The Tournament at the Tatzelwurm Arena!

Today was the last day of the Three Lords Festival. It was also the day of the big tournament held in honor of the festival. Tatsuya and the others were walking down to the arena to join the massive crowd in watching the tournament. When they were in view of the venue, he realized that it was the exact same place where his ceremony was held.

The arena, which he learned from Mr. Urushihara was called the Tatzlewurm Arena, was a giant stone colosseum. It stood taller than Tokyo tower and was double the size of a soccer field. And with a capacity of over 130,000, the Tatzlewurm Arena was Jaculus City’s main venue for entertainment and sporting events. Standing guard in front of the arena were agents from the United Front.

Tatsuya and his group had finally made it to the entrance when he was suddenly attacked by someone he had least expected to meet here. “Tatsuya-kyun! Oh, how I’m so happy to see you here!” said Nobi, pulling Tatsuya into a tight vice-like hug. Tatsuya’s face was turning a bright purple as he struggled to breathe while being caught in the prince’s deadly grip.

A hand suddenly grabbed the prince by the collar of his shirt and pulled him off of the Dragonborn. “Excuse me, President, but shouldn’t you show a little more restraint as befitting your status?” asked the person behind him with a scary smile.

“Ah, Jeroji,” said Nobi with a nervous laugh.

Jeroji let go of the prince and apologized to Tatsuya with a bow. “I apologize on behalf of the President for any rudeness he may have caused.”

“That’s fine, heh heh,” said Tatsuya, rubbing his chest with a nervous laugh.

“You must be Owatatsumi Tatsuya,” said Jeroji. “I heard so much about you from the President. I am Jeroji, vice-president of the United Front.” He was a tall and muscular man with toned muscles and a strong jaw. He had short maple-brown hair in a buzz-cut and honey-brown eyes, and his skin tone was the color of tree bark. A prominent scar ran from the left corner of his lips to his cheek. His presence was intimidating and stern like that of a general, yet his character was courteous and polite. He wore a bronze long-sleeved shirt with a white waist-length tunic wrapped around it and a pair of brown trousers.

“Say, Jeroji, shouldn’t you be checking the security of the place?” Nobi asked his vice-president. Jeroji shot the prince a threatening glare. He then grabbed the prince by the collar of his shirt once again and walked off, dragging the prince behind him. As he was being dragged away, Nobi waved wildly back at the group while shouting, “I’ll be back! Tatsuya-kyun! Ashira-tan! Wait for me!”

“So that’s the vice-president of the United Front,” said Tatsuya once they were gone from view.

“He’s a tough one,” added Mr. Urushihara with a nod of his head.

They finally made it inside and were given their seat numbers. As they were about to go find their seats, Tatsuya suddenly felt a very familiar feeling building inside of him. He knew that he shouldn’t have drank two glasses of peach juice, but the flavor was too addicting that he couldn’t stop himself. And now, his gluttonous behavior is coming back to bite him. “Um, sorry, but can you guys go first? I got to go use the restroom,” he told the others.

“We told you that you should’ve gone at the inn,” said Sunaji.

“Well I didn’t have to go that time,” Tatsuya whined back.

“The restroom is down the hallway to your left,” Mr. Urushihara told him.

Tatsuya followed his teacher’s instructions and found the restroom. He went inside and was happy to see that it was the same as the public restrooms back home in the human realm. As he was relieving himself, he heard a very hearty voice enter.

“Ha ha! It’s time to put an end to this question once and for all!” declared the hearty voice.

“But the odds are very much against you,” said another voice.

“That’s just numbers and words,” dismissed the hearty voice, “We don’t know for sure until we battle it out!”

“But he’s very strong, you know,” said the second voice. “I heard that he’s perfected more than fifty special moves for this very occasion.”

“Well for every fifty moves he perfected, I’ll answer back with two special moves of my own! Ha ha ha ha!” laughed the hearty voice.

