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IBHJ Chapter 135
🕑 Added 2023-03-04 22:55:42 +0000 UTCShirou and his companions arrived at the outskirts of the castle and waited. Shortly after, Bedivere arrived with the army. Without waiting for Bedivere to introduce him, he climbed atop a large rock and bellowed, "All you righteous warriors, I am Arthur, the Incarnation of the Red Dragon and the destined king!"
He started to introduce himself to the army, and this time his speech was much better than before. Unlike his previous attempts, where people merely stared at him dryly, as soon as he mentioned the name Arthur, the soldiers grew excited and started to discuss amongst themselves.
"Is that the Arthur of the rumor who pulled the sword from the stone?" one knight asked.
"In the rumor, they visited every city in Camelot!" another chimed in.
"I have heard of Arthur's stories," yet another said. "Poets say that they have crusaded against terrifying monsters, driven away evil magi, and helped countless civilians reclaim their land from the nobles!"
"I heard that he will soon be the king of Camelot!" one soldier exclaimed.
"I have been longing to meet him for a long time! It is said that he is the ideal king who will defeat the tyrant Vortigern, drive away the Saxons, and bring a better life to us!" another added with enthusiasm.
"The female knight standing next to him is the pure Knight Princess from the story, isn't she?" a third soldier asked.
"Indeed, and their team also includes the great magus Merlin and the charming and romantic Sir Kay!" replied another with admiration.
Shirou didn't need to encourage the soldiers or release a beam of light to capture their attention; they were already discussing excitedly among themselves. This was the result that he had achieved in just over two months. They had visited every city in Camelot and left behind a trail of stories. These stories were sung by people and spread far and wide by minstrels.
Even the knights they had met not far from Ector's manor had joined in promoting Arthur's story throughout Camelot. As a result, more and more people became acquainted with Arthur, and more people knew who he was.
And now, the scene that unfolded before them was one of excitement and enthusiasm.
"Arthur! Arthur!" the soldiers shouted in unison.
Without the need for a heart-wrenching speech, just by shouting Arthur's name and introducing himself sincerely, these soldiers spontaneously started shouting. They had already heard numerous tales about Arthur and had been waiting for the successor of King Uther for too long.
However, amidst the cheers, a voice of doubt rang out, "You are Arthur?"
Shirou turned to look, and the soldiers of Camelot also turned to look with a hint of anger in their eyes.
The Archbishop was at the forefront, leading several knights dressed in conspicuous attire, followed by soldiers bearing different flags. It was evident that the knights accompanying the Archbishop were leaders from various kingdoms, while the soldiers were from different kingdoms' armies.
Among these leaders, Tristan stood out as a unique figure. As soon as he arrived at his destination, he found a rock to sit on and gently began to stroke his harp.
Next to Tristan was a heavily armored figure who had covered himself tightly, emanating a dangerous aura that could not be ignored.
Shirou looked at the knight who questioned him. He was a young knight with blond hair. He nodded and smiled, "Yes, I am Arthur. May I ask who you are?"
"I am Jordanus," the blond-haired knight replied. "May I ask if Your Highness Arthur summoned us through the Archbishop to lead us?"
"Yes. Our armies are mixed together, but you have no leader. I may not be the most talented, but I am willing to take on the role of Commander."
"You are not yet a king, so how can you call yourself one?" Jordanus sneered, before adding, "And even if you were, you are not our king, so how can you presume to command us?"
"Through strength, wisdom, and my own abilities!"
Shirou surveyed the assembled knights from various countries before speaking. "I understand that you have all answered your king's call for righteousness and have come here to assist the Archbishop. However, this delay is wasting valuable time. The knight is correct in pointing out that I am not yet a king, let alone your king, so I cannot presume to command you. Therefore, let us settle this matter in the traditional way of knights: through strength and combat. I propose that we engage in a duel, with command as the prize!"
One of the knights spoke up, asking, "So if you emerge victorious, we are to acknowledge you as our Commander?"
Shirou nodded in confirmation.
Jordanus interjected with a question of his own. "And if you are defeated?"
"Then I will yield to your leadership," Shirou responded without hesitation.
