The initial, chaotic roar of the crowd had gradually subsided, replaced by a tense, focused silence.
The venue was now dominated solely by the aggressive, loud, yet somewhat monotonous sounds of hammering, chiefly emanating from Rendo's counter.
Every spectator, judge, and competitor was concentrating on the difficult, sweaty task.
But just as the atmosphere settled, another hammer fell, and a sound unlike any other erupted.
It wasn't the heavy, dull thud of Rendo's massive blows, but a sharp, incredibly crisp tang of metal colliding with metal.
The sound carried a purity, a clean resonance that instantly sliced through the background noise.
The heads of the huge crowd instinctively snapped towards the source of the sound—Grey's counter.
Even Grand Elder Ignis, who had been observing Rendo with a critical eye, was startled. He immediately turned toward Grey, his fiery dwarven eyes wide with surprise.
