His Long Sword struck Thor’s armor, which was coated in Earth Element Fighting Spirit, producing only a muffled thud and leaving a faint white mark.

Thor, in contrast, grew increasingly fierce. Every swing of his Giant Sword was immensely powerful, forcing Mark back again and again until his Shield was covered in dents.

"It’s over!"

Thor seized an opening as Mark paused to catch his breath, and his Giant Sword came crashing down with the force of a thunderbolt.

Mark hastily raised his shield to block.

CLANG! With a deafening crash, the Fine Steel Shield in his hand shattered. The tremendous force sent him flying off the platform.

Thor wins!

The square erupted in thunderous cheers. Everyone was stunned by Thor’s overwhelming power.

The next few duels were just as spectacular.

Dragon Lizard Knight Deli relied on the powerful physique and Sword Skills granted by his Dragon Descendant bloodline to defeat his opponent cleanly and efficiently.

Earth Dragon Knight Finley, meanwhile, displayed a style similar to his mount—his movements were swift, and his Sword Techniques ruthless and ferocious. Often, before his opponent could even react, the tip of his sword would already be at their throat.

What surprised Raylo the most was the winner of the fourth match, a young Knight named Robin.

His opponent was a formidable Dragon Lizard Knight. As a Dragon Descendant enhanced by a Bloodline Potion, he surpassed Robin in both power and speed.

However, Robin remained exceptionally calm from beginning to end.

He possessed no powerful bloodline talent, nor had he taken a Dragon Bloodline Potion. He relied solely on his incredibly solid knightly foundations and terrifyingly sharp combat instincts.

He was like the most patient of hunters, constantly using precise footwork to evade his opponent’s onslaught. Though he appeared to be struggling, he always managed to escape danger at the most critical moment.

Each of his parries was perfectly timed, deflecting most of the force. Each of his counterattacks targeted the most awkward blind spots in his opponent’s defense.

The situation on the platform was like a frog being slowly boiled alive.

The Dragon Lizard Knight had an abundance of power, yet he couldn’t inflict any real damage on Robin. Instead, due to his relentless onslaught, his stamina and Fighting Spirit were rapidly being depleted.

Finally, after one of his sure-hit slashes missed its mark, the Dragon Lizard Knight exposed a nearly imperceptible opening.

’Now!’

Robin’s eyes narrowed. After being as calm as still water, he erupted with astonishing speed in an instant.

He ducked forward, and his Long Sword, like a silver bolt of lightning, precisely sliced across the wrist of his opponent’s sword hand.

The Long Sword flew from his grasp, and the match was decided.

Robin retracted his sword, panting slightly, and gave his opponent a Knight’s salute.

The entire arena was silent for a moment, then erupted in applause more fervent than any before.

If Thor’s victory was a triumph of power, then Robin’s was a display of technique and intelligence.

Raylo applauded lightly from the terrace.

’This Robin... he’s reached this point without relying on any external aid, purely through his own talent and hard work. He’s a diamond in the rough, one worth carefully polishing.’

After a short break, the final matches kicked off.

Dragon Lizard Knight Deli faced off against Earth Dragon Knight Finley.

This was a duel between Dragon Descendants.

One was fierce and domineering, the other swift and agile.

Their Long Swords became two streaks of silver light on the platform, constantly weaving and clashing, sending sparks flying. They moved so fast that many of the Knights were dazzled.

Ultimately, it was the more powerful Deli who seized an opportunity. He won by numbing Finley’s arm in a forceful exchange.

Meanwhile, the duel between Thor and Robin was even more dramatic.

Faced with Thor’s mountain-like presence, Robin resorted to his previous tactic: a mobile, evasive style of fighting.

But this time, his opponent was different.

Thor, having activated "Power of the Earth," had a nearly flawless defense and seemingly endless stamina.

Robin’s harassing attacks had no effect on him at all.

Robin recognized this clearly.

After fighting evasively for nearly ten minutes, he suddenly changed his strategy.

He stopped dodging and charged straight into Thor’s attack.

To everyone’s horror, Robin’s body twisted at an unbelievable angle, narrowly scraping past the whistling Giant Sword.

At the same time, his Long Sword flicked sharply upward—not at Thor’s body, but precisely at the knuckles of the hand gripping the sword hilt!

"Hm?"

Wincing, Thor felt his Giant Sword falter for an involuntary moment.

That was the opening!

Robin’s sword stuck to him like a shadow, moving up from the hilt as its tip tapped continuously against the joints in Thor’s arm and shoulder.

His attacks weren’t powerful, but they made Thor’s movements sluggish and stiff.

However, Thor’s Giant Bear power also activated. With a roar, his muscles bulged, and he violently broke free of Robin’s pressure, swinging an elbow back at the now-close Robin.

Seeing this, Robin immediately abandoned his assault. Tapping his toes, he floated backward like a falling leaf, once again creating distance between them.

In the end, the battle concluded with Thor’s victory.

Though Robin’s technique was exquisite, it ultimately fell short in the face of absolute power and stamina.

By the time his Fighting Spirit was depleted, Thor was still as energetic as ever.

Although Robin was defeated, he won everyone’s respect.

And so, the final four of the tournament were decided.

Thor, Deli, Finley, and Robin.

Raylo came down from the terrace and personally walked to the front of the platform.

Ed immediately had the four victorious Knights step forward.

"You are the pride of Black Stone Territory."

Raylo’s gaze swept across the faces of the four men, one by one.

He walked up to Thor and took out a Potion brimming with rich Magic Power.

"Thor, your power is immense. You must learn to control it better, not be controlled by it."

He then looked at Deli and Finley.

"The blood of Dragon Descendants flows in your veins. This is an honor, and also a responsibility. Do not bring shame to this power."

Finally, he stood before Robin. Although the young Knight had been defeated, he stood with his back ramrod straight, and his eyes were bright.

Raylo smiled and handed him the last Potion.

"Robin, technique and wisdom are your greatest weapons. Power is just a tool, and you are the one who wields it. I look forward to the day you become an Earth Knight."

Robin’s body trembled slightly. He raised his head, his eyes filled with excitement.

"Th-thank you, Lord!"

"You’ve earned it."

Raylo turned to face all the Knights and raised his hand high.

"Today, we have four future Earth Knights! Tomorrow, we will have more! For Black Stone Territory!"

"For Black Stone Territory! For the Lord!"

All the Knights erupted, striking their breastplates with their sword pommels, creating a deafening sound.

The cheers and shouts merged into a torrent of steel, echoing long into the sky above Black Stone Castle.