An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori (official version)

The saber hit the ground before its owner even appeared. Its edge gleamed with a fierce, intimidating light.

"This saber looks so familiar. I think I've seen it before." "If I'm not mistaken, that's the Inferno Saber of the Bloodfire Legion leader." "The leader of the Bloodfire Legion? Even someone like him is competing in the tournament? Isn't he too old for this?" "From what I know, the Bloodfire Legion leader has passed the Inferno Saber to his most prized disciple, Kendricks Lang, who is ranked eighth on the Legendary List." Amid the murmurs, a dark figure suddenly shot into the air. He landed on the battle ring just as the golden saber crashed down with a thunderous boom.

The figure was a man dressed in black with a cold and formidable presence. He appeared to be in his 30s, tall and upright, with a piercing gaze. A black, broken sword was slung across his back, which added to his unapproachable demeanor.

He was Kendricks Lang, ranked eighth on the Legendary List. Though many had never seen him in person, he was widely recognized. His extraordinary skills and blade mastery had earned him a stellar reputation, and he had remained undefeated since his rise to fame.

"Such bad luck. I can't believe I have to face this guy," Azalea murmured as she looked at her numbered ball. With a resigned sigh, she rose from her seat and walked toward the battle ring.

Despite the treasures Abigail had given her, Azalea still felt uncertain. While those items might be effective against ordinary grandmasters, their usefulness against great legends like Kendricks was questionable.

Since he was her opponent, she wouldn't give up easily. She was determined to perform at her best. Her goals were to avoid disappointing Abigail and to uphold the honor of the Mystic Arts Order.

"A woman?" Kendricks frowned as he looked at Azalea approaching the battle ring. "How disappointing." He had anticipated facing a formidable opponent from the Legendary List, not an unknown woman. To him, defeating her didn't seem like an achievement worth boasting about.

"I'm Azalea Larson of the Mystic Arts Order," Azalea introduced as she stepped onto the ring. With a gentle smile and a polite nod, her elegance was hard to ignore.

The male spectators in the stand perked up, and their hearts raced at her presence.

All the female contestants in the tournament were captivating in their own right, but Azalea was particularly striking. There was something almost ethereal about her, a charm that drew everyone in and was impossible to resist.

"I don't want to fight a woman. Just surrender," Kendricks said flatly. His gaze was cold and unwavering.

To him, women were insignificant compared to his saber. He would rather spend his tperfecting his sword technique than engaging in idle flirtations.

"I didn't expect you to be such a gentleman. But since I'm already here, I can't just surrender. My mentor would never letlive it down. Please go easy on me." Azalea cast him a delicate, almost pitiful look. She was trying to tug at his sympathy.

"Drop the pretense," he said with a blank expression. "If you're determined to fight, don't expectto hold back." While he wasn't eager to fight a woman, showing mercy simply wasn't in his nature.

"Ah... I must have misunderstood. If you're set on fighting me, I'll just have to endure it." She shook her head, and her downcast eyes made her look helpless.

Kendricks remained indifferent, but the male spectators were spellbound. Their hearts softened at Azalea's seemingly vulnerable demeanor.

They would have surrendered without hesitation if they were in Kendricks' shoes. Who could bring themselves to harm such a fragile beauty? After all, letting her win would be the perfect way to gain a gentlemanly reputation. "The fifth match starts now," Oron announced once both contestants were ready.

"Shall we begin?” Azalea asked politely. Her calm demeanor didn't signal she was hurrying to strike first. She appeared composed and harmless.

"Alright then, I won't hold back." Kendricks didn't hesitate. With a swift motion, he reached out, and the golden saber embedded in the ring flew back into his hand.

He stepped forward with his weapon in hand. The saber's sharp edge scraped along the battle ring as he moved. It left a long trail and scattered sparks in its wake.

Though he hadn't yet swung the blade, the sheer force of his presence was enough to make everyone feel a chill of apprehension.

"Blossom Storm!" Azalea raised both hands and waved toward Kendricks.

A storm of hidden weapons erupted from her sleeves. It filled the air with a relentless barrage of hundreds of projectiles.

Kendricks was a master swordsman, so she knew better than to engage him in close-quarter combat. She planned to use the thrown weapons and poison darts to wear him down, pulling back after each strike, and then find a chance to deliver a decisive blow.

"Hmph! Pathetic tricks." Kendricks scoffed as the projectiles camem rushing at him. With a swift flick of his golden saber, he conjured a massive wave of golden energy.

The wave shot up and quickly rose to over 30 feet high. It crashed forward like a tidal wave the oppressive force swallowed the swarm of projectiles and left no trace behind. X The unstoppable wave plowed through everything in its path and barreled toward Azalea with terrifying power.