Game of Thrones: The Road to Pirate King

Chapter 190 Axe Throwing Final - Baron Wins the Championship

At noon, the blazing sun hung high in the sky, its scorching rays pouring down on the arena without reservation, as if igniting a natural sacred fire for this ultimate test of strength and precision.

The axe-throwing finals commenced here, with burly men from all over baring their bulging muscles, sweat beading on their bronze skin. They unleashed a thunderous roar, their entire bodies exploding with power as they hurled heavy battle axes with the wildest ferocity. The axes whistled through the air, spinning rapidly, tracing deadly arcs, carrying immense force, striving to cleave distant targets with the most domineering and precise method.

The rules of axe throwing are quite similar to those of archery, with both fixed and moving targets, but the throwing distance is reduced by nearly half.

This is not to underestimate the athlete's strength, but because the tomahawk is much heavier than an arrow, making it difficult to use wind power for long-distance flight, and relying more on the thrower's pure arm strength and instantaneous explosive power.

On the waists of many mercenaries who fight in various places, you can always see several lightweight throwing axes tucked into their belts, serving as effective weapons for short to medium-range ambushes.

However, those who truly regard the throwing axe as their primary weapon and integrate it into their cultural heritage are often peoples who value close-quarters combat and have a fierce style—such as the savage tribes in the northern mountains, the pirate gangs that roam the Narrow Sea, and the Iron People from the Iron Islands who believe that "strength prevails over hard work."

Baron Greyjoy is undoubtedly recognized as the Ironborn's greatest axe thrower, whose skill is considered unparalleled.

From a young age, he was obsessed with an extremely dangerous game called "finger dance"—two participants throw axes at each other, dodging and catching the axes thrown by the other; the slightest misstep could result in the tragedy of severed fingers or even limbs. Baron never missed in this bloody game.

Later, his father, King Coron, knowing the sport was extremely dangerous and unnecessary, tried his best to ban it on the Iron Islands to stop this near-self-harming behavior, but to little avail. The wild and untamed Ironborn had long regarded this game, which teetered on the edge of life and death, as a symbol of courage.

It wasn't until Euron intervened, threatening the Iron Islands with ancient traditions and declaring that anyone daring to participate in the "finger dance" would be permanently stripped of their right to sail and plunder. For the Ironborn, whose livelihood depended on plunder and whose lives revolved around seafaring, this was undoubtedly a punishment far more cruel than losing a finger. It was through this ruthless and uncompromising approach that the cruel game of the "finger dance" was finally brought to a complete end amidst the storms and reefs of the Iron Islands.

In the axe-throwing final, Baron Greyjoy crushed all his opponents with undisputed absolute strength, easily winning the championship. When his last axe struck the bullseye with thunderous force, the entire arena fell silent for a moment, then erupted into a frenzy of cheers and shouts.

All the Iron Islands spectators erupted in cheers. They pounded their chests, clinked their glasses, and shouted the victor's name in a deafening chorus: "Baron! Baron! Baron!" The shouts were rough and fervent, like the never-ending waves of the Iron Islands, filled with a primal pride for the strength of their compatriots.

King Coron gazed at his son, a rare, almost imperceptible hint of approval flickering across his stern face. He strode forward and gave Balon a heavy thud on the chest—the most direct way for Ironborn to express approval and celebration. Euron followed suit, smiling, and delivered a similarly forceful thud. One by one, the members of House Greyjoy stepped forward, sharing in this powerful display of family glory.

All eyes in the arena were drawn to the center of the arena as if by a magnet, where the most breathtaking duel of the day was about to take place.

The final of the individual duel will determine who is the strongest warrior standing at the pinnacle of the seven kingdoms.

One of them was Euron Greyjoy from the Iron Islands, who had just won a tournament with spears. His opponent was Gregor Clegane, "The Mountain," whose fearsome reputation could silence even the babies of the Seven Kingdoms.

Gregor Clegane's very existence is like a nightmare.

He stood in the center of the arena, his eyes fierce and brutal. He was nearly eight feet tall (about 2.4 meters), like a moving giant tower, and weighed an astonishing thirty shi (about 190 kilograms). His body was covered with rock-like, knotted muscles. His strength was beyond description; it was almost inhuman.

He wore a flat-topped, massive helmet with only a breathing hole and a narrow observation slit, the top of which was decorated with a cold, stone fist pointing menacingly to the sky. His weapon was a greatsword that would require the two hands of an ordinary strongman to wield, but he could wield it with incredible speed using only one hand.

It is said that with a single strike, he could cleave a fully armored professional knight and his horse in two.

What is more terrifying than his physique and fighting prowess is his twisted and brutal mind.

Gregor Clegane, "The Mountain," was an outright sadist, murderer, and rapist. As a child, he cruelly shoved his younger brother Sandor Clegane's face into a scorching fire after Sandor played with a toy he had discarded, leaving a permanent scar. He murdered his father, sister, and both of his wives. His castle was a gloomy and terrifying place; servants frequently disappeared without a trace, and even his hounds dared not easily enter the halls. The accusations of rape and senseless murder he committed are countless.

He was "The Mountain," a walking scourge, the embodiment of pure violence. At this moment, he stood opposite Euron Greyjoy.

"The Mountain" Gregor Clegane is known for his suffocating defenses.

Normally, he wears the heaviest and thickest full-body steel plate armor in the Seven Kingdoms, its terrifying weight requiring several adult men to lift it with difficulty. Beneath this fortress-like plate armor, he also wears interlocking chainmail and incredibly tough boiled leather armor, his protection being impenetrable to the teeth. He usually uses a massive shield made of extremely thick oak, edged with black iron, its surface emblazoned with the menacing three black dogs of House Clegane.

However, at this moment, in the final of this one-on-one duel, "The Mountain" Gregor Clegane could only wear the relatively thin, uniform leather armor prescribed by the tournament organizers. His massive body appeared unusually conspicuous without the steel covering, but it also exposed more weaknesses.

This stems from the strict rules of the finals: all weapons must not be poisoned, the use of any form of concealed weapon is strictly prohibited, shields are forbidden, and wearing one's own heavy armor is strictly prohibited.

These rules severely limited the Mountain's tactics of overwhelming opponents with absolute defense and terrifying power, forcing this "mobile fortress" to dismantle his strongest defenses. To most onlookers, this undoubtedly significantly weakened the Mountain's advantage and greatly increased Euron's chances of winning.

The one presiding over the ruling of this duel is the captain of the Kingsguard—Sir Gerald Hightower, "White Bull".

Among the renowned White Knights, the most illustrious are Barristan the Fearless and Arthur Dayne the Sword of the Morning. However, Barristan must focus entirely on preparing for tomorrow's grand final of the jousting tournament, while Arthur cannot serve as referee to avoid any appearance of impropriety, as his sister Ashara is engaged to Euron.

Therefore, the heavy responsibility of maintaining fairness in this life-or-death struggle fell on the shoulders of the captain, who was known for his composure and integrity.