Needless to say, for outsiders like Jon, the Mountains of the Moon were a closed-off world. Even communication between tribes here was quite insular.
So, the commotion at the "village entrance" naturally attracted a large crowd of onlookers.
Of course, the crowd mostly consisted of women and children.
The children hid behind their mothers, daring only to peek their heads out.
The village women pointed and whispered about the group of outsider men.
Some of the bolder ones even giggled and teased.
However, the lads from Winterfell didn't think much of these women.
Their goal was to marry noble daughters.
In their eyes, these tribal women were little better than wildlings.
As for the mountain clan veterans, most of them had the spirit but not the stamina for such distractions.
Suddenly, a girl wearing a woven grass circlet appeared in the crowd. She had a spirited, heroic air about her.
She looked at Jon's group with curiosity, her gaze quickly locking onto Jon himself.
Almost instantly, she was captivated by the attire of Jon and his men.
"Outsider, you kidnapped our Fire Witch and dare to encroach on our tribe? Do you not fear death?"
The moment the dignified-looking tribal chief spoke, the atmosphere at the "village entrance" changed.
Mothers pulled their children back, while the men stepped forward, brandishing bronze weapons or farm tools to block Jon's path.
Hakon, who had provoked Jon earlier, reached for the knife at his waist, eager for a fight.
The Winterfell soldiers and mountain clan veterans beside Jon immediately drew their swords, forming a protective circle around Jon and Old York.
The air grew heavy, tinged with the scent of potential bloodshed.
Jon didn't know exactly what Kuno had told them.
He had captured their Fire Witch on the battlefield, yes, but then he saved her life. Rounding up, they shouldn't really have a grudge.
Why the immediate call for blood?
Are they testing me?
Jon glanced at the women and children nearby. He trusted that Kuno must have explained things clearly.
Even if the chief didn't care about the Fire Witch's life, Jon's group was heavily armed. A direct conflict would cost the tribe dearly, even if they won.
If they really wanted to kill Jon's group, they would have let them enter the village first and struck at night.
Jon activated his [God's Eye View] and confirmed there were no ambushers nearby. This solidified his belief that the chief was testing him.
He looked at Kuno standing beside the two chiefs; she looked equally stunned.
"Respected Chief, I defeated your people fairly on the battlefield. Moreover, I personally ensured your Fire Witch received treatment to save her life. I came here on her promise. I believe that makes us guests. If this is your hospitality, we will leave now—and I doubt you can stop us!"
"Hah! I knew there'd be a fight today!" Hearing Jon's tone, Hakon got excited immediately. He turned to the chiefs. "Elder Victor, Elder Hughwolf, these tin men are always treacherous. Allow me to duel him! If I win, they must return the Witch! If not, we kill them right here!"
"Yes! Give her back!"
Hakon's cronies started clamoring in agreement.
Kuno quickly tried to stop them.
"Hakon, didn't you hear?! Lord Jon was the one who got treatment for the Fire Witch's injuries!"
"Hmph! Regardless, I don't trust these tin men. I only trust the sword in my hand! Well? Dare you duel me?!"
Jon looked at the two elders and saw they had no intention of stopping this.
The dignified elder seemed to be named "Victor."
Seeing Jon show no fear, surprise flashed in Victor's eyes. He spoke:
"It is true our Fire Witch is in your hands. But if you want the Painted Dogs to serve you, please demonstrate your strength. We have seen those tin men before. Their banners blot out the sun, their armies are endless. If joining you brings only defeat and blood, we would rather abandon the Fire Witch. We believe she would agree with my decision."
Hearing this, Jon was intrigued.
It seemed the Fire Witch was more of a spiritual totem than an actual wielder of power.
"Well?! Let's duel, tin man!"
Seeing Jon remain silent, Hakon continued to provoke him, rubbing his sword hilt impatiently.
Even the girl with the grass circlet in the crowd looked on with anticipation.
"Hmph! For the likes of you, our Lord could beat you with one hand while pissing with the other," Old York sneered.
"Is that so?! I hope your Lord's skill is as big as your mouth!" Hakon drew his sword excitedly.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the girl with the grass circlet. His fighting spirit surged even higher.
"Let's do it then. But..." Jon turned to his attendants. "Someone, help me off with my armor."
"Hah, the tin man is shedding his skin? Interesting."
"I'm just worried you'll make excuses when you lose."
They traded barbs, the tension rising with each word.
But unlike Hakon, who was focused entirely on Jon, Jon was already using his [God's Eye View] to scan the surroundings.
He discovered that the Painted Dogs' territory was quite large.
It included several defensible strongholds.
No wonder they had been able to root themselves here and trade blows with the Valemen for thousands of years.
Soon, the two faced off—one with a bronze short sword, the other with a fine steel longsword.
Jon's weapon was visibly longer.
"Well? Want to use one of my weapons?" Jon taunted.
"Hmph! No need!"
With a low shout, Hakon charged. But all he saw was a flash of cold light, and Jon vanished from his sight.
The next second, Hakon felt a bone-chilling breeze across his neck. Looking down, he saw Jon's longsword resting against his throat.
Elders Victor and Hughwolf showed visible shock.
Both widened their eyes and leaned forward in unison.
Hakon hadn't even reacted. His body instinctively tried to counterattack, but the icy steel on his neck froze his muscles.
In his memory, young Hakon had been praised by countless people the moment he picked up a bronze sword.
He mastered the adults' moves instantly.
By the time he came of age, he had almost no rivals in the tribe.
His personal combat prowess quickly became one of the tribe's strongest assets.
He couldn't comprehend how he had lost so miserably.
Suddenly, Hakon noticed the girl with the grass circlet in the crowd looking at Jon with surprise and... infatuation?
"Sora..."
Hakon muttered her name.
Fury rose from his heart. With a roar, he knocked Jon's sword away and spun into a sweeping slash.
"Hakon!"
The girl named Sora cried out in alarm, stepping forward to stop him.
Old York shouted in protest:
"Shameless! Shameless!"
However, unnoticed by the crowd, Elder Hughwolf beside Victor wore a look of delight amidst his shock.
After witnessing Jon's god-like swordsmanship, his admiration was tinged with ecstasy.
Like he had discovered a treasure.
If the first exchange could be dismissed as Jon having a better weapon...
This time, Hakon had practically ambushed him, yet Jon defeated him again in just two moves.
Hughwolf believed there wasn't a stronger fighter in the entire Mountains of the Moon.
If possible, perhaps this outsider was the candidate he had been waiting for!
"Want to continue?"
It was a lightly spoken question, but to Hakon, it felt like a slap in the face, burning from his cheeks down to his neck.
The cheers from Jon's soldiers behind him felt like an unspeakable humiliation.
Like someone had dumped a chamber pot over his head.
Not just anger, but rage!
"Again!"
Seeing Hakon still refused to yield, Jon was ready to oblige.
But the girl with the grass circlet had already walked up to the two tribal leaders, Victor and Hughwolf.
"Hakon! Do you want to shame the Painted Dogs completely?" Then she looked at Victor. "Father! Make Hakon stop!"
As a chief, he still needed to maintain face.
"Hakon! Stop!"
Hearing the dual warnings from his crush and his chief, Hakon sheathed his sword, looking unwilling and dejected.
"Elders, can we discuss our cooperation now?"