Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

Imond suddenly turned his head, his gaze turning somewhat cold. "Don't get me wrong, Henry. You're not Lancelot from the story. You're one of 'us'."

"In our story, there is no room for heroes to appear."

----

"Waaaaaah!!"

"Dong dong!"

"Dong dong!"

"Dong dong!"

……

Central Park in Brighton City was packed with people, and the onlookers had expressions of great excitement on their faces.

To liven up the atmosphere, the Hysen family even hired an orchestra; the sounds of wind and percussion instruments resonated deeply with the audience. As spectators, they could only stand on the outer edges, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the epic knightly duel.

Next to the duel arena, a temporary "spectator seating area" was set up, where only invited upper-class nobles were qualified to sit and watch the match.

Henry Hysen, the eldest son of the Hysen family, was sitting at the very front.

Fireworks went off in unison.

The music was powerful and resonant.

Flowers fluttered in the air.

Crowds of people.

Everything was just like in his dream, but his eyebrows were quietly furrowed, his lips were tightly pressed together, and there was not a trace of a smile.

In the end, he didn't have the courage to disobey his father.

If victory or defeat is no longer a contest of honor, courage, and skill, then what is the meaning of this grand spectacle?

……

Thinking this, he sighed and began to watch listlessly.

Among the many elite soldiers, a knight draped in a cardboard box caught his attention.

Chapter 617: A War Knight is Still a Knight

"Ha...hahaha...did you see that?"

"Am I seeing things? Look over there, someone came out wearing just a layer of paper. Isn't that a bit too funny?"

"If you can't afford an iron one, at least get a wooden one to make do. This thing is so thin, it'll be pierced through with a single spear."

"Hey! You cardboard box guy! If you can't handle this, then don't play. Go back to your room!"

"Mr. Imond, teach that bastard a lesson!"

……

Amidst the clamor, Imond, clad in magnificent armor, couldn't help but turn around for a glance. He wasn't wearing his helmet yet, allowing him to turn freely, and what he saw almost made him burst out laughing—at the rear of the knights stood a figure, his horse quite sturdy, but his entire armor was made of paper!

Especially this half-covered cardboard helmet, it looks a bit like a turtle.

That's not entirely accurate.

Imond was more knowledgeable than most people, and he could tell at a glance that the paper armor was made of paper and cloth. Its defensive power was indeed low, but it had its merits, namely that it made people exceptionally agile.

The sacrifice of defensive capabilities resulted in greater mobility, allowing for more maneuverability on horseback. In other words, this knight was confident he could strike the enemy without being hit himself, but conversely, a single blow could send him tumbling from his horse, potentially resulting in serious injury. Paper armor offers little protection against impact; it could easily break a spine on the spot!

But he didn't care much. In his view, victory was already in his grasp, so why bother about the opponent's characteristics?

Imond extended his left hand, making an incredibly majestic gesture on his horse, and waved to the audience.

Unsurprisingly, this garnered another wave of overwhelming support.

……

"These guys..." Xiaomei, who was also among the audience, was so angry she was grinding her teeth. "What's so funny? You'll see when they really start fighting!"

"Is this... really okay?" Jenny had dressed up beautifully for today, making her stand out in the crowd.

But she had no time to care about the looks she was getting; she gripped the hem of her skirt tightly, too nervous to be nervous.

If she can't even get into the top five, then all her hard work will have been for nothing.

Back at the ranch, she had been quite confident in Zhang Renfeng, but upon arriving at the competition venue and seeing everyone on horseback, fully armed, their armor gleaming metallically in the sunlight, she felt even more uncertain. Compared to them, Zhang Renfeng's paper armor looked like something out of a beggar's guild. The jeers from the onlookers made her hands and feet grow increasingly cold.

Xiaomei noticed her unease and gently took her hand.

"It's okay, Sister Jenny, trust us."

Jenny took a deep breath, but the chaotic applause and whistles around her still made her heart pound. "...I hope so, I hope I can make it into the top five."

----

"The knights enter—!!"

