 7, and 9—faced off in the second round.
Match 1: Wrestler 3's strength once again proved decisive. Despite Wrestler 6's agility, he couldn't escape Wrestler 3's relentless holds. Wrestler 3 emerged victorious.
Meanwhile Wrestler 9 dominated with sheer power, defeating Wrestler 7 after a tough battle.
Seated at the front, Iyare calmly observed the matches. In previous years, she had watched without understanding much. After all listening in and be taught were two different things. So This time, she analyzed every move, noting the strengths and weaknesses of each wrestler.
With less experience, she knew she had to rely on strategy to win. If she failed to perform well, she might as well not return home.
When the final round was announced, lots were drawn to determine the pairings. Iyare's first opponent was Wrestler 1.
Seeing the result, Iyare sighed inwardly at her bad luck. She hadn't been able to observe his match properly earlier, as it had ended quickly. Still, she prepared herself, determined to give her best.
Tình trạng nguồn điện hàng tuần
-- Xếp hạng
Quyền lực 
-- Đá
Quyền lực