(Third-person perspective)
Aermir's initial intention in proposing the hunting party was entirely different. Although his initial idea involved a different plan, the opportunity had arisen, and this was for the best. The insult to his parents ignited a burning rage within him. Although he wanted to kill them, that would ruin his plans. Aermir knew the strategic importance of his plan and could not allow personal feelings to jeopardize it.
Instead, he decided to take a different approach. To cripple them would be a brutal harbinger of what was to come. A tense undercurrent hung in the air as Aermir approached them.
He walked slowly toward them, casting his buffs in a low chant and then using Shapeshifting. In the eyes of Lord Grafton and Belmore, since they heard of Aermir's martial prowess, Aermir seemed to be growing with every step he took. In fact, under the effect of the Transformation Charm, he was also growing little by little.
Aermir grinned as he unbuckled his belt and tossed the sword to the ground. He tapped his neck and knuckles, then said with a sinister smile, "20 to 1, that's not fair to you. Since this isn't a duel, but a punishment, this is fitting."
Thanks to Aermir's Transformatio spell, he was almost as powerful as a bear. In the eyes of Grafton and Belmore, the young lord was far too arrogant to refuse to surrender in front of 20 knights. Of course, they couldn't kill him, but he was asking to be beaten, and it would be too impolite of them not to give him a good beating to make him submit.
Grafton couldn't even imagine facing them alone, but he was certain that once he was disarmed, their men could handle him.
He grinned and said, "In these situations, someone is bound to break a bone or two. Lord Drasil, I hope you won't hold us responsible."
He gestured with his head, signaling his knights to duel him. The four knights lowered their bows and arrows, their eyes gleaming with menace as they approached Aermir.
They all knew he was a master swordsman and a burly man, but in a hand-to-hand combat, they believed that twenty men could easily defeat one. The leading knight, Ser Roland, initiated the confrontation, launching a powerful lunge at Aermir; he attempted a heavy punch. However, Aermir's agility was astonishing; he dodged the attack to the side and countered with a precise elbow strike to Roland's ribs.
Since this was a hunting party, no one was fully armed; they only wore vests and chainmail. Therefore, he felt the full force of the blow and could hear the terrifying sound of bones breaking.
The other three knights were not to be outdone, and had already surrounded Aermir, punching and kicking him. Aermir handled these attacks with ease, dodging and parrying, and then counterattacking with fierce attacks.
With each strike, the sound of bones breaking could be heard; he shattered his opponent's jaw with a single, lightning-fast punch. The second knight was struck in the nose, blood gushing out. The last knight attempted a kick, but Aermir tackled him in mid-air and slammed him to the ground in the forest.
He hooked his heel around the last knight, looked into Grafton's eyes, and mercilessly snapped the knight's ankle like a twig.
Lord Grafton and Lord Belmore, witnessing this scene and hearing the knight's agonizing screams, both recoiled. In his panic, Lord Belmore made a mistake, ordering them to attack him with their weapons. Two knights fired arrows at Aermir's shoulder and leg.
However, what happened next was both logical and unexpected; Aermir caught the arrows mid-flight with almost unnatural speed and with such precision.
For a moment, they couldn't comprehend what was happening. Aermir swiftly retaliated, using his unparalleled strength to accurately hurl the intercepted arrows back at the knights. The arrows struck without fail, piercing the knights' shoulders and incapacitating them amidst screams of agony.
The remaining 12 knights drew their swords and charged at him simultaneously, their blades gleaming in the dappled sunlight. With Superman reflexes, Aermir dodged the initial attacks with fluid movements that seemed to defy the laws of physics, almost as if he had no bones. His movements were like a dance, a martial arts choreography made even more exquisite by his extraordinary strength.
Aermir effortlessly blocked the attack with the metal armband on his forearm. With lightning speed, Aermir retaliated with Superman strength, delivering a punch. The impact was deafening, and the knight fell to the forest floor, his arm twisted at an unnatural angle.
A knight swung his sword at Aermir's head, but he dodged with lightning speed, smashing the attacker's jaw with an uppercut. With each strike, Aermir's superb martial arts and Superman strength proved his overwhelming superiority. The knights fell like autumn leaves swept away by the wind, each rendered incapacitated by devastating punches, elbows, or kicks.
Grafton and Belmore were horrified when the last knight fell to the ground. They couldn't believe it. He had defeated a fully armed knight in less than a minute. As Aermir slowly approached them, Lord Grafton began to run, but Lord Belmore was terrified and stood frozen in place.
Unable to move, he could only apologize and beg for mercy. Aermir grabbed a branch, broke it off, and threw it at Lord Grafton's leg; the lord, who was running, was tripped by the branch and fell to the ground.
Aermir could have reached him in seconds, but he wanted to scare him even more. He kicked Belmore to the ground and said...
" Grafton and Belmore, I hope you learn to control your tongues, because you'll be crippled for the rest of your lives."
He broke both of Belmore's legs in two places. He roared in pain; seeing this, Grafton tried to get up and run away, but tripped over a stone. He crawled away as he tried to escape, shouting in a shrill voice.
"You... you can't do this. Lord Arryn will punish you."
"I don't think so... I'm unarmed, and you attacked me with a weapon. Even if I kill you, he can't do anything to me, and I don't care about peace until you speak. I'm going to cripple you; you're just trying to buy time."
As he spoke, he grabbed the man's legs and squeezed them with all his might. Lord Grafton began to scream in agony, and as Aermir continued to squeeze, the Lord Grafton's pain intensified. With a sickening crack, his legs broke. He screamed in agony and passed out.