Tatsuya had finished his business by now and proceeded to go wash his hands. He wasn’t sure if he should be listening to this conversation, but he couldn’t help but be intrigued by what they were talking about. From what he could gather by the conversation, it seems that one of the men was competing in this tournament as a fighter. ‘Were they talking about their game plan? Is it really alright for me to eavesdrop on them like this? What would happen to me if they found out?’ These thoughts troubled Tatsuya greatly once he realized the danger of secretly listening in on what could’ve been a secret game plan. He finished washing his hands and reached out for a paper towel to dry them off. His mind was still in agitation over the prospect of being found out and dealt with that he unknowingly grabbed onto an unfamiliar piece of cloth. He turned to see just what it was he was grabbing and almost had a heart attack once he saw that it was none other than the pants of a giant muscle-bound warrior.

“Excuse me, but could you please let go?” asked the warrior, the owner of the hearty voice from before.

“Ah, sorry!” apologized Tatsuya, quickly pulling his hand back and bowing his head down in apology and fear. He slowly looked up at the warrior with his eyes and almost had another heart attack upon seeing the warrior’s full image.

The warrior was a giant and buff man with wild fiery red hair and a matching beard, blazing orange-red eyes like a pair burning coals, and a dark-red skin tone. He had a very big scar running through his right eye in the shape of a lightning bolt, and an even bigger scar across his chest. His muscles were more pronounced than boulders and perfectly molded to resemble the chiseled muscles of Heracles. His height was monstrous! In fact, Tatsuya had never seen a man this tall in his entire life, save for a few professional basketball players. With matching giant hands and feet, Tatsuya couldn’t help but wonder if this man was an actual giant instead of a dragon. He was dressed in a simple pair of trouser shorts.

“It’s quite alright!” the warrior told Tatsuya with a smile.

Tatsuya stood back up and asked, “Are you a fighter in this tournament?”

“Why yes I am,” confirmed the warrior with a hearty laugh.

“Do you not know who this is?” came the owner of the second voice, who was now standing next to the warrior. He was a short man with stringy orange hair and red eyes. “This here is Regus the Indomitable! He is one of the best gladiators of the modern age!”

“Now, now, Cassio, we can do without the title,” said Regus bashfully.

“But, Regus, it’s a fact that you’re one of the best,” protested Cassio.

“Well, I hope that you beat the other guy,” said Tatsuya. Both Regus and Cassio suddenly turned their attention to him and Tatsuya realized what he had just said. He immediately froze up in fear. His guilt eventually built up past the breaking point and he quickly bowed his head in apology and fear. “I’m sorry! I overheard everything! I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on your game plan! Please forgive me!”

Regus simply let out a very hearty laugh. This response surprised and confused Tatsuya greatly. “It’s quite alright,” Regus reassured him. “There was nothing secret about that ‘game plan’. I promise you that you’re fine.”

“R-Really?” said Tatsuya sheepishly.

“But thank you for the encouragement,” said Regus with a happy sigh. “Ah, by the way, what is your name?” asked the warrior.

“It’s Owatatsumi Tatsuya,” Tatsuya told him.

“Well, it was nice meeting you, Owatatsumi Tatsuya,” said Regus with a nod. “I hope you enjoy the tournament.”

“I will,” agreed Tatsuya. He then left the restroom and went back to join the others.

Once he was gone, Regus looked over at Cassio and said, “I feel like I heard that name before.”

“From where?” asked Cassio.

“I’m not sure,” admitted Regus.

Tatsuya got to his seat, located in the third row of the middle section of the colosseum, and sat down next to Aika and Mr. Urushihara. “How was your trip?” asked the teacher.

“I met one of the fighters there,” Tatsuya told him.

“Really? Who?” asked Mr. Urushihara excitedly.

“I think his name was—,” began Tatsuya, but he was immediately interrupted by the announcer’s voice on the PA system.

“Goooood moorniiiing, everyone!” came the announcer’s voice. A spotlight shone on him in the announcer’s box. He was a young child, at least appearance-wise—Lindworm, and had sparkly golden hair in a quiff and matching sparkling gold eyes. He was dressed in a spiffy golden suit and tie and had an earring dangling from his left earlobe. “Are you ready for today’s special event?” he asked the crowd. The crowd answered back with frantic cheers. “Allllllright!” agreed the announcer. “My name is Froyd and I will be this tournament’s announcer. Let’s all have a good time and enjoy this spectacular event in honor of the Three Lords Festival!” The crowd again cheered frantically in agreement to the announcer’s words. “Now, before we start, we have a very big surprise for you all! But first, a few words from our mayor, Mayor Hanza!”

