Cataphracts, surviving in a world full of mods

In that instant, his body stiffened, his limbs went numb, and he was completely exposed, while his opponent showed no intention of letting the opportunity slip by...

The heavy axe slammed into his chest and abdomen, the sturdy, neatly trimmed armor plates clanging metallically as they struck his skin along with the inner lining of his chainmail, causing him to involuntarily bend over. Then, a fierce knee strike brought his head back up...

He had almost completely lost the ability to think, his mind blank... but he hadn't completely lost it—realizing that his opponent would be launching a fierce and relentless pursuit, and was fighting just as fiercely. Gritting his teeth, he recklessly slammed the iron staff forward! He wanted to push his opponent back and buy himself some breathing time.

Even though she was completely caught in the opponent's offensive, this strike was still accurate, ruthless, and fast! It pierced Carila's side with a tricky stab, leaving a trail of sparks along the armor plate!

Even with the protection of heavy armor, a tearing pain, almost suffocating, was transmitted through her. The powerful iron staff struck her vulnerable side and armpit, causing Karila to groan involuntarily.

Such pain would have made a strong man crouch on the ground, gasping for breath, but she only let out a muffled groan, and then continued her fierce attack as if nothing had happened, swinging her double axes high from top to bottom and chopping at the opponent's helmet!

boom!

With a crisp metallic clang, the two axes were raised high, the immense recoil almost causing them to slip from his grasp. Kalissi, holding the iron staff, shrunk down slightly, the staff he held in his right hand trembling slightly, emitting a clear metallic hum. Two visible dents appeared on the steel staff's shaft!

In the clash of steel, a terrifying force attempted to escape through the steel body, but a pair of strong, muscular hands firmly bound the axe handle, calming the rapidly trembling blade. Then, it drew another arc, slashing diagonally downwards towards the opponent's shoulder, and finally collided fiercely with the opponent's upward slash. Then, because of this all-out attack, they separated, leaving only gaps and marks on each other's weapons.

There was no chance to catch one's breath, no pause, and no moment of carelessness... What unfolded before everyone's eyes was this most intense and frenzied battle. Neither side had much time to think; they could only rely on their instincts to swing their weapons and parry attacks, consuming each other's will, strength, and even lives in the most brutal way.

The entire arena fell silent; many had even forgotten to cheer. This unimaginable scene had captured everyone's attention. No one dared to breathe loudly, afraid of disturbing the birth of the champion. Only the surging, tide-like crowd proved they were living, breathing beings full of passion and fervor.

Even many of the soldiers maintaining order were stunned.

Karila, who was attacking frantically, stumbled for a moment, but recovered in the next instant. Her deformed knee armor was soaked with blood flowing from her knees—the skin there had been torn and bleeding under the terrifying force, and even the bones might have been damaged, but she couldn't see it now...

A searing pain, like burning embers, was spreading down her arms. Her hands, gripping the axe, were growing weaker and weaker, signaling that the last vestige of her muscle fibers' potential was being squeezed out, pushing her to the brink of overload. Yet, the speed at which she swung the axe didn't slow down at all; instead, it became even more ferocious and violent, like a raging fire fueled by the wind!

We cannot relax or back down; if we slacken our efforts again, all our hard work will be in vain!

Faster! Faster! Don't give your opponent a chance to breathe, don't give him a chance to counterattack! Seize this sweet and glorious victory for yourself.

The spinning axe struck the upright iron staff with maximum speed and force along the arc of the arm's swing. But this time, instead of a clean bounce after a head-on collision, the upright iron staff, unable to bear the weight, tilted to one side, causing the opponent's shoulder to sway to the side as well.

Without the slightest hesitation, he charged forward... Accompanied by the heavy thud of his heavily armored body crashing onto the yellow sand and the sound of heavy breathing, Kalissi, staring at the battle axe spikes before him, gasped for breath as if his lungs were about to burst. He tossed his iron staff aside and, in the suddenly silent arena, spoke after a long while:

"You're almost out of energy too, aren't you?... After all, you were the one who initiated the attack, so you should be expending more energy... I didn't expect you to use the same method a second time, and it's actually working..."

Karila smiled, straightened up, and casually tossed aside the axe in her hand. Then, without hesitation, she fell heavily backward, crashing into the yellow sand.

