An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori (official version)

Carter smirked while looking at the spear thrust toward him. With a swift motion, he faced the attack head-on

with his sword.

Their weapons collided and created a shockwave of energy.

The waves rippled outward like a tide, and it caused their robes to flutter and their hair to stand on end.

Both combatants stood firm. They were locked in a tense standoff as neither was willing to back down.

Brandon gripped his spear with both hands as he channeled his true energy while he tried to overpower Carter

with his strength. But no matter how hard Brandon pushed, Carter held his ground.

The spear clashed with the sword, and the two were locked in a fierce struggle.

The air crackled with bursts of energy as their weapons strained against each other.

"Hmm?" Brandon's brow furrowed with surprise.

As one of the top ten talents of the Celestial Alliance, he should have easily dominated his opponent in Group C.

However, he hadn't anticipated this relatively unknown figure to match him so evenly.

"Celestial Glide!"

As Brandon realized he was losing ground, he swung his long spear and knocked Carter's sword aside. Then, he

swiftly unleashed a fierce sweeping strike aimed at Carter's waist.

In the end, every inch mattered. The long spear's advantage lay in its wide-reaching attack range. It could strike

before the opponent's sword closed in.

Brandon had made up his mind. Since he could not overpower Carter with sheer strength, he would rely on his

marksmanship and extensive combat experience to defeat Carter.

As the spear swept toward him, Carter leaned back. He narrowly dodged the attack like a falling plank.

"Serpentine Evasion!"

With his initial strike missed, Brandon swiftly thrust his spear again and aimed toward Carter's chest. The timing

was perfect, just as Carter's body was about to touch the ground.

Most martial artists wouldn't have been able to react in tif they were in such a situation.

But Carter seemed to anticipate Brandon's move. As the spear cat him, he slammed his hand onto the

ground and launched into the air.

Brandon's spear jabbed into the ground and created a hole. As Carter regained his footing, he utilized the spear

shaft as a foothold and lunged forward.

His sword aimed straight for Brandon's throat.

Brandon's eyes widened, and he instinctively took two steps back. Using his spear, he deflected Carter's attack.

However, the force of the blow sent him staggering back several paces.

The onlookers gasped in shock at the sight. Their faces were filled with fear and disbelief.

"Holy shit! What's happening? Why is Brandon being pushed back?"

"No way! His opponent is just a nobody. Brandon can't be losing, right? I've bet a fortune on him!"

"Everyone, calm down. The match has just begun. Brandon hasn't shown his true strength yet. | believe he'll turn

the tide in the end."

"Yeah, the predictions have never failed us. Let's not freak out and just watch the match."

Brandon's unexpected performance left the gamblers nervous.

They watched with bated breath. They had expected Brandon's skill to secure an easy victory.

How did he end up at a disadvantage after just a few exchanges with Carter? What happened?

"Miles, do you think there's something unexpected going on in this match?" Ruby asked nervously from her seat

in the audience.

She had just wagered all her celestial stones earlier. She knew that winning would bring a huge reward, but she

also realized that losing would mean losing everything.

"Don't worry. It's just a minor hiccup and won't affect the overall result," Miles reassured confidently.

He understood that slip-ups are part of being human. So, he figured Brandon might have been a little careless

earlier.

Miles was confident that defeating Carter would be a breeze once Brandon got serious.

At the first battle ring, Brandon's expression turned grave. At first, he had underestimated Carter, but their

recent exchange showed him that Carter was just as strong as him.

Brandon understood that victory might slip away if he didn't give his best.

"You're tougher than | thought," Brandon remarked.

He adopted an aggressive stance with a piercing gaze. "I underestimated you earlier and almost paid the price.

But | won't make that mistake again. Because now, I'll unleash my ultimate move and end this fight."

"Really? I'll be looking forward to it," Carter replied with a faint smile.

"Thunder Spear's First Form—Thunder Wrath!" Brandon shouted. He drew back his spear before thrusting

forward with a mighty force.

As the spear shot out, it was as if thunder cracked.

A blinding flash of white light burst forth, fierce and unstoppable, heading straight for Carter.

"Wow, what a powerful move! Brandon's proving why he's one of the Celestial Alliance's top ten!"

"Thunder Spear packs a serious punch. Once Brandon lets it loose, there's no stopping it. Seeing it in action

today proves why it got such a fearsreputation!"

"Carter should take pride in being bested by Brandon's Thunder Spear."

Brandon's display of power stirred the crowd into a frenzy.

The gamblers, in particular, were thrilled, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Amidst the display of the Thunder Spear technique, the spectators grew confident in Brandon's impending

victory.

"Pfft! Thunder Spear? It's nothing special." Carter stayed composed and smirked at the incoming spear.

With a quick movement of his foot, he surged forward like lightning, slashing his sword with astonishing speed.

The crowd couldn't track Carter's sword movements. Instead, they only saw a blur before their eyes.

As the scene paused again, Brandon and Carter had already crossed paths.

At that moment, they were standing back-to-back several yards apart.

Brandon's frown deepened. His expression darkened while his grip on the spear trembled slightly.

Meanwhile, Carter maintained a calm expression, and blood dripped from his sword.

As the crowd looked on in confusion, Brandon suddenly coughed up blood and collapsed to the ground.

The spectators were left dumbfounded.