A/N:š°āļø
Raise your banners and sound the horns ā we've just welcomed our first patron into the realm! š»All hail Ser Johnathon Lewis, sworn knight and first of his name to ride under our banner! š”ļøāļø
Your support keeps the quills sharp and the ravens flying ā truly, my thanks runs deeper than the Blackwater.
As for the rest of you brave soulsā¦ today's regular chapter will be released a little later, so sharpen your swords and keep watch. It's coming!
Now, enjoy this celebratory chapter! šš
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Although Jon's heart burned with hatred for Alliser Thorneāan urge to leap onto the platform and tear him apart right then and thereāhe knew this was the training yard, not a place for reckless vengeance.
The rules of the Night's Watch mattered to him. They were worth more than his life.
So, when Thorne's taunts came, Jon merely fixed him with a fierce glare before speaking, his voice calm but unwavering.
"As a new recruit of the Night's Watch, I firmly believe I have the right to be chosenāand to become a true brother of the Watch."
Thorne's lips curled into a sneer.
"Very well. Since our little bastard Lord Snow wishes to prove he's not a coward, I'll askāwho among you is willing to teach him a lesson?"
His gaze swept over the gathered recruits. Many shifted uncomfortably, avoiding his eyes. Their memories of sparring with Jon still stungāboth in pride and in bruises.
But not all were cowards.
A tall youth named Hod stepped forward. Barely sixteen, he was already broader and stronger than most grown men, his arms knotted with muscle from years as a stonemason. His build was as solid as the rock he worked, and behind his brutish face glimmered a trace of cunning.
Jon's stomach sank. Halder was famous for his strength; his fists landed like falling hammers. Jon might have been the better swordsman, but he could not take such an opponent lightly.
And then his eyes drifted to Leon, standing nearby.
Today was decisive for Leon. Whether he would become a true brother of the Watch could be decided here. Jon knew he could not allow himself to lose to Hodāhe had to clear Leon's path.
His mind raced. Of all the recruits here, the only one Jon could truly count as a friend was Eddie. The plan formed quickly: defeat everyone except Eddie, then have Eddie go easy on Leon. This way, no one would suspect favoritism, and Leon would be spared the fate of being sent to Mole Town for unwanted duties.
Leon, for his part, couldn't fathom how Jon could plan so far ahead in the chaos of the moment. Every retreat, every escape routeāit was as though Jon had already mapped them all.
"All right," Thorne announced coldly from the platform, a sly gleam in his eye. "Thirty seconds to prepare for battle. Then we begin."
Hod's wary expression instantly melted into excitement.
Eddie froze as if struck by lightning.
"Thirty seconds? Even if we sprint to the armory, we won't get armor in time!" he blurted.
"Twenty seconds," Thorne replied without blinking.
Jon frowned in disbelief, while Eddie hastily began stripping off what armor he had, fumbling with the straps. By the time the countdown ended, he had only managed to loosen two buckles.
Hod, in contrast, stood fully armored. His helmet shadowed half his face, but the cruel twist of his mouth was clear. He stepped toward Jon with deliberate menace.
Bets began flying from the crowd.
"Two ribsābronze star says so!"
"Make it a broken arm for another bronze star!"
"You lot have no faith. I say he just spits bloodātwo bronze stars!"
No one spoke of Jon winningāonly of how badly he'd be hurt. In past bouts, even with armor, his chances against Halder were a coin toss. Now, half-armored and nearly defenseless, the odds looked grim.
Hod's grin widened at the wagers, his face twisting with excitement. With a roar, he swung his massive two-handed sword down at Jonāonly to strike dirt, raising a puff of dust.
Jon had slipped aside, moving like water, and countered with a clean slash. His blade rang off Halder's thick backplate, drawing only a stagger and a grunt.
The sting of that blow lit fury in Hod's eyes. He had underestimated Jon for the last time.
"Stonehead!" Thorne called mockingly. "If you lose, you'll be cleaning the privies with Lord Snow!"
Hod's face flushed crimson. Rage surged through him, and he hacked wildly, his technique nonexistent. To Jon, those openings were like beaconsāhe struck again and again, his blade leaving shallow marks in Hod's armor.
But the very armor that slowed Hod also saved him. Without it, Jon's sword would have pierced him through.
And the duel was far from over.
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Tyrion Lannister:"Why stop at the public chapters when you can feast on twenty more? Three of them are free ā a little gift from me to you. Come, raise a cup, and join me atpatreon.com/Captain_Lagbefore the next toast." š·š
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We're still under 15,000 words, so no rankings for nowā¦ but from next week, we'll officially start our PowerStone Milestone Goals! šÆ
In the meantimeā¦ Library Collection Goals:
š 100 collections ā +1 bonus chapter (achieved!!!)
š 250 collections ā +1 bonus chapter
š 500 collections ā +1 bonus chapter
š 1,000 collections ā +1 bonus chapter
And uhā¦ y'all can still chuck some Stones at me if you're feeling spicy šš
Let's make this novel go brrrr š„š
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