His strength was perfectly controlled, just enough to make people lose their combat ability without causing serious injury.
"Look at him! That Nymph, that young man, I haven't seen such a brave warrior in twenty years!" Foltest leaned forward, his eyes blazing.
Now, only Karl and five opponents remained on the field.
They looked at each other and suddenly spurred their horses simultaneously, charging at Karl from different directions.
The spectators exclaimed: this was clearly an unfair tactic due to being outnumbered.
Triss's hands tightly gripped the railing, her knuckles turning white.
Facing the combined assault, Karl smiled contemptuously.
BANG! With a deafening crash, a knight's shield was struck heavily by the halberd.
The iron-bound wooden shield cracked straight through, and a terrifying force transmitted through the shield,
shaking the bones of the arm holding the shield to their very marrow! The knight screamed and fell from his horse.
Another knight's war hammer was swinging swiftly towards Karl's back.
Karl seemed to have eyes in the back of his head; the halberd shot backward, the butt end precisely hitting the knight's breastplate.
The knight's plate armor was noticeably dented in a small pit, and he was instantly flung backward.
And as that knight tried to stop his horse, Karl threw the halberd with one hand, which flew through the air like lightning.
The crescent blade precisely hooked the knight's saddle, and with an explosion of force, both man and horse were yanked from the ground and crashed to the earth with a thunderous roar!
The remaining two knights exchanged glances and suddenly charged at Karl simultaneously.
This was no tactical maneuver, but a desperate counterattack.
Karl unhurriedly met them, his halberd swinging in his hand, parrying a sword and shield, then a war hammer.
Finally, he struck both opponents' heads with the halberd simultaneously; their helmets collided with a sharp clang, and both fell from their horses.
The last opponent was the vice-captain of the Elland team.
He looked at his comrades groaning on the ground, then at Karl, and suddenly dropped his weapon: "I yield!"
In an instant, the renowned Elland and Maribor teams were completely wiped out!
Karl rode his horse, his breathing steady, only a light sweat on his face, the halberd pointing diagonally at the ground.
He was the only one still mounted against opponents who were "defeated."
The audience fell silent, then erupted in thunderous applause.
"Karl, Karl, Karl!" The cheers rolled across the arena like thunder.
"He won! One man! He defeated them all alone!"
"Oh my god, the Nymphs! The Nymphs team won!"
"Karl? Yes, that knight is Karl!"
"This is just incredible; is his strength given by God?"
Applause swept through the stands again, and the ladies forgot to wave their fans.
Their faces flushed with excitement, their eyes fixed on the god-like figure on the field.
All the previous contempt had turned into fanatical curiosity and admiration.
Many noble ladies stood up, throwing petals at Karl, their handkerchiefs falling like snowflakes.
"Hurrah!" At the same time, the marshal blew the horn to end the match.
On the high platform, Foltest stood up, applauded slowly, and smiled with undisguised appreciation.
"Excellent! This is truly an unexpected marvel! Advisors, take note of the name: Karl."
Foltest called a servant: "Invite this young man to tonight's banquet. I will personally congratulate him at dinner."
Fercart's eyes narrowed slightly, his face unable to hide its surprise, and he murmured: "This strength... pure strength... There are few who could stop this on the battlefield."
Triss finally breathed a sigh of relief, pride and anxiety intertwining in her heart.
Keira, on the other hand, had a complex expression—surprised yet unwilling to admit her mistake.
On the field, Karl dismounted and walked towards the "captured" Aytok and the others to help them up.
Instead of celebrating his victory, he first cared about the condition of his teammates.
This move won over the audience, and the applause grew louder.
"Well, not only brave but also honorable. Such a young man deserves better opportunities." Foltest nodded approvingly.
Triss looked at Karl on the field, mixed feelings filling her heart.
Karl had caught the king's attention, but this was only the beginning; what was hidden could not be retrieved once revealed.
And the court of Temeria was more dangerous than any battlefield.
Karl looked up towards the VIP section and met Triss's gaze.
He smiled slightly, his eyes bright as stars, and Triss smiled back.
The dust had settled on the team combat, but the excitement on the arena had not subsided.
Karl's stunning performance was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples that spread to every corner.
The applause and admiration from the audience and ladies were mostly for him.
Most of the defeated knights left the field supported by their teammates,
either with looks of shame, or unwillingness and fear, glancing at the figure with the halberd that had already become the center of attention.
...…
After a short break, the herald loudly announced the next competition—the lance competition would begin immediately.
This traditional event required knights to wear heavy armor and hold blunt lances to unhorse their opponents with skill and strength.
However, as the draw determined the opponents, the atmosphere became more subtle.
Karl carefully wiped the provided lance; although it wasn't made of steel, he routinely maintained and inspected it.
This was also to prevent people with ill intentions from making minor moves against him,
such as the weapon given to him already being damaged or having minor defects.
When he went on stage and walked towards the bronze lottery basin, wherever he went, the surrounding knights subconsciously stepped back a little, forming an invisible vacuum.
Only Aytok, Fenmeer, and the others smiled, enthusiastically patting his shoulder and back, giving him thumbs up in appreciation.
Over the years, the members of the Nymphs team had come and gone, but they had never performed so brilliantly.
Now, they could attract the attention of many people, all thanks to Karl for making this day possible. Many didn't even know how to express their gratitude.
And how happy Aytok, Fenmeer, and the others were now.
Those knights whom Karl had unhorsed in the melee, on the other hand, felt very uncomfortable.
The bruises on their bodies were still slightly painful, and when they looked at Karl, there was no contempt, only awe and fear.
As for the drawing process, it was full of drama.
When Karl reached into the bronze basin and pulled out a wooden slip engraved with his opponent's name, the face of the knight he drew often instantly paled.
In the first round, Karl's opponent was a strong player from the Elland team.
This man had been attacked by Karl with the halberd in the team combat, and his armor there was still slightly dented.
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