Legacy of the Dark Sage

Chapter 1154 Spar Matches (1)

On the second day of the Grand Gathering, the Main Palace, a majestic structure of unparalleled beauty, opened its gates and allowed others without a formal invitation to enter and watch sparring matches in the dome.

With Aillos's official acknowledgment of the Regis Family into the Dragon Clan in last night's banquet, there was no longer a need to hide them from the other dragons. It also meant they could watch all the sparring matches in the dome.

To maintain order and security in the palace, all paths leading to residential mansions, including the annexes and complexes and other official establishments like the audience chamber, training hall, and more, were declared off-limits.

Surprisingly, dragons were sticklers to the rules. Thus, no new visitors ventured on those paths, even if no array formation was placed on them.

Though the dragons were not entirely comfortable with the humans from the Lower Realm's presence, they had noticeably softened their stance. While they remained cautious, their hostility had significantly diminished.

But that did not mean the humans were safe around them. The natural pressure they exuded was still lethal to them. This was why Ames had to cast a protective spell on them to ensure they would not be affected by the combined pressure coming from the dragons.

For the record, Aron, Cade, and Jared were under the protective spell cast by Ames, ensuring their survival amidst the natural pressure exerted by the dragons in the Tempest Hall. Kyran, too, recognizing their vulnerability due to their low mage levels, further enhanced their clothes to shield them from the combined pressure of the dragons.

The dome where the sparring matches would happen was called the Disappearing Star Dome. It went without saying that its name came from the fact that the dome disappeared once the Grand Gathering concluded.

Approximately three hours before noon, the dome was packed with dragons, with some of the people from the Lower Realm gathered in one area.

Such a crowd was a first in the history of all the Grand Gatherings in the Dragon Clan.

It was to be expected because news of how almost all of the young talents invited to the Grand Gathering declared sparring requests against the new Dragon Lord had spread among the dragons like wildfire.

Furthermore, all dragons who could not watch the sparring matches in person tuned in on their tablets for the live broadcast.

At the dome's top level were waiting rooms for all participants of the spar matches. These rooms were unique because instead of installing projections to show the arena below, the floor was made of two-way mirror glass. So everyone in the room could watch the matches in the arena from a bird's eye.

Meanwhile, Aillos, his aides, all patriarchs, and their second-in-commands would watch the matches on hovering platforms circling the dome, a few hundred meters from the arena's outskirts.

For the first time, all hundred and one platforms were occupied. This meant that all leaders of each tribe decided to watch the sparring matches.

It should be noted that few leaders came to watch the matches on the first day after the first couple of Grand Gatherings of the clan's founding. Most of the time, they would only attend on the days that their young talents participated or the tribes they were keeping an eye on had a sparring match.

"Yes," Crei replied with a nod. "Thorn did not personally see him in action, but the fact that he was sent to the same floor as them and how he managed to subdue the representatives of the Lacus Clan shows he has great potential, even among the beings born in the Higher Realm."

"As a human, he is a descendant of the Ancients' creation. That already shows how much potential he could have if he awakened as a mage," Ickle remarked. "But he also has dragon blood running in his veins..."

His voice trailed off as his brow furrowed in concern.

"I'm not sure if that combination is good."

If only they knew that that was not the only combination that Kyran possessed, they would probably flip over and demand their Lord to get rid of him as soon as possible.

"I do think so, too," Crei agreed and sighed. "He already possessed the Draconic core, meaning he could utilize real Chaos magic rather than specific elemental attributes it had."

"We still have little information about him," Ickle replied, looking toward the dome's ceiling. "Contact Anahita and tell her to make him use his cards as much as possible before ending the spar."

Judging from Ickle's order, it was not wrong to presume that he had already considered Anahita to win against the new Dragon Lord.

"I'll convey your instruction," Crei replied and took out his tablet at once.

"Will Thorn really not participate?"

"No," Crei replied, shaking his head. "He did not say why, but I suppose he is worried about hurting him and making a bad impression on that young human Sisi."

Ickle sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose in exasperation, "I get why he is fond of her, but keep him in check. He should no better than form a friendship with beings that could die. Just take our Lord, for example. Remember how devastated he had been when his only human friend died."

"I will make sure to keep an eye on him."

"What about Ladon? I heard that he is not going to participate, as well."

"He seems to have the same dilemma as Thorn."

Ickle sighed again, "These younglings..."

From their exchange, it was evident that none of them expected that the real reason the two did not want to participate was because they were aware of Kyran's strength and not because they did not want to make Cyneah sad.