Episode 49: The Jousting Tournament (Part 2)
Abel Haxen moved to sit beside Olivia.
“We meet again,” Olivia said with a smile as soon as he sat down. Abel felt his heart swell with emotion.
‘Thank you, brother.’
If it weren’t for Damian, he wouldn’t have had this chance again.
Abel felt a deep gratitude towards Damian welling up from within.
“I’ll do my best to make sure you enjoy the tournament, my lady.”
Despite his nervousness, Abel spoke with determination, though he was filled with worry.
Unlike his brother, he wasn’t skilled with a sword. He wasn’t sure he could entertain Olivia.
“It’s alright.”
“Pardon? But…”
“Never mind that. Tell me more about the Haxen estate.”
Olivia urged him on.
Abel hesitated, feeling this wasn’t quite right, but he began to talk about the Haxen family.
Damian returned to the waiting area.
As he entered, he could feel the knights giving him a wide berth.
They all looked at him with wary eyes, a testament to the strong impression his archery had left.
Being regarded with caution also meant increased scrutiny.
But Damian didn’t care.
Even if he had to fight every knight here, he wasn’t afraid. What mattered was Abel’s happiness.
“Attention, participants.”
A knight in plate armor entered the waiting area. The knight’s cloak bore the emblem of the Copperhead Count’s family.
He was a knight loyal to the count.
“The tournament will proceed over the next three days with different events each day.”
The knight began explaining the detailed schedule to the participants.
“Points will be awarded after each event. On the final day, the participant with the highest total score will be declared the winner.”
The participants nodded in understanding.
“There are three events in total. We look forward to your efforts.”
The announcement stirred murmurs among the participants.
The arena was vast, so they had anticipated team events.
But monster hunting was unexpected.
“Don’t worry about injuries. We have a mage skilled in healing magic on standby. The tournament will begin in 30 minutes, so finish your preparations.”
With that, the knight left the waiting area.
“Sir, we have a problem!”
As soon as the knight left, Victor shouted.
“What is it?”
“Well, for a jousting tournament, we need horses, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“But we don’t have any horses! What should we do… Should I run and buy one right now?”
“Why do you think we don’t have horses?”
Victor sighed in relief at Damian’s words.
“Of course, sir. You’ve already prepared everything…”
“We have the horses that pulled the carriage.”
Victor nearly fainted.
“Sir, those are draft horses. They’re heavy, slow, and not suited for this…”
In a jousting tournament, the horse was crucial.
It needed to be fast, tireless, and fearless.
Without a horse of superior breed, it couldn’t participate in combat.
“Look at you, acting like you know everything. If you’re so knowledgeable, why don’t you become a knight?”
“What? Uh…”
“Stop talking nonsense and go fetch the horse.”
“Yes, sir…”
Victor headed to the stables, his heart heavy with worry.
“Sir, I’ve brought it.”
Victor handed the reins to Damian, who patted the horse’s mane.
The horses from the Haxen estate were large, with thick legs, and seemed quite sluggish.
As Victor feared, they weren’t suitable for combat.
“Sir Damian, are you really planning to compete with that horse?”
A passing knight sneered at the horse beside Damian.
“Sir Damian, you must not know. That horse is a draft horse, not fit for battle.”
“Sir Walter, let it be. He must have his reasons.”
The knights laughed heartily.
Damian ignored their words. He could deal with those who mocked him in the arena.
For now, he had other matters to attend to.
In the past, Damian had faced a master named Jingnaikan.
A nomad from the plains, he was unique in that he mastered not weapons like swords or spears, but horsemanship.
His skill was such that he achieved a state of unity with his horse.
He could communicate with his horse to perform complex maneuvers.
He could even enhance the horse’s body with magic and form an aura blade.
Thanks to this bizarre skill, the horse Jingnaikan rode could charge at supersonic speeds, enveloped in an aura blade.
Damian had defeated him after half a day of combat.
“Look at me.”
Damian held the horse’s head, making eye contact.
“I’ll need your strength today. It will be tough, but endure it.”
Damian infused the horse with magic.
The horse’s eyes widened, surprised by the unfamiliar sensation.
Fortunately, it didn’t panic. It calmly accepted the magic Damian channeled into it.
Damian’s magic spread throughout the horse’s body.
“The jousting tournament is about to begin!”
At the soldiers’ call, the knights mounted their horses. Damian climbed onto his as well.
“I’ll be counting on you today.”
The horse neighed as if in agreement.
Monster hunting.
When Jackson Cutter heard the event’s name, he cheered inwardly.
‘Finally, a chance to show my true skills!’
Hunting monsters was entirely different from facing humans.
Even knights seasoned in killing people could die easily when fighting monsters.
Special skills and experience were needed to hunt monsters.
‘I’ll make my name known with this event!’
He intended to firmly imprint the title of Monster Slayer in people’s minds.
“Now… open the gates!”
At the soldier’s shout, the waiting room doors opened. The knights passed through, entering the arena.
“Andrew Gradan! Andrew Gradan!”
“Gerda Bon! Gerda Bon!”
The nobles shouted the names of the knights they supported. The knights waved to the audience.
“Jackson! Jackson Cutter!”
