"He wants Lord Alaric to join the competition?"

"Didn't he just advance to the Knight realm recently? I think it's still too early for him to compete with other Knights."

"Is he that confident with his nephew's skills?"

"Lord Alaric is one of the greatest talents in the empire, but I don't think he can compete with veteran Knights at the moment. There is still a huge gap in experience and this couldn't be bridged with talent alone."

The guests discussed among themselves.

Meanwhile, Lucas frowned as he looked at his younger brother. He wondered why he was sending his nephew to compete.

As if sensing his gaze, Charles smiled and nodded to him.

Alaric stepped forward and spoke.

"Since my uncle has already spoken, then I hope everyone doesn't mind if I join."

Everyone stared at him in surprise. They couldn't believe that he would actually agree to join the competition. His bravery alone earned their respect.

Lucas stared deeply at Alaric.

He even won against his uncle who is an Elite Knight. Fighting with these Knights shouldn't be an issue as long as he is careful.

He had seen his son's skill in swordsmanship. Alaric might lack battle experience, but his raw skill alone was already comparable to veteran Knights.

Lucas clapped his hand and said. "Then let me announce the rules while the participants are changing into their battle gear."

The rules of the competition were simple since it wasn't an official one.

• Use of mana is prohibited.

• One must not kill or seriously injure their opponent. Failure to comply with this rule will result in immediate execution.

• If you are incapacitated or admitted defeat, you lose.

"Does anyone have any objections to the rules I have proposed?" Lucas swept his gaze.

No one voiced any objection.

"Good! The single matches will be drawn randomly. To prevent any suspicions of cheating, may I request a volunteer to perform the drawing of lots?" Lucas didn't want to be accused of favoring his son so he made this request to show his impartiality.

One of the guests volunteered to draw the lots.

A few minutes later, the participants finally received their pairings.

Alaric's first opponent was a Knight named Cole Woodman. From his appearance, he looked like he was in his late thirties or his early forties. His weapon of choice was the sword, the most common choice among warriors.

Alaric sorted his memories, but he had no recollection of this Knight.

I don't recognize this man. He should be an ordinary Knight.

At this moment, the first match had already started.

In a fight between Knights, victory and defeat would be decided in just an instant. The most important factor in determining the winner was the skill level of the Knights. Their ability to react to any situation was also important. Of course, this only applies when the use of mana was not included.

The first match concluded in just a few seconds.

The next participants stepped up and headed to the center of the banquet hall.

The crowd's applause and cheers echoed, filling the entire venue with excitement. Some people even started betting on their favorite participants which made the atmosphere even more thrilling.

As the matches continued, Dylann's turn finally came.

The moment he stepped onto the stage, the noble ladies immediately cheered for him.

Well, I don't want to admit it, but he is indeed a bit more handsome than me.

Alaric was speechless by the amount of attention he was getting from the crowd.

Just like most warriors, Dylann was also a sword user, but he had an uncommon choice for a sword. Unlike most people who preferred shorter swords for increased mobility, he was using a two-handed longsword. Despite the longsword's advantage in reach, the average warrior wouldn't use this type of sword because of its weight and strict requirements in skills.

Dylann Heinrich… This guy also participated in the Civil War in my past life, but he was already a Transcendent Knight at that time.

Alaric couldn't help but recall a scene when he witnessed Dylann's might on the battlefield.

He was riding his mount at that time with his longsword in his hand. With a single swipe of his sword, multiple enemies would be slain.

Other than his skill with the longsword, Dylann was also an expert rider. No matter what type of mount, he managed to control them with ease.

Alaric was curious to see how the young Dylann would fight.

Dylann's opponent was a spear wielder. He was fast and nimble which made it harder for Dylann to land a decisive blow.

While everyone was watching the fight with heated gazes, Dylann suddenly did something that shocked them.

He evaded a vertical slash and released a punch that struck his enemy's shoulder which made the latter stumble and lose his balance.

Using this opportunity, Dylann thrust his sword and stopped when his blade was only a few inches away from his opponent's neck.

"I-I…admit defeat."

"You fought well." Dylann sheathed his sword and gave his opponent a salute.

As the battle concluded, everyone inside the banquet hall erupted into applause.

Dylann's enemy was faster and more nimble, but he still won by using a non-conventional tactic.

To some, it might seem unknightly, but on the battlefield, anyone would use every means to survive whatever the method was. There was no such thing as chivalry in a real war.

The next participants were called.

One of them was the Knight who everyone believed would come out as the victor of this competition. His name was Anthony Olliver, a veteran Knight from Vale. He was nearing his sixties, but his appearance showed no signs of aging. His gaze was like that of an eagle, sharp and intense. The muscles on his arms bulged as he took out his weapon, a halberd that was almost as tall as him.

Contrary to his age, Anthony looked like someone in his forties. He was as tall as Galanar but was more muscular than him. Scars were visible on his exposed arms, a clear sign that he had been through many battles.

With one look, anyone would be intimidated by him.

When Anthony stepped onto the stage, William who was watching from the distance revealed a complicated expression.