Home of the Brave

"Woo, Xia Luwei..."

Miranda threw herself into the arms of the female knight and called out a grievance. The scene seemed to be the other way around.

"Miranda, are they bullying you? Miranda."

Xia Luwei caressed the witch in her arms, her dignified gaze swept over, and the guards were forced to take a step back, revealing the young master Katia behind her.

"...It's you again." Seeing that hateful face, the female knight couldn't help narrowing her eyes, and her murderous intent shot out.

"That's her! Lord Duke, that's the female knight yesterday!" Conrad didn't dare to touch the female knight's gaze, cowered a few steps back, and complained to the Duke beside him. "Like Miss Miranda, she was fascinated by that liar, and she actually shot at my benefactor..."

"Uncle Leonard?" Xia Luwei's surprised voice interrupted Conrad's narration. "Why is Uncle Leonard here?"

"...Xia Luwei, how could it be you?" The Duke couldn't help scratching his scalp in a completely different scenario than expected.

"Damn it! Who can tell me what the **** is going on?"

"Hmm!"

In the chaotic scene, a cough suddenly sounded. The sound was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of everyone present. Then, under the gaze of countless eyes, Dai Yang walked to the side of the female knight and the witch, put his arm around the shoulders of the two girls, and confessed to everyone.

"Both of them are my daughters-in-law, that's it."

The voice of the black-haired youth was like dropping a boulder on the surface of a turbulent lake, and the waves swallowed all the chaos. Everyone was surprised, stunned, confused, and fell into silence that was difficult to speak. Dai Yang put his arms around the witch and the female knight, greeted the crowd with doubts or angry gazes with a calm expression, and asked with a voice that didn't seem to contain the slightest anger.

"If anyone has an opinion, you can put it forward."

"...I have an opinion!"

Surprisingly, it was Conrad who came out first.

The young master of the Cardia family, looking at the witch nestling next to Dai Yang, took off her gloves with a frustrated expression, threw them at Dai Yang, and said in a fierce voice: "I demand a duel! You guy, bet on Miss Miranda's happiness and fight me to the death!"

"Duel..." Dai Yang took the glove thrown and reminded him with a very helpless voice. "Although I don't mind, are you sure you want to fight me? I'm not a knight, and even if you win, Miranda can't agree to date you."

"Stop talking nonsense!" Dai Yang's reminder may be out of good intentions, but it fell in Conrad's ears but was misunderstood as words of cowering and evasion, pressing aggressively. "I want to strip off your disguise in front of Miss Miranda! Let her take a good look. The only one who is worthy of her is the real knight, Conrad!"

(What a real knight... Obviously he was so scared yesterday...) Dai Yang heard the female knight's disdainful murmur.

(This is also quite interesting, Yang, would you accept it? Or the father wouldn't agree.) The witch chuckled and poked the man's waist.

Dai Yang's suggestion made Dai Yang feel a little moved. At this time, Conrad, who didn't know the imminent death, was still yelling and provocative over there.

"How? You untouchable! Do you dare to take up the challenge of this young master?"

"...Okay." Dai Yang took the conversation. "I accept your challenge, Master Conrad."

"Very good! Then, the duel time is set three days later, and the venue will be in the Arena of Temple Street! Let this young man do it well... eh!"

Conrad, dancing with his hands, suddenly fell forward with a muffled groan. Behind him was the figure of the Duke clenching an iron fist.

"Father, you are..." Miranda looked at the Duke's strange behavior in surprise.

"Huh! Lord Conrad was injured in an accident and was unable to participate in the duel three days later, so he just appointed himself as his agent to participate." The Duke looked at Conrad, who was twitching on the ground, and declared in a formulaic voice.

"Huh? Wait, how can there be such a thing!" Miranda said in astonishment.

"Little, less wordy! This is a problem between men!" The Duke moved his five fingers and looked at Dai Yang with ferocious eyes.

"Boy! If you are a man, just use your fists to communicate! Let me see if you are a man worthy of my daughter!"

※※※

Basically, Temple Street can be described as a supermarket for adventurers. In addition to basic facilities such as taverns, prop shops and weapon shops, there are also advanced adventure facilities such as the Arena. However, although it is also called the Arena, the Arena on Temple Street is a bit special. Under the fighting skill field on Temple Street, many monsters of different levels are confined, including ogres and slimes.

Most of these monsters were caught by the way when the monk team sent out to crusade against the monsters, and they were kept underground in the arena for novice adventurers to practice. As long as the adventurers pay a certain amount of fees, they can engage in practice battles with designated monsters.

As a means to familiarize yourself with the adventurous environment in advance and effectively reduce the risk of adventure, this service is quite popular among adventurers. It is said that all appointments are scheduled for next year.

In addition to practice battles, there is another form of fighting skills in the arena. Unlike a gentle practice battle, the monsters in the battle are extremely fierce and advanced monsters, and the challenger must have the consciousness to bet on his life. The adventurer who participates in the fighting skills first has to pay a huge entry fee, but if the challenge is successful, he can get several times in return.

