The weapons I forge are absolutely flawless.

"In the third group, Lisette will face Ewan."

With that, the three matchups have been finalized.

Although the draw of the last ball no longer affected the order of play, Fadvi still drew the last remaining ball with the mindset of completing the process.

"In the last group, Sigurd will face Viner."

-----------------

“I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, Felix.”

After stepping onto the ring, Donnie greeted Felix.

"Uh...have we fought before?"

As for his name, Felix really couldn't remember it anymore.

But after seeing the other person's appearance and his weapon, Felix finally had a slight impression of him.

Doni's weapon is a uniquely designed rapier, considered one of the finest among Wiener's many experimental works.

His ability to advance smoothly to the quarterfinals was largely due to this weapon that was so well-suited to him.

"You really do have a bad memory." Doni twirled his sword with a hint of helplessness. "Back when you were aiming for a ten-match winning streak in ranking tournaments, I was your last opponent."

“Oh—” Felix’s expression suddenly dawned on him. “You’re the guy who tried to get into my gun emplacement with a rapier, and then I smashed his weapon and he gave up!”

"...You don't have to remember it so clearly."

"Uh, sorry, sorry," Felix quickly apologized.

He didn't really care about the so-called winning streak; it was only when he saw Doni's sword flourish that he remembered it from back then.

"When I lost to you, I was quite resentful. I held my breath and thought that one day I could win back."

"But after seeing Felix's swordsmanship, I realized how big the gap was," Donnie said slowly.

He had assumed Felix's specialty was the gun, but it turned out to be just a trivial hobby for him.

His own swordsmanship, which he was so proud of, seemed like a firefly compared to the bright moon when compared to Felix's.

Donnie observed Felix as a potential rival, but he was captivated by Felix's swordsmanship.

"It's really not easy for you to get to where you are now."

Felix said quite seriously.

Making it into the top eight already puts them among the most outstanding first-year students.

If Donnie had possessed such strength from the beginning, Felix wouldn't have had to recall it for so long.

"Yes, just chasing from behind is already exhausting."

For true geniuses, their greatest rival is themselves.

But for an ordinary person like Donny, having a goal to strive for is the greatest motivation.

Reaching the quarterfinals in the Griffin Tournament was something he never dared to imagine before.

But that's where it ends.

While Doni was chasing, Felix did not stop either.

He watched every single one of Felix's matches carefully and concluded that the gap between the two was even greater than when they first met.

“I know I’m no match for Felix. This duel may be my last chance to be worthy to fight you.”

"Therefore, please enlighten me."

Donny solemnly gave Felix a standard sword salute.

Felix returned the greeting, saying, "I'll definitely remember you next time, Donnie."

......

Nearly three minutes had passed since the referee announced the start of the match, but the two players on the stage still hadn't made a move.

"Where did this fan meeting come from?"

The more Wiener watched from below the stage, the more uneasy he felt.

Meeting Felix was a life-altering experience.

Donny has this in his life.

Chapter 294 River's Confusion

Just as Wiener jokingly called it a "fan meeting," this match on stage was perhaps the least heated one in the knockout stage, apart from the Ana Wen-Dou match.

In terms of swordsmanship, Felix is ​​far superior to Doni.

If he wanted, he could knock Doni's rapier out of his hand within ten moves.

But he still gave his opponent a chance to showcase his abilities.

Even though Doni's rapier was as swift as the wind, Felix was still able to weave through Doni's sword shadows with the agility of a dragon.

To the spectators, the two players' exchanges were almost too much to handle, but Doni, who was launching the attack, knew perfectly well that his opponent was holding back.

Doni felt deeply distressed.

He had thought that the sword skills he had painstakingly practiced would at least cause some trouble for Felix, but the result was completely different from what he had expected. It was as if the opponent had seen through his moves as soon as he drew his sword.

So he stopped.

"Hmm... is that all?"

Felix did not take advantage of the moment when his opponent gave up resisting to repel him, but instead stopped moving at the same time.

"I told you, this is the last time I'm qualified to stand on the same ring as you."

“At least defeat me seriously,” Donnie said.

"I didn't actually... Okay, I got it."

Felix then realized that the other party seemed to have misunderstood something, but seeing Donnie's resolute eyes, he gave up explaining.

Since we're swordsmen, let's communicate with swords.

"Be careful."

Felix stood firmly, assuming a fighting stance, and gave a stern warning.

"Hmm," Donnie responded briefly.