"I still have a little energy left, not much, but not to the point of exhaustion... just enough for me to finish this match."

A thunderous roar of surprise echoed throughout the arena, and countless petals rained down. The new Imperial Champion had appeared!

Chapter 220 Chief (1)

"Ouch! Ouch! Be gentle, be gentle!!"

Karila, lying on the white sheet, let out bursts of groans, desperately trying to shrug her waist, which had beautiful abs, to the other side, hoping to alleviate the excruciating pain and numbness.

Wearing a long white apron, Talina showed no mercy, extending her slender yet strong hands to gently press on the other's bruised and swollen ribs. Each press was accompanied by a groan of pain.

"What? The dignified Imperial Champion can't even tolerate this little bit of pain? Don't move. I need to check him over carefully to prevent any broken or dislocated bones from going undetected, which could cause serious trouble later..."

As soon as she finished speaking, the girl increased the force in her hand. This immediately made the wails in the room even sharper. Tormented by the bone-deep pain, Karila desperately pounded the bed beneath her, making a loud, clanging sound.

After a long while, this grueling examination finally stopped. Kalila, drenched in sweat, lay on the bed, panting heavily. With only Talina present, she carelessly left her clothes open, her full breasts rising and falling with each breath.

"Damn it, why does it hurt so much! I was bitten by a wolf before and it didn't hurt this much!"

"Because you broke three bones."

Tarina walked over with a frown, a small bowl in her hand burning with flames, emitting a pungent smell of distilled spirits, and a short cotton thread burning inside.

“If we had let you go out and run around on your own, the broken ribs could have caused you more serious damage… Luckily we managed to drag you over and raise your arm.”

"Oh."

Karila did as she was told, and then a sharp pain shot through her ribs, making her grimac and shudder, but she managed to maintain her posture.

A thin silver needle pierced the bluish skin, causing black blood to seep out. Tarina chanted incantations and gently tapped the small bowl with the silver needle. The burning flame flickered slightly and turned into a clear blue. Under this blue flame, the tiny needle prick, which should have stopped bleeding quickly, began to bleed continuously, each drop a deep color.

The large bruise on his side shrank visibly in the firelight, and soon his skin returned to its cold, translucent color. Not a drop of the oozing blood fell onto the towel that had been placed underneath.

Seeing that the bruises had faded, Talina slowly brought the small bowl close to her fair skin, letting the flame flicker across it quickly. Before Karila could react, she had already turned and placed the bowl on the table.

"Okay, as long as you don't do any strenuous exercise for a while, there won't be any problems. Roll up your pants too, let me take a look at your knees."

For some reason, even though the other person was a gentle girl, Karila inexplicably felt that Tarina was very authoritative at this moment, almost comparable to Thesolius sitting in the central command tent, full of an unquestionable air, making people involuntarily do as he said...

Her armor had long been removed, leaving her only in black trousers and a light yellow linen shirt. Karila bent down, rolled up her trouser legs above her knees, and her lips twitched slightly, revealing her swollen knees.

Tarina calmly half-squatted down, gently pressing her fingers on the swollen area, repeatedly asking how the other person felt, carefully considering and feeling the area before finally standing up after a long while.

"There's nothing too serious, and no bones are broken... The force of that blow was truly terrifying. It caused this level of injury even through the steel leg guards. If it had been hit a few more times, it wouldn't have been impossible for it to break the knee."

“Yes, that guy is really amazing…” Karila nodded seriously.

"As expected of the famous warrior of the Northern Legion... although he's still a bit inferior to me! On the way back just now, a lot of people blocked my way and wouldn't let me pass. They all gave me food and flowers! Even the most respected elders in our area don't receive this kind of treatment. Coming to the South was definitely the right choice!"

Seeing how quickly the other person became smug and overconfident, Tarina couldn't help but chuckle softly.

"I should congratulate you, but there's something I have to remind you of now—the adults seem quite angry because of your reckless and risky actions, and they want you to go see them after you've treated your injuries."

Just as Karila was about to continue expressing her excitement, she suddenly stopped all her movements, as if she had been cast into a plaster statue. The muscles on her face froze, and the excited light in her eyes quickly dimmed.

After a long while, she finally broke free of her stiff posture, turned her head, and looked at Talina with an expectant yet ingratiating gaze, as if she were looking at a savior.