Due to the extremely dangerous nature of fighting skills, if it were not for a powerful adventurer, he would not be allowed to play.

The monsters of fighting skills are divided into several levels from low to high, and when it comes to the highest level of challenge, there is nothing more than the "Trial of the Brave" directly authorized by the Temple of Storm—the so-called "Trial of the Brave", in simple terms , Which is to challenge the monsters of fighting skills one by one in the form of wheel battle. From the lowest level to the highest level, there is no rest time in the middle, and no healing is allowed. Until all monsters are defeated or defeated by monsters, the challenge is considered to be over.

For as long as half a day, as long as one day, the challenger has to constantly face the monsters' attacks. Even if the challenger tries his best to defeat the monster in front of him, the stronger and more violent monster will always be waiting behind—this process is the most devastating. In addition to requiring the challenger to have an absolutely powerful force, a steel-like will It is also essential.

Under such strict requirements, those who successfully pass the trial are undoubtedly the true brave, so they are called "the brave trial."

Originally, to participate in the "Trial of the Brave" in the Temple of Stormwind, an appointment had to be made at least half a year in advance, and the challenger was required to have a great reputation and performance. However, this time under the personal arrangement of the Supreme Chief Priest, the Arena made an exception and interrupted daily operations to prepare for the "Brave Trial". Even so, it took a full three days.

The Duke of Embryon and the unknown boy from Lanlos Town challenged the "Trial of the Brave" in the form of a duel!

—This shocking news was quickly spread out through the channels of adventurers. By the day of the duel, Temple Street was filled with spectators from all over the kingdom. There is still a period of time before the duel begins, but the arena is already crowded with people. The audience was full of voices, and even the high-end stands dedicated to aristocrats and wealthy businessmen were overcrowded.

The only place in the entire arena that is relatively clean is probably only the rostrum where the chief priest and the maiden are located.

"A lot of people are here..." The female knight poked her head out of the stands, and was frightened back by the crowd around her.

"Yeah, the number of people who entered it alone exceeded 20,000... It's rare that there is a lively festival like this, and Albers will be happy too?"

The chief priest nodded with a chuckle. In fact, it was this chief priest who proposed to conduct a duel in the form of a "trial of the brave". Although her reason was "you can't let those two fight each other in a duel, right?", Milan still feels incredible that his father would accept this proposal.

"Hehe, that's because Leonard participated in the brave trial when he was young and almost passed it, so I guess he will agree."

Duke Leonard traveled the mainland as an adventurer when he was young, and the chief priest seemed to have partnered with the Duke at that time, so he knew him well. "The brave trials of the two were conducted at the same time, and the one who fell first would lose... How about Leonard with confidence, what about the little brother?"

Facing the problem of the chief priest, the witch and the female knight glanced at each other tacitly, expressing without pressure.

"As long as Yang doesn't want to lose, he will never lose."

"Father, I will definitely suffer in the end."

"...It seems that I was worrying too much." The chief priest smiled bitterly and waved his hand. "The remaining question is, can the little brother convince Leonard in this duel, that guy's head is very stubborn..." The priest nodded his forehead, showing a not very optimistic appearance. "Although I have made some preparations, this kind of thing really has to be accepted by the parties first..."

Hearing the words of the chief priest, the witch and the female knight couldn't help but become worried, and cast their eyes on the arena below the rostrum.

There, Dai Yang and the Duke were slowly entering the venue. The Duke is fully armed with a one-piece armor, a shield and a sword, but Dai Yang is still in the black to see the color of the commoner, but he has an extra belt tied around his waist. A short black steel dagger hung behind the belt, in addition to many small pockets. This strange dress not only attracted the attention of the audience, but also surprised the Duke.

"Boy, what is your dress?"

The two people in the center of the arena were surrounded by sounds from all around. The Duke raised his eyebrows and looked critically at Dai Yang's dress.

"Well, because I am not good at knives and swords, I have to use the ability of props." Dai Yang shrugged his shoulders.

For experienced fighters, a good weapon can be regarded as an extension of the body, so the "Brave Trial" does not limit the weapons used by the challenger. Whether it is a sword or a gun, even a battle with a stream of props like Dai Yang is allowed by the rules.

"Fight with props?" The Duke hummed heavily, probably thinking of Dai Yang's style when he expelled the orcs. "Although I don't know what props you brought, kid, don't underestimate the'Brave Trial'! The ferocious monsters that appear later can not be dealt with with props... well, although it is really that kind At that time, it's not that I can't consider saving you, uncle, but you have to leave my daughter!"

"...Please don't worry about the father-in-law, at least it is not a problem for my son-in-law to protect himself." Dai Yang thanked the Duke for his kindness.

"Smelly boy! Who do you call your father-in-law! I didn't admit your relationship with Miranda!"

The Duke waved his fist angrily. Had it not been for the dueling rules to prohibit challengers from attacking each other, Dai Yang might have to be punished with an iron fist first. Feeling anxious, the Duke kept fiddled with the hilt of his sword and looked at the position of the rostrum frequently. He did not wait too long. With the enthusiastic voice of the audience, the figure of the chief priest appeared on the podium.