An Understated Dominance - Chapter 2405

“Is it a draw?”

Kaden’s announcement shocked the crowd. Many people were surprised by this result.

In martial arts, there shouldn’t be a draw. Once a match starts, there must be a winner, especially in this important championship fight. Otherwise, what’s the point of competing?

And what would happen to all the bets? Would the bookmaker keep all the money?

“Yes! A draw is fine!” Abigail shouted, jumping with excitement.

She had only planned to take a small amount for herself, but this unexpected result seemed to be making her rich.

“I wonder if the two fighters are okay with this decision,” Kaden said, looking at Dustin and Glenn.

Both men had given everything they had. They were exhausted and had no strength left to keep fighting.

The battle ring was ruined, and the defense formation was broken. There was no place to have a rematch, so a draw was the only fair option.

“Do you have the strength to swing your sword again?” Kaden asked, but Glenn didn’t answer him. He focused on Dustin instead.

“I can make one more move,” Dustin admitted.

That last attack, the Draconic Edge, had used almost all his mystical energy. He only had enough left for one more move.

“Same for me.” Glenn wiped the blood from his mouth. “It’s hard to accept that it ends like this. We’ve fought so hard; there should be a winner. How about a sword duel without using our internal energy? Let’s see who is truly better.”

“Sounds good,” Dustin agreed.

Without the battle ring and defense formation, their fight could be dangerous for the spectators. But if they just used swords, it would be safe.

“We’ll continue to fight.”

“Fight. This time, we won’t use internal energy. We’re going to have a sword duel.”

“Sword duel?” Kaden raised an eyebrow. He looked at the guildmasters of the three major guilds. When he saw they had no objections, he replied, “Sounds good. It’s your call.”

The nervous crowd let out a collective sigh of relief. If the fight ended in a draw, everyone would be unhappy, and even the bettors would lose everything.

This new plan, focused solely on sword fighting, was fair, safe, and would have a clear winner.

“Get ready. I’m drawing my sword!” Glenn picked up the Voidreaver sword from the ground and pointed it at Dustin.

Dustin didn’t say anything; he simply raised his Dragon Sparrow sword.

For a brief moment, the two men stood still before launching into action.

Without using internal energy, it became a test of pure physical strength. Their speed was astonishing as they blurred into two streaks of motion and collided in the ruins.

The sound of metal clashing echoed, and sparks flew in all directions.

Their movements were so quick that it was hard to tell them apart. Even without internal energy, the force of their strikes created ripples in the air, like waves in the wind.

The spectators, watching from a distance, felt a chill. It seemed that standing too close could be dangerous.

After several minutes of intense fighting, Dustin and Glenn suddenly stopped.

Glenn’s sword had pierced Dustin’s shoulder, tearing through his skin and muscle, drawing blood.

“Did he win?” one spectator behind Glenn exclaimed, seeing the sword in Dustin’s shoulder and assuming Glenn had won. Some of the onlookers began to cheer, thinking the fight was over.

Bettors were celebrating their wins, while others were mourning their losses. But those watching Dustin noticed something different.

Though Dustin’s shoulder was injured, his sword was deep in Glenn’s chest. With just a slight push, it could be a deadly blow. To the onlookers, it was clear: Glenn hadn’t won; Dustin had.

In the end, Dustin’s skill with the sword had surpassed Glenn’s.

Glenn looked down at the sword stuck in his chest, his face showing a mix of emotions. He had always thought his sword skills were unmatched, but he never expected to lose to Dustin.

Both of them were at similar levels of training, but there was a big difference in their sword mastery. This loss made Glenn realize how much he still needed to improve.

“Thank you for sparing my life. I admit defeat,” Glenn said as he pulled his sword, the Voidreaver, from the ground and bowed his head.

He wasn’t one to dwell on defeat, nor did he care about the championship title. His true aim was to reach the highest level of sword mastery. If he lost, it simply meant he needed to work harder.

“Good match,” Dustin replied, bowing his head in respect. This battle had been tough for him, and he knew it had been dangerous.

Glenn was incredibly strong. He controlled nine flying swords with perfect skill, showing no mistakes in his technique.

If they hadn’t agreed to fight with regular swords, Dustin wasn’t sure he could have won.

“Alas… In the end, it was just one move short of victory,” Cyrus sighed. When he first heard about the duel, he felt uneasy.

Glenn had always focused on mastering his sword aura. While his sword skills were impressive, they still hadn’t reached their full potential. Against most opponents, they were more than enough.

They had tried their best, but against someone as talented as Dustin, they couldn’t win.

Now, it was too late to change the outcome. The match was over.

However, Glenn didn’t look defeated. Instead, there was a new fire in his eyes—an intensity he hadn’t shown before. This determination would help him move forward.

Sometimes, failing isn’t the end. It can spark a passion that propels someone to greater heights.