The mayor approached the announcer’s microphone and Tatsuya remembered him from the day he went to the United Front’s headquarters with Mr. Urushihara. Standing next to the mayor was a man Tatsuya had never seen before. He was a tall and skinny man with short silver hair and glittering blue eyes, dressed in a Victorian-style suit and tie. The mayor tapped on the microphone and cleared his throat. “Hello, everyone! I would like to begin by thanking you all for attending this wondrous event held in honor of the Three Lords Festival. It is my hope that you all enjoy this event that many of your fellow citizen have worked so hard to set up. And the fighters themselves, who have worked hard to cultivate their skills for the purpose of honoring the gods, I hope that you all give them your full attention and appreciation for all they’ve done to put on a spectacular show for you all. This is the final event that will mark the end of the Three Lords Festival, so please enjoy it to the fullest. That is all I ask of you all. Thank you!”

Once the mayor finished, the crowd cheered with thunderous applause. The announcer, Froyd, came back on the microphone. “And now, to signify the start of the tournament, we have a very big surprise for you all! Here to get you all excited for the biggest event of the season, and to promote her latest album, Fire and Ice, it’s the hottest idol to ever grace the face of the universe! Give it up for Ginger Sakura!” The crowd exploded in cheers and applause. Tatsuya couldn’t hold in his excitement either and joined in the frenzy.

Suddenly, the arena began to rumble as the floor split into two and opened to reveal a rising stage. The stage stopped once it was well above ground level. A cloud of smoke appeared on stage and then quickly dispersed to reveal the lady of the hour. Ginger Sakura, clad in her typical shimmering hot pink sleeveless top and matching pleated miniskirt and pumps, approached the microphone and addressed the crowd. “Super hello everyone! Are we all having super fun?” she asked the crowd. Everyone replied with frantic applause and cheers. “Super alright then! Let’s get this super party super started! I’m going to sing for you all the latest super single off of my super album! Hope you guys super enjoy!”

The lights in the colosseum turned off and the stage lights came on. The music began and Ginger Sakura sang her song “Fire and Ice” from her latest album of the same name. Tatsuya had only heard this song a few times on his phone thanks to the upgrade he received on his first day here, but he memorized each and every word like a true fan. The song went as follows: “People say that opposites attract. If that’s true, then I might be falling in love with you. But the way you’re acting, you try to push me away. Why can’t you be more honest with yourself? Let me be the fire to your cold heart. And you can be the ice that cools me down. Just like fire and ice. We’re opposites but yet we fit together pretty nice. My passion burns for you each and every day. And your coolness draws me in and calms my tender heart. Just like fire and ice.”

The show was spectacular and Tatsuya couldn’t believe that he was actually participating in a Ginger Sakura concert while in the dragon realm. This was insane! He was fully immersed in the music, the dancing, the singing…everything! This was a dream come true for him.

The performance came to an end and the crowd went wild. “Everyone, super thank you for your support!” said Ginger Sakura. “Now, let’s get to the super main event!”

“Our idol is correct!” agreed Froyd, the announcer. The stage retracted back into the ground and the floor closed to become one again. “Now, let us welcome the fighters!” Immediately following this announcement, the fighters entered the colosseum and the crowd went wild once again.

Tatsuya counted more than twenty participants. He noticed that not all of them were dragons; in fact, a few of the participants were of different races: centaurs, lizard-people, dwarves, and elves. They were all dressed in armor ranging from very light to very heavy.

Froyd introduced each of the fighters, giving their names, tribe affiliation, and other pertinent information regarding their status as fighters and champions. And then, it came time to introduce the two stars of today’s tournament. The first star was Regus, nicknamed Regus the Indomitable, a champion of the Draco tribe. He has won many tournaments and championships in the past and holds the most wins in tournament history with 265.

“Ah, that’s the guy I met in the restroom,” Tatsuya told the others, pointing at Regus.

