Revive Rome: Wait! Why not make the empress fall in love with me first?
Chapter 260 - 58 Knight Fighting Tournament

Chapter 260: Chapter 58 Knight Fighting Tournament

"The so-called Barbarian Tactics," Aske said, "is about using every available weapon on the battlefield to sustain high-efficiency output against the enemy. This tactic emphasizes killing efficiency—if the enemy is within striking range, you chop at them; if they’re not, you shouldn’t rush to kill them because charging itself wastes your time. Instead, you should quickly throw weapons to inflict damage."

"Uh-huh," Sigrdrifa nodded incessantly.

"Since you can’t retrieve thrown weapons immediately on the battlefield, how to snatch weapons becomes key to the tactic itself." Aske gestured for her to pick up the battle axe and defend, "The moves for seizing weapons, depending on whether you have a weapon in hand, are divided into ’disarming’ and ’bare-handed blade seizing.’"

"First is disarming." Aske placed his axe on the handle of Sigrdrifa’s axe in a defensive posture, "Look closely, this is ’Cutting Finger.’"

His axe blade fiercely slid down along Sigrdrifa’s axe handle, aiming straight for the fingers gripping the handle—scaring Sigrdrifa into hastily releasing her axe.

Aske caught the fallen axe and said, "At the moment of hitting the block, divert the chopping direction, the blade turns to strike at where your opponent is holding the weapon, forcing them to release the weapon—or cutting off their fingers."

He tossed the axe back to Sigrdrifa, "Let’s continue."

Sigrdrifa caught her weapon just as Aske’s suddenly chopped toward her wrist, "This is ’Wrist Cutting.’"

She hurriedly sidestepped in an attempt to dodge. Yet no matter how she retreated, Aske’s chops always passed two fingers away from her wrist.

"Sever the enemy’s wrist, and naturally, you’ll be able to take their weapon." Aske twisted his wrist slightly, putting away his axe.

Sigrdrifa gave an acknowledgment.

"Similar to ’Wrist Cutting,’ there are ’Elbow Slash’ and ’Shattered Shoulder.’ Essentially, all aim to incapacitate one’s upper limb joints, forcing the enemy to be unable to release the weapon." Aske explained, spreading his hands wide, signaling Sigrdrifa to attack him, "Next is ’bare-handed blade seizing.’"

Sigrdrifa symbolically swung her axe at him, which Aske sidestepped, then suddenly stepped forward to close the distance, his right shoulder heavily colliding with her chest:

"This is Mountain-climbing."

His left hand formed a claw shape, grabbing Sigrdrifa’s right shoulder and violently pulling toward her arm. Fingers quickly sliding down to her wrist, he squeezed hard, making Sigrdrifa feel as if someone had pressed down on her tendons, her entire arm numbed instantly, causing the axe to involuntarily fall to the ground.

"This is pressing the life gate." Aske released her, "First, close the distance quickly to prevent the opponent’s attack, then force them to release the weapon by pressing powerfully on the tendons of their wrist."

"I can’t feel my right arm anymore!" Sigrdrifa cried in a tearful voice.

"It’s just numb, it’ll be fine in a while," Aske said nonchalantly.

Sigrdrifa: ...

Forget it, it’s not the first or second time I’ve been ruthlessly trained by the Squad Leader. She stood with a sullen face, feeling sensation slowly returning to her right arm.

"Recovered? Let’s go again." Aske grabbed her right hand, twisted and rolled it over, pulling her arm to bend directly at the reverse elbow joint, "This is called the ’Reverse Elbow Lock.’"

"Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow!" Sigrdrifa cried out in agony, her right hand’s fingers spasming wildly.

Aske let go and said, "Don’t just remember to cry out. You need to imprint my techniques in your body."

"This is the ’Wrist Lock.’" Aske took her right hand, pressed it with both palms, and flipped it down forcefully, forcing Sigrdrifa to her knees, tears streaming down her face.

"This is the ’Shoulder Wrap.’" His arm coiled around her right arm like a snake, twisting forcefully outward, while his right leg hooked behind her legs, tripping her and flipping Sigrdrifa to the ground.

"Any joint lock technique, combined with pressing the life gate, can swiftly take the weapon from the enemy’s hands... Get up, what are you lying there for?" Aske said perplexed.

"I’m already dead," Sigrdrifa curled up, staying on the ground unable to rise.

"Stop messing around," Aske said with a mix of laughter and tears, "I’ll teach you a few more interesting moves..."

