Chapter 97

Chapter 97 - Gord (4)

Quarterstaff-type staves are easy to produce, maintain, and handle. Therefore, it is a self-defense item favored by non-warriors when force is needed.

It is also a great advantage that it can be carried around in cities and such because it is not classified as a formal weapon.

However, since it is ultimately just a club, its limitations were clear, such as being neutralized even by simple armor.

Therefore, when Eugene first entered holding an iron staff, there were quite a few knights who sneered.

-What kind of knight uses a staff?

-Is he not even ashamed?

There is no knight who rides a donkey just because he lacks a horse. It was their common sense that one must wield a sword, axe, or mace even if it kills them.

Such thoughts were immediately corrected the moment they faced Eugene head-on.

"How can such an attack come from that stance?"

The third knight, who narrowly dodged the iron staff, widened his eyes in astonishment.

All weapons require a preparatory motion, and that becomes more severe the longer or larger the weapon is. However, such matters did not apply to Eugene.

'Left! N-no, righ...'

Thwack!

The tip of the staff, which seemed about to thrust at the left shoulder, swayed and struck the right abdomen, causing the knight to pitch forward.

Because it was such a long weapon, the trajectory changed drastically even with a slight variation in Eugene's grip. To the knight, it looked as if the staff lunging right before his eyes had disappeared in an instant.

By the time Eugene had dealt with three people, Hind also succeeded in blowing off an opponent's helmet.

At that time, there was a knight stealthily approaching behind Hind.

'How petty.'

Eugene clicked his tongue.

As it was a group battle, it was not uncommon for two or more people to attack one person, but aiming for the back of an opponent engaged in combat was considered shameful.

However, attacking an opponent who just stepped out of a fight after striking down an enemy like just now was considered an exception.

-Isn't it the same when it comes to being cheap?

-It can't be helped. If we nitpick every single thing, it becomes too much of a headache.

It was a story he heard before the match from Valda, who had abundant experience observing tournaments.

"Sir! I will suppo..."

Perhaps thinking he had dragged on for too long with one person, Hind tried to rush over urgently.

Eugene responded with an attack instead of words. Tearing through the air between Hind and the knight aiming for his back, the iron staff fell.

Crash!

"Urgh!"

As the knight stepped back in great alarm at the staff springing up along with stone fragments after smashing the ground, Hind also realized the situation and immediately counterattacked.

"I appreciate the heart wanting to assist, but always pay attention to your back."

"I apologize! Sir!"

Eugene shifted his gaze to the two knights approaching him.

"He is not a bastard you can face alone!"

Twin brother knights were lunging at him after splitting to both sides.

Their individual skills were ordinary, but they were knights renowned for their extraordinary coordination in pincer attacks.

"Do not let your guard down."

"Even so, he is a bastard without a shield. We will teach him that this is different from a one-on-one duel."

Seeing both charging with large shields at the front, they seemed to think he would be vulnerable due to the characteristics of a polearm once they closed the distance.

Eugene changed from a grip aiming while standing at an angle to standing straight and gripping the center of the staff.

As Eugene's waist rotated, the staff flew towards the upper body of the older brother attacking from the right.

'What kind of strength...?'

Even though he blocked it with his shield, his wrist was shaken, and he had to continuously step backward.

Using the recoil from the strike, Eugene also attacked the younger brother aiming for an opening from the left. The staff, which had been pushed back, sprang forward in an instant.

"Keugh!"

The younger brother, not expecting a second strike to fly in so quickly, had his posture broken after getting hit in the calf and collapsed after being struck on the shoulder.

When the older brother urgently rushed in, Eugene, who had returned to his original thrusting stance, was thrusting the staff like a flash of light.

Bang!

'Monster bastard! This far exceeds the rumors, doesn't it?'

The knight, who was relentlessly pushed back again and almost fell out of bounds, spat out curses inwardly.

Hearing the rumors about Eugene, no one believed them entirely.

Just as famous paintings depicting legendary knights were riddled with various embellishments, they thought Eugene's reputation would also contain exaggerations.

They heard he was active with a sword in the trial by combat, so the very fact that he brought out a staff was suspicious. However, facing him directly, they felt they knew the reason.

"Damn it! Let's fight fair and square!"

Looking at the tip of the staff aimed viciously right in front of him, the knight shouted.

Let alone his axe, it was a despairing difference in reach that wouldn't reach even if he spat with all his might!

He couldn't be more aggrieved by that. It felt like being aimed at by a crossbow in a tournament.

"Does a person who tried to pounce on one person with two argue for fairness and squareness?"

"Eek!"

The knight, whose sore spot was poked, tumbled forward after having his entire body pummeled.

"Did you just see that?"

"Staff martial arts were that flashy? I thought it was just on the level of a shepherd swinging a club."

Fleshy things always entertain people. The observing audience cheered amidst excitement.

Other knights were also fighting mobilizing the weapon arts passed down in their families.

However, an iron staff with an overwhelming reach and black color. Gripping it in various stances and swinging it freely, its dazzlingness was unrivaled.

"It is quite different from what Father told me, though?"

