"You said you were good with a sword… why did you pick a halberd? A battle-axe or a sword with a shield would be much better than a halberd."
"This thing is very heavy, it consumes too much stamina to swing, and it's easy to accidentally injure people, whether teammates or opponents." Aitorc saw this and tried to persuade him with earnest words.
"Yeah, the Captain is right, you should change weapons…" Fenmier looked helpless, placing his left hand on his forehead.
Karl raised an eyebrow, not wasting breath to explain, but instead turned his head and reminded Lasu softly.
"Lasu, grip your shield tightly."
Immediately, Karl gripped the shaft of the halberd and lightly thrust it towards his shield.
"Bang!" The spearhead of the halberd struck the center of his shield.
"Uh… ah." Lasu, hearing Karl's reminder, immediately raised his shield to block. A powerful force instantly transferred to his arm and then to his entire body.
Lasu's body swayed, and he barely managed to hold onto the shield, preventing it from flying out of his hand.
He staggered back three steps before he could barely steady himself, not falling to the ground.
Aitorc and the others widened their eyes and exclaimed in surprise.
"This… such great strength? You can really swing it…"
"Lasu, how do you feel?"
"Hmm, I can hold on. Karl doesn't seem to have used much force."
Karl curled his lips into a faint smile and said, "Now, do you believe I can use it?"
The others scrutinized Karl with expressions like they were looking at a freak, and slowly nodded.
Their eyes weren't blind; Karl's movements from beginning to end were not large, and he wasn't even swinging the halberd.
He hadn't even fully extended his arm, and he hadn't moved from his spot.
In this situation, he could barely borrow any momentum, relying solely on his own physical strength.
Yet, even in this situation, he could still push Lasu back, showing just how immense Karl's strength was.
An ordinary person encountering Karl, even in a shielded blocking stance, would most likely have their weapon forced out of their hand on the first strike, and then be directly sent flying by the halberd on the second.
Long-handled weapons like spears and halberds were never meant for those with weak strength.
Especially when riding a horse, it almost entirely relies on arm strength for support; if arm strength isn't strong, swinging it twice will make your arms ache.
Before long, the horses driven by everyone arrived at the arena.
Aitorc, Fenmier, and the Lasu brothers nodded to each other, exchanging one last firm glance.
The horn for the team free-for-all was about to sound. Four squads had already arrayed themselves in the arena, their warhorses pawing at the dirt restlessly, snorting white breath.
Karl silently tightened his grip on the halberd in his hand; the wooden shaft was already slightly damp with the sweat from his palm.
The warhorse beneath him, 'Cabbage,' seemed to sense its master's tension, lightly shaking its dark mane.
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Compared to the heavily armored other squads, the Nymph Team's equipment, apart from Karl's, was noticeably inferior.
The rust on their plate armor had been reluctantly polished, but it still couldn't hide the marks of time.
"Guys, remember the plan! Defend first, then attack, preserve our strength," Aitorc whispered one last time.
The stands were bustling with people, and banners fluttered.
Foltest, the King, sat under a sunshade, with three advisors seated on either side.
Triss's fingers unconsciously twirled her fiery red hair, her gaze fixed on Karl's figure.
She knew this day would come; Karl couldn't hide his power forever, but that didn't mean she wasn't worried.
"Your little friend is probably going to suffer today, Triss."
"Hmph, hmph, Nymph Team against White Rose Team, they're like lambs facing a pack of wolves."
Keira's voice was sickly sweet; she elegantly fanned herself, even though the weather wasn't hot.
Triss clearly dismissed Keira's words, which showed she didn't think highly of Karl.
She merely snorted lightly and smiled, "Perhaps there will be a surprise, Keira. Karl always likes to play outside the box."
"Triss is right, Keira, I actually think the Nymph Team has a chance. Young people always have unexpected potential."
Fikat brushed a small tuft of hair from his forehead, leaned forward, and smoothly interjected.
His gaze followed Karl, carrying a hint of imperceptible flattery.
Hearing the conversation between the two, one after another, Keira paused her fanning, narrowed her eyes slightly, and glanced at them both.
She smiled without smiling, and softly probed, "Hmph, is it my illusion? Why do I feel like you two have gotten a lot closer recently?"
"Especially you, Fikat, aren't you always trying to pick apart me and Triss?"
"Heh, Keira, if you want to cause trouble, just say so directly, no need for roundabout talk."
Fikat's expression shifted. He knew he couldn't let the other party see through him.
So, he feigned an expression of having his disguise exposed, his face turning cold, and retorted to Keira.
Indeed, seeing Fikat behave this way, Keira smiled faintly and immediately fell silent.
Meanwhile, Foltest did not participate in the advisors' conversation.
But his sharp eyes swept across the entire field, finally resting on the halberd in Karl's hand, and he raised an eyebrow slightly.
Choosing a halberd in such a competition was quite rare, as it was more difficult to wield than a longsword.
But in the hands of someone skilled, its power was even more astonishing.
"Woo woo woo~" The horn blew.
The four squads surged like a tide. The White Rose Team, as expected, charged directly towards the Nymph Team.
Their captain, Horace, raised his shield, and the blade of his blunt sword glinted coldly in the sunlight.
"Quick! Calm down, hold the formation!" Aitorc immediately shouted.
In the chaos, each time Karl swung his halberd, his movements were precise and efficient, yet he deliberately restrained most of his strength and speed.
The halberd shaft blocked incoming blunt swords, and the crescent blade cleverly parried thrusting spears.
Then, with just a slight pull, he would cause his attackers to lose their balance.
He secretly kept an eye on Aitorc's situation while following the pre-arranged strategy.
The Nymph Team fought and retreated, trying to avoid direct confrontation as much as possible.
At the same time, a chorus of boos erupted from the stands, clearly dissatisfied with the Nymph Team's conservative tactics.
But there were also observant spectators who noticed Karl's brilliance.
"That kid, the one with the halberd! His movements are quite slick!" someone in the stands commented.
But soon, he was drawn to more exciting battles.
"Triss, it seems your little friend has chosen to play the coward," Keira chuckled, unable to hide her mockery behind her fan.
Triss did not respond to Keira. She noticed Karl's unusually fluid movements.
He seemed to anticipate every one of his opponents' attacks, which was clearly not a level an ordinary person could achieve.
Indeed, even if Karl deliberately suppressed his strength… that powerful combat intuition still couldn't be completely hidden.
The situation on the field changed rapidly. The White Rose Team, the Erlend Team, and the Maribo Squad seemed to have formed a temporary alliance.
They chose to attack the Nymph Team simultaneously. In less than half a minute, with enemies on three sides, the Nymph Team was immediately in dire straits.
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