"Hmph! Very well. Come at me, Arthur!" Jordanus declared, clearly accepting the challenge.
In this era, it was ultimately strength that would convince others, and so the knights from the other kingdoms accepted Shirou's challenge, one by one.
The army of the King Mark was the only one that seemed a bit unusual. Tristan, their leader, sat off to the side, playing the harp and ignoring everyone else. It was a middle-aged knight who spoke up on their behalf.
When the soldiers heard that these high-ranking knights were going to engage in combat, they became extremely excited, shouting and cheering for their respective leaders.
Shirou instructed the soldiers of Camelot to draw a large circle and then issued a challenge to the knights from the other kingdoms. Jordanus was the first to step into the circle and challenge Shirou. "Come on, Arthur!" he taunted. "But let me warn you, in a knight's battle, getting hit and injured is commonplace."
"Of course," Shirou nodded, about to step forward before being interrupted by Artoria. She looked at him firmly and declared, "My king, I am your sword. Let me handle this battle for you."
After a moment of consideration, he agreed with a nod.
Jordanus sneered when he saw Artoria step into the circle. "Heh... a woman?"
"If you lose to a woman, don't go crying to your mother," Artoria retorted, undaunted by Jordanus' taunts.
Throughout the journey to this place, she had faced numerous instances of ridicule and mockery from other knights who doubted her abilities due to her gender. However, a flame of anger burned within her heart, and she was determined to prove them all wrong.
Jordanus was about to launch a counterattack when the soldiers of Camelot, who were surrounding the fighting circle, burst out laughing and started cheering for Knight Princess. This sudden outburst of support caught Jordanus off guard, causing him to lose his concentration.
It became clear that Shirou had strategically chosen this location for the battlefield. Other knights may have been too focused on the fight and failed to notice that the fighting circle was located in the center of the Camelot army and surrounded by its soldiers.
In other words, Shirou had a clear home advantage!
If Merlin was here, he would have surely cursed.
Despite his less-than-stellar character, Merlin's vision was undeniably sharp, and his thinking was ahead of his time. He was truly deserving of the title "wise man." However, compared to Shirou, who had come from 1,500 years in the future, Merlin's abilities were lacking.
Once Artoria had returned Caliburn to Shirou, she turned to the other knights and asked, "Would any of you be willing to lend me a sword?"
Bedivere stepped forward, unfastening his sword from his waist and offering it to Artoria. "Knight Princess, if you don't mind, please use my sword."
"Thank you, Sir Bedivere," Artoria replied gratefully as she took the sword and stepped into the fighting circle.
"Jordanus! Jordanus!"
"Knight Princess! Knight Princess!"
The soldiers from Jordanus's kingdom and those from Camelot both shouted and cheered enthusiastically, each supporting their respective fighter.
Thanks to Shirou's strategic planning, the cheers of the soldiers from the other kingdoms who had been blocked on the outskirts were completely drowned out by the boisterous cheers of the surrounding soldiers from Camelot.
Inside the fighting circle, only the cheers of the Camelot soldiers could be heard.
Jordanus, feeling like an NBA player playing an away game, was not quite at ease. However, upon seeing that his opponent was just a woman, he grew overconfident and began to mock her.
"What a joke! A woman pretending to be a knight?" Jordanus laughed heartily, pointing at Artoria as he turned to Shirou. "Arthur, if your woman loses, does that mean you'll lose to us too?"
"Of course," Shirou replied without hesitation. "My victory or defeat rests entirely on Artoria. She's not just my knight; she's my sword, and I have complete faith in her."
Filled with warmth, Artoria's heart swelled with determination and strength. "Although I am young and inexperienced, I am a knight of my king. He trusts me, and I won't be defeated by anyone!"
Artoria's resolute tone drew cheers and applause from the surrounding soldiers. Even Morgan, who was disguised and standing next to Gawain, couldn't help but shiver with awe as she watched Artoria in action.
In fact, Jordanus' belittling of women had caused Morgan's body to tremble slightly with anger. And now, Artoria's firm and resolute voice had once again caused Morgan to tremble with a mix of admiration and respect.
