"The first match, hoop throwing competition." Zakari spoke astonishingly. Everyone was taken aback and looked at each other, thinking they had misheard.

There were three wooden dolls placed on the grass, and the competitors had twenty colored wooden hoops to throw over them. Whoever got the most hoops wins.

"What the hell? A child's game!" Baby Doll started to realize he was being tricked.

"Are the brave Seza warriors afraid to compete?"

"Humph, let's compete then!"

Ow Ow's palms were even bigger than the wooden hoops. His small slanted eyes aimed awkwardly as he flung one out, but it went too far. He threw another one, again too short. Another throw hit the doll but didn't loop around it. The hoops were not made precisely enough, flying crookedly, making it impossible to grasp the technique immediately.

Meanwhile, Garland's little guy went snap! snap! snap! Looping all three hoops cleanly around the dolls! Looks like this little brat was extremely skilled at hoop throwing.

After the first round, the little guy clearly got more hoops around.

"Hahaha, worse than a little kid!" Zakari mocked.

"First round, Garland tribe wins!" The old steward shouted, keeping record on a wooden plank.

"You cheated! This is a child's game, how can you use it to compete!" Baby Doll jumped up angrily. Unable to win three rounds, the thirty barrels of grain Zakari promised were now gone. He ground his teeth loudly.

But he didn't really lose anything yet either. He wouldn't give up, there was still time to fight back later.

"We have to compete in something manly!"

"Fine fine, next round we'll compete in something manly," Zakari smiled and nodded.

"Then the second round, let's compete in mounted archery," Galan volunteered eagerly, "We nomadic tribes are skilled at riding and shooting. No objections to comparing this, right!"

For the second round, it was the mounted archery competition commonly seen amongst the nomadic tribes. The tribesmen set up wooden frames and hung straw targets on them. Galan and a Seza archer rode side by side, both releasing arrows as they approached the target. Each of their arrows hit the targets.

Galan rode further back and shot another arrow from the greater distance. Unwilling to be outdone, his opponent also raced over. Galan's second arrow hit the target steadily. After taking a bit to aim, his opponent also managed to hit the target.

Galan was in no hurry, riding his horse back even farther. The onlookers were getting anxious by now.

"What do you think, dare to try from here?" He taunted his opponent. The opponent hesitated, but didn't believe Galan could shoot that accurately either.

Galan concentrated, skillfully taking aim and firing. The arrow struck the bullseye! The crowd cheered. His opponent tried to mimic him, but the arrow landed off-center, missing the target and hitting the ground.

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"What do you think? Convinced?"

Baby Doll was very discontent: "You two little swindlers, just competing with tricky stuff."

"Second round, Garland wins!" The old steward ignored him.

"What do you mean tricky stuff?" Zakari retorted, "You guys are just a bunch of roughnecks, nothing but brute strength!"

"Fine, we'll compete in strength. Pick your burliest man to fight!"

"Good, we'll compete in strength," Baby Doll said viciously, "I want to see how you little fellows match up against my tribesmen in strength!"

Ow Ow stood up eagerly again from the group. He was determined to redeem the earlier humiliation, excited at the mention of a strength contest.

Zakari thumped his chest, "For this round, I'll personally step up. Come at me."

They went to a corner of the village. There were some natural boulders there. Zakari pointed to the largest rock, "We'll compete in weightlifting. Whoever can lift this thing wins."

Baby Doll sneered coldly, "You think with your size you can lift weights? After you!"

Zakari was unhurried, first doing warm-up stretches, flexing his arms and legs, grunting a bit. Then he pretended to strain to move the big rock. With his size, of course it was impossible. He didn't really try, just went through the motions before giving up.

Grinning, he came back, "Ah, I really can't budge this. Galan, want to give it a try?"

With Galan's build, he was even smaller than Zakari. He also just mimed the attempt, no point actually trying. Looks like the prince intended to throw the round, handing out some concession gifts.

"Hahahaha, and I thought you had some incredible skills! Turns out this is all you've got!" Baby Doll guffawed loudly.

Ow Ow sized up the boulder, surely several hundred catties at least. But he was confident in his strength too. After limbering up a bit, he found a grip and started to lift with all his might.

Exerting himself fully, his face turned red, veins on his head bulging out, yet the boulder didn't move an inch, not even loosening the dirt below it. Desperate, Ow Ow strained even harder as the onlookers shouted encouragement.

From pushing too hard, blood vessels in Ow Ow's nose burst, covering his face in blood, but still not budging the rock the slightest bit.

Finally his arms were spent. He tried shifting to use his back muscles to push, but the rock remained completely stationary. Ow Ow lost face utterly, and Baby Doll was furious too.

"Hehehe, looks like neither the Seza nor Garland have much strength, no one can move this big rock," Zakari said amusedly.

"Third round, tie!" The steward recorded again.

After this tussle, it was probably around two hours already. Zakari wondered if father had returned yet in his heart.

"Since it's a draw, we'll concede to you all, another five barrels of grain," Zakari shrugged, putting on a very regretful look, "Twenty five barrels total, up to you if you want it. Willing to trade then take it away, if not then find someone else. We trade fairly."

At his order, his tribesmen started gathering the grain. Seeing the many large barrels brought over, the tribesmen were emboldened again. No longer afraid of these few big guys!

"What fair trade! For hundreds of miles, besides your tribe, which households have any grain left!"

"What, just because our family has grain, we must give it to you?"

"You must! I say give it, so give it!" Baby Doll shouted.

Seeing him so shameless, Galan raised his arrow again. Zakari pulled him aside and whispered: "Don't harm this fellow. They hold grudges, endless trouble if we start a blood feud."

"Got it." Galan weighed it mentally, lifting his bow and firing an arrow straight into one of Baby Doll's side braids!

The Seza were frightened badly. Baby Doll took it down and saw only a light scrape on his scalp.

"Baby Doll, don't be ungrateful!" Galan shouted, "I can take your life anytime."

"Good shot, kid. What's your name?" Baby Doll pointed and asked him.

"Galan."

Baby Doll nodded with a vicious look, "Saw you're not Garland people, are you Koz? I'll remember you. You'll get yours!"

As they were at an impasse, suddenly someone began beating drums and gongs, shouting excitedly: "The great chief is back with his men!"

Hearing this, the Garland tribe immediately cheered ecstatically, dancing and leaping. With the young and fit warriors back, they no longer feared the few big guys before them!

"Take your grain and go, fast! Otherwise when the fight starts, we'll slaughter until only twenty five of you remain, one barrel per person back. Much better!"