Gates to Infinity The Novel Series Ash and The Night Fury

chapter 14 The Trick on the Arena

The next day, the arena was filled with the people who wanted to watch the final round of Dragon Training. Those who stayed behind when Merc and the others went to search for the Nest was expecting Cynthia to win, because they had seen how well her performance before, while the ones who went with Merc couldn't wait to see who will win Dragon Training. All in all, they were excited to see the final.

"Who do you think will win, Joman?" Merc asked his Brother, who stood beside him, as he watched Cynthia and Joseph entered the arena at the same time.

"I sure hope my Son will win." Joman answered with a frown, "But I have heard how Cynthia could knock a dragon unconscious with her bare hands, so I'm a bit worried here".

Merc Chuckled, "Cynthia is really our best runner for weeks now." He said in good mood before looking at his Student, who was sitting beside him, "What do you think, Ash? You were helping Nick to train them, so I'm sure you know who has the best chance in winning".

Ash glanced as his Mentor for a second before looking back to the arena, "Cynthia has a bigger chance to win than Joseph's." He answered simply as he watched how Cynthia and Joseph nodded at each other before going to the opposite sides of the arena.

"Which dragon they will face today?" Joseph's father: Joman asked him curiously.

"The Gronckle." Ash answered shortly, just a second before Sugar entered the arena.

Earlier, he had told Sugar that she just had to go to Joseph after playing some show for the audience, his Rival would scratched her chin. They had decided that Joseph would be the best choice to show that the dragons weren't dangerous. Joseph was bonded with Flames, so even if Flames was spooked during the event, he wouldn't kill the boy. That's why he told Sugar to go to Joseph, so his chance of getting chosen would be bigger than if Cynthia won.

From the look of it, Cynthia was playing some act of her own, she would throw her axe to the Gronckle then jumped away when Sugar would shot at her. Of course, both of them were missing their target on purpose. Then, Joseph threw his club just in front of Sugar, and that was the sign that they chose to let Meatlug know that it was time for her to go to the boy.

Just as planned, Sugar turned her attention from Cynthia to Joseph, then she make a bee line towards the boy. Joseph, seeing the opportunity, let out a battle cry so the crowd's attention would be on her. While the other Runners turned their attention towards the girl, Joseph immediately scratched Sugar's chin to find out where her pressure point was. Once he found it and scratched it, Sugar dropped to the ground and moaning in bliss.

The whole arena broke into a loud cheer as soon as Sugar dropped in front of Joseph's feet.

"That's my boy!" Joseph's father cheered, "Joseph! Joseph! Oh Rah!".

"Alright!" Merc stood up as he addressed the whole cheering audience, "Be quiet for a bit! Jurly has decided the winner!".

Ash watched as Nick pointed his hook above Joseph, he held his breath as he hoped that Jurly would choose the boy, but Jurly shook her head. Crap! He cursed in his mind, he should know that just winning three rounds of Dragon Training wasn't enough to get Joseph chosen, not when Cynthia already won 5 rounds.

Sure enough, when Nick raised his right hand above Cynthia, Jurly nodded and smiled in answer.

The whole arena broke into a loud cheer, all of them either congratulating Cynthia's mother or Cynthia herself. All of them were excited, except for the teens, they were worried because it would be harder for Cynthia to handle the situation if Flames got spooked when the girl tried to touch him.

With Ash and the gang

"Ash! What should we do now?!" Cynthia asked as she was pacing around the Cove, her mind racing to think of what she should do when it was time for her to fight Flames.