Chapter 48: The Main Tournament Begins

On the day of the main tournament, I opened the window of our inn room and couldn’t help but frown at the sight below.

The streets were packed with a crowd far greater than anything we had seen before.

People must have gathered from nearby villages and towns for this very day.

Colorful flags fluttered in the air, and cheerful music mixed with the lively shouts of vendors echoed everywhere.

“So many… people…”

Beside me, Rowena stared wide-eyed at the scene.

The three of us pushed our way through the crowd and stepped out into the street.

The entire town felt like one enormous festival ground.

Annoyed by the sheer number of people, I lifted Rowena into my arms so she wouldn’t get trampled, and we headed toward the arena.

In front of it, I gave Chris a light pat on the shoulder.

“Don’t overthink it. Just remember what you did yesterday and fight the same way.”

“Yes!”

After offering a brief word of encouragement, I saw Gideon emerge from the participants’ entrance and raise a hand upon spotting Chris.

The two nodded to each other and disappeared into the arena together.

Rowena and I made our way to the spectator stands and found seats with a good view.

Soon, the opening ceremony began with a fanfare.

Sixteen warriors who had survived the preliminaries entered the dust-filled arena.

Among them were Gideon, towering above the rest, and Chris, who looked slightly tense.

In the VIP section, the man who would soon become the lord of this region appeared, along with the one who would serve as the town’s head.

The future lord raised a staff with a crystal-like ornament at its tip before his face, and his voice rang clearly throughout the arena.

“People of this land, thank you for gathering here today! On this auspicious occasion, I have an announcement! As of today, this reservoir settlement has been officially recognized as a ‘town’!”

A thunderous cheer erupted from the audience.

“The name of this town is ‘Reservoir’! A name bestowed directly by the great margrave! It carries the hope that this land will flourish as a vital hub connecting north and south, gathering people and prosperity like water itself! Details will be announced later, but for now—let us celebrate the birth of this town together!”

At the mention of the margrave, faint memories stirred within me from my time in the capital.

Long ago, during a ceremony, I had seen him once from afar.

Nothing more than a distant memory.

Next, the tournament rules were explained.

“This tournament will feature sixteen participants and will take place over three days! Today marks the first round—eight matches in total! Real blades will be used, but lethal force is strictly forbidden! Poison and ranged weapons such as bows are also prohibited! A match ends upon surrender or when the referee judges a fighter unable to continue!”

Finally, the future lord spoke once more.

“Those who achieve outstanding results in this tournament may even be taken into my service as knights! I expect all participants to demonstrate the fruits of their training and fight with honor and without regret!”

With the ceremony concluded, the matches finally began.

Chris’s match was scheduled as the final bout of the day—the eighth match.

As the sun began to set and long shadows stretched across the arena, his name was finally called.

“And now, the final match of the day! Entering the arena is the rising star who dominated the preliminaries with overwhelming swordsmanship—Chris!”

Chris stepped into the arena.

His opponent was a man wielding a thick shield and a longsword—someone who clearly favored a solid, defensive style.

The gong rang, and the match began.

At first, both fighters cautiously observed each other, resulting in a quiet opening.

The opponent’s defense was ironclad.

Every sharp thrust and slash from Chris was blocked by the shield, while the man patiently waited for counterattack opportunities.

It wasn’t flashy, but it was a balanced exchange.

Time passed with neither side landing a decisive blow.

It was Chris who made the first move.

“Hah!”

With a sharp shout, he launched a fierce assault at greater speed than before—combining sword strikes, elbows, and kicks into a relentless barrage.

The opponent fully committed to defense, hiding behind his thick shield as he endured the storm of attacks.

And then, in that instant—

When the opponent’s focus was completely fixed on the frontal assault and his shield—

Chris suddenly lowered his stance mid-attack and slipped around the shield, sliding into his blind spot.

Thud!

A dull impact echoed.

Chris had circled behind him and struck the back of his head with the pommel of his sword.

The shield-bearing man’s eyes rolled back as he collapsed into the dust.

The referee rushed over, confirmed he was incapacitated, and raised his arm high.

“Winner—Chris!”

The crowd erupted in cheers.

That night, the three of us—along with Gideon—raised our glasses in celebration at our usual tavern.

“Man, that was a hell of a win, Chris! How’d you pull off that last move?”

“Gideon, your match was incredible too. I thought you were going to smash your opponent’s armor along with him.”

Watching the two praise each other, I took a sip of my ale.

“Looks like your experience in the swamp paid off.”

“Yes, Master! When my opponent focused on his shield, the arena started to look like that swamp. The shield became like the reeds that created blind spots…”

Chris excitedly recounted his match, still riding the high of victory.