An Understated Dominance - Chapter 2388

“Who is this kid?” Oron thought, looking at his shaking hands. A chill ran down his spine. He had just lost to Dustin in their earlier fight, which was completely unexpected.

Oron was already an ultimate grandmaster, skilled in the Glow Incantation and even better than Caleb. He should have easily defeated a younger opponent like Dustin.

But now, he realized something shocking—Dustin had been holding back. If he had used all his strength, Caleb wouldn’t have lasted so long.

This thought made Oron uneasy. There are always talented fighters, but Dustin’s potential was truly frightening. To put it simply, he was as fierce as Glenn.

“What happened? Why did the judge step in?” someone asked.

“Can’t you see? Caleb has already lost. If the judge hadn’t intervened, that sword would have seriously injured or even killed him,” another replied.

“Exactly! It would be a shame to lose the most talented disciple of Sacred Wyrm Summit,” someone else added.

“I thought Caleb would win, but Dustin changed everything with just one sword strike. It’s scary,” another spectator said.

The unexpected turn of events had everyone buzzing. The fight had ended in an instant, whether it was Caleb’s Eight Trigrams of Divine Talisman being countered or Oron stepping in to stop the match. The crowd barely realized what had happened before it was all over.

“Well, Mr. Marshall, what do you have to say now? You seemed pretty confident a moment ago,” Cyrus said to Alloy with a sarcastic tone.

Alloy’s lips twitched as he struggled to respond.

training, yet he still excelled beyond his peers. His natural talent made it seem effortless, but now, facing Dustin, he realized he had underestimated his opponent.

“Sorry. I almost lost control just now,” Dustin said as he sheathed the Celestial Blade. During his fight with Caleb, he had held back, not wanting to deliver a lethal blow. However, when it came time to break through the formation, he had to unleash his full strength.

Fortunately, Oron had made the right call and conceded at the right moment. If he hadn’t, given how Caleb had been earlier, he might not have survived Dustin’s attack.

“I thought we were evenly matched,” Caleb admitted, lowering his head to Dustin in respect. “But now I see the difference in our strength. I lost, and I accept it without regret.”

Instead of looking defeated, Caleb seemed energized, his eyes shining with determination. Although he claimed not to care about fame or glory, a deep pride burned within him.

Caleb had always found life easy, handling challenges like cultivation and self-discipline without much effort. He consistently outperformed every disciple at Sacred Wrym Summit. While other guild members spent three years making small gains and a decade to master the Glow Incantation, Caleb perfected it in just six months of relaxed practice. His progress matched what those so-called gifted disciples would achieve in ten years of hard work.

Since joining the Sacred Wrym Summit, Caleb had never truly committed to his training, yet he still stood out among his peers. Now, facing Dustin, he understood that he needed to step up his game.

Caleb had always been seen as a genius. He put little effort into his training, yet his skills in spells were better than those of many who worked hard for years. Everyone praised him for his talent, and he accepted the title without argument. However, his quick success had a downside—he lacked motivation because he faced no real challenges.

To Caleb, the process of cultivation seemed too easy. He thought, “Just eat, drink, and sleep, and I’ll improve.” This attitude made it hard for him to take anything seriously.

But after Dustin attacked him in battle, Caleb realized he wasn’t the only talented person around. There were others stronger than him, and that shook him out of his laziness. Suddenly, he had a clear goal and a strong desire to improve. The fire of passion and ambition inside him reignited, and from that moment on, he decided to take his training seriously.

“Congratulations to contestant number five, Dustin Rhys, for winning the match,” Oron announced after calming down.

Even though Caleb’s team, Sacred Wrym Summit, lost, his performance made a strong impression. It wasn’t a shameful defeat at all. What made Caleb stand out was that he was the youngest contestant in the tournament.

At just 17 years old, he had already reached the grandmaster level and had endless potential ahead of him. It was clear he would soon earn a spot on the Legendary List and possibly even the Champ-Tier List in a few years.

As the crowd cheered, Dustin stepped down from the battle ring. With the quarterfinals over, the tournament moved on to the semifinals and finals. The four finalists were Glenn from the Sword Union, Fenley from the Celestial Alliance, Abigail from the Mystic Arts Order, and Dustin. All four were top contenders on the Legendary List, so it was no surprise they had made it this far.

The journey had brought them this far, but the real challenge was just starting.

They were ultimate grandmasters, the best of the best in the martial world. No matter who won, the victor would become a legend and inspire the next generation.