Chapter 34: Jousting Tournament (part five)
Just like in the heavyweight weapons match, in this swords match Louis also commenced an attack without warning.
Louis immediately threw away his axe and pulled out a sword before Auguste was in his position.
Blackcurrant was retreating while keeping her eyes open to protect her rider, but Auguste still kept his eyes closed and was depressed.
Louis often aimed while Camellia was doing a feint, trying to strike the shield attached on the shoulder of Auguste.
Blackcurrant avoided the sword attacks that might hit Auguste.
Blackcurrant succeeded in avoiding the first blow swung in their direction.
But Louis continued to attack mercilessly.
Blackcurrant’s balance was thrown off due to Camellia’s ramming attacks, and Louis swung his sword aiming the moment when her feet stopped.
The swords of Auguste and Louis crashed and made sparks.
It seemed that he drew his sword during that close call.
(Uwah, dangerous.)
Louis’ sword attack was a serious blow that couldn’t be seen by untrained eyes.
He was 4 years or so older, plus he had the advantage of height and was attacking without mercy.
Of course, because it was a sword for the competition, the edge was dulled, but if he failed to parry it, even if there was a shield or armor, it seemed that it could break his bones.
“He warded it off……? No way, even if he could do it during the heavyweight weapons match, but swords?”
Otou-sama groaned while looking at the imminent battle.
Was there something wrong with that?
When I tilted my head, the King responded to Otou-sama’s muttering.
“That’s right. Normally it’s impossible except by chance. Even if it was a 10-meters class dragon, it’s rare that a knight with such high level skill appeared……”
“Ooh, he parried it again. I do not think this is a coincidence.”
“Otou-sama, Your Majesty, what are you talking about?”
When I inquired as I couldn’t understand it, the two of them nodded with a mysterious expression.
“That’s right, this was Erica’s first time watching the tournament. Moreover, there was almost no swords match done in this year’s competition.”
“Erica-ojousan, there is a fixed flow to a certain extent in the three matches in this tournament.”
His Majesty the King carefully explained it for me.
To summarize it, the battle flow was fixed in advance depending on the length of the weapon used.
And that fixation became more obvious as the size of the dragon increased.
Of the three kinds of weapons, it was said that usually the mid-air fighting was only done in the spears match.
Shorter weapons would make it more difficult to hit the target while flying at high speed.
Dragon knights used special long-handled hammers and axes, so it was barely possible to fight in the air during the match of heavyweight weapons.
Even then, the target was not the shields, but each other’s weapon.
If the weapons were dropped their victory or defeat would be decided, so as if it was arranged beforehand, they would exchange blows with their weapon and it became a contest of endurance.
Of course, as Louis did in this final, sometimes there would be someone that used the tactic to push their opponent’s dragon to the ground.
The dragon that fell to the ground would have their evasion ability considerably reduced.
Therefore, it was possible to aim the opponent’s shield with relative ease even with a hammer or an axe.
The disadvantage of the dragon that was on the ground became even larger during the swords match.
Compared to the long-handled hammer, dragon knights’ long swords were only about two thirds of that length.
That was the reason why it would make it harder to hit shields or each other’s weapon.
For the dragon knight that was on the ground, attacks from the dragon knight that was in the air could come from all directions and receiving those attacks could be difficult, even if they were relying on their dragon’s vision.
In addition, dragons of more than 10-meters class would need long runs to fly.
Of course, it was impossible to make a sufficient run for flying while fighting.
So when one of them fell to the ground, the courtesy to return to their original position was particularly important before the match resumed.
By the way, the flow of the swords match when it didn’t become a one-sided match of air-to-earth was this.
Both of them would collectively land or match their altitude while hovering in the air, draw near at the last moment and cross swords with each other.
In this way, the match was easy to prolong.
The shield that could be targeted was limited to one place, which made it easier to defend.
It was harder to lose their grip of their weapon, since it was not heavy like in the heavyweight weapons match.
Since they couldn’t use footwork, the ability difference due to their fencing skills was wonderful to see, etc.
Ultimately, the continuous contest of endurance and concentration in a drawn-out battle would decide the victory and defeat.
In this way, the original tournament was made to be a match where all aspect of strength was tested.
“In other words, it is a show of great skills that he could stop his opponent’s blows many times over while he was on defense on the ground which should be disadvantageous for him.”
“It’s quite easy to understand, Erica-ojousan. That’s right. It is hard to understand if you look from far away, but from the defending dragon knight – Auguste’s point of view, it is very difficult to ward off the attacks. In the next moment, Louis might turn his back on him.”
“Is it possible to turn this situation around?”
“Fufufu. Please watch my son’s match with confidence. In the first place, Auguste likes watching this tournament. He should be aware of how to work on this situation.”
Prompted by the King, I concentrate on the match.
At that time, it was the moment when the battle situation became a stalemate.
The moment when Camellia was trying to turn back and leave, Blackcurrant struck with her long tail.
She aimed at the base of Camellia’s wings.
Camellia’s balance was thrown off, she lost her momentum and landed on the ground.
With both of them on the ground, it was supposed to be a five-minutes match.
“Yosh, he did it! You remember it well, Auguste. That was the crucial move of the 10-meters class semi-final three years ago.”
The made a fist pump and raised his voice unexpectedly.
The King who once was lamenting at fate, now had his tension back at the show of Auguste’s continuous success.
“Hm. His Highness Auguste prevails at the dragon techniques, but Louis is better in physique and actual battle experience. Since it’s becoming difficult with the difference in ability of their dragons, this is exactly a fifty-fifty match.”
“My son will not lose in the contest of endurance. Different from how he looks, he is actually a hard worker.”
It sounded like a speech from a doting parent, but suddenly I was reminded of something.
He was lifting a heavy bag lightly during the sightseeing tour and there was a sense of stability when we were dancing.
It was easy to imagine that he might have tempered himself for the time when it was possible for him to ride a dragon.
Louis who had dropped to the ground turned completely and went into defense.
Letting Camellia took a distance, he also raised his sword and took the posture for defense.
But Auguste took an unexpected action.
Sand around Blackcurrant was winding, and for a moment I thought that Auguste also made a smokescreen.
However, his distance to Louis was too far for the sand to affect him.
“What, she is floating!?”
Otou-sama shouted and leaned his body forward.
Our attention drawn, the King and I watched over the sand.
Blackcurrant with Auguste on her back made her wings flapping strongly.
The 20-meters class dragon’s body was lifted a few meters without running.
Simultaneously with the flapping, Blackcurrant seemed to breathe out as if spitting them out.
This was the identity of what looked like a smokescreen.
Louis noticed the anomaly and spurred Camellia to make an assault, but it was already too late.
The wings of Blackcurrant caught the wind and she was returning to the sky with Auguste.
A black dragon and a single black knight rose as they were.
“Your Majesty, what is that?”
“Hmm. I have heard of it from the folklore. In the era of the Third Giant War, in an anecdote of the Severe King Jean during the expedition to the Karkinos continent. The King’s troops were cornered by the enemy and were in a crisis because they couldn’t notice the siege of the giants due to the bad weather. However, Urizen1 who was the King’s ride flew without running and saved them from that crisis.”
“Why is His Highness Auguste can do the same technique as the Severe King……?”
“I don’t know. But, this strange thing has happened in a row. No matter what happens, it is peculiar.”
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