Dwarven East Hammer

Day Two: The Clash Against the Dwarven Titan

The matchups for the second day's tournament were once again determined by drawing lots. Ronald's luck wasn't too bad—he managed to avoid drawing Mo Yu, the sole top-ten-ranked opponent in his group, and instead got paired against the dwarven prodigy, Easton Hammer.

Though not officially ranked among the top ten young elites, Easton's strength had long been acknowledged. Having reached the peak of the Body Refining Realm's third tier, he was naturally gifted with immense strength and wielded a colossal warhammer. His reputation as one of the most formidable young warriors in Cloud Province made him an extremely difficult opponent to deal with.

However, due to Ronald's unexpected reveal of a spirit-grade plasma sword the day before, the betting odds at the gambling dens had been set at an even 1:1.

Gamblers found themselves in a dilemma. On one hand, Easton Hammer was a seasoned and well-respected warrior, one of the few challengers closest to breaking into the top ten. On the other hand, Ronald had proven himself to be overwhelmingly strong, making it difficult to bet against him.

The Spectators' Predictions

In the VIP pavilion, several figures stood near the window, overlooking the arena. Besides Li Feiyun and Luo Shuihan, a few robed men stood quietly, their faces hidden beneath their dark hoods.

With a smirk, Li Feiyun glanced at them and asked, "So, gentlemen, who do you think will win? Easton Hammer or Ronald?"

Luo Shuihan, clad in a flowing yellow robe, let her gaze drift over the scene below. Her long, jet-black hair cascaded down to her waist, and the faint tiger-stripe markings at her temples only added to her striking presence. Compared to the previous day, she seemed to be in a much better mood. She smiled lightly and replied, "I'd say the human, Ronald, has the upper hand."

"Oh? And what makes the Saintess so certain?"

The question came from one of the robed men—a tall figure shrouded entirely in black, his features completely concealed.

Luo Shuihan glanced at him indifferently and simply said, "A hunch."

"A hunch?"

A chuckle escaped from the robed man's lips. His voice was young, but there was a sinister edge to it. "Humans have always been all flash and no substance. I'm putting my money on Easton Hammer."

"Is that so?"

Luo Shuihan's tone was calm, disinterested in arguing further.

The man in the black robe sneered and said coldly, "In the end, they're just a race of lesser beings. Their victories or defeats are of no consequence to me. But I hope you haven't forgotten why we're really here, Saintess."

At those words, Luo Shuihan's expression did not change, but her voice carried a subtle sharpness. "Lesser beings? You seem to be forgetting something, Moyan. The human race wasn't always as weak as you claim."

The robed man named Moyan furrowed his brows, his voice tinged with irritation. "That was in the past. The humans were—"

"Moyan."

A deep, authoritative voice cut him off. An elderly black-robed figure stepped forward, bowing slightly toward Luo Shuihan. "Your Highness, we understand your sentiments. However, this matter concerns the future of our clan. I trust you will keep the bigger picture in mind."

Luo Shuihan fell silent. After a long pause, she finally said in a quiet voice, "Rest assured, Elder. I have not forgotten my duty."

The Battle Begins

In the center of the arena, Ronald stood poised, his longblade in hand, facing off against Easton Hammer.

"Human, where's your fancy plasma sword? Don't tell me you actually think you can win with just that blade?" Easton scoffed.

Ronald chuckled. "And here I was thinking that oversized mallet of yours was some divine weapon. Looks like it's just a common-grade piece of junk. Whatever, let's stop the small talk—come at me."

The dwarves were notoriously hot-tempered. Upon hearing Ronald's taunt, Easton roared in fury and charged forward, his massive warhammer smashing down with terrifying force.

The hammer was nearly as tall as he was, and as it descended, it tore through the air with a deafening whoosh. The sheer force of the strike sent powerful gusts across the arena.

The spectators nodded in approval. As expected of a Body Refining Realm tier-three expert—this was a full-powered strike, a display of pure brute strength.

But Ronald was no pushover. He shifted his weight slightly, sidestepping the hammer's devastating impact, and in the same instant, his Lightning Blade flickered to life, slashing toward Easton with lightning speed.

Thus, the battle erupted.

Blades clashed against the hammer in a relentless exchange. Sparks flew as the two warriors traded blow for blow. Within mere moments, they had already exchanged thirty furious rounds, neither one gaining the upper hand.

"Not Bad… But You're Out of Luck."

Easton grinned, wiping a trickle of sweat from his brow. "It's been a while since I've faced a worthy opponent. But unfortunately for you… you just ran into the wrong guy. Now, let's see how you handle this!"

With a powerful roar, the dwarven warrior lifted his hammer high above his head, preparing to unleash his trump card. The ground beneath him cracked as his muscles tensed—this was going to be his strongest attack yet!

Would Ronald be able to withstand it?

The crowd held their breath. The next move would decide everything.