An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori (official version)

The following day at Sacred Wyrm Summit, the spectators had already arrived as the first light of dawn began to glow in the sky.

Key figures from every faction and major guild poured in, with elites and experts gathering in large numbers. At that moment, Sacred Wyrm Summit was livelier than ever.

To the bigwigs, the previous Group C and B matches were mere warm-ups. The real spectacle that would shape the future was the showdown among the Group A geniuses.

After all, those who made it into Group A were either young grandmasters selected by major guilds. Alternatively, they were formidable fighters who had fought to the top from thousands of elite martial artists. Hence, anyone from the 32 contestants in this round could be a future game-changer. Today's matches, which narrowed the field from 32 to eight, were about selecting the best among the geniuses.

Naturally, the event captured everyone's attention. Even the big shots who usually stayed out of the limelight made their appearances. The outcof these battles was set to dictate the future direction of the martial world, and no one dared to take it lightly.

Dustin, Grace, and a few others had also arrived early at the tournament venue. As one of the top 32 contestants, Dustin would fight in the match that day.

However, before the matches began, they had to draw lots as per the tournament rules. There were 32 numbered tiles, each representing a contestant.

The contestants would match in an opposing bracket format. In simple terms, contestant number one faced number 32, contestant number two faced number 31, contestant number three faced number 30, and so on.

After the first round of matches determined the top 16, another draw would be held to decide the matchups for the top eight. The draw was completely random, so luck played a significant role alongside skill.

If someone had bad luck and faced a top -seeded contestant from the Heavenly Immortals list early, their journey might end at the top 32. Conversely, good luck could mean an easier path to the top eight. The unpredictability of the battle ring matches was a key part of the tournament's appeal.

After taking his designated seat, Dustin began to survey his surroundings. Compared to previous days, today's spectators consisted mainly of experts from the righteous and the dark guilds.

This Combat Tournament had minimal restrictions-anyone strong enough could participate, regardless of their background or alignment. The only rule was that they must not cause trouble at the Sacred Wyrm Summit.

As a result, even those considered outlaws or unorthodox by mainstream society had put in considerable effort to select exceptionally talented disciples to compete with the prestigious guilds.

The outcof these matches would reveal the true prowess of each contestant.

"Look! The bigwig from Sacred Wrym Summit is here!" At that moment, a gasp of surprise swept through the crowd.

More than half of the spectators rose to their feet. Dustin followed their gaze and saw a middle-aged man walking out in a purple robe with a set of rosary beads.

The middle-aged man had a strikingly handsface and a gentle demeanor. His warm smile radiated a welcoming and approachable air. Just seeing him made everyone feel relaxed and at ease.

Although he didn't exude a dominating presence, no one dared to underestimate him. His purple robe signified that he was the Honored Sage of the True Order.

This middle-aged man was Kaden Foyer, the newly appointed Sage of Sacred Wrym Summit. He was also a top - ranked fighter on the Champ-Tier List.

Until now, the major guilds thought Kaden, the successor to the Sage title, was still waiting in the wings at Sacred Wrym Summit. But today, as he donned the purple celestial robe, the truth was undeniable.

Arion, the former Sage, had officially passed the throne to Kaden. From this moment forward, Kaden would be the Sage of Sacred Wrym Summit.

"I didn't expect Kaden to just quietly take over the Sage position. Even our guild hadn't heard a word about it," Aurora said, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

The Celestial Alliance, with its extensive network and top-notch intelligence, was only second to the Zenith Society when gathering information.

Whenever something big happened in the martial world, the Celestial Alliance was usually the first to know. However, Kaden's ascension to Sage managed to slip past their radar.

"It's not surprising we missed it. Sacred Wrym Summit is one of those places we generally steer clear of," Alicia said indifferently.

Despite its size, the Celestial Alliance knew better than to interfere with the O affairs of Aylka, West Lucozia, and Sacred Wrym Summit. They kept their distance from anything involving these three major forces. "Looks like Sacred Wrym Summit is using this Combat Tournament to elevate Kaden's profile," Fenley said, stroking his chin.

Kaden had a low profile, so he wasn't well-known in the martial world.m Many might not have heard of him if it hadn't been for his recent ranking on the Champ-Tier List. However, Kaden made a bold statement by donning the Sage's celestial robe at this tournament. The intent behind his move was intriguing and worth pondering.

With all eyes on him, Kaden strode out, accompanied by Oron and Caleb. Although Kader and Caleb were formally masters and apprentices, they were actually father and son. A figure stepped forward and said respectfully, "Greetings, Sage Foyer. I'm Arson Blake, guildmaster of Boulderthorn." "It's an honor to meet you, Sage Foyer. I'm Xamen Scarle, guildmaster of Scarlesun guild.” Another leader stepped forward and saluted. "Greetings, Sage Foyer. I'm Claude Yason, leader of Blizzard Union. "Greetings, Sage Foyer. I'm Chester Newbery, leader of the Embersteel Order." Then, key figures from various guilds and their disciples rose from their seats and offered their respects to the newly appointed sage.

At that moment, Kaden becthe center of attention.