“You met Regus the Indomitable?!” exclaimed Mr. Urushihara in disbelief.

The second star was Galark, nicknamed Galark the Enigma, a champion of the Bakunawa tribe. He has also won many tournaments and championships in the past and holds the record for the most knockouts in tournament history with 242.

Galark was a tall and intimidating man with short bluish-silver hair and shiny silver eyes. He was muscular just like Regus, but his muscles were more lean and carefully sculpted rather than buff and Herculean like the Draco. He had a cleft chin and well-defined square jaws. His right ear was filled from top to bottom with golden earrings, and he also had a piercing over his left eyebrow. His entire body was filled with tattoos of stars and constellations. Like Regus, he was dressed in a simple pair of trouser shorts.

Now that introductions were over, the tournament officially began. One by one, the fighters engaged in spectacular battles. Tatsuya would be lying if he said that he wasn’t captivated by their performances. He was absolutely drawn in by their unyielding tenacity, their unforgiving displays of power, their admirable sportsmanship, their indomitable wills. This was even better than watching the fights back at home, not that he had ever really watched those fights before, and he immediately found himself very invested in wanting to find out who will win each battle.

The tournament eventually culminated in the final battle of the day. Although it appears that it was more or less a given that the final competitors would be Regus and Galark, the battles leading up to this were still worth watching. Tatsuya was also able to see for himself just how great those two stars were when they were fighting the other competitors with their full strength. And now, it was time for them to face each other and Tatsuya couldn’t wait for it either.

“It’s now time for the final battle!” announced Froyd. “Is everyone reeeaaaaadddyyyyyyy?” he asked the crowd. Everyone answered him with frantic cheers. “Alrighty then! Let’s bring them out! In the right corner, we have the Draco warrior, the wildfire of a man with 265 wins, a man whose giant body is second only to his giant heart, Regus the Indomitable!”

Regus entered the arena with a very hearty laugh, happily waving his hands to the crowd. Everyone cheered and applauded him. There was no doubt that he was a favorite to win this.

“And in the left corner, we have the Bakunawa champion, the record holder of most knockouts in tournament history with a total of 242, a mysterious man with expertise in the magical arts, Galark the Enigma!” announced Froyd.

Galark entered the arena with a small confident smile and his arms crossed over his chest. The crowd went wild with their cheers and applause. There was no doubt that he was also a favorite to win this.

“Now, as we have established before,” began Froyd, “there are no strict rules in this tournament in regards to the fighting. Fighters are free to use weapons, magic, powers, and any kind of fighting style or method they choose. The only rule we have is that fighters cannot use potentially fatal techniques nor any technique with intent to kill. If fighters are found guilty of this, they will be disqualified and suspended from participation in any future tournaments until lifted, depending on the severity of their crime. Well then, without further ado, let’s get this battle started!”

Regus and Galark walked up to each other and shook hands. “I’ve been waiting for this, Galark,” said Regus heartily.

“Me too,” agreed Galark. “Now that our time to battle has come, who do you think will win this?”

“I would love to say me, but I can’t be too cocky now, can I? I mean, I am battling Galark the Enigma. Who knows what tricks you have under your sleeve?” said Regus with a laugh.

“You are correct,” agreed Galark. “I can’t be too cocky either. Let us decide it here and now with this battle.”

“You read my mind! Ha ha ha!”

Both fighters broke off and walked back to their respective corners. They got into their fighting stances and waited for the announcer to start the fight. “Ready, and, fight!” announced Froyd. The battle commenced.

Regus began the battle off with a giant fireball lobbed at his opponent. Galark held out his hand and a magic circle appeared and nullified the fireball into nothingness. However, this tiny moment of vulnerability allowed Regus to jump into the air while hiding behind the projectile and hit Galark with a surprise attack. With his Dragon Regalia in hand: a giant red mace with flame shaped spikes, Regus brought it down on his opponent from overhead once the fireball disappeared into nothingness.

Despite how ingenious the Draco’s plan was, Galark was prepared for every possibility. He had also quickly brought out his Dragon Regalia: a blue-silver saber with runes etched onto the blade and a carved dragon-head hilt, and used it to defend himself by placing it in between his head and Regus’ mace. Using his warrior strength, he pushed the Draco off of him.