Aisha, who had only been watching Eugene from the beginning, was curving her eyes like crescent moons in delight.

"I heard it was Sir Badel's swordsmanship, Volks's strength, and Sir Lipton's shield arts."

"Indeed. I wondered what he was thinking when he brought a staff. He is not ordinarily skilled."

Thud!

Eugene, who struck down on the heads of the brother knights struggling to stand up respectively, skillfully removed the younger brother's helmet with the tip of the staff.

For the older brother close to out of bounds, he shoved the staff under his belly and rolled him right over.

At that frugal method of utilization, Aisha folded the fan she was holding and laughed heartily.

However, unlike Eugene playing an active role, the knights of his team were being pushed back heavily.

"As expected, it would have been better to mix the teams."

Since there was a difference in weight classes and the blades of the weapons had been removed, the Clear Stream knights who mainly used swords were at a disadvantage. It was because the destructive power coming from the weight of axes and maces was still merciless.

"I wanted to do that too, but the other two Counts opposed it."

At her father's words, Aisha covered her face with her fan and narrowed her eyes.

The Andar family, aiming for harmonious fusion, was an exceptional case, and Gordans generally followed the logic of power.

'So what if they are native nobles?'

'Let's step on those arrogant scholars this time.'

The two Counts had intentionally aimed to destroy the balance and formed the teams.

The reason Count Andar, who would normally have persuaded them earnestly, appropriately backed down was because he had a card he believed in.

It is Eugene, observing his surroundings with the iron staff resting on his shoulders.

"..."

"..."

Knights who had just finished fighting nearby stealthily avoided Eugene's gaze when it met theirs.

'What kind of length is...'

'I will get hit before digging in. It seems useless even if I do dig in.'

They absolutely couldn't see a way to dismantle that iron staff. Looking at the five knights rolling around after being beaten up, they couldn't dismiss it as a mere stick used by monks.

As dozens of people were tangled up fighting in the spacious arena, those from other areas probably hadn't seen this yet. The knights intended to leave Eugene to them.

* * *

'If only there had been horses.'

Badel lamented inwardly.

If it were a tournament hosted by the King, it would have been a mounted battle, and the current situation would have occurred in reverse.

"It seems it will be difficult at this rate."

"There is already about a 7 to 3 difference."

Fellow knights assessed the surroundings and said to Badel.

Wherever they looked, there seemed to be more enemies than allies. And there was Lipton spearheading such attacks.

"Hurry! We must quickly finish off the remaining bastards!"

"Sir Lipton. Even without rushing like that, it is already a won match."

Even if it's a group battle divided into factions, a tournament is a tournament. It is customary to compete in martial prowess individually as much as possible.

However, Lipton didn't even hesitate to rally knights and pounce on those fighting other enemies, just like in a real war.

In the early stages of a tournament, since there are many people tangled in a chaotic brawl, using cheap tricks is roughly fine.

However, as the numbers decreased now, they were bound to stand out easily. Free knights wishing for success in the eyes of observing nobles started feeling conscious.

"There is the legendary knight bastard from Bonyard among the opponents!"

"He is just one person, is he not?"

"No matter how much he flies and crawls, there is already a two-fold difference."

The knights stared at Lipton as if it was absurd.

To think a knight of Lipton's caliber made this fuss all because of just one person.

No matter how great of an expert he was, as long as they were using non-lethal weapons while dismounted, it led to a contest of stamina and strength rather than finesse.

At this point, there was absolutely no way they could lose.

'These foolish things. Babbling such nonsense since they haven't faced him.'

Lipton felt annoyed in his own way but couldn't sway the knights as he pleased any further.

In a situation where knights from better families than his were mixed in, he had roughly dragged them here by relying solely on his skills and reputation.

And even Lipton thought there should be a chance of winning with this much difference in numbers.

'This is no time to be relaxing. To think our allies have already dwindled this much.'

Eugene, who had been observing, also prepared to fight with similar thoughts.

"Sir. Are you going to jump in like this?"

Hind, who returned after bringing down a second knight, asked.

"Because the Clear Stream knights crumbled faster than I thought. If we leave it like this, we'll be surrounded by enemies on all sides."

"This tournament's composition and the organizers' emotions seem heavily mixed in."

Hind gestured with his eyes at the two Counts smiling contentedly in the premium seats.

"They must be planning to flatten those they found eyesores normally through this opportunity. Something like that?"

"Yes. If you overturn the tilted tide of victory with your martial prowess, Sir, their resentment might focus on you. They do not give off an open-minded impression like Count Andar."

Perhaps because he was a son of a merchant family, Hind always thought politically for a knight.

"Thank you for the advice, but it is impossible to be loved by everyone."

"That is true."

Moreover, the Andar father and daughter had eyes that seemed to want him to step up.

Eugene thought it was better to firmly appeal to verified nobles rather than worrying about nobles he didn't even know.

"Besides, so what if we get targeted a bit? Our territory is not even fixed."

The reason nobles live politically is because their power comes from fixed lands. They couldn't survive if they didn't pay attention to their surrounding conditions.

However, Eugene, who could roam carrying his territory, could act according to what he pursued without minding such things.

