Under the watchful eyes of the audience, Dustin and Glenn stepped onto the battle ring. They stood about 30 feet apart, and their eyes locked across the distance. Their gazes met like sparks, and they could feel the weight of the other’s stare.
“Are you Logan?” Glenn asked, breaking the silence.
He had heard the rumors about this dark horse before stepping into the ring, but now that he was facing him, he wasn’t sure.
“Who I am doesn’t matter. What matters is who wins this fight.” Dustin didn’t confirm or deny it, but his words left Glenn with no doubt.
Both men were at the top of the Legendary List and held equal rank on the Champ-Tier List. Until they fought, no one could say who was the stronger of the two.
“I heard you’re Seth’s disciple, so I’m really looking forward to this.” Glenn’s gaze sharpened.
Many years ago, his mentor, Cyrus, was defeated by Seth. That loss had always haunted Cyrus ever since. Now, with the disciples of both men about to face off, Glenn was determined to settle the score.
“I’m also looking forward to seeing the sword skills of your Sword Union, ” Dustin said with a grin.
The opponents he had faced so far including Abigail-hadn’t really forced him to go all out. But Glenn was different. He could already tell that Glenn was a real challenge and someone who could push him to his limits.
None of Dustin’s peers had come close to matching his skill. If he didn’t go all in in this match, he wouldn’t stand a
chance.
“Are both contestants ready? Then, let the final match for the Combat Tournament championship begin!”
Oron’s voice rang out, and the crowd erupted into applause.
Half the spectators were chanting Dustin’s name, while the other half was shouting for Glenn. By now, both had gathered their fair share of supporters.
One was the undefeated top-ranked expert on the Legendary List, and the other was a dark horse who had already knocked out the second-ranked Abigail and fought his way into the finals.
Who had the edge? No one could say for sure. It was the uncertainty that made the match so exciting.
“Show me what you’ve got.”
Dustin raised a hand and made a quick, commanding gesture. The Celestial Blade flew through the air and landed firmly in his grip. Drawing his sword from the start of the match was his way of showing respect for Glenn’s strength,
“Blacknight! Green Fang! Red Tempest! Go!” Glenn also didn’t hold back.
He raised his sword finger, and three divine swords shot out from the sword case. They hovered in the air, with the edges gleaming with deadly intent.
In his previous fight with Fenley, he had held back. But now, he was giving it everything he had.
“Get a few more men to reinforce the formation!”
The razor-sharp sword energy in the ring made Oron uneasy. He quickly called over three masters from Sacred Wyrm Summit and positioned them at each corner to help stabilize the defensive formation.
This was the championship match, after all. The destructive power unleashed by Dustin and Glenn was far greater than anything seen in the earlier rounds.
If the two ultimate grandmaster swordsmen weren’t careful, a single misstep could cause the defensive formation to break. And if that happened, the spectators would be caught in the crossfire.
“Activate it now!”
With Oron at the forefront, the Sacred Wyrm Summit masters channeled their energy in unison to activate the defense
formation around the ring. A flash of light erupted, and a pale blue shield appeared and wrapped around the entire ring like a massive eggshell.
As the defensive formation solidified, Dustin and Glenn seemed to share a tacit understanding. Then, they launched their attacks simultaneously.
“Attack!”
Glenn pointed his sword finger at Dustin, and three divine swords of different colors shot toward him from all directions. Each sword picked up speed and force as it flew, as the pressure mounted with each strike. The sheer power felt like it could shatter everything in its path.
“Perfect timing!”
Dustin grinned and swung his Celestial Blade three times. Three black sword
auras shot forward and collided with the divine swords in midair.
Three powerful blasts shook the air, and waves of energy rippled outward in all directions. The shockwaves slammed into the blue barrier with the force of a crashing wave.
Dustin’s sword auras didn’t stop the divine swords, but they slowed their advance. He seized the opportunity and blurred into a streak of black lightning as he charged forward with his sword aimed at Glenn’s chest.
“Skybound! Shadowedge! Earthshaper! Go!”
Glenn reacted quickly and raised his sword finger. Three more divine swords shot out from the case and headed toward Dustin, who was charging at him.
“Tantrumia Slash!” Dustin flicked his wrist, and the Celestial Blade trembled in his grip.
A violent vortex erupted around him and spun with relentless force. It wasn’t a pull inward but a reverse rotation that pushed outward with force from within.
When Glenn’s three divine swords made contact with the vortex, a powerful force yanked them off course. They zipped past Dustin and narrowly missed him by inches.
“Huh?” Glenn raised an eyebrow and was quite surprised. As expected from Seth’s disciple, Dustin’s swordsmanship was exceptional.
“Fang Master! Go!” With a quick motion, Glenn summoned the divine sword, Fang Master, from its case. It landed smoothly in his hand.
As Dustin’s blade came at him, Glenn raised his sword in a swift block to guard his vital points.
With a surge of energy, the Celestial Blade collided with Fang Master and sent a jolt through Glenn’s wrist. He was pushed back several steps by the force of the impact.
Just as Dustin prepared to press the attack, six divine swords flew toward him from behind. Three aimed for his upper body, while the remaining three went for his lower half.
If he kept advancing, he would leave himself open. So, he reluctantly abandoned his pursuit as he drew his sword to defend himself. He dodged and blocked while parrying the incoming strikes.
Glenn seized the opening and launched a counterattack. With Fang Master raised high, he leaped into the fray and joined his swords in an all-out assault on Dustin.
