An Understated Dominance - Chapter 2371

Every contestant in the top eight was a rare talent chosen from thousands. They were highly popular, and just their presence could create excitement. Glenn, Fenley, and Abigail were the main favorites to win and were often in the spotlight.

Behind the scenes, someone had quietly set up a betting pool. For many gamblers, the finals would determine whether they would win a fortune or lose everything.

By the time Dustin and Grace arrived at the venue, the stands were nearly full. When the crowd saw Dustin, many stood up and applauded to show their respect.

Although his skills weren’t as renowned as those at the top of the Legendary List, Dustin had performed well. He had defeated two foreign contestants and represented Dragonmarsh martial artists with honor, earning him a lot of admiration.

“Faith! Dr. Rhys! Over here!” Alicia called from the section reserved for Celestial Alliance disciples.

She stood up and waved at Dustin and Grace. Her bright smile made the hearts of many young men nearby race. As the fifth-ranked beauty on the Beauty Ranking, even her simplest gestures were enchanting.

“Let’s go,” Dustin said.

He and Grace exchanged smiles and walked over to sit next to Alicia. Their seats were roomy, and a small table filled with fruits and snacks was nearby.

“Dr. Rhys, it’s the final showdown today. How do you feel? Are you confident you can make it into the top three?” Alicia asked, still smiling.

“I’ll give it my all and let fate decide the rest,” Dustin replied casually.

“That’s the right attitude,” Alicia said with a laugh. “Anything can happen in the ring. Until the very end, you never know how things will turn out.”

“Alicia, the draw for the matches is about to start. Where’s Mr. Hudson?” Grace asked, looking around.

Alicia scanned the crowd but couldn’t find Fenley, which felt strange. He had been there early for the tournament matches yesterday, so it was hard to believe he would miss today.

“He went into seclusion last night. My father didn’t let anyone near him, so I really don’t know what’s going on,” Alicia said, shaking her head.

Earlier that morning, she and Aurora had wanted to invite Fenley to join them for the ride, but her father had stopped them and told them to stay quiet.

“Seclusion?” Grace raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t it a bit late for that? If he misses the match, it will be a huge setback.”

Missing a major event like this meant immediate disqualification. Someone could take his place in the drawing, but that was not the same.

“I don’t know what they’re thinking,” Alicia sighed. “But Fenley should make it in time. He’s been preparing for this match for so long; I doubt he would give up easily.”

Grace nodded but chose not to say more.

“Here he comes! Fenley’s here!” Aurora suddenly exclaimed, her eyes lighting up as she pointed to a figure in the distance.

Everyone turned to see Fenley and Alloy walking confidently toward them. Fenley looked different; he seemed more vibrant. If he had been sharp and bold yesterday, now he radiated calm and composure.

“Fenley! Over here!” Alicia called, standing up and waving. Fenley glanced her way and exchanged a few words with Alloy before coming over.

Alloy, on the other hand, headed toward the main seats in front of the battle ring. As the guildmaster of the Celestial Alliance, he was not going to sit with the younger crowd. Only Cyrus, Penelope, and Kaden, his equals, were worthy of sitting beside him.

“Fenley, how did—”

“How did it go? Did your training make a difference?” Alicia asked excitedly as soon as he sat down.

“Thanks to the Advancil that the Godfather gave me, I’ve made it to the next level,” he replied with a smile.

After a night of hard training, he felt the full effects of the Advancil. He had crossed the final threshold and reached the ultimate grandmaster level.

“Another breakthrough?”

Alicia and Aurora exchanged quick glances, and understanding lit up their faces. They both smiled brightly.

“That’s amazing! Congratulations on your breakthrough. It looks like winning the championship title in this Combat Tournament is within our reach.”

Before this breakthrough, Fenley was already strong, but now his power had grown even more.

“It’s too soon to think about winning. But I do feel a lot more confident after my breakthrough,” he said with a slight smile.

Fenley had watched the top eight contestants compete yesterday and knew they were all tough. In the past, he wouldn’t have felt very confident about his chances, but now everything was different.

Moving from a halfway point to truly becoming an ultimate grandmaster might seem like a small step, but his strength had grown tremendously. He could now see himself as a real force to be reckoned with.