In the beginning, the onlookers had assumed that the cloaked boy who had stepped onto the tournament stage of his own accord had been specially sent out by Arthur to give the offending Gawain a way to save face.
After all, no matter how you looked at it, the difference in their physical builds was right there for all to see. The outcome of the match was self-evident: victory would surely belong to the young man named Gawain.
But the scene that was now unfolding before them clearly exceeded their imagination, causing the crowd, which had been murmuring amongst themselves, to fall silent.
—DANG!
Catching the powerful and heavy blow, if Aozaki Rin didn't know better, he would have thought he was dueling not a young man, but a gorilla with monstrous strength.
Yet even against such a heavy sword, the boy blocked it, not even taking a single step back.
Compared to that old man's sword, this is still too light...
Subconsciously recalling the old man's strike that seemed to shred the very air, Aozaki Rin, after blocking Gawain's attack, slid Durandal along the edge of his opponent's blade, deflecting his own body away.
Immediately after, he followed with an upward slash, striking the flat of Gawain's sword with a heavy blow!
"Urgh..."
As if he had been punched by the air itself, Gawain instinctively took a step back to dissipate the immense force transmitted through his sword, his heart filled with shock.
It was the first time he had ever encountered someone who could not only block his sword head-on but also possessed strength greater than his own.
His heart instantly blazed with excitement. In that moment, the knightly youth unleashed the power he had been holding back without hesitation. His holy sword seemed to become coated in a halo of the sun as he slashed out horizontally!
If Gawain at this moment was the scorching, blazing midday sun, dazzling but without mercy, then the boy he was fighting was like the boundless ocean. No matter how Gawain's attacks rained down like a tempest, he remained unperturbed, yet a raging storm was hidden beneath the surface.
With every attack, Aozaki Rin either dodged to the side or blocked it head-on. Gawain's blade never once came close to him.
Until, after round after round of relentless assaults, the knightly youth had exhausted a breath and paused to regulate his breathing.
Only then did the sword in the boy's hand launch its attack!
—Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding!
The crisp sound of metal clashing rang out continuously.
The sword in Aozaki Rin's hand was like a series of advancing waves, its force building layer upon layer, thrusting forward in a single, unbroken breath, forcing Gawain back step by step.
Finally, with a spin, he delivered a slash!
The immense force caused Gawain's already numb arms to fail him. Unable to hold onto his sword, he stumbled and fell backward onto the ground.
But the holy sword, flying from his grasp, seemed to carry out its master's final, unwilling act of defiance, tearing open the hood that concealed the boy's face and slicing off a lock of his black hair.
To be honest, if the sun wasn't hanging high in the sky, Gawain would have thought it was already night.
After all, possessing the ability to increase his own strength threefold during certain hours under the sun, he had never lost to anyone in broad daylight.
But in the next moment, an even more shocking truth appeared before his eyes.
"B-Blind?!"
Looking up at the boy under the sunlight, his features slightly obscured by the halo of light, but whose golden eyes were completely unfocused, Gawain was instantly stunned.
For a moment, he doubted his own ability to be a knight.
But he quickly came to his senses. So, geniuses truly exist in this world.
Not only was he younger, but he was also unable to see. And under such conditions, he possessed swordsmanship and strength that far surpassed his own, defeating him honorably under the sun...
A sense of admiration rose in Gawain's heart. He was utterly convinced of his defeat.
However, although he could accept his own failure, the thought of being unable to complete the task his mother, Morgan, had given him, and the scolding he would surely receive upon his return, brought a trace of sorrow to his heart.
Yet, before he could suppress this melancholy, a dignified voice rang in his ear.
"That was outstanding martial skill. A knight like you should not remain unknown... Sir Gawain, I ask you, are you willing to join hands with me to defeat Vortigern and rebuild Britain?"
Under the sunlight, Artoria extended a hand to the knightly youth who had fallen to the ground, a smile on her face.
Although she wore no crown, the sun itself seemed to be a crown suspended above her head, dazzling and brilliant.
Gawain blinked as if stunned. He had thought that after his defeat, he would leave in disgrace, agonizing over how to deal with his mother.
He had never expected that this young king would completely disregard his earlier offense and even personally extend a hand to him, making him feel even more ashamed.
At the same time, a powerful emotion surged in his chest.
I'm sorry, Mother...
Silently apologizing, Gawain stood up, knelt on one knee, picked up the holy sword that had fallen beside him and sheathed it at his waist. He lowered his head and said.
"It would be my honor. From this day forward, my sword is your sword, and your will is my will. Please allow me to become your knight, my king."
"Good."
Artoria nodded, a sigh of relief in her heart. She subconsciously cast a joyful glance at the boy beside her, as if to say without words, "Thanks to you, En, we've gained a powerful general."
But Aozaki Rin couldn't see this look from the girl. He only sensed that his sister had directed a gaze full of emotion at him and tilted his head in slight confusion.
Artoria, however, deliberately did not continue, quickly retracting her gaze, making the boy think he had imagined it. He blinked, slightly bewildered, which made the girl's lips curl up in a satisfied smile, as if she had succeeded in a prank.
However, this sight, which slightly detracted from a king's dignity, was seen by no one except Merlin, who stood beside the throne.
Merlin let out a low cough, causing Artoria to immediately compose her expression, her pretty face turning serious.
And so, the girl, following the formal rites of knighting, bestowed upon Gawain the title of the King's Knight with the Sword in the Stone.
[You defeated Gawain in a duel, causing him to be completely convinced of your strength and to become a knight under your sister, Artoria.]
[For your sister, who has just succeeded to the throne, this is undoubtedly a great boon.]
[This act also causes the surrounding crowd to admire your sister even more, and it makes everyone aware of your existence.]
[However, the vast majority of the crowd is not surprised by your swordsmanship; they are more amazed by your appearance.]
[To avoid causing a commotion, you quickly ask Merlin for a new cloak to cover your face.]
[At the same time, your sister finally, amid the cheers of the crowd, puts on the crown and sits on the throne.]
[Listening to the surrounding cheers, you can't help but smile.]
[Although you know that your sister will face heavy responsibilities from now on, at least in this moment, the smiles of the people are what your sister Artoria wished to see.]
[You believe that at this moment, she too is smiling from the bottom of her heart.]
[Of course, the succession ceremony is not the end, but the beginning.]
[Now that she has become the new king, the next thing your sister must consider is naturally how to reunite the strength of Britain and defeat the Usurper King, Vortigern.]
[And just at this time, a messenger runs into the palace, stating that Vortigern's army, after a long period of silence, has finally begun to move again.]
[This reminds you of that winter last year, and your conversation with that old man in the tavern. You understand that the old man did not lie.]
[As expected, when spring arrives this year, the war will begin again.]
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