Alexander looked at the wooden bow and arrows in his hand with dismay, surprised by his own bad luck. Seeing the veteran charging towards him with a wooden sword and shield, was Alexander going to accept his fate?
Joking aside, Alexander felt he could still put up a fight. He quickly shot off the remaining arrows, most of which missed or were skillfully blocked by the veteran's shield.
As the veteran closed in on Alexander, he could only wield the wooden bow as a weapon to block the veteran's attacks. This was difficult, especially since the veteran had the advantage of both a shield and the ability to shield bash and obscure sight, making it hard for Alexander to see the angle of his attacks.
Alexander relied solely on his exceptional agility and strength to hold his ground. But the veteran also wasn't to be underestimated. He noticed something different about the wooden bow. As Alexander swung the bow to block, the veteran suddenly changed the angle of his wooden sword, pressing it against the junction of the bow's body and string. With a sudden pull, he caused Alexander and the bow to stagger, and then swiftly smashed his wooden shield towards Alexander's head.
The entire arena fell into a tense silence. Everyone held their breath, as victory or defeat seemed about to be decided in this moment.
However, the shield in the veteran's hand didn't come crashing down. Because at the same time, a wooden arrow was pressed against the veteran's throat by Alexander.
Yes, Alexander hadn't shot all of his arrows. He had secretly hidden one behind his back, just for this moment.
Using a wooden bow, there was no way Alexander could overpower a veteran equipped with a sword and shield. But he had a major advantage—his strength and agility.
The unexpected move by the veteran caught Alexander off guard, but his extraordinary strength allowed him to quickly steady himself, and his agility enabled him to retrieve the arrow hidden behind him at an unimaginable speed.
If this were on the battlefield, this arrow could have directly sealed the veteran's fate. The veteran also knew that his shield bash might not necessarily knock out his opponent, but being hit by this arrow was certain.
So, with a grim expression, he reluctantly lowered his sword and shield, conceding defeat to Alexander.
At that moment, the whole arena erupted in cheers. A new victor of the athletic competition emerged, and Alexander's name would be engraved on the stone walls of the arena, forever standing as a symbol of success alongside past winners, observed by future challengers.
Alexander received not only the overwhelming cheers and applause but also endless prestige and a handsome reward. Once again, the system's voice rang out:
[Congratulations, Lord, for achieving the achievement - Famous]
[Charisma +1]
Now Alexander's attributes were:
[Level]: 8
[Strength]: 12
[Agility]: 10
[Intelligence]: 6
[Charisma]: 9
[Available Attribute Points]: 0
[Experience]: 1600/12800
[System Coins]: 0
This meant his maximum troop limit increased to 45. But none of this mattered to him as he watched the lonely figure of the veteran.
With his wealth of combat experience, wasn't this exactly the talent he lacked? As the saying goes, you don't know someone until you fight them. Alexander quickly caught up with the veteran.
The veteran left the scene with his head bowed, his eyes filled with desolation. Clearly, this was a golden opportunity for fame and fortune. In reality, he had prepared for this athletic competition for a long time, even worsening the financial situation of his already struggling family. Years of war had made the harvest in his hometown poor, and now his whole family depended on his earnings. His elderly mother's health was also poor, and there were many expenses.
However, due to his straightforward nature, his relationship with his superiors was not good, so he had been just an ordinary soldier for many years, with naturally low wages.
He had hoped to win this athletic competition to improve his family's life, but when he discovered someone like Alexander, he lost hope. It seemed as if the god of light was playing a joke on him. In the final battle, Alexander drew a bow and arrow, while he drew a sword and shield. As a seasoned veteran, he knew that sword and shield were particularly effective against bows and arrows. The scales of victory were tipping in his favor, and he finally felt like the gods were favoring him.
But in the end...he still didn't win.
"I am Alexander. May I ask under which lord you serve now?" Alexander caught up with the veteran and walked alongside him, politely inquiring.
The veteran was startled, quickly responding with a hint of embarrassment, "Respected sir, I serve under Lord Strang, in the service of the Ember family."
He wasn't a fool; he knew the man in front of him was a young noble with a prominent name in Castile, currently rising in prominence in the Kingdom of Saint Martin.
Such a big shot talking to a nobody like me isn't just showing respect; it's like breaking down barriers between two worlds.
Alexander cut straight to the point, "I'm not sure how Sir Streang feels about you, but if you join my team, I'll double your pay."
The old soldier was stunned, doubting he misheard. This big shot was offering an olive branch to a nobody like him.
Seeing no reaction, Alexander thought he had been too abrupt and offended the old soldier, quickly explaining, "Sir, no need to rush your answer. Such matters require careful consideration."
"Goffrey, willing to pledge loyalty to the Castile family, I will fight for you until my last drop of blood."
The old soldier dropped to one knee with a snap, not hesitating for a second, and announced his loyalty to Alexander with a knight's gesture.
This was the utmost form of courtesy, typically reserved for knightings or surrenders.
Alexander didn't question why this old soldier used noble etiquette; he simply hurried to help Goffrey up.
"Oh, by the way, what skills do you possess?" Alexander asked the most crucial question. "If suitable, you might join my team tomorrow."
"I think..." Goffrey lowered his head in thought, then slowly replied, "I'm proficient in combat, horsemanship, archery, scouting, tracking, and I know a bit about formations."
The more Goffrey spoke, the brighter Alexander's eyes became, as if he had discovered a treasure.
Wasn't this kind of old soldier the best candidate for an instructor?
Just thinking about the motley crew under his command, Alexander felt helpless. All their fighting techniques were learned from him, but their methods were becoming more and more unorthodox, avoiding direct confrontation and resorting to underhanded tactics on the battlefield.
It was time to straighten them out and get them back on the right path. Shortcuts might be satisfying for a moment, but they wouldn't work forever. It was better to legitimately improve their combat effectiveness.
Goffrey interrupted Alexander's thoughts, "However, sir, I'm afraid I won't be able to report to your unit tomorrow. Please forgive me for a few days while I sort out matters at home."
Alexander replied, "Oh? Does Sir Goffrey have others at home?"
Goffrey nodded, explaining the situation at home to Alexander. Besides Goffrey's wife, there was a son and daughter, and Goffrey's mother, who was seriously ill. Worse still, he didn't have the money to afford a doctor.
Alexander was naturally empathetic. He immediately decided to accompany Goffrey home to see if he could help in any way.
Turning down all invitations from nobles to banquets, Alexander followed Goffrey back to his hometown with his men.
As for Goffrey's former lord, Lord Streang, he didn't care about losing a nobody like Goffrey. Even if the soldier joined another lord's forces, he was just a common soldier. At least, that's how he saw it now.