Regus landed back on his feet and laughed heartily. The crowd went wild with their cheers and applause to show their approval of the wonderful and balanced call-and-response between the two fighters. “I guess I’ll have to rethink my strategy,” said Regus.

“I am humbled to be acknowledged by a great fighter such as yourself,” said Galark.

Tatsuya’s heart was beating fifty miles a minute. The battle had only just begun yet he’s already at the edge of his seat! The strength and power that the two fighters possessed was enough to make even the first move seem impressive and adrenaline-inducing.

Galark now took the initiative and rushed forward with his saber pointed outwards. Regus answered his opponent with his own courageous display of strength and rushed ahead with his mace brought up and ready to smash back down. Once again, their weapons clashed and both fighters were forced backwards. Again, the crowd went wild.

Regus held out his hand and began to chant a spell. Suddenly, a giant dragon claw made out of fire shot out straight for Galark. The Bakunawa stood his ground and held out his hand. This time, there was no magic circle. Instead, he touched the giant claw of fire with his hand and the spell suddenly disappeared into nothingness.

“Whoa, what happened?” asked Tatsuya, surprised by what he had just witnessed.

“That’s the Bakunawa tribe’s birthright,” explained Mr. Urushihara. “Each tribe has a birthright that is shared between all of its members, regardless of status or lineage. This is not the same as the gifted powers of Blessed Children. The Bakunawa’s birthright is the innate ability to negate all forms of magic, except for those of their own tribe. This means that all forms of magic is useless against them unless if it is magic by another Bakunawa.”

“They can do that?” exclaimed Tatsuya in awe.

“Some of the other tribes’ birthrights that you should be aware of include: Dracos, who has the ability to combust any kind of matter; Nagas, who can heal any living being; Quetzalcoatls, who can manipulate their very presence; Pythons, who can harden their skin to become tougher than diamonds; Druks, who possesses super-dragon speed; and Lindworms, who possess the special ability to view causes and events before they happen,” explained the teacher. He then cupped his hands around his mouth and, like your typical manic sports fan, shouted frantically, “Come on, Regus! Show us why you’re called the Indomitable! Hit him where it hurts!”

Back to the battle, Regus and Galark were now exchanging blows with their weapons. Neither of them were willing to surrender and they fought with all of their might without holding back at all. Regus fought valiantly with a hearty grin on his face and a very direct way of attacking. Galark wore a calculated smile while executing very precise parries and feints and counterattacks. They were both perfect opposites and their powers were more than equally matched.

Regus straightforward attack tactic gradually overwhelmed Galark and he managed to push the Bakunawa back towards the wall. Galark noticed his position and welcomed it as an ingenious counterattack tactic formed in his mind. He drew Regus in more and more and then, once the Draco was within range, he executed a perfectly timed feint to the left and counterattacked by striking the Draco across his back and sending him right into the wall.

The impact caused the wall to shatter a bit, and the entire arena became frantic. Regus stood still with his face still in the wall like some Saturday morning-cartoon character. The wall crumbled a bit and Regus pushed himself out. And then, to the surprise of everyone in the arena, he let out an echoing laugh heartier than a grandfather’s love for his grandchildren.

“Well done, Galark!” praised Regus with a beaming smile.

“I am humbled by your praise,” said Galark with a smile of his own.

“Just how strong are they?” asked Tatsuya aloud in disbelief.

Both combatants quickly resumed their fight. Regus brought down his mace and almost clubbed Galark if the Bakunawa hadn’t jumped away at the last minute. Galark responded back with a side strike from his saber, forcing Regus back to avoid a slash to his abdomen. Livening thing up even more, Regus chanted a spell that unleashed a barrage of bowling ball-sized fireballs with comet-like tails at his enemy. Using the spell as a smokescreen, he took advantage of Galark’s birthright of magic negation and dashed forward with his mace poised forward. Once the spell disappeared after Galark touched the very first fireball within range, Regus was within striking distance and had his mace brought up above his head. Galark responded by drawing his own saber above head to stop Regus’ attack. Both their weapon’s clashed. It appears that the Draco’s plan was ineffective after all.

