The arena was reset back to normal quickly after Jason's victory, and soon as it was completed, the elf presenter appeared again.
He then announced, "All right, ladies and gentlemen!! The moment we've all been waiting for is finally here!!"
"The final round of the Nest tournament is shortly about to begin. But I have an announcement to make."
"I just got word from the other Emperors of the Five Great Empires and they agreed that the three finalists shall represent Ravenbrook at the annual Amberlandian Winter Games!!"
That announcement caused a huge uproar from the spectators -due to the event being a highly prestigious one.
He continued, "So without further ado, let the final contestants please come to the arena!!"
As soon as the elf finished and left the arena, Jason, Vincent and Damian all walked out of their resting posts and moved to the arena.
A female pantherine proctor was waiting for them in the arena, explaining the rules again.
After the rules were explained, they looked towards Emperor Claudius and knelt to show their allegiance and honor to him.
He then raised his hand, stood up and said, "My fellow Pardourians and people of Ravenbrook and beyond, I welcome you all to this special day and this event."
"I have guided and protected this nation for over 20 years and I see you all as my children."
"This event does not only marks the best student and future Knight but also shows the heritage our nation holds in events like this."
"And it also appreciates the strengths of every individual that participated here today."
"With that, I am extremely pleased with the rest of you who participated today, especially these following individuals," he said addressing Viola -who woke up later with an eyepatch on her right eye and recalling nothing that happened- Shisui and Maki.
The three of them knelt in front of the Emperor in silence awaiting for his announcement.
"Because of your great performances and exceptional talents, I hereby award you with the rank of Silver Knights!!," and was greeted with applause by everyone.
Maki -having her injuries healed earlier after her battle- turned around and looked at both Jason and Vincent, who were applauding her with so much joy that it brought her close to tears.
The three newly-promoted Knights immediately left the arena, but Emperor Claudius was not finished speaking.
"To the final contestants, you all know the prize ahead and the new details concerning your placement here and I'm proud of you all."
"You will face serious battles in your lives, but do not seek giving up as a final option."
"Strive to be the best individual you can be and you shall indeed be the great Knights you dream of becoming."
"With that, I wish good luck and may the best individual win!!," he concluded and was met with loud roars of excitement that filled the entire colosseum.
Vincent, Jason and Damian all stood and look at each other with competitiveness and determination, waiting for the signal to begin the fight.
The elf then announced, "Let the final fight begin!!," and the gong was struck.