Chapter 499: Unexpected Help.
The crowd was stunned into silence. Gerhard, once the proud and indomitable knight commander, now lay crumpled in the stands like a broken marionette, impaled by the mysterious spear. His spirit blade had long since fizzled out, and the orange glow that had once radiated from him like an aura of invincibility was nothing more than a memory.
Roland stood right next to the crash site, having witnessed the entire incident. His brother had nearly gotten himself killed after succumbing to something called blood crystal-induced madness. Though Gerhard had shown no initial side effects, it seemed that after suffering a crushing defeat and a severe injury, his mind had finally snapped. Just as he was about to deliver the killing blow, a spear was thrown.
The same spear collided with the magical barrier, a shield designed to withstand tier-3 strikes. Roland had managed to create a large hole on his side, but on the other side, where the spear came from, the barrier remained at full strength. Yet, the silvery mithril spear pierced through it with almost no resistance. The projectile struck Gerhard, sending him flying into the stands, where he now lay motionless, a giant pole protruding from his chest.
Roland's gaze shifted from Gerhard's broken body to the arena's entrance. There, a towering figure clad in gleaming silver armor strode forward with authority and confidence. The wolf emblem on his chest plate gleamed under the sunlight, and his armor shimmered with brilliance, unlike anything the audience had ever seen. His steps were slow, deliberate, and the powerful aura surrounding him was undeniable.
"That armor, that wolf emblem… Did that bastard actually come?"
Roland's heart began to pound as he recognized the man. There was no mistaking it—his father, Wentworth Arden, had arrived. For over ten years, Roland had managed to avoid him, hoping this day would never come. But here he was, wearing the fabled armor of the ‘Silver Wolf,’ a legend within the Kingdom’s military.
The arena fell into an even deeper silence as Wentworth Arden made his entrance, each step sending ripples of authority through the space. The barrier within the arena began to fizzle out as he moved through the stands. People started whispering, some recognizing the eye-catching armor he was famous for. Others glanced not at him, but at the figures behind him - heavily armored knights, all bearing the symbol of the crown.
The symbol of Caldris was also displayed on the silver wolf’s armor, indicating that all of them were dressed in their military uniforms. Each of these men, knights or nobility of some rank, would typically bear their own personal crests and symbols. Yet, they all wore the markings of the royal family, suggesting they were part of an official unit, possibly one returning from a border skirmish.
The royal crest of the Kingdom of Caldris features a fearsome golden dragon, its wings unfurled and flames curling from its open maw, symbolizing strength. The dragon stood proudly in front of a shield with its tail coiled protectively around a golden sword that ran vertically through the center. Flanking the dragon were two roaring griffins, their talons gripping the edges of the shield. Above the shield rested a regal crown encrusted with rubies and sapphires, signifying the royal lineage. Encircling the crest was a bouquet of golden oak leaves, intertwined with silvery thorns.