"Sir! It is not our territory, but your territory, Sir."

Hind agreed but bowed his head at the gracious words.

* * *

"Damn it! He's coming!"

As Eugene lunged with terrifying momentum aiming his iron staff, the knight in his path screamed.

"I need ample space, so step back. Go and join Sir Badel."

"Understood."

To Eugene trying to fight alone, Hind followed without questioning.

Eugene intensively targeted the knights' lower bodies using his long reach and lightning-like speed.

"Aargh!"

"My leg!"

The knights had trained mainly to defend against thrusts concerning spears.

Due to the nature of a spear shaft made of wood, the swinging power was miserable, and there were barely any situations to swing from the side in the first place.

Therefore, they had to pay a harsh price before Eugene's relentless attacks, which they were experiencing for the first time.

Whoosh!

As the iron staff flew in with the momentum to shatter his knee, the knight hastily lowered his shield.

At that moment, as Eugene's grip wiggled, the iron staff popped up abruptly.

As it struck the knight's cheek just like that, his helmet got knocked off and flew away, and the knight fainted while rolling his eyes back.

"Up! Block the t..."

When the shield went up, the iron staff flying toward the upper body suddenly dipped downwards.

Thwack!

"Son of a bitch!"

Seeing their comrade collapsing grabbing his leg while blocking his face, the Gord knights grew furious. Now disregarding honor or whatever, they pounced from all sides.

Boos poured down as they didn't even mind aiming for his back at all.

"Are you not even ashamed?"

"The name Clear Stream is wasted on you! Muddy Stream fits perfectly!"

Rather than an honorable duel between knights, it looked like a swarm of mercenaries rushing a single knight.

Even the two Counts who had created this situation stiffened their complexions.

"Save Sir Eugene!"

"It is dangerous!"

Seeing him engulfed by knights in an instant, Badel and Hind urgently ran over.

No matter how great a knight he was, there was no way to survive if pounced on all at once while surrounded on all sides like that.

However, Eugene chose to counter-charge instead.

"Fleeing is useless! Stick closer to that side!"

Lipton, who thought Eugene was aiming for a breakthrough at a single point, attached more knights to that direction, but their jaws dropped at what happened next.

Eugene, who was running, used the iron staff as a pole and leaped over the opposing knights lunging at him.

Even though it wasn't a wooden pole overflowing with elasticity, thanks to his monstrous strength, he escaped by soaring over the encirclement as if flying.

"Wh-what in the world is that!"

"What is that? Magic?"

The audience, seeing pole vaulting for the first time in their lives, lost their words.

Even while landing, Eugene swung the staff and struck the back of the head of an opposing knight who hadn't grasped the situation yet.

Thud.

Laughter erupted from the audience stands at the sight of the knight plunging his face into the ground and sprawling spread-eagle.

Even amidst that, Eugene continued to check his surroundings.

He spotted an allied knight who had been fighting well hastily distancing backward as his weapon broke.

"Damn it!"

Of all things, the only weapons dropped nearby were an axe and a spear. It was an awkward situation for him, who had only trained in the sword.

"There! Take this!"

At the resounding shout, the knight threw a glance toward Eugene for a moment.

Eugene slipped the tip of his staff under a sword dropped nearby like a lever and flicked it up.

The sword spinning through the air flew accurately in front of that knight, and he snatched it immediately.

"Th-thank you!"

At the unimaginable method of assistance, both allies and pursuing enemies had dumbfounded faces.

Afterwards, Eugene also joined the allied formation. He judged it was impossible to fight alone since they kept forming an encirclement from all sides.

Because he couldn't use the wide space entirely by himself while fighting together, he adopted a new combat style.

In his left hand, he held a large square shield picked up from the ground, and grabbed the one-third point of the staff with his right hand, starting to thrust with it.

The ever-changing swinging of the iron staff disappeared, but a ruthless shield bash was added instead.

Bang!

As he relentlessly smashed with a large shield as tall as a person using his monstrous strength, no knight could withstand it.

The iron staff unfailingly plunged into the torso of a knight staggering with their defense broken.

One bash and one thrust.

Opposing knights fell one by one to the simple yet uncounterable attacks.

"Sir! Give us orders!"

"No, orders should be given by Sir Badel, not me."

Although not a real battle, Eugene was also flustered by Badel trying to hand over command immediately to a rolling stone like him.

"Is-is that alright?"

Badel realized what he had said for a moment and felt embarrassed.

In truth, it was a stage where command and such were no longer needed.

Not only was the number disadvantage reversed, but a miracle unfolded where the enemy lines naturally split when Eugene charged at the front with his shield and spear.

As the Clear Stream knights charged through that crack, the enemies crumbled completely.

"W-wait a minute!"

"Don't push!"

The sight of opposing knights pushed to the fringes suffering out-of-bounds defeats consecutively.

The sight of a knight barely trying to slip out the side getting blocked by Eugene's extended long iron staff, stopping and looking dejected.

Applause and laughter didn't cease from the audience stands at that rare spectacle.

As Lipton, who remained until the end, fell after suffering a joint attack by three knights just as he had done, the match came to an end.