"Dr. Talina... I think my injuries might require a couple of days of rest, so I should avoid dangerous activities as much as possible, right?..."

Talina remained expressionless.

"I'm sorry, but after treatment, your injuries are no longer serious. You can run back to the barracks on your own two legs without any problems, so you can't stay here for long."

"No, I think I can..."

No, you can't.

With a hint of mischievousness, Tarina ushered Karila, whose injuries had been treated, out of her medical room and wished her a safe journey...

…………

A few minutes later, a sighing Karila was already walking through the well-planned, vast and complex mansion. Her usual energetic demeanor had disappeared, and she looked somewhat timid and hesitant.

It's worth mentioning that although she was dressed in simple casual clothes, she carried an exquisite metal wine pot in her right hand. The pot was made of gold, silver, and copper, and the three metals were perfectly matched with each other using exquisite craftsmanship, resulting in a natural and beautiful transition between colors. It was seamless, as if they were one piece—just based on this craftsmanship alone, even if it were made with the cheapest materials, it would be enough to sell for a high price.

The origin of this wine jug is even more extraordinary—after her opponent fell first, although she was also momentarily unsteady on her feet due to exhaustion and pain and sat down on the ground, she eventually got up quickly and became the final victor.

At that moment, the entire stadium erupted in cheers, tens of thousands of mouths chanting her name. Even the sun seemed to hide its brilliance, daring not to overshadow her. The master of ceremonies solemnly announced her victory, and unparalleled glory and splendor descended upon her.

Even though she was a little slow on the uptake in some ways, Karila realized that this was probably the most glorious moment of her life. She couldn't stop smiling, and she was even a little unsteady on her feet. Her legs felt weak from excitement, and she felt energetic all over. Her back and legs were no longer sore, and even her shoulders, which had been exhausted just moments before, were now flexible and strong.

Then the emperor stepped forward and announced her as the champion, and generously bestowed upon her a large reward... To this day, she still doesn't know exactly how much she received; she only remembers being so overwhelmed by the information that she couldn't tell the difference at all.

Then, Thesolius suddenly appeared from the side, and without saying a word, tossed down a heavy object. Had she not caught it in time, the exquisite wine jug might have shattered on the ground… Then, in a booming voice, he announced on the spot that he was to be the chief centurion of the legion…

Although it felt a bit strange, the gift from Lord Tersolius was still very rare and unusual. He was in high spirits today, having almost everything that a person could want in their lifetime. So he happily drank the wine in the pot in one gulp, which aroused cheers that shook the entire arena.

...Now that I think about it, Lord Tersolius's gaze at that time seemed to have a rather meaningful quality.

He shuddered violently, clutching the wine jug to his chest, hoping that this proof of victory would earn him some leniency.

Just as she was walking hurriedly with her head down, a clear and loud voice suddenly rang out from beside her:

"Hey, our champion, what's your hurry? You're about to knock someone over."

Carila reacted instantly, taking a light step to the side. With lightning speed, she darted past the maid carrying a stack of plates, like a fish slipping through a crack in the rocks of a stream.

At the same time, she looked up at her side—Colin was standing there with one foot on the knee-high railing, looking at her with a very dashing posture. His robe was obviously freshly changed and still showed signs of ironing.

Meanwhile, her boots were polished to a shine, and her belt was exquisite. At first glance, she could easily be mistaken for a handsome young man... In fact, she had been mistaken for a young man quite often when she went out in this manner these past few days, and was frequently greeted by enthusiastic girls.

"The master wants me to go see him... Wait, what are you going to do now?"

Karila casually agreed, but then it suddenly dawned on her that the other person was wearing freshly ironed clothes and polished boots, looking like they were preparing for an important event, and definitely not just waiting for her here… The shrewd girl sensed a glimmer of hope in this…

"Don't you know? This matter is closely related to you." Colin put her other foot on the railing, then jumped down lightly and nimbly, revealing a free and easy demeanor. Her golden hair fluttered with her movements, revealing her smooth and fair face.

"I heard from my servant that to celebrate your championship victory, the master decided to treat us to a meal, and it was made with rare ingredients sent from the palace, and the master cooked it himself..."