At the host's command, all the knights entered in turn, walked around the arena, and received greetings from the organizers and the audience. They paused briefly in front of the upper-class "audience section." An orchestra nearby improvised a piece of music based on the characteristics of each knight, serving as background melody. Audience members could offer a flower as encouragement and blessings if they wished.

Henry also designed this segment, but now he's lost interest in participating. He leans back lazily in his chair, eating grapes.

……

Amidst the grand and magnificent music, Imond, riding a white horse, slowly came to a stop in front of the audience.

William Hyson stood up, now dressed in a magnificent gold robe, and spread his arms wide. This single gesture silenced everyone present, drawing all eyes to him. This father and son, so perfectly in sync, deliberately prolonged this moment to capture the crowd's attention; in fact, they were also part of the "circus."

The theme of this play is honor and dignity.

"May you set an example for everyone and offer a brave, wise, and honorable battle."

He stood on the high platform and tossed a bouquet of flowers to Imond, who caught it steadily.

“Yes, my father!” Imond pressed the hand holding the flowers to his heart and gave a graceful knightly salute.

At that moment, the venue erupted in cheers and applause, which formed a wall of sound as the orchestra's melody reached its climax.

At least to uninformed onlookers, the exquisite armor, the magnificent steed, and the dashing young knight seemed straight out of a storybook. This was a far cry from the wild West, and through the lens of popular perception, it appeared to radiate a golden glow.

Imond, who was on horseback, did not leave immediately. He looked at Henry, seemingly expecting something in return from the "organizer".

Henry remained unmoved, still leaning back in his chair, popping grapes into his mouth one by one, while casually gazing into the distance.

Imond's expression changed slightly, but he said nothing. As usual, he nodded to his father, gently spurred his horse, and rode off into the distance to wait for the race to begin.

The knights who followed each received their own impromptu melodies, though the orchestra clearly distinguished between primary and secondary pieces. Their styles ranged from valiant to light and agile, but none overshadowed the first to enter, Imond.

When Zhang Renfeng rode in on horseback at a leisurely pace, the thunderous applause instantly turned into roaring laughter. Laughter even echoed from the audience opposite him.

To be honest, William didn't dislike this kind of role. Every decent banquet performance needed a clown to liven up the atmosphere; it was an unwritten rule.

"This 'knight,' don't you have any better armor?" he asked squintingly.

“Yes.” Zhang Renfeng gently pulled on the reins, turning the horse around to face the audience. He said calmly, “It’s a pity it’s too heavy. This horse was found at the last minute, and I’m afraid it can’t bear the weight.”

Henry was startled when he saw Zhang Renfeng gently tug on the reins, causing the horse to turn completely around. He immediately sat up straight.

"You even have special armor?" William Heissen said with a smile. "So, you're a full-fledged knight? Did you perhaps kill quite a few people on the battlefield? Was it the Battle of Bouvin or the Teutonic Wars?"

“None of those,” Zhang Renfeng said. “I am merely a substitute knight.”

“Whoever gets to act as your agent is truly blessed.” William waved his hand. “Alright, go over there and get ready. Stretch your muscles so you don’t fall and hurt yourself later.”

……

"Ha ha ha ha---!!!"

"That's right, bragging doesn't cost you anything!"

……

A burst of laughter erupted both inside and outside the arena.

----

"Wait a moment!"

Henry suddenly stood up, walked to the edge of the railing, hesitated for a moment, then took a flower out of his pocket and tossed it to Zhang Renfeng from a distance.

The crowd fell silent immediately, not only the spectators but also the knights on the other side, who began to murmur amongst themselves.

Imond's face grew even more somber.

……

"You...you're on your way." Henry's position was too complicated, so he didn't say much, only uttering these words, "If all else fails, slap the ground twice with your palms, that's admitting defeat."

"Thank you." Zhang Renfeng was somewhat surprised, but he still carefully accepted the flowers and said in a deep voice, "I will remember this."

Chapter 618: This person is Gui

"In this competition, Mr. Imond Hysen will be the first to choose his opponent for the opening match!"

As the ornately dressed host, wielding a wooden staff, announced in a booming voice, the remaining knights lined up, while Imond, on horseback, slowly began his selection.