Amidst the cheers, a familiar voice called out.
Jackson Cutter turned to see Sophia Russell waving her arms.
He smiled and waved back at her.
Thud, thud—
Then, a soldier beat a drum. It signaled that the monsters would soon be released.
The knights turned their eyes to the iron gate on the opposite wall.
Whatever monsters were prepared, they could already hear heavy, rough sounds.
The knights watched the gate with tense faces.
Given they were to face them in groups, the monsters were bound to be exceptionally dangerous.
And the knights’ predictions were spot on.
“Roar!”
As the iron bars lifted, a massive monster burst out.
The moment they saw it, the knights cried out in shock.
”…It’s a troll!”
With skin tough enough to resist swords and the strength to tear a person apart with ease.
A monster famous for its tenacity and resilience.
Even a single troll was a challenge for low-class knights, and now there were three.
“Roar!”
The trolls charged at the knights in unison, as if coordinated.
“Scatter! Don’t engage them head-on!”
At someone’s shout, the knights began to disperse. The trolls pursued them.
‘This is madness. Releasing trolls…’
Riding his horse, Jackson Cutter clicked his tongue.
With aura, he could easily cut through a troll’s hide.
But the trolls were just as dangerous. Their strength could easily kill a knight.
A low-class knight might withstand a blow, but a squire stood no chance.
‘Well, some risks are worth taking, right?’
While the knights were busy evading the trolls, Jackson Cutter went on the offensive.
He circled around a troll, making it dizzy.
“Roar!”
The troll swung its hand to grab him, but it only sliced through empty air.
“Hah!”
Jackson Cutter drew his sword and slashed at the troll’s thigh. The troll groaned.
But true to its reputation for regeneration, the wound vanished quickly.
“As expected, that’s not enough!”
Jackson Cutter spurred his horse, circling the troll again.
He struck whenever the troll showed an opening, slashing at its legs.
“Who is that knight?”
“He’s not only brave but also highly skilled.”
The nobles in the stands watched Jackson Cutter with admiration.
As their murmurs grew, Jackson Cutter felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
‘See that? That’s me! Jackson Cutter! The Monster Slayer Jackson Cutter!’
He swung his sword again, leaving a long gash on the troll’s thigh.
Then he heard hoofbeats behind him. Jackson Cutter turned his head instinctively.
Damian Haxen was charging towards him.
“Roar!”
A troll spotted Damian. He urged his horse faster.
‘Foolish move!’
Jackson Cutter sneered at Damian’s actions.
Trolls might seem slow-witted, but they were incredibly fast and dangerous monsters.
If he let his guard down for even a moment, that massive hand could crush him. Jackson Cutter knew this all too well, which is why he kept circling the troll, searching for an opening.
“Doesn’t he realize charging head-on is suicide?”
Just as he suspected, Damian Haxen wasn’t much of a knight.
“Looks like I’ve got my chance.”
Jackson Cutter planned to strike at the troll’s abdomen the moment it attacked Damian. If he could slice open its belly and spill its guts, even a troll would be in trouble.
“Roar!”
The troll swung its hand down just as Jackson was about to make his move.
Damian’s horse leaped high into the air.
The troll’s palm slammed into the ground, and Damian’s horse used the troll’s forearm as a ramp.
For a brief moment, Damian was eye-level with the troll. He swung his sword, slicing through the troll’s neck.
Hot blood sprayed across the ground.
The troll’s head hit the earth with a thud.
“Controlling a horse isn’t easy.”
Unlike a weapon, a horse had its own mind and emotions, making it tricky to handle.
But Damian’s talent more than made up for his lack of experience.
He quickly got the hang of it and commanded the horse with ease.
“Let’s go!”
Without needing to whip the reins or kick its sides, the horse moved.
With each powerful stride, Damian could feel the horse’s muscles, the way they surged with energy.
“Is this how it’s done?”
Damian synchronized his magic with the horse’s movements. The infused magic enhanced the horse’s speed.
With each stride, the horse’s pace visibly quickened.
What started as a heavy gallop soon became light and swift, until it raced like the wind.
“Roar!”
The troll raised its arm, and the horse’s fear was palpable.
“Don’t be afraid!”
Damian reassured the horse.
“I’m here with you!”
His strong will influenced the horse, which charged at the troll, fear forgotten.
“Jump!”
The horse leaped. The troll’s hand slammed the ground beneath them.
The horse sprinted up the troll’s arm. Despite the narrow path, it didn’t falter.
Reaching the shoulder, Damian was perfectly positioned to strike.
He swung his sword, beheading the troll.
The horse leaped once more, landing gracefully on the ground. Behind them, the headless troll collapsed.
“Wow!”
“What did I just witness?”
The nobles erupted in cheers.
Damian’s horsemanship was unlike anything they had ever seen—or might ever see again.
“Well done.”
Damian patted the horse’s neck. It neighed contentedly.
He glanced over to see Jackson Cutter looking as if he’d seen a ghost.
“Thanks for the distraction.”
At Damian’s words, Jackson’s face twisted in frustration.
“You little…!”
Ignoring Jackson’s grumbling, Damian urged his horse forward.
There were still two more trolls to deal with.