Jordanus sneered, assuming a battle stance. His mocking expression instantly disappeared, replaced by a serious and focused one. As a knight trusted by his king, he knew better than to underestimate anyone once he had entered the battlefield.
Artoria took a stance, a flash of light shone in her blue eyes, and she drew her sword with her slender hand clad in white silk gloves.
The sound of metal rang out, and a cold light flashed across everyone's faces.
In that instant, Tristan, who had been lightly stroking his harp nearby, broke a string and opened his eyes, unable to help but look towards the battlefield. Even the heavily armored man next to him emitting a terrifying aura seemed to shift uncomfortably.
The next moment, a deep rumbling sound echoed throughout the area, accompanied by the fierce whipping of the cold wind brought forth by the sword being drawn. The spectators around the fighting circle instinctively took a step back.
Artoria took a quick step forward, turning her wrist and tilting her sword before swinging it forcefully towards Jordanus.
However, the sword was heavier than she had expected, and the terrifying force made the sword body entangle with the wind, producing a loud noise.
"Whooosh--!!"
Jordanus' face suddenly changed as he was forced to hold his sword horizontally in front of him to block Artoria's attack.
Then came the sound of metal collision.
The force behind her attack caused her sword to shatter Jordanus' sword, leaving him defenseless.
She then lifted her foot and kicked him straight in the abdomen, sending him flying like a meteor until he heavily collided with a large tree not far away. The impact caused the tree to break with a loud crack.
Artoria was about to pursue her defeated opponent, but a hand suddenly appeared behind her, grabbing her swaying ponytail.
She cried out in pain, "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow - !!!"
The sword in Artoria's hand fell to the ground with a loud clang as she held onto her ponytail and turned to face Shirou with a resentful expression. "For the eighth time! The eighth time, my king! Don't grab my ponytail again! Don't touch my poor ponytail again! Otherwise, I'll get angry!"
"Sorry, sorry," He replied apologetically with a helpless smile. "It's just that you're too fast. If I shout to stop you, you might not be able to stop your movements in time."
She continued to hold her ponytail and glared at Shirou, her anger still simmering.
Shirou cleared his throat a few times before looking around at the spectators who were already in awe of Artoria's impressive performance. Despite not having the same reputation as Gawain, Jordanus was still a highly respected knight who had earned the approval from his king. Yet, he had been unable to withstand even a single move from Artoria, resulting in his swift defeat.
Her speed and skill had been so quick that it felt like she had been bullying a child. And to think, she was just an apprentice knight of Arthur? It was almost unbelievable.
The soldiers of Camelot, having recovered from their initial shock, now cheered Artoria on with great enthusiasm.
"Knight Princess! Knight Princess!" they shouted loudly.
Artoria's incredible display had left everyone in awe, and her status as Knight Princess was now firmly established.
The fact that a trusted knight of his king had been unable to withstand a single hit from her was a great honor for Camelot, and it left them beaming with pride.
Shirou turned to the knights from the other kingdoms with a smile on his face and asked, "Who's next?"
The knights looked at each other, unsure of how to proceed. It was clear that Jordanus was not weak in any way, so what chance did they stand against Artoria?
The knights were left to ponder the extent of Shirou's strength as they watched in disbelief at Artoria's remarkable skill. After all, if even a trusted knight of his king couldn't defend against a single attack from Arthur's apprentice knight, how much stronger would Arthur himself be?
Their minds were now filled with wonder and curiosity about the young king of Camelot and his abilities.
Amidst the buzz of the crowd, a heavily armored figure stepped forward, making a distinct "clang, clang" sound with every step. The calm voice from within the armor announced, "Let me take over. None of you are my opponent."
Although the words were somewhat arrogant, the tone remained flat and matter-of-fact. The knights from the surrounding kingdoms were not angered by the statement, but instead nodded in agreement and stepped aside, making way for the heavily armored figure to step forward.
Shirou approached Gawain, seeking information about the mysterious figure in the armor. "Gawain, do you know who he is?"
He replied with a nod, "He is the son of King Pellinore, Lamorak."
Shirou's eyes narrowed slightly as he took in this information.
