“Really? Since you’re so confident, I’ll be watching closely,” Alloy replied with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. The chance to mess with Cyrus was too good to pass up.
When Cyrus had sparred with Seth, he had been defeated by just one move. Since that day, he had lived in Seth’s shadow.
In other words, Seth had become the inner demon that Cyrus could never shake off-a haunting reminder of his limits.
As the tension brewed between Alloy and Cyrus in the stands, the situation in the battle ring had changed.
Caleb was engaged in an extended battle, and the strain on his internal energy had reached a critical point. He needed to maintain his Glow Incantation while using Stormcraft for his attacks. This combination led to a
rapid depletion of his energy.
In contrast, Dustin focused primarily on close-range combat. He relied on his agility and brute strength to unleash punches and kicks while creating openings. Additionally, he only used his internal energy to counter Caleb’s Stormcraft.
If Caleb didn’t change his approach soon, he knew defeat was just a heartbeat away.
“This can’t go on. I have to end this now,” he thought.
Aware that his internal energy was running low, he gritted his teeth and resolved to unleash his ultimate move.
“Stormcraft!”
Caleb formed a hand seal with one hand. With a swift thrust, a burst of lightning shot forward and expanded like a massive net to ensnare Dustin.
While unleashing Stormcraft, hẹ swiftly flicked his other hand. A yellow talisman shot out and hovered above Dustin’s head.
“Summit Shift!”
As Caleb raised his hand and formed a seal, the talisman erupted in a blinding burst of lightning.
An illusion of a massive mountain materialized from thin air, overshadowing everything around it with its sheer presence. Beneath this enormous mountain, Dustin looked as small as an ant.
Caleb executed his two moves with precision. First, he unleashed Stormcraft to create an opening that diverted Dustin’s attention while achieving his tactical goal. Then, he prepared the Summit Shift talisman as a follow-up strike to crush Dustin.
Once that talisman activated, Dustin would feel as if a mountain were bearing down on him. He would be rendered immobile or at risk of being crushed to death. This lethal combination left no room for a counterattack.
A muffled blast echoed as Dustin channeled his true energy to disperse the burst of lightning. However, the illusion of the mountain above descended upon him with crushing force.
He felt his body grow heavy under the immense pressure. The battle ring surface buckled under his feet, and deep cracks spread outward.
If a grandmaster martial artist had been subjected to the weight of that mountain, they would surely be crushed or gravely injured.
“So, this is the legendary Divine Talisman. Its power is terrifying,” Dustin thought. He was astonished by the crushing force pressing on him.
Among the three supreme skills of Sacred Wyrm Summit, the Divine Talisman was the hardest to master and the most formidable in power.
There were many types of Divine Talismans, and the Summit Shift talisman was just one of them. So, it wasn’t a surprise that Sacred Wyrm Summit could uphold its reputation as a leader in the martial world for so many years.
“Got him!”
Seeing Dustin immobilized, Caleb’s face lit up with relief. Dustin had been a real challenge, and without the Divine Talisman, Caleb wouldn’t have been able to suppress him.
“That’s an impressive use of the Summit Shift talisman. It definitely lives up to the hype.”
“Dustin forced Caleb to unleash his signature technique from Sacred Wyrm Summit. He may have lost, but he’s definitely earned my respect.”
“You bet! This match was intense. Caleb might not have won if it weren’t for the Divine Talisman determining the outcome.”
With the outcome seemingly decided, the spectators erupted into lively chatter.
Caleb’s supporters were especially thrilled as they shouted their praises with enthusiasm. After all, they had wagered on him, and a victory would mean a substantial payout for them.
“Sage Foyer, your disciple is quite smart. He understands the importance of a swift resolution. If Dustin draws his sword, who knows how this will end?” Alloy said as he sipped his tea.
He had watched Dustin’s previous match against Jeremiah closely and witnessed the terrifying power of that one sword strike. It was not something an ordinary grandmaster martial artist could withstand.
“Don’t celebrate too soon. The fight isn’t over yet. Seth’s disciple doesn’t go down that easily,” Cyrus said coldly.
“What? Do you think he can still turn things around with the Summit Shift talisman holding him down?” Alloy scoffed. “He won’t stand a chance unless he is at the ultimate grandmaster level.”
He knew that breaking through to the ultimate grandmaster level required more than mere talent and that it also needed a lot of resources. Even Fenley had only reached this breakthrough the previous day with the help of Advancil.
Seth had been a solitary figure. Now
that he had passed away, Alloy doubted that he could have ever gathered the resources to train his disciple to reach the ultimate grandmaster level.
“You’ll know if you keep watching.” Cyrus didn’t say much, and his eyes locked onto the battle ring. He understood that being suppressed by the Summit Shift talisman didn’t ensure Dustin’s defeat.
“It’s time to end this!” On the battle ring, Caleb finally allowed himself a breath of relief. He pulled out a blue talisman and threw it forward.
“Soul Bind!”
The talisman transformed into a beam of blue light and shot toward Dustin’s forehead.
This Soul-Bind talisman could trap the opponent’s soul and put them into an endless slumber as long as it remained intact. Its effect could only be broken if the talisman was torn.
But just as the talisman was about to touch Dustin’s forehead, a black sword suddenly plummeted from above. It moved at a blinding speed and pierced the talisman.
In an explosive flash, the Soul-Bind talisman disintegrated and scattered into a flurry of shimmering blue sparks.