“Sorry, Regus, but that plan was unbefitting a warrior of your status,” said Galark disappointedly.

Regus didn’t respond with a word and simply smiled brightly at his opponent. Galark couldn’t help but feel that something wasn’t right. This smile that the Draco was wearing wasn’t anything like his typical hearty smiles or jolly grins…there was something dangerous about it. It took a second before the Bakunawa finally deciphered what the reason for it’s dangerousness was—the confidence of a natural-born warrior. Regus was a man raised on the battlefield, a man who thrived in combat, and this smile that he wore was the same as that of a battle-hardened warrior with years of experience. Pure confidence and determination oozed from his smile, and it scared Galark greatly. ‘Why is he so confident?’ wondered the Bakunawa nervously.

Suddenly, a loud bang happened and the ground under Galark miraculously exploded, forcing him to jump backwards. Just as quickly as he had escaped, a giant wall of fire rose up from the ground and surrounded him on three sides in the shape of a semicircle. With the wall at his back, there was no way for him to escape. He couldn’t jump out since the flames reached to the skies. And he couldn’t possibly transform in this small space without the risk of burning himself. He was trapped. He tried to calculate the best answer to this obstacle, magic or otherwise, but the shock of suddenly being caught in a compromising situation rattled him.

The wall of fire then disappeared and Galark frantically looked around for an answer to this sudden turn of events. Then, as his face turned back to its original position, he found Regus’ club just centimeters away from his nose. If it was any closer, Galark’s nose would’ve for sure been shattered.

“Is this checkmate?” asked Regus with a smile.

Galark let out a sigh of defeat and smiled, nodding his head. “I admit defeat,” said the Bakunawa with no hesitation at all.

“Regus the Indomitable wins!” announced Froyd.

The crowd became more hectic than the inside of a beehive. Everyone’s cheer and applause eventually melded into one big lump of admiration and celebration. Their voices joined to create a massive choir, chanting Regus’ name and letting it echo to the skies. His name was on everyone’s lips and the entire arena became one big Regus fest. Confetti rained down onto the champion and fireworks shot up into the skies to create a colorful portrait of their champion in the heavens above. A group of women walked out to present the champion his reward: a glistening gold medallion the size of a giant wheel of cheese.

The cheers began to die down and everyone in the arena stood up onto their feet. Tatsuya unconsciously joined in despite not knowing what was going to happen next. Suddenly, the voices of everyone in the arena, from the audience to the fighters to the workers, all joined together once again to create a choir and sing a song. Tatsuya was caught off guard by the song and panic began to settle inside of him once it was obvious that he was the odd one out in the crowd.

Mr. Urushihara nudged Tatsuya’s shoulder with his elbow to get his attention. Tatsuya turned to the teacher with expectant eyes. The teacher simply gestured for him to bright out his phone and held up three fingers. Tatsuya brought out his phone and opened the ‘Songs’ app. He then pressed on the third song and opened up the lyrics. The words were all in Japanese, which was convenient for him. From the corner of his eye, he could see Mr. Urushihara flashing him a thumbs up. Tatsuya nodded and joined in with the audience to sing the song.

The song was a Song of Wisdom that celebrates the Celestial Dragons of war, victory, and blessings, as well as philosophical commentary on such topics. The lyrics went as follows: “Victory is a blessing of war. To win is the objective. Strive to be victorious physically, mentally, and spiritually. War is a constant struggle of life. Fight to win against yourself and injustice. Nothing is guaranteed, even victory. Blessings are the victories we achieve through our struggle. In order to achieve blessing and victory, fight to the end in our daily struggles. What cannot be guaranteed can be granted through hard work. This is the war we fight.”

Unlike the other Song of Wisdom with it’s enigmatic lyrics about everything and nothing, the lyrics to this song about war and victory and blessings was easier for Tatsuya to understand. He understood the wisdom behind the lyrics and knew them to be true. Never before had he heard a very profound song that he can identify with.

