An Understated Dominance

“Great hit!”

“How dare you cause trouble at Sacred Wyrm Summit? You must have a death wish.”

“If the referee hadn’t held back, that Stormcraft strike would have turned him into dust.”

The spectators cheered with applause as Bill was sent flying.

A foreign contestant one who is relatively unknown here should stay low-key to avoid unnecessary trouble.

But when Bill showed up, he immediately started shouting and challenging everyone. He practically asked to be beaten. Did this puny vampire think no one in Dragonmarsh could take him down?

“Curse you, Dragonmarsh martial artists! How dare you ambush me? How cowardly and disgraceful!”

Bill staggered to his feet and gritted his teeth as he seethed in anger. He had planned to make a strong impression and showcase the vampires’ might. Instead, his plan backfired, and he was humiliated.

He didn’t think it was due to his own weakness; rather, Oron’s sudden attack had caught him off guard. Bill was sure that he wouldn’t lose in a fair fight.

“Hmph! You still dare to shout here? If Master Oron hadn’t held back, you’d already turned into ashes,” Jermaine snapped.

Bill’s teleportation move earlier had caught Jermaine off guard. But now that he was prepared, he knew things would play out differently.

“Every competition has its rules. If you can’t follow them, I’ll have to ask you to leave,” Oron said coldly.

“Why you-” Bill was about to lash out when a hand landed on his shoulder. He turned to see a smiling man in a clerical robe.

The man was Jeremiah Price, also known as The Dust of Angel.

“Mr. Wolfe, don’t forget our mission. If you get kicked out before the match even begins, you’ll have a lot of explaining to do with Mr. Bailey,” Jeremiah said.

He continued, “If you provoke the experts of Sacred Wrym Summit, I won’t be able to save you. You’ve already seen the power of Stormcraft. It’s a bane to the vampires.”

Bill’s face alternated between anger and fear. He clenched his teeth and suppressed his anger. He might be aggressive, but he wasn’t foolish.

He could take on anyone in a one-on- one brawl, but it would be different if the Dragonmarsh’s martial artists teamed up against him.

After experiencing Oron’s Stormcraft, Bill knew he had a reason to be wary. Even if it didn’t kill him outright, it would paralyze him. For an expert, even a split second of immobilization could be fatal.

“I’m sorry everyone. My friend is new to this place and unfamiliar with the rules. Please forgive him.” Jeremiah stepped forward and lowered his head apologetically to Oron and the others.

“We’ll let it slide this time, but don’t let it happen again,” Oron replied with a neutral expression.

“Understood.” Jeremiah smiled and nodded.

Bill stood behind him and said nothing. But the deadly fire in his eyes was impossible to hide. He resolved to torture whoever he faced in the ring mercilessly. It was the only way to unleash his pent-up fury.

Oron scanned the battle ring and said, Since all the 32 contestants are here, we’ll draw lots to determine the matchups.”

When he confirmed that all the contestants were present, he signaled for a black wooden box to be brought forward. The box was completely sealed except for a small opening at the top.

Oron looked around the ring and announced loudly, “This box contains 32 numbered balls. Each contestant will draw one at random.

“The contestant who draws Number 1 will face the one who draws Number 32. Number 2 will face Number 31, and so on.

“It’s all about luck. No changes are allowed, and any cheating will result in immediate disqualification. Let’s begin.

“Let me go first.”

As soon as Oron finished speaking, Jermaine stepped forward. He reached into the black box and began rummaging through the balls inside.

A few seconds later, he pulled out a transparent glass ball. Embedded in the center was a white metal disc with a “3 “etched into it.

“Looks like I’m in luck. I’m fighting in the third match,” Jermaine said, raising the glass ball so everyone could see the number.

After all, competing earlier in the round could give some contestants a crucial edge. Today’s event was a 32-to -8 showdown. The first round determined the top 16, and the second round narrowed it down to the top eight. In other words, they needed to win two rounds to get noticed.

If their match were scheduled in the early round, they would have a long recovery break before their next fight. Conversely, if their initial game started late, they might not get any rest before jumping straight into the second match.

Their physical condition often determined the outcome for martial artists at the same level. A well-rested contestant generally had a better chance of winning against a tired opponent. Thus, the draw’s order and results could significantly impact the match results.