According to the game rules, riders must provide their own horses, shields, and armor, while weapons are provided uniformly. At least during the horse-riding duel, each rider will be issued a wooden lance. As for those who are knocked off their horses and choose to fight to the death, then it is up to each rider to choose their own weapon.

Imond's gaze lingered briefly on Zhang Renfeng before sweeping past him.

During the ceremony, Henry preferred to give his flowers to the clown rather than give them to himself. In Imond's eyes, this was undoubtedly a slap in the face from his brother in front of everyone. The best response would be to spear this cardboard clown off his horse, sending him crashing to the ground and making him the laughingstock of the crowd.

Sadly, however, even with his strong desire, he still could not do so.

At this moment, the paper knight had become a laughingstock both on and off the field. If Imond chose him, the audience would inevitably feel that their young master of the Heysen family actually liked to pick on the weak. If a knight defeats another knight, people would cheer; if a knight defeats a clown, people would only laugh.

He suppressed the dark emotions surging within him, flicked the tip of his spear, and pointed it at a knight wearing a pagoda-shaped barrel helmet.

"Mr. Imond has chosen Mr. Notting from the Sterling family. Both knights, take your positions!"

"start!"

With a heavy swing of his cane, he signaled the official start of the competition; at least for this moment, bread and circus truly served their purpose. The nobles on the field and the commoners off the field were all immersed in the same show, cheering and applauding the two horses rapidly approaching each other.

Everyone held their breath.

"Thump—!!"

Two wooden spears thrust forward from different angles, sending wood chips flying everywhere, accompanied by the drum-like sound of horses' hooves, all of which flew out with the dust.

Even Imond couldn't knock his opponent off his horse in the first round. The two exchanged blows to non-lethal spots, passing each other, and the orchestra, understanding the situation, played a tight drumbeat, making the atmosphere even more intense.

"This horse is..."

Zhang Renfeng adjusted the position of his helmet to improve his field of vision.

He hadn't noticed it before, but as Imond rode it galloping towards him, the tear troughs beneath the horse's eyes finally made him gasp. The horse was pure white, not as large as a warhorse, but its four hooves were incredibly fast when it galloped, especially when the two riders were traveling towards each other, the difference in speed was clearly evident.

De Luma?

Of course, on the other side of the ocean, there's no such thing as a "horror to its master." At least, Zhang Renfeng had been in the martial arts world here for almost three years and had never heard of it. Here, these small, fast, and incredibly agile horses have another name.

"Arabian horse?"

A metallic clapping sound rang out from the side. Zhang Renfeng turned his head and saw a handsome knight wearing gilded armor but no helmet, as if he wanted to deliberately show off his wavy blond hair, riding up to his side.

A mocking smile appeared on his face, and what he said amidst the applause was naturally not anything nice.

“This is truly a seasoned knight. You have excellent eyesight, recognizing it as an Arabian horse at a glance.” His voice was captivating, like a choir chanting sacred music. “May I ask what you did before becoming a glorious acting knight?”

“…I am a stable handyman,” Zhang Renfeng said calmly.

"Hmph, no wonder." A tall knight wearing red fish-scale armor sneered. Even though he was wearing a helmet, you could still feel the disdainful look he was getting through the metal. "A servant who leads horses and holds stirrups is trying to show off like this."

In the blink of an eye, the battle was decided. Imond thrust his spear into the enemy knight's helmet, which shifted and obscured his vision. Unable to control the reins, he lost his balance and fell heavily from his horse with a thud, his metal armor slamming onto the ground.

The sound was like a gaseous stimulant, spreading to the surroundings and making the audience even more excited.

“I hope your cardboard is sturdy enough.” The man, wearing a round helmet and chainmail, with arms as strong as a bear, grinned and gave him a strange smile. “Last time, I knocked a skinny guy off his horse and broke his back.”

……

The battles proceeded quickly, essentially two horses and two riders charging at each other, taking very little time. The secret to the competition's success was keeping the audience on the edge of their seats, their adrenaline pumping every single second.

Knights came and went like a revolving lantern, and watching others fight, get hurt, and bleed gave one an indescribable sense of excitement. Especially since this kind of fighting was also cloaked in the guise of civilization and honor.

This applies both off the field and on the field.