Ed held the wooden box, unable to hide the fiery passion in his eyes.

As a Knight, he knew better than anyone the value of the Potions in this case.

Each bottle represented the hope of an ordinary knight’s complete transformation, the birth of an Earth Dragon Knight.

Raylo’s gaze shifted to the massive training grounds below the castle.

Even without any formal organization from Black Stone Territory’s leadership, the area was always bustling with activity.

Knights gathered in twos and threes, spontaneously engaging in practice spars.

The clash of Wooden Swords, the shouts of the Knights, and the occasional excited cheer merged into a vibrant torrent of energy.

These spontaneous duels had practically become a part of the daily scenery in Black Stone Territory.

An idea sparked in Raylo’s mind, gradually taking shape.

"Ed."

"I am here, my Lord."

"How many Tier One Knights do we have in the territory right now?"

Raylo asked.

Ed answered without hesitation.

"My Lord, we currently have a total of four hundred eighty-seven official Tier One Knights on the roster."

"Four hundred eighty-seven..."

Raylo knew that more than half of that number were Knights from outside Black Stone Territory who had surrendered or been integrated during the war.

"The Knights are very enthusiastic, but enthusiasm alone isn’t enough. I need to give them a real goal."

He stood up and walked to the edge of the courtyard, looking down at the figures sweating below.

"Go and issue an order. In three days, we will hold the first Black Stone Territory Knight Tournament in the main square. All Tier One Knights may volunteer to participate."

Ed’s breath caught in his throat. He looked at Raylo, a bit confused. Although small-scale brawls were common, this was the first time the Lord himself had ordered a formal Knight tournament.

Raylo turned and pointed to the wooden box in Ed’s arms.

"These are the prizes."

"The tournament will award the top thirty. The winners will each receive a bottle of Earth Dragon Bloodline Potion and become candidates for the Earth Dragon Knights."

Ed’s eyes widened instantly, and his hands tightened around the wooden case without him even realizing it.

’Thirty bottles! The Lord is giving away the entire stock of Earth Dragon Bloodline Potions at once!’

’This is far too extravagant!’

"And that’s not all. The territory currently has over a dozen uncontracted adult Earth Dragons. The final eight contestants in this tournament will earn the right to form a contract with an Earth Dragon."

’An Earth Dragon!’

’A true draconic mount!’

For any Knight, this was a simply irresistible temptation.

The Bloodline Potion could grant them greater Power and a stronger physique, but an Earth Dragon mount was a dual symbol of status and strength—the partner they had always dreamed of.

Ed felt a rush of blood to his head. He could already imagine how insane the entire Knight Order would go when this news was announced.

"My Lord... this... these rewards are too generous!"

Ed said.

"I need the most elite warriors,"

Raylo said.

"Black Stone Territory’s resources will only be given to the truly brave. Go on, make a big scene of it. Let everyone know that opportunity is right in front of them. We’ll see if they have what it takes to seize it."

"Yes, my Lord!"

Ed straightened his back, thumped his chest plate forcefully, and turned to leave with quick steps.

His stride was filled with an unprecedented drive.

Like a bird taking flight, the news spread to every corner of Black Stone Castle in just half a day.

The Knight Camp absolutely erupted.

"Did you hear? The Lord is holding a Knight tournament!"

"Heard? The top thirty get an Earth Dragon Bloodline Potion!"

A Knight, drenched in sweat from training, roared with excitement, his eyes filled with longing.

"My heavens! Thirty spots! I thought I’d never get a chance in my lifetime!"

"Forget the Potion, did you miss the main point? The top eight! They get to contract an Earth Dragon! The kind you can ride!"

If the Bloodline Potions were a huge surprise, then the news about contracting an Earth Dragon was like a giant boulder falling from the sky, leaving everyone reeling.

They could usually only watch from afar as the twelve Earth Dragon Knights patrolled the territory on their mighty mounts, their eyes full of envy.

Now, that opportunity was right in front of them.

"No way, I’ve got to go sharpen my sword!"

"Don’t even try to compete with me! One of those eight spots is mine!"

"Get lost, all of you! I’m the future Earth Dragon Knight!"

The once-harmonious camp was instantly filled with the scent of gunpowder.

The Knights looked at each other, their gazes transforming from those of comrades-in-arms to those of direct competitors.

A soaring fighting spirit began to spread throughout the entire Knight Order of Black Stone Territory.

「The next day.」

On the opening day of the Knight tournament, the whole of Black Stone Territory was swept up in a festive frenzy. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Guards surrounded the square, which was packed several layers deep with townspeople who had come to watch.

They craned their necks, eager to catch a glimpse of the prowess of their territory’s Knights.

Raylo sat on a terrace of the castle, which served as the best viewing platform.

Moonlight lay at his feet, yawning lazily. Coal Ball, on the other hand, seemed a little excited, its dark, glossy eyes curiously staring at the ten fighting rings marked out below.

Sun’s enormous golden head peeked out from the other side of the castle, its molten-gold eyes watching the proceedings with great interest.

Below, Ed personally served as the Referee Chief. With a single command from him, the tournament officially began.

"First match! Ring one, begin!"

CLANG!

The sound of metal on metal rang throughout the square as the battle erupted instantly.

The Knights brought out all their skills, with flashes of Fighting Spirit flaring up one after another in the rings.

They unleashed their Fighting Spirit without restraint, each one of them knowing that this was the closest they had ever been to their dreams.

Some Knights had exquisite Swordsmanship, their attacks like a furious storm. Others were as steady as a mountain, their defenses impenetrable, as they searched for an opportunity to land a single, decisive blow.

Every victory was met with thunderous cheers, and every defeat drew countless sighs of regret.

The intensity of the battles far exceeded Raylo’s expectations.

These normally obscure Knights, spurred on by the promise of honor and reward, unleashed astonishing potential.

He watched the figures fighting tooth and nail in the rings, a look of satisfaction in his eyes.

’This is the Black Stone Territory I wanted.’

The competition continued until dusk before the final thirty were decided.

When Ed announced the list of winners and distributed the thirty bottles of Earth Dragon Bloodline Potion to them one by one, the atmosphere in the square reached its peak.

The Knights who made it to the final eight became the center of everyone’s attention.

They stood in the center of the ring, basking in the cheers and envy of the crowd.

Ed came to the terrace to report to Raylo.

"My Lord, everything went smoothly. The Earth Dragon Knight Order will soon expand to twenty members."

"Very good."

Raylo set down his teacup.

"But this is not enough."

Ed froze for a moment.

Raylo’s gaze swept over the boisterous crowd.

"Above the Earth Dragon Knights, there are still the Great Knights. Next, it is the Great Knights’ turn."

He turned his head to look at Ed.

"Go and make preparations. Announce that in seven days, we will hold the first Black Stone Territory Great Knight Tournament. The rules are the same—participation is voluntary."

Ed’s heart skipped a beat. He had a feeling the Lord was about to make another astonishing move.

He held his breath, waiting for what would come next.

"The top four winners will each receive a bottle... of Earth Knight’s Breakthrough Potion."

’Earth Knight’s Breakthrough Potion!’

If the Earth Dragon Knight tournament had ignited the ambition of the ordinary knights, then this news was enough to drive every Great Knight into a frenzy!