Chapter 180: It's Already Over
CRACK!
Amidst flying splinters, his opponent was directly unseated.
This was the transformation brought by Master-level Horsemanship.
Originally, if these knights fought on foot, in a one-on-one situation, they probably wouldn't last more than half a minute against him.
But if it turned into mounted combat, these knights, with their superb horsemanship, could easily defeat him.
After all, while most witchers knew how to ride, at best it served merely as transportation, far from meeting the standards of mounted combat.
However, once Lynn leveled his horsemanship to Master-level, he became like a veteran who had galloped on horseback for decades.
Not only could he effortlessly control the warhorse beneath him, but he could also instantly judge the warhorse's stamina, control the horse's various gaits, and adjust the accuracy of his lance charge, the angle of his shield defense, and so on...
All of these, without dozens of years of campaigning and hundreds, even thousands, of battlefield skirmishes, would have been impossible. But with Lynn achieving Master-level Horsemanship, anything became possible.
After the match, the winged-helmet knight walked up and shook Lynn's hand, genuinely congratulating him. The crowd in the stands roared with cheers, both for Lynn's victory and for the winged-helmet knight's magnanimous spirit.
The lance combat continued for another two days, eliminating more participants. The remaining contestants then began the Team Tournament. Teams of five would compete against each other.
To avoid bloodshed, only unsharpened training swords were allowed.
Lynn's teammates, he noticed, all had calloused hands, not from holding pitchforks for years, but from wielding swords.
It seemed the upcoming battles wouldn't be a situation of him carrying four others. And indeed, that proved true. Their team faced little hardship, as each of his teammates could easily defeat their respective opponents.
The Team Tournament ended the fastest, as each round eliminated at least five people. In just one day, the Team Tournament reached its climax.
Unsurprisingly, Lynn's team won all the way to the end. Therefore, the final battle of the day was a free-for-all among their own team members.
Companions who had fought side-by-side moments ago suddenly became obstacles to winning the grand prize. Only by defeating all opponents could one claim the championship.
The Team Tournament arena was the same as the lance combat arena, just without the wooden barrier in the middle that prevented warhorses from colliding.
The Team Tournament had always been the climax of the Knights' Tourney. Archery didn't even involve physical contact. Lance combat, while fitting the image of a tourney, wouldn't have the kind of fair duel where defeating one person meant victory.
Only the Team Tournament, where participants continued to fight despite their exhaustion, more closely resembled a real battlefield. Besides, who, regardless of gender or age, wouldn't enjoy watching a bunch of men fighting in the mud?
When Lynn's team entered the arena, the audience, who had been watching fights all day and were starting to feel a bit bored, suddenly became emotional. They knew that the champion would be one of the five men below.
This year's championship prize, unlike previous years' swords and famous horses, was a vineyard and a large tract of land. In other words, one lucky person among the five below would be freed from their previous destitution and constant struggle, leaping to become a respected individual.
Since it was the final match of the Knights' Tourney, Duchess Anna Henrietta and all the nobles and courtiers were also present. The Duchess curiously watched Lynn, who was preparing in the arena.
Although Lynn had changed his appearance, the Duchess recognized his new, false identity's appearance due to their prior discussion. What she hadn't expected was that the witcher could actually make it all the way to the end of the tourney.
At this moment, the Duchess noticed the announcer looking at her inquiringly. "Your Grace?"
She nodded to him. The announcer then declared in a booming voice:
"Gentlemen, and ladies, cheer for our brave warriors!"
"They have come all this way, overcoming obstacles and defeating many opponents."
"Now, their only opponents are their former comrades."
"Next, they will compete against each other until everyone but themselves has fallen."
"Those who disregard virtue, use despicable tricks, or insidious moves, will forever be branded with shame."
"As the contestants prepare, I must admit, it's a pleasure to witness so many spectators in attendance."
"Oh, and of course, we must not forget our sponsor, Duffyrd Vineyard!"
"For health, drink Duffyrd! For solace, only Duffyrd!"
"Let's begin! Everyone, cheer to your heart's content! Let blood, sweat, and tears flow across the arena!"
As the trumpet sounded, the final match officially began. But Lynn frowned, realizing things weren't as simple as they seemed. This final team tournament was supposed to be a free-for-all, yet his former teammates seemed to have colluded, unanimously turning to face him and surrounding him.
Duchess Anna Henrietta, from the high platform, also noticed this unusual situation. "What does this mean? I remember the final match of the Knights' Tourney wasn't like this?"
Fringilla, sitting beside Duchess Anna Henrietta, chanted a spell, and her eyes immediately glowed with captivating magical light. A moment later, it subtly dissipated.
"Your Grace, they all have triangular hollow pendants cast from gold around their necks, with a flaming star carved inside."
"This is the symbol used by members of the Nilfgaardian Merchants' Guild to identify each other."
Upon hearing Fringilla's words, Duchess Anna Henrietta seemed to realize something. She immediately turned to another noble on the high platform, who also wore a golden chain, and demanded, "Nilfgaardian Merchants' Guild? Lord Doug, what is the meaning of this?"
Lord Doug immediately fell to his knees. Lord Doug was the representative of the Nilfgaardian Merchants' Guild in Toussaint.
This was not a directive from his home country; it was purely out of greed when he saw that this year's championship prize was a vineyard and a large tract of land. He was currently a landless noble, and this noble title was not hereditary.
At his age, continuing in the Merchants' Guild, whether in Nilfgaard or Toussaint, it was highly unlikely for him to acquire land.
That's why he took such a risk.
The four participants were mercenaries he had found using his connections in the Merchants' Guild, whose swordsmanship and combat skills surpassed those of ordinary people.
He promised the four that no matter who won, he would fairly pay each of them a large sum of gold to ensure they collaborated against everyone else. And now, the team of four mercenaries he hired had successfully reached the final round, with Lynn as their only opponent. So they intended to team up and eliminate Lynn.
Lord Doug just hadn't expected his scheme to be discovered in the end.
"You dare to openly abuse your authority at the Knights' Tourney! You have defiled the Knights' Tourney, defiled the Five Virtues of Chivalry, and defiled the most sacred traditions!"
Duchess Anna Henrietta's face grew darker and darker. The other nobles and courtiers looked at Lord Doug with no sympathy or pity whatsoever.
"Your Grace, Your Grace..."
Lord Doug tried to defend himself further, but Duchess Anna Henrietta no longer wished to hear him speak. She merely waved her hand, as if shooing away a fly.
"Guards, take him away."
The two knight-errants on the high platform immediately carried out the order. They dragged Lord Doug away from the high platform as if he were a dead dog.
"Fringilla, we must stop this unjust match..."
Duchess Anna Henrietta's words hadn't even finished echoing when a wave of cheers, louder than before, erupted from the arena below. The crowd was ecstatic because a new champion had already been crowned.
The Duchess and Fringilla rushed to look at the arena. They saw the witcher completely unharmed, smiling and waving to the cheering citizens. All his opponents were on the ground, unable to rise.
....
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