Famed Throughout the Seven Kingdoms

"Arrogant!"

Kevon shouted and seized the opportunity to attack.

Daeron's gaze sharpened. The instant Kevon rushed before him, he raised his left-hand sword to block, pivoted on his feet, and circled to his opponent's right flank.

Slash!

His right-hand sword swept past, its edge cutting through the weak joint between the armor around Kevon's waist and abdomen, drawing a streak of blood.

Alarm bells rang in Kevon's mind. He turned and swung without regard for anything else.

Unarmored against armored, the difference in speed was enormous.

The moment Kevon turned around, Daeron raised his sword to block and used the momentum to open the distance.

"Too slow." Daeron sneered.

Kevon's face reddened as he charged forward again.

His opponent was looking down on him.

Daeron clearly had the ability to press the attack, yet he deliberately chose to widen the distance.

"Hah!"

With a roar, Kevon chose to slash at Daeron's waist.

Daeron repeated the same move, raising his left-hand sword to block while his right-hand sword thrust straight toward the weak joint between Kevon's breastplate and shoulder guard.

A blossom of blood burst forth.

"Hahaha, well struck!"

Aerys was beside himself with excitement, clapping vigorously.

Tywin frowned slightly. Though he watched his second brother Kevon fall into a disadvantage, he maintained his composure.

"brother, is that kid really so formidable?"

Tygett grumbled inwardly. He should have been the one to fight.

Tywin glanced at him, his expression full of disdain.

Even Kevon, who had only just grasped Life Force, was no match for that kid. Wouldn't you just be asking for a beating if you went up there?

Clang! Clang!

Daeron pressed forward step by step, giving Kevon several opportunities for direct clashes. Sparks flew as their three swords collided.

"Your Life Force is unstable."

At last, Daeron knocked Kevon's sword aside with one hand, kicked him in the chest, and held his two swords above and below, their tips two inches from Kevon's brow and throat.

Kevon's body stiffened. Facing the blades before his eyes, he did not dare move rashly.

"Again."

Daeron did not end it there. He took a step back with both swords, giving his opponent another chance.

There had been too few exchanges. How could that possibly be exciting enough?

"Don't look down on me!"

Faced with his enemy's charity, Kevon was truly enraged. He swung his sword with every ounce of strength, hoping only to land one strike amid the chaos.

Daeron's expression turned solemn as he drew upon Life Force as dense as mercury, slowly reinforcing his arms, waist, and hips.

In an instant, his body entered a special state resembling overclocking. His footwork gradually accelerated, and the blades in both hands crossed and swung at an ever-increasing speed.

The true essence of Life Force lay in awakening the body's potential.

When one could unleash one hundred percent of their potential and enter a transcendent state, they became a god among men for a brief moment.

At its most basic, it meant using one's powerful Life Force aura to influence those with weaker Life Force in every respect.

This was suppression on the level of life itself!

The probing was over. The true battle had only just begun.

Whoosh!

Kevon saw only a flash of swordlight before the weak joints in his armor were sliced open, spraying blood.

He wanted to raise his sword to block, but he had no idea where he should defend.

All he could do was endure passively, feeling swordlight whirl around him and relentlessly carve at his flesh.

"How could he be this fast!?"

Kevon panted heavily, cold sweat dripping down his forehead.

In only a few moments, seven or eight new wounds had appeared across his body. Blood soaked his undershirt and ran down his armor onto the floor.

"Surrender."

Daeron spun nimbly. In the instant Kevon raised his sword over his head, Daeron's two swords once again pressed above and below Kevon's brow and throat.

"Hear me roar!"

Kevon charged forward viciously, intending to continue the duel.

Daeron saw through him completely. He poured Life Force into his right hand and fiercely swept upward to meet the descending sword. His overwhelming brute force crashed forward like a charging dragon, smashing through every obstacle in its path.

"Argh!"

Kevon cried out in pain. It felt as though his upper body had been crushed beneath something immense. The web between his thumb and forefinger split open at once, and his sword flew from his hand.

Clang!

The sword broke into two pieces and spun through the air, its tip stabbing into the black stone floor and utterly shattering his resolve.

"You..."

Kevon stood dumbfounded, unable to believe the gap between them was so great.

He had clearly awakened Life Force as well and could briefly apply it to his body, yet during the fight just now, he had been completely unable to use it. He had been suppressed beyond all resistance.

