At the end, when the Sword in the Stone was pulled out by about twenty three centimeters, Bruton's hands went weak and stopped.
Despite this, the applause intensified. Countless people began to cheer and chatter, congratulating Bruton.
Right then, the smug look on Aubrey's face turned ghastly. He stood where he was, his fists tightly clenched. He looked at Bruton with an inexplicable gaze.
The audience in the yard was also dumbfounded.
Everyone thought it was impressive enough that Aubrey managed to pull out the sword by eighteen centimeters.
Little did they know that Bruton once again surpassed Aubrey. Not only that, it was by a much bigger difference than before.
Twenty three centimeters and eighteen centimeters. It was a whopping five centimeter difference. They were clearly no longer at the same level.
Even the royals on the second floor were cheering and applauding.
Showered with praise, Bruton walked over to Aubrey, smiling as he said, "Thanks for letting me win!"
"I won this match. Aubrey, your sword..."
Hearing this, Aubrey's face sank and his face became ashen.
Bruton smiled and waved his hand, "If you're so attached to your sword, then forget it. We are brothers, after all. This so- called competition is just a game. There's no need to take it too seriously.”
The more he spoke, the darker Aubrey's expression became.
He gritted his teeth, removed the sword at his waist, threw it to Bruton, and said, "It's just a sword. I am not a sore loser."
Bruton accepted the sword and drew it out to take a closer look. He complimented what a well-crafted sword it was. Then, he casually tossed the sword over to his men. "This sword belongs to my brother, Prince Aubrey. Keep it safe. When we return, hang it in the most prominent spot in the main hall. This is the respect this sword deserves."
Aubrey's face sank when he heard these words. He clenched his fist angrily. He was very close to attacking him.
Although Bruton said it was a form of respect, he was obviously trying to humiliate Aubrey by publicly displaying his defeat.
It would be the first thing outsiders see when they walk in by hanging Aubrey's sword in the most conspicuous part of his living room. They would be reminded of this defeat when the time came.
However, he lost. No matter how angry he was, he could not do anything but swallow his anger and retreat.
At this point, the royal family had finally finished their attempts to pull out the Sword in the Stone. Among them, Bruton was the best.
Next, it was time for the handpicked representatives to try their luck.
If this competition was a test of strength within the royal family, then the test among the representatives represented the power and control the royal family held. Naturally, this was highly valued by the older generation of the royal family.
After all, as a member of the royal family, strength was merely a singular aspect. Leadership was much more important.
Even if they weren't strong enough, if they were good enough leaders, it was a powerful attribute on its own. They would still stand a chance at the crown.
Afterwards, the same priest stood up again and began to announce the rules of the match.
The rules were simple. Each of the royal descendants could send three representatives to compete. The last man standing would be rewarded with a huge prize and a chance to try pulling the sword out of the stone.
That was a huge honor for any martial artist in Earland.
After all, the Sword in the Stone was considered a possession of the royal family. As such, ordinary people wouldn't even have the chance to take a look at it, much less touch it.
Now, the winner had a chance to have a go at pulling out the sword. No matter what the result was, it was still a great honor.
After listening to the rules, Fade looked at Erin and said, "Which round do I go?"
She smiled at him and said, "The first round. You are our only representative."
"Aren't you supposed to pick three?" He asked.
She blinked and replied, "I believe in your ability, Brother Chen. One person is enough."
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