Every match he played on his way to the quarterfinals was tough.

That brief respite is nothing more than a drop in the ocean when it comes to restoring physical strength.

However, the desire to face Felix head-on fueled his fighting spirit to its peak.

"Snapped!"

Felix flashed forward, his sword tip piercing Donny's ribs with ghostly speed.

Doni reacted swiftly, parrying with his sword. The clash of metal and wood produced a booming sound.

Although it sounds cruel, this kind of competition between students simply won't force Felix to use his second sword.

He can even replicate the swordsmanship Doni previously demonstrated with a rapier using a broadsword like the Night Sky Blade.

Felix demonstrated two completely different styles—fierce and graceful—with just one sword.

Doni, who had already realized Felix's intentions, was forced to retreat repeatedly by the swordsmanship he was most familiar with.

The same move, in Felix's hands, took on a magical, almost magical, effect of decay.

Doni took a deep breath, a resolute glint in his eyes, and forcefully changed his move, spinning his rapier as he thrust it out.

"Can't this be done too?"

In that split second, Felix suddenly burst out laughing.

The same move was used again, with the two swords crossing each other.

"Buzz!"

The tip of the Night Sky Blade touched the rapier.

This touch, seemingly gentle and boneless, actually concealed a surging power. A powerful force erupted instantly, causing the sword to tremble violently and almost slip from the hand.

Doni gritted his teeth and endured the pain in his right arm, wrapped it with his left hand, and swung it with both hands to deliver a final, decisive horizontal slash.

Felix, on the other hand, calmly placed his sword upright on the ground.

The blade of night sky standing in front of him was like an insurmountable barrier, completely blocking the trajectory of the horizontal slash.

"Snapped!"

Doni's rapier struck the Night Sky Blade heavily, breaking into several pieces with a crisp snapping sound.

"...So it still doesn't work?"

Doni looked at the half-broken rapier in his hand, as if he were back in their first encounter.

"Well... actually you've already made a lot of progress! You've finally stepped out of your comfort zone, and you'll definitely get better and better in the future."

Felix didn't know how to comfort the other person.

If Vandoni had used a different weapon instead of a sword, the tension and suspense would have been much greater.

But he insisted on drawing his sword in front of Felix, who was only one step away from becoming a sword saint.

Perhaps this is the tragedy of swordsmen who lived in the same era as Felix.

"Alright, there's no need for you, the victor, to make that face."

Having had a similar experience before, Donnie quickly recovered from his disappointment, his face showing a hint of relief.

"You have to keep winning."

"Will do."

-----------------

"Bahl, my previous promise still stands."

River, stepping into the ring, once again expressed his intention to recruit Barr.

"This doesn't seem like the right time or place."

Even with his composure, Barr felt a sense of helplessness towards this classmate who was so unpretentious and took relentless pestering to the extreme.

"Let me put it another way. What are your reasons for wanting to win the championship, Baer?"

"If you want to use this opportunity to get noticed by those big shots and seek a better future, then what's in front of you now is an option that will save you five years of detours."

“When His Highness Dimir returns to the country after completing his studies, I will take up the banner of the Blue Lions.”

"I don't expect you to make a decision right now or to completely commit yourself to me. I only hope that during our time at the academy, you can become my deputy and fight alongside me."

"After graduation, you are free to choose your own path. But with this resume, you can move freely throughout the kingdom."

Although River's offer was extremely tempting, Baal knew very well how much pressure he would have to bear to take on a position like a prefect's deputy, given his background.

"Then you should have looked for Felix or Vena first."

Bahr knew his own limitations.

The ability Felix displayed in the last match was just the tip of the iceberg.

Even if he manages to get past River, he'll still be no match for Felix.

The reason for seeking out Wiener is even simpler.

With his forging skills, even if he stayed behind the scenes doing logistical work, he could still significantly improve the overall strength of the entire class.

Not to mention that after bringing Wiener under his wing, Felix was the freebie that came with the purchase.

Both of them were citizens of the Kingdom of Fargas, and logically they would be closer to the Blue Lions, far more reliable than him, a mercenary who wandered the world for money.

“I tried, but it failed.” River was quite frank. “Vina has already been reserved by the Silver Wolf Class, so she naturally wouldn’t care about the petty squabbles between the Blue Lions and Black Eagles.”

The Silver Wolf Class consists of a group of fanatics who transcend worldly fame and fortune, reject vulgar tastes, and dedicate their lives to defeating demons.