The next second, Daeron looked at him calmly. One sword was planted in the ground, while the other rested lightly upon his shoulder, as relaxed as though nothing had happened.

"You lost."

A soft whisper in his ear hurt the most.

Kevon lowered his head and said despondently, "I surrender."

With that, all strength left his body, and he collapsed.

The difference between them was too great. Under Daeron's relentless assault, he could not even concentrate enough to summon his Life Force.

"Good!"

"Beautifully fought..."

The twisting Trial by Combat finally came to an end. The noble lords erupted in thunderous cheers, thrilled to witness a duel that revealed the open and secret struggle between two great families.

Kevon closed his eyes in pain.

"Get up."

Suddenly, he seemed to hear his opponent's voice.

Then he felt someone grasp his shoulder, trying to help him up from the ground.

"Why?"

Kevon opened his eyes, his mind filled with confusion.

Daeron had discarded his swords. Holding Kevon by both shoulders, he resumed his usual gentle smile. "Someone once taught me that when a man rises to challenge me, I should answer him resolutely with iron and fire. But when he kneels and admits defeat, I must personally help him to his feet."

At a loss, Kevon instinctively looked back toward his elder brother.

Tywin heard those words, and his emotions were complicated.

Fearing that his second brother Kevon might be stubborn, he gave an almost imperceptible nod.

Kevon reacted quickly. Enduring the pain, he knelt once more and said, "Prince Daeron, please accept my highest respect. Not only is your martial skill superb, but your character also puts me to shame."

"Don't make me help you up a second time, ser."

Daeron smiled brightly and gripped Kevon's arm, pulling him to his feet.

Boom!

This act was like a bolt of thunder, instantly exploding through the crowd and elevating the Trial by Combat to an entirely new level of brilliance.

The young prince proving his innocence through victory in a Trial by Combat was already a fine story.

But if the prince then helped his defeated opponent to his feet and won his sincere admiration, that story would be remembered for generations.

The next moment.

The Throne Room erupted with cheers exceeding two hundred decibels. The noble lords flushed red as they shouted Daeron Targaryen's name at the top of their lungs.

"Hahaha."

Daeron beamed as he grasped Kevon's wrist and raised both their arms high together.

I will not enjoy this honor alone.

Kevon: ...

Both his arms and his waist bore sword wounds of varying severity. That sudden violent movement nearly made the pain take his breath away.

"Wonderful! Wonderful!"

Aerys's eyes shone with excitement. He clapped and laughed extravagantly, believing the noble lords' cheers were for him.

After a long while, everyone departed one after another.

The sedative Aerys had taken had not yet worn off. He had long been unable to hold on and was nodding off, so Ser Barristan and Ser Gerold helped him back to his chambers.

Only a handful of people remained in the hall.

Daeron had not left yet.

His goal of becoming famous throughout the Seven Kingdoms had been achieved, but some people had yet to receive the lesson they deserved.

Turning his head, he fixed his gaze on the Lannister soldier and Gillian on the stretcher.

The latter could not move. As for the former...

"Your Highness, spare me!"

The soldier who had testified panicked and looked around frantically for a way out.

Squelch!

Expressionless, Daeron drew the Valyrian Steel dagger from his waist and drove it directly into the man's left eye socket.

The dagger twisted lightly, and the terror in the soldier's right eye faded away.

When Daeron withdrew his hand, the corpse thudded to the ground.

"Take Gillian back. Drag the corpse out and feed it to the dogs."

Tywin waved his hand in disgust.

Gillian's guard had failed to protect him, and his accusation had failed as well. Keeping him alive would only waste food.

The other soldiers began clearing the hall.

Daeron and Tywin stared at each other from afar. Tywin spoke first. "Kid, you learned well."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Daeron replied, "My lord, you taught me too well."

Tywin's departing steps paused, then he quickened his pace.

No one will come looking for trouble with me again anytime soon.

Daeron calculated inwardly.

Today had still been somewhat dangerous, but fortunately, the result was good.

Kevon was not the type of warrior who relied on brute strength, and his Life Force had only just awakened.

Daeron's swordsmanship was already excellent, and he had used his abundant Life Force to suppress Kevon from the very beginning. Naturally, the duel became a one-sided victory.

Using strong Life Force to suppress weak Life Force was the most basic method of application.

Of course, the most dangerous moment had been his father Aerys's appearance, which had nearly ruined the plan he had prepared.

If Ser Barristan had truly taken the field and accidentally injured Kevon badly, that would have been a disaster.