Once the song was finished, the audience began to disperse and exit the arena. Tatsuya and his group eventually made it back to the lobby. As they were talking amongst themselves about the tournament, and dealing with Mr. Urushihara’s fanboying over Regus the Indomitable, a very familiar and unmistakable hearty voice caught their attention.

“Well, how did you like the tournament, my little friend?” came Regus with a laugh. He wore the medallion around his neck with pride.

“Ah, Regus!” said Tatsuya.

“Was my victory within your expectations?” asked the champion.

“Yeah, you were great!” praised Tatsuya with a nod of his head. Regus simply laughed heartily and held his rumbling tummy like a jolly old man.

“Regus the Indomitable!” squealed Mr. Urushihara. He ran up to the champion and said, “I’m a very big fan of yours! Please, can I have your autograph?”

“Sure thing!” agreed Regus.

The teacher quickly brought out an action figure of the champion from inside his shirt and a felt-tip pen. Regus took the pen and signed the action figure. All the while, Mr. Urushihara watched with stars in his eyes. “Here you are,” said Regus, handing back the now-signed action figure to the teacher. Mr. Urushihara gratefully accepted it and squealed with glee as he caressed the signed action figure like your typical superfan.

Regus than turned back to Tatsuya and asked, “Say, my little friend, how about joining me and some friends for a celebratory party at the Tarasque Tavern?”

“I-I don’t know,” said Tatsuya nervously.

“Your friends can join too!” added the champion. “As they say, the more the merrier, ha ha ha!”

Before Tatsuya could answer, another familiar voice interrupted him. “Tatsuya-kyun!” shouted Nobi as he rushed on over and glomping tightly onto Tatsuya. “Oh, I was so sad when I found out that we weren’t going to be seated next to each other! I would’ve enjoyed the show even more if you were by my side! Did you enjoy the show? But maybe not as much as if I was by your side, am I right? Did you miss me too?” rambled the prince.

“Um-um-um,” stammered Tatsuya in reply.

“Tatsuya-kyun!” exclaimed the prince.

A hand suddenly rested upon the prince’s shoulder and a very scary aura from behind him made the hairs on his neck stand up. “President, shouldn’t we get going? Or are you hungry for more punishment?” said Jeroji darkly. Without bothering to hear the prince’s response, Jeroji pulled Nobi off of Tatsuya and held tightly onto his shirt. “I apologize for the President’s behavior,” apologized Jeroji with a bow.

“Ah, the heads of the United Front! You’re just in time for my invitation!” announced Regus. “Would you like to join me and a few friends for a celebratory part at the Tarasque Tavern?”

“Of c—,” answered back the prince.

“I am sorry, but we have to decline,” interrupted Jeroji. He then flashed the prince a scowl. Nobi shut his mouth and remained silent. “Now, if you please excuse me, we have work to do.” He then walked off while dragging the prince behind him.

Regus turned back to Tatsuya and asked, “Well?”

“Of course!” quickly accepted Mr. Urushihara. He quickly grabbed the champion’s hands and shook them. “You’ll see us there for sure!”

Regus laughed heartily and said, “Alright then! I’ll see you all at the Tarasque Tavern this evening! We’re going to drink until daybreak! Ha ha ha ha ha!”

After the champion left, Tatsuya turned Mr. Urushihara around and quickly exclaimed, “Are you out of your mind?! Aren’t we leaving tomorrow for the Pyroignis Empire?! How can we spend the night drinking until daybreak?! And I can’t even drink anyway!”

“Tatsuya,” said Mr. Urushihara with a serious face, “you only ever get one chance in your life to spend the night drinking with your childhood hero.”

“That’s not the problem here!” shouted Tatsuya furiously.

“Come on, it’s only one night,” said the teacher with a stupid grin on his face.

“But I don’t even drink!” said Tatsuya.

“You’re not in the human realm anymore, so human laws don’t work here,” pointed out the teacher. “Also, the drinking age in the dragon realm is equivalent to about 15 years old in human terms. And you’re 16 years old, right? So you should be fine.”

“I don’t think that logic works even if we’re in a completely different world,” commented Tatsuya.

“It’ll be fine, trust me,” said the teacher.

Tatsuya could only sigh in response. ‘Is this really going to be okay?’ he asked himself.