Jaxton’s entrance drew a lot of attention. The Esoteric Sword Guild was highly mysterious in the martial world. Though they had only a handful of members, each was exceptionally talented.
Their Sword Mastery Technique was so powerful that even the Sword Union had been envious. Consequently, every time Jaxton stepped into the battle ring, he became the center of attention.
Everyone was intrigued by the Esoteric Sword Guild background and the renowned Sword Mastery Technique.
Despite advancing to the top 16, he hadn’t showcased the technique. Perhaps none of his previous opponents had been able to force him to use it. But the stakes were different now.
Jaxton would be going against Fenley from the Celestial Alliance, ranked fifth on the Legendary List. With such a strong opponent, he would need to use his Sword Mastery Technique.
At that moment, the two stood on the ring and saluted each other.
“I’m Fenley Hudson from Celestial Alliance,” Fenley introduced himself with a brief salute.
“I’m Jaxton Siege, chief senior disciple of Esoteric Sword Guild,” Jaxton responds coldly.
“I’ve heard that the Esoteric Sword Guild excels in Sword Mastery Techniques. It’s capable of killing its target from a thousand yards away. Is that true?” Fenley asked curiously. There were endless wonders in the world that he hadn’t seen before.
“You’ll find out soon enough,” Jaxton replied with a neutral expression as if he didn’t regard him as a threat.
“Oh?” Fenley raised an eyebrow and smiled faintly. “I’m eager to see what you can do.”
He wondered if a rookie like Jaxton, who seemed to disregard him, was overconfident or just plain clueless.
“Between Jaxton of the Esoteric Sword Guild and Fenley of the Celestial Alliance, who do you think will win?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Of course, Fenley will win. Do you think his fifth place in the Legendary List is fake? It’s all earned through hard work.”
“I’ve heard Fenley’s cultivation is on the verge of breaking through to the ultimate grandmaster level. With the skills he learned from the Celestial Alliance, Jaxton should be outmatched.
“Not necessarily. Jaxton’s cultivation is also quite impressive. With his Sword Mastery Technique as his trump card, he might be able to compete with Fenley.”
“That’s right! In a battle ring match, anything can happen. Until the end, no one can be sure of the outcome. Remember when everyone thought Sam would win but still lost to Caleb despite all his efforts?”
The spectators below the battle ring were abuzz with debate as they watched the match between Fenley and Jaxton.
Some thought Fenley would win, while others believed Jaxton was a dark horse. Each side was firm in their beliefs, and no one could sway the others.
“Both contestants are ready. Let’s start the first match of the top 16,” Oron announced after confirming both contestants were ready.
The previously noisy venue fell silent. Everyone’s eyes were glued to the battle ring, and nobody wanted to miss the action between the two elites.
“Let’s begin.” Fenley extended a hand to signal Jaxton to make the first move.
“Hmph!” Jaxton didn’t hesitate. With a quick step, he turned into a blur and dashed forward before punching Fenley with a thunderous force.
Everyone knew Jaxton was renowned for his Sword Mastery Technique, but they had no idea his hand-to-hand combat was just as exceptional. His previous opponents hadn’t even been worthy of him drawing his sword.
“Going for a fistfight?” Fenley smirked and threw a punch of his own without moving from his spot. Their fists clashed with a thunderous impact,
sending waves of energy rippling outward. Fenley stood his ground, but Jaxton
was pushed back several steps, and his arm numb from the force. Clearly, Fenley had the edge in strength and skill.
“Huh?” Jaxton grimaced and glanced at his arm. He noticed his fingers were twitching involuntarily. That punch hadn’t gone in his favor.
He realized that while he couldn’t compete with Fenley in sheer power, the battle ring demanded more than just strength. Technique and decisive moves were equally important.
“Thunder Punch!” Jaxton channeled his internal energy into his fists. His punches flew like lightning. It instantly struck out hundreds of times and created a whirlwind of fist shadows that dazzled the spectators.
“Interesting.” Fenley stood still and mirrored Jaxton’s technique. His fists moved with incredible speed, creating a storm of fist shadows that met Jaxton’s fist in the air.
The clash of punches sounded like a series of firecrackers. The energy waves from each hit spread out in relentless waves. Fenley and Jaxton’s pace and intensity grew and made the noise even louder.
From the stands, the spectators could barely distinguish their movements. All they saw were countless fist shadows flying through the air.
It was impossible to tell who was landing which blows. This kind of intense, no-holds-barred exchange was new to them.
Neither contestant flinched or backed down. It was a pure test of strength, with each one trading blows without any sign of retreat. It was a gritty, iron- willed showdown.