Meanwhile, Eleanor and Peggy were studying Extraordinary Swordsmanship.

"How did you learn to master the Undead Illusion Sword?" Eleanor asked.

"First, you need to understand its principle," Peggy said, "Then apply the corresponding Extraordinary Ability... If you fail, it means your Ability isn’t strong enough. I originally used an Extraordinary Tool from Uncle Thira which could greatly enhance my ’Stealing’ Ability, and only then did I succeed in mastering it."

"So I need an Extraordinary Tool that can enhance the ’Will’ Sequence?" Eleanor thought to herself, then shook her head vigorously and went back to studying the ’Song of Roland’.

Such days lasted for about a week when the City Guard whom Nora had healed, after recovering, came to thank the people of The Azure Longsword; following this, members of the Weisbach Family within the palace also heard of the skilled Healer in The Azure Longsword, and many came to make acquaintance and build relationships with Nora.

Of course, whether it was because of Nora’s identity as a Doctor, her family background, or if it was Ludwig’s instruction to woo her over, that remained unknown.

Eleanor had already mastered both the ’Spear Shield Flow’ and ’Sword and Shield Flow’ martial arts, and Sigrdrifa had also learned the various disarming techniques and hand-to-blade tactics of the ’Barbarian Tactics’ quite well. Thira started trying to learn swordsmanship from Eleanor, Medea and Nora also started practicing shooting with Miel, and Mia was teaching Peggy the intricacies of ’Ilanean Instant Step’.

Everyone’s strength was steadily increasing.

A week later, Weisbach Palace welcomed a group of special visitors.

"Nuremberg?" In the palace’s corridor, Aske was chatting with Eleanor when he saw Ludwig leading a large group of people around the corner ahead.

"Chief!" The Swordsmen from Richartnal swarmed around Aske, greeting him noisily.

"How’s the old man doing?" Aske asked Richarter, who was using his Longsword as a walking stick, as he saw him behind the crowd.

The Swordsmen fell silent in unison, and Richarter nodded slightly without responding.

"Lord Aske, gentlemen Swordsmen, you know each other?" Ludwig stepped forward asking with a laugh, trying to make connections.

"He’s our Chief!" the Swordsmen exclaimed, one after another.

Ludwig was shocked. He, of course, knew what the name Richarter signified— one of the few Physical Demigods on the continent, an existence not even the Church Court would dare to besiege lightly.

Lord Aske is their Chief? Just how frightening might his swordsmanship be? Thinking back to the sparring scene between Aske and Eleanor, another thought popped into Ludwig’s head.

My sister’s boyfriend is the Chief of the Richartnal Knights! The direct disciple of a Physical Demigod! Only the Duke himself could bestow a title worthy of that, wouldn’t becoming my knight be too condescending for him? And it’s a mere honorary title at that...

"Chief Aske, what brings you to the Weisbach Family’s Royal Palace?" Nuremberg greeted him with a smile.

"I was about to ask you the same," Aske replied, "a friend of mine is of this family..."

The Swordsmen immediately showed a peculiar expression that read "is this friend you’re speaking of yourself?" However, Ludwig quickly stepped in to smooth things over:

"That would be my sister. Lord Aske is currently our guest, accepting my sister’s invitation to stay."

Ah, understood, the Swordsmen thought, so it’s about in-law recruitment. Why didn’t you say that earlier? What are we even doing here?

"In that case, as long as Chief Aske takes action, that should suffice, right?" Hans said. "The rest of us can just cheer from the sidelines."

Ludwig broke into a sweat: "This is..."

"So what’s the matter, exactly?" Aske wondered.

"It’s like this," Ludwig started, taking Aske’s capabilities at face value since the Richartnal Knights unanimously admired him and proceeded to explain:

"The Wolf Family’s envoys have come."

"To declare war?" Aske inquired.

"Not exactly," Ludwig replied, "They seem to be testing the Weisbach Family, but since our father has not returned, we cannot give them a direct response."

"Oh," Eleanor interjected, "then let them wait."

"What are you doing here, Little Sister? Go, go, go!" Ludwig snapped, his face darkening.

"Am I not a member of the Weisbach Family?!" Eleanor burst out, "Why can’t I know?"

"Listen," Ludwig said. "The envoys from the Wolf Family have proposed that, before the Duke of Bavaria returns, they would like to have a ceremonial Knight Fighting match with us."