As if something was hindering her speech, the mountain girl swallowed hard, her expression unchanged, and shifted her feet a few steps uneasyly.

"As the main character, I thought you should know this, why do I need to remind you? By the way, you look so rushed, if you're not going to a banquet, what are you doing there?"

At this point, a curious Colin glanced down at the exquisite wine flask in her hand, and a hint of envy involuntarily appeared on his face:

"And he was even carrying this wine jug..."

Just as Karila was about to say something, a cry suddenly came from the side, causing both of them to turn their heads at the same time—and then they saw several strong servants shouting and pushing in an iron cage with wheels underneath, and inside the wheels was a plump sheep, with white wool, full of energy, and occasionally letting out a series of bleats due to the excessive shaking.

Following closely behind was a vegetable basket, woven from sturdy vines, carried by two maids, filled with fresh vegetables.

Next came a dusty box. The servants opened the box by the porch and took out the dusty earthenware wine bottles one by one, carefully checking the seals and the year stamped with sealing wax to make sure that there was nothing wrong with these precious wines. Then they were transported to the back.

…………

One by one, fresh and unique ingredients were being transported to the backyard, causing the two of them to stop what they were doing and stare at the vegetables and fruits as they swayed and dripped dew. The plump and strong animals were eating feed in their cages, completely unaware that they were about to be the main dish, skinned, bled, cooked, boiled, fried, and grilled to be enjoyed as a delicious meal.

"Look, they've already started preparing. We need to hurry. Anyway, nothing can be more important than this. Let's get there quickly!"

Seeing Colin getting agitated, Carila breathed a sigh of relief—no matter what, since it was a celebration party for her, they probably wouldn't scold her too badly... otherwise it wouldn't look good later.

Thinking about it this way, she felt much more relaxed, and her previous worries disappeared instantly... It's strange, she used to be a fearless person, daring to run away and explore on a whim, encountering wild animals, killing bandits, and even crossing two battlefields.

But perhaps because Tersolius had defeated her so decisively, she always felt easily intimidated and timid when facing him. Her usually unruly personality would become much more restrained in front of him, especially since she herself knew that she had indeed disobeyed his pre-match instructions and used a rather risky method...

For some inexplicable sense of security, Karila grabbed Colin, with whom she often bickered, and dragged him away like a best friend, leaving the mountain girl looking at her with some confusion, wondering what was wrong with her now...

Chapter 221 Chief (2)

Generally speaking, things don't always go according to plan. Rather, change is the norm most of the time. Those who devise brilliant plans in their minds but never actually investigate them are often brutally defeated by reality.

Carila quickly realized that her plan had a huge problem—she had thought she could bring Colin along to share the burden, but instead she was called into the study alone, with no one to help her and she had to face it all by herself.

Thesolius, dressed in his black silk robe, was sitting at his desk writing and drawing. To prevent the table from wearing out his sleeves, he had even placed a piece of leather under them. His brass pen moved slowly and steadily, drawing clear and neat characters on the parchment.

Seeing Karila walk in, he glanced up and gestured for her to sit down in the chair in front of him. He continued to work on the documents in front of him at a leisurely pace. Although he didn't say anything, a terrifying atmosphere had already made the Rigut girl's face stiffen and her hands and feet go blank.

After she sat down, Tersolius didn't say anything immediately. He continued to scrutinize the paper, writing things down every now and then. It would take him quite a while to put a piece of paper aside, indicating that he had finished.

As time passed, Karila grew increasingly anxious, even unconsciously clenching her teeth... like a prisoner watching the executioner's axe fall on his head, in a state of anxious anticipation of impending doom.

But then she watched as the documents in the other person's hands grew thinner and thinner, sheet after sheet of parchment being placed in the area next to it that indicated the documents were finished. She began to feel anxious again. Those increasingly thinner sheets of paper seemed like a countdown to her death, and her situation was getting worse and worse with each passing sheet... At this point, she actually wished that the sheets would stay that thick forever, so that the new change in the current stiff but temporarily safe atmosphere would never occur.

Unfortunately, some things cannot be changed according to human will. Just as a drop of water is destined to fall to a lower place, the sun has its own fixed trajectory every day, and trees become vibrant when it is warm... That piece of paper, that last piece of paper, was eventually placed on top of its companions piled up next to it.