Work Prophet
Chapter 494 - 112: A Martial Arts Competition

Chapter 494: Chapter 112: A Martial Arts Competition

Lady had just settled down when the court musicians began to blow their trumpets.

Then, from both the eastern and western directions, knights clad in heavy armor, fully armed, rushed toward the duel arena.

The knight coming from the west was tall and commanding, adorned in a shimmering suit of golden armor, resembling a heavenly god. His left hand held a shield, upon which a lifelike leopard’s head was painted.

"Sword Saint Essos, he is the First Swordsman of the Gedeon family and the Commander of the guard," Heloise introduced to Ireya.

"And who is that Black-armored Knight opposite the Sword Saint?" Miss Rabbit asked curiously.

The knight from the east was somewhat mysterious, his entire body enveloped in pitch-black armor without showing his head, and his armor and shield bore no crest that could indicate his origin or lineage.

He was about as tall as Essos, though slightly bulkier, riding a gray, old horse which seemed somewhat lethargic, possibly due to the crowd at the venue.

In contrast, the Sword Saint’s reddish-brown stallion appeared exceptionally spirited.

"I do not know," said the Elf Queen indifferently.

While they were speaking, the Black Knight had nearly reached Essos. Both warriors drew the swords from their waists and started battling without further ado.

The mysterious Black Knight raised his sword over his head and charged at the Sword Saint, slashing a Furious Strike toward Essos’s left shoulder!

In the moment he swung the sword, he firmly stepped on the stirrups, his legs were taut, allowing him to utilize not only the strength of his upper body but also some force from his lower body when striking.

However, Essos was calm in the face of danger. He only counteracted when the Black Knight was almost upon him, raising his sword to block the opponent’s attack.

He flipped his sword-holding hand upward, aiming the blade at his foe. This move was defensive yet threatening, managing to stop the incoming attack while also posing a threat enough to deter further pursuit from his opponent.

Yet the Black Knight was cunning, seeing the chance, he swiftly lowered his sword and shifted it towards Essos’s lower leg.

But the Sword Saint reacted quickly, immediately striking toward the Black Knight’s wrist and eventually forcing the Black Knight to withdraw his attack.

The two figures crossed paths, and the first exchange did not determine a victor. Afterwards, both turned their horses and faced each other again.

Essos truly lived up to his name as a Sword Saint, showcasing proficient and accurate swordplay, particularly excelling in parrying and counterattacking.

However, his mysterious opponent, the Black Knight, was equally skilled. His swordplay was bold and fearless, managing to match Essos stroke for stroke.

This sudden duel captivated all the spectators present, even Miss Rabbit, who was usually looking for ways to slip away, watched with great interest.

She had seen duels before; almost everyone in the Red Lion Empire was a martial enthusiast, and the knights of the Vespasian family often sparred after banquets, sometimes her father Ruse would also take part.

But perhaps those duels were more about sparring, stopping at a touch, and possibly due to fewer spectators, they were nowhere near as thrilling as the current battle.

Both sides were fighting genuinely, with no holds barred. Ultimately, Essos proved superior, executing a sweeping strike across the Black-armored Knight’s chestplate, knocking him right off his horse, along with his heavy plate armor, crashing hard onto the ground.

The Black-armored Knight lay motionless on the ground.

A peculiar light flashed in the Elf Queen’s beautiful eyes. Essos rode forward to check, but had taken only two steps when the Black-armored Knight rose from the ground and motioned to Essos to continue the fight.

The Sword Saint, seeing this, no longer hesitated and urged his warhorse to speed up.

But the Black Knight was unable to mount his horse in time, forced to fight on foot— a situation which greatly disadvantaged him.

Yet, he fought with a bravery that seemed to disregard fear itself, his somewhat disheveled figure in the Duel Arena earning the respect of many.

Even many who had initially supported Essos started to root for this mysterious Black Knight who fought so valiantly and unyieldingly.

Some nobles even considered recruiting him, as fighting to this point against the Sword Saint was proof enough of his martial prowess.

But the Black Knight seemed unsatisfied with just this; his eyes were fixed firmly on his opponent, assuming an iron gate stance.

The next moment, Essos spurred his horse forward again, swinging his sword at the Black Knight, who raised his own to block.

Given that the iron gate is a defensive stance, Essos might have been somewhat relaxed, thinking the Black Knight just wanted to block this strike.

But just as their swords were about to clash, the Black Knight suddenly crouched, rolling on the ground and swinging his sword in a smooth motion, not at Essos, but at the warhorse beneath him!

By the time Essos realized it, it was too late; the chestnut warhorse let out a pained neigh as one of its hind legs was brutally cut off by the Black Knight!

Immediately the warhorse fell thunderously to the ground, throwing Essos off with it.

He was thrown hard, taking a while before he could get up; by the time he regained his senses, a long sword was already at his neck.

"You lost," the Black Knight said, as he removed his helmet.

When his face was revealed, the Duel Arena fell instantly silent.

No one expected that beneath that black armor was none other than the Family Head of the Vespasian, the Emperor of the Empire, Edward II!

"Indeed, your skill surpasses mine; I am thoroughly convinced of my defeat," the Sword Saint nodded.

Upon hearing this, Edward II laughed heartily, sheathed his sword, and then extended a hand to pull Essos up from the ground.

"You’re not too shabby yourself. That sweeping blow earlier nearly took my life."

After a moment of silence, the Duel Arena erupted in cheers, as people spontaneously shouted Edward II’s name.

The Emperor of the Empire, feeling the affection of his subjects, looked radiant, almost as if he had rejuvenated forty years.

He raised his long sword, basking in his moment of glory.

"A vulgar spectacle," the Elf Queen remarked before instructing her maid to pour her wine.

However, after Edward II’s victory against Essos, she too rose up and, smiling, started clapping for her husband.

Turning to a nearby Lady she said, "Come, let us drink a toast to the brave and fearless Emperor!"